Cross Ange is flawed. There’s TONS of plot armour… and I mean TONS of IT, some plot holes too, inconsistent characterisation, overexaggerated characters, somewhat boring fights, and a few characters arcs which could’ve been executed better (e.g. Salia and Jill).
But I will say this though. I was never bored watching it - I was pretty entertained all throughout. I can’t even say that for some of the anime I have given 9s to and, for that, I respect it. I could even look past some of the plot holes because of it. It can be very well-written at times.
I only checked this anime out on a whim, to be honest - I think someone on MAL had Ange in their favourites and I thought Ange’s design looked pretty cool. I only was planning to watch the first episode but I surprised myself with how much I was hooked by it. I think high watchability is one of the criteria for a better-than-average show for me. It is especially impressive since I am not at all keen on the fantasy genre.
Yeah, it is a bit suggestive and fan-servicey (lots of scantily-clad, almost naked girls). It’s not really my cup of tea personally, but I guess it makes it somewhat stimulating??? I don’t know - my sexuality is a mess. It certainly not what I watched the show for (unlike most people who watched this, probably xD).
I think they should have gone all out with some of the nudity (like Elfen Lied etc.). It got a bit silly after a while when there 'just happened' to be a bright flash of light that covered a character's nipples or something. It felt very Austin Powers-y, which I don't think a dark show like this one should be reminding me of haha.
I think this show’s greatest triumph is what it explores thematically. It is a bit messy but, overall, I think they did a damn good job and it makes the show really interesting.
It’s such a thematically-rich show full of interesting commentary on humanity (it especially captures the ugliness and hypocrisy of humanity) and the desire for a utopian society (is the pursuit for a utopian society really worth it?), through exploring and questioning privilege, exploitation, class, war and even capitalism. Moreover, more individual ideas like trust, the limits of forgiveness, and empathy are explored too. There are many more that I haven't listed.
I like how dark and gritty this anime can be at times. In fact, I sort of wish it was a bit darker and more people were killed (I think that could've helped raise the stakes and boost the themes of the show even more). However, I think it also balances humour with the darkness of the show well - especially sassy humour, which you can easily get from characters like Ange. I didn't mind the more crude humour too (I guess for a show with a lot of fan service, it's a necessity). Even though it was a bit overplayed, that running gag with Tusk and Ange accidentally finding themselves in compromising situations got a laugh out of me.
The characters are okay overall - some are written better than others, of course, with some tropey and basic writing. There are a lot of characters but it never feels too crowded - they all do their part. The voice acting is of great quality.
I really like Ange. She’s a character you can really root for, despite her flaws. Her character growth - and the way she begins to see the world and life - is definitely something I got invested in. They really use that to the show's advantage. Tusk is very sweet and gentle too - I was actually quite surprised when I found out that Mamoru Miyano voices him. I tend to associate him with more flamboyant characters. Ange and Tusk compliment each other well.
Some of the villains are a bit too maniacal and one-dimension though. I wish they were a bit more complex. Julio is a good example. It can feel a bit melodramatic, although I thought the main villain was actually quite menacing actually! He really creeped me out.
As I mentioned before, the fight scenes were a bit boring (to me, at least)... but I like the last few fight scenes. The fight scenes definitely get more thrilling as the show goes on and the stakes are raised a bit more. I think there are generally well-animated.
The music is okay, I guess; a bit repetitive. The main song that’s featured throughout the anime (that one Ange sings all the time) gets a bit tiresome after a while. It was a bit cheesy to have songs unlock powers, to be honest. But I liked the OPs and EDs though - they really got me pumped up for what was to come!
Let me tell you, when I heard the first line of that second OP, I immediately smiled ear-to-ear at the realisation of who was singing. Even 19 years after doing the Evangelion OP, Yoko Takahashi still sounds great! I love that OP - it’s become one of my favourites.
To sum up, had it been written more cohesively, 'Cross Ange' could have been something really special. Otherwise, they tried their best and it was a decent result. Thanks for the pleasant surprise.
Strong 7.
