This anime gets me confused. At first, I grew disappointed by episode 1, which seemed to be setting up a futuristic kingdom, on another planet. No date is given and the only geographical evidence we have is that "these flowers used to grow up on Earth, our previous home".
Although it is fine not knowing much about where the story is placed (it remains an easy point to cover with sci-fi / futuristic animes : you don't have to give so many informations considering your universe is already unreal). So let's talk about the major points : no, this does not stay a boring show - fortunately - and we swap from "futuristic slice of life" genre to "futuristic military mecha warfare" genre.
Indeed, if episode 1 almost made my enjoyment vanishing, the next episodes highly caught my attention. Basically, we can watch a war between the Empire & the Kingdom (shown in episode 1, as well as major characters), using high technology mechas. The main goal is getting possession of a new technology that could help producing ressources and of course giving an heavy military force.
What changes with this anime is that ... you actually don't know which side you should take part of. Exactly, the opening makes you thinking something (to hide as much as possible : it shows a reunion between 2 very important characters currently being ennemies, after episode 6) but they don't even seem close to meet one day. This is very confusing or frustrating because the opening "spoils" you one probable major event but it could also be a trap / bait.
So you get to see both point of view (from each side) and it gets you quite lost. Right now I don't know how this is gonna work nor if the opening was a total bait. I can't fully recommend it right now (might bores viewers) but for those patients & ok to have a slowly coming plot, you can watch it. Most fights are decent to watch and many characters seem to be interesting to follow.
Final review, 22/03/2019 (last episode aired). Will contain major spoilers (I will write a last warning, so you can read the following lines).
Egao No Daika represents a weird but catching contrast between 2 very different visions of war. At first, you find a soft vision coming from a teenager Princess, whose heart is bigger than anything. Confronting to an unexpected war, her spirit dictates her to take diplomatic and deathless solution. Despite, war remains war and casualties are inevitable, a thing she will discover progressively.
On the other side, you have the vision of a young fighter (on the opposite side) who has been swarmed by despair from the start and had to fight in order to live. Her vision is very militarian cliche : a coldheart soldier able to kill with her own will, fighting without having an ulterior motive.
The anime shows both cute parts or heartful scenes, showing that humans - despite they are fighters - are still humans and can act in order to save more than their own little lives. But however, in a war, death and violence catch you even if you try to avoid it... that's exactly why this anime killed so many characters who had a great role and a certain impact to the plot. In fact, you will follow both sides' point of view and every death occuring doesn't let the viewer unaffected (you won't cry but you might regret one's death).
It was an average+ / good- anime for me, showcasing mechas fights in a future world, but keeping a strong message at the end.
MAJOR SPOILERS COMING FROM NOW
In fact, Egao no Daika ended with both sides signing a peace treaty after the Princess deactivated every technology on the planet. It means the end of all weapons / mechas but also all the technology used daily, for comfort. It kind militates for an environmental message saying we should slow down on progress and think about Earth. Although, you get to know that the world where Egao No Daika takes place is another planet humans had to colonized after Earth was dead.
I appreciated the whole show (except episode 1 which has quite nothing to do compared to the others) but some points annoyed me. Indeed, the OP clearly shows a reunion between the 2 major characters, a meeting that happens in last episode. Very awaited but came very late also. It seemed too easy for me that the show ended like this, it felt a bit rushed. Ironicly, a huge part of the characters enlightened died...
However, I was impressed by the fact it featured both cuteness and war aspects. Not the best or the worst Winter 2019 anime but a very decent one with a deeper & serious plot that it first looked like.
