However, now I want you to throw all of that in the trash -where it belongs- because Akiba Meido Sensou is about to blow you away. The chaos, the carnage, the absurd dark humor, the fight scenes, the production quality and, heck, even the opening/endings, were some of the best I’ve ever seen in a while. If you’re here to watch a predictable and cutesy show, turn back immediately. You have been warned, so let’s get straight into the details!
The story of Akiba Meido Sensou or Akiba Underworld War (word play, loved it) follows Nagomi Wahira, a 17 year old with a simple dream: To join a Maid cafe and become one of the Maids she had always admired. What she didn’t know was that the Maid Cafes in Akihabara are basically street gangs with total control of their respective areas. Killing and gang violence are widespread and police mostly seem corrupt. Our protagonist learns about the reality of this world the hard way. On her first day, she’s sent to deliver a message to a nearby Maid cafe along with her co-worker, 35 year old Ranko Mannen. That’s when arguably one of the best character introductions begins to unravel…
Akiba Meido Sensou’s story has an episodic format, which some might not be used to or necessarily enjoy. In brief, this means each episode is uniquely written for one character, while a more continuous and concrete plot is followed throughout the series. This plays a major role in developing each of the side characters, as well as helping the audience understand the world building. Personally, I think this format works extremely well in a dark comedy, where the focus isn’t entirely on its plot, but also on the characters themselves. Overall I was very satisfied with how this idea played out. Keep in mind that the story is not to be taken seriously because it doesn’t even take itself seriously. In fact, it was deliberately crafted this way to make fun of common tropes and cliches. Akiba Meido Sensou is very insistent on making its plot look so ridiculously bad that it almost achieves the opposite effect. You truly never know what is going to happen next.
Characters-wise I could see little to no flaws. Without diving into spoiler territory, I would say I particularly liked Nagomi’s role in the story. She not only plays the role of the confused newbie, trying to survive these intense conditions, but she’s also the one the audience would relate to the most, judging by the interactions she has with other characters and her reactions to most major events. She might seem a bit boring and over the top at times, but can you really blame her? Nagomi’s simplistic character design and development throughout the story is her greatest gift.
Another favorite is of course Ranko. Whenever she’s on screen you just know something funny or crazy is going to happen. I think she’s more of a protagonist than Nagomi is, as her backstory is sort of the backbone of the plot. Nevertheless, I appreciate them both equally for the comedy, the action scenes and for plot progression. Character development isn’t something this show takes lightly. Throughout the story we get to see every character shine without their development being forced into the plot like in most short comedy anime.
As for production quality and animation, I don’t have much to say. The animation is fluid, the voice acting is very good and the opening/endings are not only extremely well-made and fit the show perfectly, but also managed to make me laugh. The small attention to detail is there as well: you’ll notice the backgrounds blend in with the action scene. You’ll understand more about what I mean when you watch the show.
In conclusion, I highly recommend Akiba Meido Sensou to anyone looking for a trigger happy show with some of the best fight scenes, plot twists and dark humor I’ve seen in a long time. The whole show is absolutely ridiculous and it knows it, which is what makes it funny and entertaining. It will not take itself seriously even in the most important scenes of the plot. Maids killing each other in the heart of Akiba is completely normal. Right?
Thank you for reading!
