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Sakurada Reset is a hidden gem. Well, at least for me it is. I just happened to find it while browsing the mystery genre. I wasn't expecting much, but I ended up binging the whole thing in a day. It starts off a bit slow but picks up after the first couple of episodes. What makes Sakurada Reset stand out for me is its creative use of superpowers, engaging character growth, and the gradual unraveling of the town’s mysteries. Although its overall presentation isn't anything special, the intriguing plot and character development make it worth watching. If you are looking for a well-written mystery with ... a few twists and turns, Sakurada Reset is definitely worth a look.

It really feels like people have forgotten about this show since I rarely see anyone recommend or discuss it. I find it so underrated that I decided to log into this account, which I haven’t touched for years, just to write this review and hopefully convince someone to give it a shot. I will not be mentioning any spoilers at all, so feel free to read this if you haven't seen the show.

Just a disclaimer: I've never written a review before, and this is my first, so sorry in advance if it comes off as incoherent.




Overview of what one should expect when watching:

To give a gist of what the show is about, the story centers mostly around two students with abilities who are part of a club that aims to use their powers to solve cases and help people with their daily lives (for example: finding someone's missing cat). Eventually, the cases evolve from these simple ones, and the stakes are raised. Haruki can reset time back to a save point, but she won't remember anything since her memories are also reset. Kei has a supernatural memory and can remember anything. Even if time is reset along with everyone's memories, his memories won't disappear. They also get help from people with other powers every now and then for different cases/story arcs.

That premise might sound boring to some, so I will say that something significant happens at the end of the second episode. It introduces an unsolved death mystery, which stays unsolved until later on in the series. I found the payoff for this to be the best one this show had to offer. I initially watched this anime because I was in a 'mystery show' mood (like Kubikiri Cycle, Perfect Insider, etc.). I expected something similar to Hyouka, and while it did capture some of that vibe, it also reminded me of Charlotte in its story structure. Each arc usually revolves around the club tackling a new problem, with a focus on exploring the character(s) involved in that specific case.




What I liked about the show:

Like I said earlier, the main aspects I like about the show are the interesting use of abilities, character growth, and the slow reveal of the mystery behind the town.

By "interesting use of abilities," I mean that it's kind of similar to JoJo's Bizarre Adventure. In JoJo, Stand abilities are unpredictable. During battles, it’s hard to see how characters will win, but when they do and the clever strategy behind their victory is revealed, it makes for a satisfying outcome. I got a similar sensation when watching this show. Also, yes, there are some "fights" between ability users in this show. But it's more about outsmarting your opponent through abilities rather than physically fighting them. Kei winning over his opponent in episode 4 is one of my favorite examples of this. I thought Kei doing a funny finger gun pose at the start of that episode was just for fun, and it was cool to find out that there actually turned out to be a reason as to why he did that. Those who've watched will know what I'm talking about. Anyways, early on, some might find the use of abilities to be kind of basic. But as the show moves forward, they progressively get more creative in how they use their powers together with other characters. Like I said earlier, as the show goes on, the club meets new people with different powers to help them out. And so the abilities the viewer is exposed to grow over time. And later on in the show, all of these characters and their abilities come together to perform amazing feats I could not have thought of myself.

I won't get into detail about the character arcs, but I will say that watching the main duo's progression was enjoyable. Seeing their bond deepen and observing their individual growth was particularly satisfying. I thought every character had ample screen time. Though, there are a few minor characters I wish we got to know more about or had more time to get attached to. But for the overall story and given the limited number of episodes, I think they did a good job. I've just browsed some of the reviews here and noticed that there are some mentions of the cast coming off as robotic or seemingly having no emotions. I personally disagree with these takes. It's not that they are robotic, but their expressions aren't really as exaggerated as characters from shows like Demon Slayer or as energetic as something like the Monogatari series. They are just a lot more grounded compared to other shows, and I don't think that's a bad thing.

The story has a couple of plot twists and turns that I did not see coming. Early parts of the show are mostly used to get to know the characters and understand how the world works. Throughout the story, the show drops hints about the truth behind the town and the unsolved death from the second episode. These details help build up to the reveal of these mysteries, which feels natural and doesn’t seem like it was just pulled out of nowhere.




What I dislike about the show:

I think a reason this show might've gone under the radar for most people is the animation. It's not bad, but it also doesn't do anything remarkable. There wasn’t really a moment where I was in awe of the animation, which is surprising considering this show is said to be made by the same studio that did JoJo (and they would eventually work on Fire Force). The show doesn’t have much style either, which did not help hide how basic its animation was. In its defense, the show doesn't need crazy animation since the abilities showcased aren't difficult to animate. But if the show was done by a studio like KyoAni, I feel it would've gotten higher reception. Interesting visuals might've helped retain some viewers in watching this show, but sadly, we did not get that.

The dialogue as well isn't as captivating or charming as something you would see in shows like the Monogatari series or Bunny Girl Senpai. Similar to the animation, I don't think the dialogue is particularly bad, but it doesn't stand out or do anything interesting like the shows I've just mentioned. And this show is mostly just talking, so I could see how it would turn some people off. Still, this did not hinder my enjoyment of the show, and I still got attached to the characters anyway. But it definitely could've been done better, which is why I consider this a con.

Another downside is that it seems a lot of people didn’t enjoy the first couple of episodes and some might find them to be a slog. However, after these initial episodes, the show does pick up. I personally liked even the first couple of episodes, but I understand some people might not feel the same.




Conclusion:

Sakurada Reset might not have the best visuals, and the dialogue isn't as entertaining as the examples I stated earlier. But with how well-written the characters are along with the great overarching plot, I think these are what make the show worth watching. This show isn't a masterpiece, but it still offers a unique premise and an enjoyable watch. I have no regrets investing my time into finishing it.