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They went ham on the harmonica.




I would’ve just posted that, MAL said there needs to be more information so :/ Poor animation, flat characters, an OST consisting mostly of a lone harmonica. (not gonna lie, that's kind of charming, but it's also grading for episodes that're 40 minutes long.) Just kind of a whole lot of nothing; I can't blame anyone on production since they probably had a shoestring budget. I didn't know anything going into it; Just stumbled upon this by chance while perusing MAL. If you want to see poorly animated sex scenes, and things just kind of happening, then give it a ... watch, but there's probably something more engaging you could be spending your time on.

A lighthearted romp to pass the time that got a few laughs out of me. Each character had their own little quirks that endeared me to them, despite the fact they aren't the most complex or unique out there. Everyone has a fun dynamic with each other dripping in the essence of its 4-koma origins. Hideri, Kaho, Kōyō, and Mafuyu were the characters I had the most fun watching, especially the snappy banter between Mafuyu and Kōyō. They're similar in vibe, but bring their own fun traits to the table. (pun intended) Basically, I liked them all, with the exception of Dino, but I’ll get ... to him later.

The production quality is fairly consistent, and the art is soft and serviceable. I like some of the tracks of the OST, as they make for calming background noise while doing things around the house. Though nothing is stand-out-amazing, the tracks are very soothing to listen to on their own, and compliment their scenes pretty well. For once, I was okay with the generic background art, as it puts the focus squarely on the characters and their wacky antics. This is a comedy show, first and foremost.

Even though I thought the cast was charming, and they kept me engaged, I still couldn’t enjoy myself sometimes because of the worst character, Dino, and the fact that the rest of the cast cheers him on. He isn’t the most boring character, he even has his own charm, but the thing that made him basically unbearable to me was the fact that this 26 year old man has a crush on a 16 year old, and everyone else condones it and is actively rooting for him by the end. As someone who is his age, I can't even fathom having a crush on someone that young, and the age gap in emphasized by her looking so young and tiny compared to him. He's quite literally a pedophile, and Mafuyu and Kōyō routinely threaten to call the police on him/beat him up, which makes them aware of its inappropriate nature; It's even more confusing as to why they're suddenly chill with it in the last episodes. I understand it's a gag show, and things shouldn’t be taken seriously, but the adults around Maika constantly allowing this grown man to creep around her puts a bad taste in my mouth. The sad thing is, I like dynamics similar to that of Dino and Maika, but the 10 year age gap is so distracting, and sours everything for me since the show can't make up its mind as to whether or not it's messed up. If it didn't draw attention to it, I'd be able to tolerate it more, and just kind of ignore it. I don't derive humor from watching an infantile 26 year old (unsuccessfully) hit on a dense 16 year old. I would much prefer spending time with the other members of the cast.

There is a second implied relationship in the series with Kaho and Kōyō that isn’t as creepy?? but it's still suspect. (Kaho is 17 and Kōyō is 21.) Mafuyu is by default my favorite since she doesn’t have inappropriate relationships with the kids, and actively stops them from partaking in anything sexual, at least at work. But she gradually becomes more passive about the creep shit, so the note I ended on with her was meh.

One of the most painful slogs I’ve ever had to sit through. The only reason I gave it 2 stars instead of 1 is because there's a canonically bisexual character (and even then it's sort of played as a joke).

This show does not know what it wants to be. The first few episodes + the last one are structured like a gag anime, and in the middle there is serious stuff happening with death and gore. I've seen series do this well, however, this show lacks something those shows have: Developed characters. The characters in this anime have a lot of potential. Dementia wizard, frugal ... fairy, badass knight lady, and some handyman. But that potential is completely squandered.

Saitou has little to no personality like the rest of isekai nice guys, and everyone just kind of flocks to him even though he's as emotionally complex as a piece of cardboard. A modern handyman in a fantasy setting is unique, and it makes sense why others would be interested in his prowess. But there is no substance in terms of personality or emotional depth that would keep those people around.

Raelza's defining trait other than being a knight is that she's in love with Saitou, and, not to be 'that guy', but I'm tired of women in anime being defined by the men around them. Without Saitou or Morelock, Raelza is nothing. The fact that she's physically strong doesn't mean anything if she's constantly being saved, or completely emotionally reliant, on the men in her life. It would've been awesome to see her hobbies or opinions on anything else happening within the world, perhaps even developing her friendship with Lafapan, and talking about something that isn’t the guys in the party.

