Dec 27, 2016
This anime uses the most typical and generic and uninspired and annoying of anime tropes. Like, showing physically abusing men as something casual and even comedic. Or like expecting a man to prove his worth simply because he happens to be a member of the male gender, while a female isn't expected to do anything more than what she feels herself like doing and should always be protected and taken care of regardless and is excused from doing anything, while a male must always do what is expected of a man to do and preferrably also more.
Then there's the BS romance between Yuri and Viktor,
...
which is entirely dependent on them being a trainer and a competitor. For some dumb reason, they couldn't just be a couple regardless of anything - no, god forbid apparently. And there is no bonding process or them just hanging out unless it's related to the competition. No cuddling or chilling out - all about the training and competition all the damn time.
And SOOO much focus on them skating on the ice with the same recycled skating animation repeated for each character over and over and over AND OVER AND OVER again. Not just for the protagonist, nope. It's also for all the other competitors. No montage or anything, just dragging each segment out for forever and ever.
They try to give us backstories for every single one of them, but there is just no reason for us to care about them. And there's this disgustingly pretentious tone over the whole thing with ice skating meaning more than life or something.
I just don't get why they can't make an honest romance out of this instead of this pseudo-romantic stuff with them only MAYBE eventually getting together if the protagonist succeeds in achieving something. It's the same stuff like in other poorly written animes like Love Hina, where they postpone them becoming a couple over and over again because the protagonist must make sure he doesn't fail at succeeding some sort of test - in Love Hina's case, getting through the exam.
In fact... Yuri looks and acts an awful lot like Keitaro. SOMETIMES. They don't seem to make up their mind on who or what Yuri is. Sometimes a spineless nerdy twat, other times a generic uke from a yaoi, other times a shounen-esque "I'm gonna be the best!"-character. It doesn't make him more complex, it just makes it feel like it's more difficult to know who or what Yuri really is.
Just like all other animes with male gay romances in it, this was a pure disappointment. And being a gay guy myself, that is extremely depressing to have to realize.
Reviewer’s Rating: 2
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