Sep 22, 2017
I'll be sincere: this anime only started for me at episode 10. For that reason, I'll give separate ratings for the story and enjoyment pre- and post- episode 10. I won't give any spoilers, feel safe to read everything.
I picked this anime to watch from the very first day, since I like fantasy stories with original creatures and hardships. I felt a bit uneasy about the whole "kids explore the dark, dangerous world" setting, but I was willing to give it a chance, no matter how many episodes I had to withstand that dumb setting. And I have to admit, from episode 10 onwards, it
...
finally is paying off.
---- Scores ----
Art: 5
The world and backgrounds are ok (exactly what's expected from a fantasy anime), but I really can't stand the ball-head stick-limb characters.
Sound: 5
Nothing worth noting. Your average dark, fantasy world exploration soundtrack, tuned down for the children setting.
Character: 3
Kids. Enough said.
If you like them, good for you. I just can't stand them. The story could be carried with teens or adults and would work the same, but with actual likeable/relatable characters.
Story (pre- episode 10): 3
Boring. It wastes too much time with setting up the world. They don't try to make it interesting, they just handle all the information even if you're not interested in it right now, and then remember you again about that information in the very next episode, and in the next. Please, advance the fucking story and let the events conduct the handling of new information, just like, just like...
Story (post- episode 10): 10
... yeah! Just like episode 10 onward! The story finally is interesting and engaging, the pace feels right, information is delivered when needed. Basically, the storytelling that was more suited for a book was finally switched for one more suited for an anime.
Enjoyment (pre- episode 10): 6
Even though the story was kinda boring, I was still enjoying it. The world is well thought, but it didn't feel much dangerous due to the setting and the slow pace. I didn't like some cliffhangers in parts where the story was still lacking a way of bringing our interest back, but other than that, it was a solid fantasy story.
Enjoyment (post- episode 10): 10
I can't wait for the next episode. I can't wait to see how the story will develop from now on. That's how I find myself at the and of each episode since episode 10. I don't feel like any minute is being wasted during these episodes. It's finally paying off.
Overall: 7
I can't deny the first 9 episodes that dragged on for too long, so I can't give it more than a 7 for the whole 13 episodes. If only I could skip them without missing important things about the story...
---- Final consideration ----
I enjoyed this anime, but I wish it started at the events of episodes 10 onward (or at least from 4 onward) and showed the events from episodes 9- (or 3-) in a flashback manner. It wasted too many episodes trying to explain the world and setting up the events, this could be much better conveyed in a few "we screwed, let's remember what we should've learned in the past but are learning only now" flashbacks. They didn't need to explain everything from the start, that's something you do in books for the readers to take a grasp of the world the author is going for, not in anime where the images can tell much more in much better ways.
Well, since that's not what we get, just go along with what we have, ignore the dumb kids until episode 9, and you get a good story from episode 10 onward.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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