Now, I don't know where the unnecessary hate or skepticism comes from. Perhaps people assumed from the cover of two boys holding swords that Endride would be an action-packed series. While swordfighting is quite frequent in the anime, it is not the focus of the series and doesn't try to make it seem like it either. For anyone that picked up the anime, watched a few episodes, called it boring and dropped it probably didn't realize that the anime doesn't even promote Action genre. Unfortunately, betrayed expectations also tend to lead to cynicism and from there to ignoring anything else good that the series might have had to offer.
Aside from ranting about the mistakes that people have made when evaluating this anime, let's talk about why this anime is good.
Compared to dozens of different anime that I've seen in the past, Endride has one of the best approaches into world building that I've seen so far. Heck, even most of the mainstream titles cannot compare. Although often criticized for its slow pacing, Endride offers a good opportunity to look into the world of Endra where the story mainly takes place in. Going anywhere from seeing the entire continent through a map into learning about its very ecosystem, there's something you can always learn about Endra.
Character development in Endride was also something I would consider commendable, especially in the case of Emilio, the prince of Endra. Once a spoiled child who has never seen life outside of the castle embarks on a journey with a complete stranger, with only one simple goal in mind: Revenge. However, he learns much about the life outside the castle walls, including the values of a group of revolutionists, poverty and discrimination of other races. By the end of their journey, Emilio has changed a lot and seeks to exact the faults in his kingdom on his way back. Development of course doesn't limit only to Emilio, so there's a whole lot to look forward to!
The story of Endride is also nothing short of intriguing and always shrouded in mystery. Suddenly taken into a world inside a crystal, the immediate question arises: How do you get back home? And while seeking an answer for that question, many other questions are uncovered along the way, which without answer could mean the destruction of Eldra. As if the constant search for answers wasn't enough to keep you on your toes, the story also has the tendency to take the most unexpected turns...
In conclusion, I think Endride has a lot more to offer than people seem to realize, only in a completely different way than expected. While it might on a first glance look like an action anime and in that regard prove to be a disappointment, there's a lot more else going on in the anime and is up to the viewer whether it is sufficient to keep them interested. If you ask me though, if you have even the slightest interest in seeing through an unique plot, I would definitely recommend checking Endride out!
