With a new selection of anime to watch, it's often hard to pick from the seemingly endless range of shows that this media provides. This is more evident with rather underground titles that are cursed to live in the shadows of the more mainstream series. And so, most would seek the guidance of reviews provided by the consumers.
Don't worry, I gotchu.
(skip to the end for tl;dr)
Story (6.8/10)
Tsurune suffers a bit in terms of plot. It's not what you would expect coming from a show labeled under the "Sports" genre. With other series such as Haikyuu and Kuroko no Basuke, the sports aspect in Tsurune falls short in comparison. Thankfully, it doesn't seem like the main topic of the show is the competitiveness itself. Instead, archery seems to act as a catharsis for the event to take place and for the characters to interact. Much like the third season of Free, this show is plagued with melodrama, and, while it's not necessarily a bad thing, it can disappoint the viewer looking for action.
Characters (6/10)
The characters are predictable and generally shallow except for our 2 main characters who actually have a backstory. The show tries to make the other 3 guys of the squadron relevant, yet it can't be helped but feel like they were really unnecessary. The dynamics weren't bad but it still felt like there was something missing with the side characters. They felt more like excuses to have a wider cast than anything else.
Art (9/10)
We all know Kyoto Ani by now. Their style is the same one we know and love and the animation is pretty good. Not much to say here. The mood of the setting is always consistent and it just works in their favor.
Sound (7/10)
I have to admit that I'm not one to focus on the ost of a show much, the ambiance felt throughout the show is consistent but nothing too spectacular as it uses the sounds to its advantage. The OP was one of my favorites this season. It fit the show a lot and the song itself is one I come back to from time to time.
[tl;dr]
Tsurune is by no means bad, but it's definitely not for everyone. For the people looking for action and the competitiveness of the sports genre, look somewhere else. This show radiates a more wholesome vibe and leans more to the slice of life projects produced by Kyoto Ani. It's short and sweet and has a relaxing air to it. It does what Kyoto Ani does best while maintaining a consistent mood that almost hooks the viewer.
