CyGames makes good stuff. I wouldn’t deny that. The last one I really got into was Granblue Fantasy… it’s a good one to compare this to. It looks excellent- nice lines and crisply drawn characters always on-model; beautiful colors and nice filters like for sunset scenes etc; good composition, good voices, and a very nice soundtrack. It's a nice place to be.
Ryza is the star of the show and looks the part. She’s bubbly and hopeful and confident and fun. Her fashion style- Ryza’s tight red shorts and thigh-length sandal-boots + a yellow cape that actually hides her short shorts from the back- it’s a great style I love it. It made her famous after all. But…. well, it doesn’t really fit the environment very well. It’s a medieval fantasy world, which is nothing unique- but her clothing clashes so hard with the society she’s in- it presents an odd visual disconnect: and also some interesting questions that go unanswered.
This gets on to what I think is missing from the anime. How did she acquire such odd clothes? Did she make them? If so, she’d have to be a really good seamstress- and that would be her occupation- but it’s not. Her mother chides her for not helping out on the family farm- okay so she’s a farmer- but NOT ONCE does mom bat an eye at what her TEENAGE DAUGHTER is wearing!!!!
Now that’s just totally impossible! This doesn’t appear to take place in California in the 2020s- mothers in the past, especially an era like that, would definitely scold their daughters for going out in sexy clothes! Fathers would object and stop her.
No such adversity exists here. It would present a kind of challenge for Ryza to overcome- to define her character more. Her defiance at her parent’s strict beliefs, contrasted against her determination to do her own thing and show the world who she is. That would be an inspiring story to tell, an origin story of the character.
Instead- you get the kind of dumb arc where she becomes an alchemist (why alchemy? It doesn’t really make sense- and it appears anyone can learn it- oh it’s because she is one in the GAME)
So Ryza learns how to just make anything magically appear by mixing in a couldron- which is shown by her doing this twirl in a blue sealike picture, then she appears back in the room where she is- holding the thing she created.. voila!
She learns the alchemy from a couple of mercenaries named Lila and Empel. Lila is a cutie with heterochromia and that weird crossed-bangs hairstyle you sometimes see. The two of them act a bit annoyed at Ryza’s trio- but after they go to the couple’s hangout, with some pleading- both agree to train Ryza in alchemy. Okay, but why? This takes a lot of their time and Ryza isn’t paying them anything. They teach Ryza, Lent and Tao by basically tossing odd criticisms their way from the couch. It’s not that I dislike Lila or Empel- it’s just that they don’t really come across as strong characters. In fact, no one really does. Lent is just Tank Guy. Tao is just Smart Boy. Lila and Empel are just… there. They sit on the couch looking slightly bored or annoyed, and sigh while giving Ryza and her friends advice. They’re helpful, but there’s no tension here. No reason for them to help, and no crisis that threatens them or Ryza.
In Granblue Fantasy, there was a tension that constantly had the main characters under threat. Everyone was motivated to accomplish something important- or go somewhere to learn from a master who could teach them how. But this show doesn’t have any tension or drama.
It’s just a really pretty lead character and her handsome friends, dreaming of going on adventures but not actually going on one…
This brings the biggest criticism I have of Atelier Ryza- the lack of epic adventure.
If your characters are ‘Adventurers’ and that’s what your show is about- you gotta GO ON ONE. As quickly as possible. You’ve got to get your characters MOVING in an adventure story. Somehow! And here, it just feels dull and flat because they aren’t going anywhere.
It's mostly just Ryza, Lent and Tao's (with Klaudia) wandering around encountering goofy 'monsters' from the game. NONE of them look remotely threatening- seriously blue bouncy balls with smiley faces; cute little fairies... which they kill on sight without asking any questions. It's really hard to feel like the heroes are in danger when they're being chased by a thing that looks like a glittery triceratops with rainbow crystals on its back...
There isn’t enough to get emotionally invested. It just looks good. And that means you don’t feel a strong motivation to watch the next episode. There were no hooks, no cliffhangers, and there was nothing to make you wonder what was coming next. So this would probably delight fans of this game and entertain you for a few episodes, but probably won't fascinate viewers with its world or story since it's mostly kind of generic.
Art- Excellent; Animation; Very Good; Vocals: Good; Music; Excellent; Story: Needs work.