Lafapan and Morelock are the closest to actual, developed characters in this show. Lafapan has an actual personality that doesn’t revolve around another character, and is instead informed by the fact that she's a fairy and the backbone of the team when it comes to healing. She isn’t the deepest character, but she's a hell of a lot more interesting than Raelza or Saitou.

Morelock, on the other hand, has a lot of intriguing concepts surrounding him, but the trait that makes him unique also holds him back, as it's hard to connect with a character that is constantly resetting and emotionally stagnant. It would’ve been better if his memory issues were actually treated with some gravity when the situations were serious instead of constantly being a joke. As someone who struggles with short term memory due to a variety of factors, it would’ve been validating for him to at least reflect once in a while on his condition, or have the others (namely Raelza) actually be affected by it. Having someone you care about be subject to the deterioration of their memory is harrowing, and it makes no sense for Raelza specifically to treat him a joke or a burden 99% of the time.

The amount of side characters that the show tries to get you to care about is ridiculous, as the viewer doesn’t spend an adequate amount of time with any of them to give a shit. Specifically, there's a plotline in the middle involve a fairy, ninja, and a witch, and we're just expecting to care that the witch is dying because she and the ninja fell in love after her kissed her one time instead of killing her. Like, okay??? There's NOTHING to them outside of that. Their plot had essentially zero bearing on the main cast. The only side character I liked, besides the bisexual guy, is the Power Wizard because he's hilarious, and he's used like once and then never again.

If it wasn’t for the fact I'm trying to finish more anime instead of dropping them after 2 episodes, I would’ve dropped this one a second time.

So, this is my second attempt at watching this show, and I can safely say that it doesn’t put focus where it needs to be. I have no complaints when it comes to art direction or music; They range from serviceable to great, and there is hardly ever any dips in quality in those departments. My real grievances come from the writing. It comes off as 'baby's introduction to racism'.

The main character is a mixed bag. I can understand her wanting to see the good in everyone, however, her being shocked at literally every revelation of the government trying to wipe out the people of ... 86 is so grating. "What do you mean the goal of the Spearhead squad is to kill the most resilient 86, and that's why they don't send replacements? D:" YEAH, NO SHIT SHERLOCK. It's almost as if the government putting the 86 in concentration camps, sending them to war, and telling the public the juggernauts are unmanned wants them dead! Wow! It would be one thing if she was completely ignorant to the maliciousness of the system, after all, propaganda is a powerful thing, but from the get go she is aware that the government treats the 86 as subhuman, so why is she continually shocked by their treatment? Also, for someone this stupid and rebellious, how did she become the youngest major in the history of the military? I DO NOT understand how a regime this controlling of the narrative would allow her to even get this far.

When it comes to the actual 86 themselves, not nearly enough focus is put on them being people. Ironically, the story is so much more focused on Lena that the actual oppressed people are accessories to her narrative, and as a result, when they die it is like nothing happened. Hell, some of them with more screen time just get killed off screen, like Haruto. The only ones with a modicum of depth are Shin and Theo. I say this because outside of them, the other members of Spearhead are nearly indistinguishable from one another aside from basic traits. It's hard to make and explore complex characters with a roster this packed, but it has been done before. (I like to point to Bokurano, as the characters have unique dynamics with each other, even if their designs and personalities can be basic.) By treating the many members of Spearhead as canon fodder, the narrative comes off as something that has it's heart in the right place, but is ignorant that it's perpetuating the same favoritism as the government it's criticizing. If you switched around members or their personalities, there wouldn’t be much, if any, change.

Anyway, everything else I have are nitpicks. These are my main gripes and they ruin what could’ve been an engaging watch for me.

Never has a show captivated me as thoroughly as Made in Abyss. It's not perfect, but that's to be expected for something that strays so far from what you'd expect from a fantasy setting. While the typical high fantasy is fun, there is no other setting as captivating as the abyss, from its detailed ecology to the mysteries within that make sense yet are incomprehensible. Almost every aspect of the entire series is a delight, and for that reason, it takes the spot of my favorite work of fiction. Mild spoilers ahead!

To start with the negatives, the most glaring issue, and the one that (rightfully) ... turns people away is the fan service. It's unneeded, it's uncomfortable, and you can skip it without losing anything. Thankfully, it's just a small portion of the show, and is usually very brief. The other biggest issue is pacing, and both seasons drag a bit in the middle. (Dawn of the Deep Soul is solid pacing-wise all around though.) Aaaaand yeah that's about it. Onto the positive.

