Reviews

I have only watch a few shows that revolves around European historical setting and that lack of watching experience was bothering me since it may affect my overall enjoyment of the show. It turns out that it wasn’t really an issue because it’s a well- designed Renaissance setting and I never thought that it would captivate me that much. There are cultural and time difference in their references but I’ve never had a difficulty of understanding the scenarios because it was properly explained and portrayed. Plus the art style especially the character design were perfect for the story.

The protagonist isn’t that unique but what made Arte special is her character’s empowerment on femininity which is the most emphasized theme in the series that circles along with equality and aspirations. Leo on the other hand is described as strict and cold-hearted but he’s obviously a socially awkward person. I believe that there’s a lack of portrayal in his cold side of personality because he’s very easy to read.

There’s definitely a lot of lacking factors on the technical aspect. Animation is not great but it’s good enough for these type of shows. The characters’ actions and facial expressions were a little bit stiff and the voice acting is off sometimes. They’re also trying so hard to apply comedic touches in different scenes and it looks obviously forced. There’s an overuse of camera panning movements and some establishment shots were rapidly zoomed in. But hey that’s just me being too technical. But if you’re someone who’s very particular in those little details, then it might not be pleasing to watch.

The last episode was rushed and I really wanted more than what the ending offers. I guess they don’t have a choice but to squeeze in everything from what is only allotted. Overall, it’s a pretty interesting story and it’s definitely recommended. Because of this show, I’ve wanted to watch more anime that also has this type of setting. Ja Matane!