Synopsis
Sudo Kaname, a normal high school student, was dragged into a mobile game where dying is not an option.
Story
The whole season of this survival anime doesn't live up to the intensity of the first half of the first episode. There, I think that sums up everything. If you've only seen the pilot episode, your reaction to this might be like "
Whaaaat? It was so cool, I don't believe you." Well, it's up to you. This show made me expect so much, but unfortunately, when you actually analyze whatever was going on, you'll know it's just playing with you.
The problem was in the main character (which I'll discuss in detail below), and how the show was trying to justify him.
Characters
Sorry, but I'll be discussing the main character only, 'cause he's the only one who really has an issue (other casts were fine).
First and foremost, anyone who played the game will have their selves be awakened. They will be given a Sigil (a skill proportional to what suits them most). So in the case of Sudo Kaname, his Sigil was to be able for him to replicate any object that was not considered complicated. In the first episode, he unknowingly created another pen, and in the rest, he has manufactured weapons, and items necessary for battle. Sounds a bit familiar? His skill was sort of similar to Archer in
Fate/Stay Night.
While watching the series I noticed how good he was at dodging and aiming. Which were fine, 'cause the game obviously triggered his survival / offensive abilities. The problem was the amount of luck he has.
Here, I've listed down three scenarios where he could have died:
1. Banda, the rookie killer, was hit by a car before he could get closer to Kaname and slash him.
2. Ryuji's machine gun got jammed. When it got fixed he took pity on Sudo and chose to keep him alive.
3. The Florist's direct punch on Kaname, which killed members of Eighth, didn't have much effect on him.
In episode 3, Rein rationalized that it's not just luck that let him survived. Him being persistent, let him escaped death.
Well, let's see... his battle with Shuka was understandable, he really did think of a tactic to win (while being lucky at the same time that he dodged her attacks well). But the three which I listed above, was not. It was just pure luck, and I can't fathom how, as a viewer, would those be satisfyingly acceptable.
Maybe I can disregard the first one, 'cause that's just the beginning and the creator probably wants us to realize that luck does play a huge role in life and death situations. But for him to be lucky again and again... Nope, just nope.
Sudo Kaname getting the grasp of things when it's already too late.
Finally, his character development, at first he appears to be the boy next door. He doesn't like to kill and wants to negotiate things. But after the unfortunate incident that happened to his friend Shinozuka, he suddenly had an aura of a cold-blooded killer.
Here's the deal, does it mean that the deaths of his two other friends from the beginning weren't enough for him to know that he needs to kill to survive? Like, seriously? You needed your last buddy to die to come to your senses? Unbelievable.
Writing / Storyboarding
The script on this show was inconsistent. It's really disappointing as this could have been a great thriller anime. If only some scenes were well thought out.
For example, when Kaname took a direct hit from the Florist, he could have cough some blood to show the amount of damage he received. But no, after he was sent flying, he immediately got up like he's not hurting, and I'm quite sure he doesn't have the body of a Super Saiyan.
Here's another one, in the last part of the event, the real treasure was hidden in the coin lockers at the south exit of Shibuya station. Ryuji, one of the supporting characters, was about to be killed in that area. His life was spared because Kaname showed up. But initially, our hero wasn't there to save his friend's life, he only went there after Rein told him about the treasure's location.
Meaning, if Ryuji wasn't on that spot, he would have probably been dead. Some anime series know how to patch everything by having a clear answer at every possible plothole. In the case of the final scene at the game's event, Ryuji was simply fortunate to be where he was. (Again, luck.)
On a positive side, some dialogues were pure genius:
Artwork / Animation
There's no striking artwork here, but if I were to choose whose character design was the best, it'll be Shuka.
The most unforgettable scene with great animation was the battle between Sunset Raven (Kaname's clan) against the number one player in Darwin's game. Shuka's non-stop attacks and Liu Xuelan's evading skills were such a feast to the eyes.
Music / Sound
Both the opening and ending songs were great, with the latter being the best of the two.
However, the rap song playing in fight scenes wasn't that engaging. If it was 100% instrumental maybe it will sound more fitting.
Episode Ratings
- 1 - First Game - 3.5
- 2 - Gemstone Mine - 3
- 3 - Ignition - 3.5
- 4 - Fireworks - 3.5
- 5 - Aquarium - 4
- 6 - Hardness - 3
- 7 - Eighth - 4
- 8 - Fragile - 3
- 9 - Heads Up - 4
- 10 - Old One - 2
- 11 - Sunset Ravens - 3.5
PS: The unknown killer in episode one, could be the new character that was showed at almost the end of the last episode.
