In recent years, the industry has endeavored to make adaptations of fairly cheap works or create their own, also influencing those commercial works, with the purpose of making money. The last thing usually tries to show a premise that was "original", under the concept that these types of works are not directly adapted from other works (But, I emphasize again, they have an influence of other series). There are original series that, if well received by popular opinion, end up becoming a franchise that includes adaptation to a manga, light novel, video games, toys, etc.
From the series that I am going to talk about, it is about one that decided to be a franchise from the beginning, taking the risk of being or not received by public opinion.
In mid-May, the launch of an anime called "Akanesasu Shoujo" was announced. When the Previews, I really did not get my attention because I just thought that the premise was quite boring (Secondary Girls doing a ritual, seeing the word "Girls" was evident that the main purpose was to attract the viewer), besides that previously that I had experiences with harem/ecchi series where the cast was dominated mainly by the female sex. I had high expectations that the series was going to have a high content of ecchi and fanservice with the excuse that the main cast were girls (And yet I decided to watch the series on the first day of its premiere).
I was wrong.
Akanesasu Shoujo (The Girl of the Twilight) tells the life of five students in the fictional city of Akeyuki, among them is Asuka Tsuchimiya, a very energetic, extroverted and very positive girl who, after finding an urban legend on the Internet, decides to drag to her four friends to the Sacred Tree of Akeyuki, to do the so-called "Ritual of 4:44", which is said that "Using a player capable of generating frequencies, in front of the Tree, if the ritual is done at 4 o'clock: 44, it can take you to a dimension other than ours. " At first, this fails, but because of things of destiny, the girls decide to do it with a correct frequency until finally they are led by an apocalyptic world of Akeyuki. It is from there that our four girls know the Asuka of the other dimension (Serioasuka), and there begins the adventures of these four students.
At first, the series presents a problem with the start of the frame. Although the first three episodes give you an idea of what the series is basically, are just the first three episodes where the anime is wobble too much and makes the viewer easily bored. The archetypal personalities of the girls and the quality of animation presented put salt to the wound, and it is simply these three factors that make this series seem to go to the lowest of the average quality of the anime.
So, why do I give it such a high score of 9/10?
Although its beginning was quite awkward, Akanesasu Shoujo quickly presented a particular formula that, although it did not work in the first three episodes, when the fourth premiered, the aesthetics of the series began to change at an overwhelming rate. The series began to take lightly of other sorts like the "Comedy" and the "Mahou Shoujo", for example, and began to reinforce a little the sort "Action" and "Sci-fi".
In some things I felt that this formula went with some random things. However, this made the series begin to have a narrative quality quite impressive than expected. The humor of the series, during the first half of the series and the beginning of the other half, made the plot of the series balanced and makes the viewer entertain with the stupidities that arise between the girls and their selves of other dimensions ; at the same time that the plot began to mature and little by little it became as serious as possible.
However, something that really should be considered spectacular and wonderful are the last episodes of the series. I will not say much because it would be spoilers:
After having about 5 episodes full of humor and youthful fun, the series little by little becomes darker, taking basic elements of "Suspense" and "Drama", which makes the spectator stay alert of what is going to happen. The narrative presented in these last episodes is perfect and generates a big blow to the heart of what you expected. To complement this, the genre "Romance" goes surreptitiously between these last two genres, even if you are a person quite critical of anime, it is impossible for you not to feel that cliffhanger that is gradually generating the series.
As for the cast, I said from the beginning that they maintain an archetypal stance. This, in part, is true. Both in appearance and in the way you behave, it is nothing different compared to other series clichés. We have a protagonist who is hyperactive and full of optimism; to the "student of honor" who tries to stop the stupidities of the protagonist; a shy girl whose personality makes her look cute; a girl with mad hormones; and a girl with a cold and lonely character.
However, as the series progresses, the one-dimensional character of the cast begins to move away from them, and we can witness how little by little their history and personality begin to be quite detailed. Naturally, who would receive more development would be Asuka Tsuchimiya. However, this does not mean that the rest of the cast is left behind. In each arc a brief history is dedicated to each girl, her past and the reason for which they met Asuka; The evolution of girls is also a way of criticizing the most common personalities in anime stereotypes. Nana, the girl must have been the crazy hormones, wants to be an independent woman and not be submitted to any man; Mia, who is supposed to be the beautiful and shy girl, wants to be a person who fights for justice; and Chloe, cold and lonely, wants to be more with her friends. As for Yuu, this character who seems to be Asuka's annoyance during the whole series, also shows a very interesting evolution, which involves her relationship with the other girls and their feelings. The proof of this is in alternate I, which Asuka calls "Ero-Yuu", due to her daring personality with the original Asuka and at the same time something corrupted.
However, of all of them, from which I take off my hat is Mia Silverstone. I will just tell you that she is one of the reasons why Akanesasu Shoujo began to improve in narrative quality. On the other hand, I was a little surprised by who makes the voice of Chloe Morisu is from Inoue Marine.
