Not that it’s completely unoriginal for the magic high school pseudo-genre.. the idea of the main character being a teacher instead of a student is unique. But I have to wonder if the story might have been better served by focusing on Sistine’s development instead. Sure Glenn plays an important role, but he’s already so accomplished that it’s not like the story is further enhanced through his viewpoint.
I think what doesn’t help is the anime industry’s insistence to move towards 12 episode cours. Even when the show isn’t an adaptation, they still do it. I don’t have any definitive proof, but I think that doing this really hurts light novel shows, making them cut out extra information.
Perhaps I’m wrong, but either way, this show feels like it needs more episodes to breathe a bit. The first three episodes are kind of weird. Typically, that time is used to set the pace for the rest of the series, but it feels like the end rather than the beginning of a show because we’re already dealing with a high stakes situation.. the pacing is strange.
I know it seems like I don’t really like this show, but that’s not true. I just feel like there’s a bit of wasted potential here. The characters are likeable and there are some funny scenes that I chuckled at, but this show is trying to do too much in too little of a time.
Going back to the pacing, I think how quickly things start and stop makes it feel kind of confused and directionless. Does this want to be a dollar store Great Teacher Onizuka? or is it an action series about Glenn’s past? Or is it about Sistine achieving her dream? You could do all of them, but not in the allotted time given. Not well, at least.
That’s why I think they wasted this show’s potential. They don’t deserve the payoff at the end of the season, it’s not earned. In conclusion: watch once and enjoy what it offers, and that’s it. It’s been some years, I won’t expect a second season.