Most of the characters are simple, but they serve their roles well. Riko doesn’t get enough credit imo. She serves as the emotional anchor of the series, always keeping an upbeat attitude, and finding beauty in even the grisliest of circumstances. Her optimism and curiosity for the inner workings of the Abyss are infectious, driving the story, and being the glue that holds the gang together. She may not have a lot of strength, but she's tougher than nails in the grand scheme of things. In contrast, Reg is her opposite, struggling with identity and anxiety, despite being nearly indestructible. Without Riko, Reg would just be a lost child in the belly of the netherworld. He's good kid who just needs a push in the right direction. Despite being a robot, he's the most human out of the main characters. Nanachi is the true brains of the group, and probably one of the best characters. Their backstory is gut wrenching, and it's easy to see how they attached themselves to Mitty so quickly. Their dry wit juxtaposed to their inner sensitivity makes it easy to pick them out as a favorite. The person behind their suffering, Bondrewd, is a lot more interesting than people make him out to be. His actions are abhorrent, but he isn’t doing them to hurt people; He's doing it for science, and giving your entire self to science is the highest for of love to him. It's a twisted view on such a precious emotion, but the fact that he does care about the children he's mangled makes him all the more horrifying. These are just the tip of the iceberg of all the colorful personalities you'll find in the show.

The show is brimming from top to bottom with love and care, and there's a purpose for most things in the narrative, even if you don't realize it. The reason why all of the horrible things that happen to the children in the show isn’t a negative is that it serves a purpose and cannot be removed from the story. It isn’t suffering for the sake of it; There are complex ideas about longing, survival, value, love, and connection at play. That may not be everyone's cup of tea, and that's okay! But I love the fact that it doesn’t shy away from the horrors just because the MCs are children. The naïveté and youth of the kids are meant to contrast the ancient cruelty that lies within the layers of the Abyss. However, just because the Abyss may be ruthless doesn’t mean that there isn’t whimsy to be had. Quite the contrary. The natural world building is rich, and there's a lot of thought put into the ecosystem and how it works. One important aspect is the force field, which serves as the lifeblood of the chasm. Without it, light, nutrients, and the biology of most creatures wouldn’t be possible. It's an abstract thing that weirdly makes sense. Each layer brings a new set of mysteries that pull you in deeper, giving you the sense that the Abyss itself might be a creature. Aiding the world building is the stunning visuals and music. Almost flawless.

I could gush for hours, but I’ll wrap this up by saying this: Thank you to the staff who made this show possible. Your hard work is greatly appreciated.

While this anime has little in the way of "substance", I can't help but come back to it from time to time. There's an odd comfort to be found in it from the bizarre antics of the semi-tropey characters to the soft art style. This is the kind of anime you would go to a friend's house for because they taped it, and watch it while everyone else is asleep; The kind of anime that'd be enjoyed either way because back in those days, you'd watch whatever you'd get your hands on. It's a little time capsule of weirdness of the early 2000s.

The shorter episode ... length means the show doesn’t overstay its welcome, and for that reason, I prefer it over the remake. It feels like the ridiculousness of the characters were pushed a bit more, giving it a gag anime sort of feel. It basically never takes itself seriously, which is good since the characters and premise are goofy in and of themselves. There isn’t really a plot, just a collection of idiots wreaking havoc. I have a specific appreciation for Tarou, as his closed eyes, short stature, and literal allergy to women makes him stand out a bit from most harem protagonists. He definitely isn’t unique, but if you swapped him out for another cookie-cutter protag, those little differences would be missed. (*coughs* the remake *coughs*) Amongst a cast of eccentrics, Tarou is the anchor.

There are little flourishes in the animation, especially the first episode, that are rather charming. It's not sakuga by any means, but they're pleasant. The hair highlights were off-putting at first, but they grew on me over time. They kind of juxtapose the roundness of the rest of the art. Each character design is unique enough to differentiate them (minus the triplets), and do an adequate job of broadcasting the personality of the characters. The biggest downside of the animation is the lightening of one of the skin tones. Don't really know why they did that.

Overall, it's not special or unique, or even good, but it's a comfort food show. Turn it on if you need some popcorn. Would be a 5, but it gets a 7 from me for bringing a specific vibe I like to the table.