One of the most surprising details of this anime is that although Akanesasu Shoujo presents a premise that gives us many obvious ideas of what is going to happen, in reality these break with all the expectations we thought of this series. I'm not saying that the cliché is not present, on the contrary, Akanesasu Shoujo takes advantage of this resource to make us believe an idea of how predictable the plot can be, and then ends up executing the plot in a way that we could never think of in this series. What I'm saying is that the series uses the cliché to make fun of it, and make fun of us, which we have already experimented with certain series of this theme, such as Mahou Shoujo, for example. The execution of the script is masterful and, I repeat the above, do not neglect any of the main cast. Except that the series presents a gag to Asuka's ass and a beach episode Akanesasu Shoujo does not depend much on the fanservice as we thought; And still, these details do not hinder the plot, instead, it gives them an unexpectedly humorous touch.
The arcs of the series are interesting to see and connect with the personality of each protagonist, respectively, making the series show a small critique of the archetypal personality that these girls initially presented. Additionally, Akanesasu Shoujo also uses references of Western films and series to give him a satirical approach, doing parody to it either through some quotes said by the protagonists, or the way they are expressed in general.
To finish this section, I will say that labeling them as "Three-dimensional" would be an exaggeration for the girls. But they comply with all the traits of being "Bidimensional", and practically comes close to being "Three-Dimensional" if not because the series has only twelve episodes. Amazing.
Let's talk about the animation: Both Jumonji, who just debuted as his first production, and DanDelion, which the latter are also responsible for the CGI used in this series, leave much to be desired. No, I do not say that the animation is a mess, it is simply that the graphic portrayed in the characters has great ups and downs. Although the design of the protagonists are good, there are moments when the artistic quality falls to the lowest, be it in the way in which it focuses on the girls, like the details given to them when they are near or far from the viewer, and even There are some movements of the girls that seemed abnormal to me.
The good thing is that the series presents a palette of pretty good colors. The most recurrent scenarios of Akeyuki were very detailed and colorful, in contrast to the way in which the characters were drawn. Personally, I liked the Twilight scene, although it seemed simple, the saturation of yellow, and the almost destroyed buildings, complemented by those yellow snowflakes, gave it a rather apocalyptic approach.
The CGI is more decent, and was used mostly in fight scenes. I liked the choreography used in the combats between the protagonists and the so-called "Clutters", as also the designs of their costumes when they were transformed were striking. The special effects used when the characters used their weapons were good. The only thing is that these fight scenes hardly lasted two minutes, however, they were still quite entertaining in the eyes of the viewer. Anyway, the fights were something subjective.
As for soundtrack, Akanesasu Shoujo presents a varied OST, where J-Pop is dominant. The way in which the music was performed in the great majority of the scenes was well done, and it fit with the duration of the scene. However, at first I felt that the anime repeated the same series of songs in very specific scenes; however, as it progressed, the musical quality began to resonate and vary in different environments.
Between those that we can emphasize we have "444 ~ Four Forty-Four ~" interpreted by MiChi, that previously had been the interpreter of the Opening of Dagashi Kashi, used frequently in the scenes of the battle, be with the voice of the singer or only the instrumental, and, as the name suggests, refers to the "Ritual of 4:44", with a series of violins taking the melody of the song, giving it a focus of hope and motivation in the battles of the girls.
Regarding the opening theme, we have "Soranetarium" played by the same singer. A J-Pop song that mixes moved elements of electronic music, plus a series of violins playing dramatically, complemented by the singer's thick tone, gives it a very serious and powerful approach contrasted with the theme, for the most part comic, of the series. As for the ending, we have "Kowarekake no Radio" played by Ami Wajima, a pop ballad that takes a relaxed and somewhat nostalgic rhythm, personally.
CONCLUSION
"Are you looking for a series on parallel worlds and / or time travel?"
"Are you looking for a group of girls who live rare adventures and stupid situations?"
"Are you looking for a series that manages comedy and drama together?"
Well, maybe I'm not the right person to recommend this series. His story is simple, his characters are cliché, art is regular and music is a decent j-pop. All Akanesasu Shoujo is merely a cliche. However, it is a cliche that the series knew how to take advantage of from beginning to end; It was maturing narratively and we see how these characters begin to have a great relevance. Despite the setback he had at the beginning, Akanesasu Shoujo knew to go back to a pace too fast, and failed to neglect any detail in the plot (If so, it will only be an open end).
I, personally, enjoyed this series too much. Although most of the plot was not taken very seriously, there were times when the anime left you with the heart beating sharply due to the strongest scenes, sentimentally, or those that left you in uncertainty of what was going to happen.
Akanesasu Shoujo is far from being a masterpiece, but I'm sure it's the biggest surprise of this season. Outside the comedy, this series takes into account the thoughts and feelings of the protagonists, probably the message they want to give us this series is how we should move forward, towards the future, thanking that we have friends and family in whom we can tell if We are going through a personal problem. It is what I think.
I'm probably giving a high note to a series full of eccentricities and a potential rarity, but I really congratulate the seiyuu for being able to properly manage their characters; to the direction to resolutely resolve the script of the series and the good OST shown throughout the series. Pretty spectacular.
And, ending here, I invite you to witness that sky tinged with intertwined veins of resplendent gold and jet black, which we call Twilight.
