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I'm writing this review in defense of Musaigen no Phantom World

So, a lot of people have rated this anime pretty critically (it only scoring a 6.8 as an indicator) and reading, and after reading through some reviews, I wanted to defend (and concur) with some of the reviews.

STORY - 6: Many people have criticized Musaigen no Phantom World's episodic storyline; citing that there is no plot. In my opinion, the plot of Musaigen wasn't the greatest, yet by far it is not as bad as some might claim. True, there is a new phantom to fight in each episode, but that is a tool that ... the author uses in order to develop Musaigen's characters. With each phantom, it has some sort of connection to one of the characters. That character develops throughout the episode, and eventually overcomes their shortcomings to defeat whatever evil has sprouted once more. Plotwise, the anime is simple. High school kids go toe to toe with mysterious phantoms. You can't go expecting Attack on Titan or Fullmetal Alchemist-type story and plotlines. Musaigen only had 13 episodes to work with, and half of those episodes were spent on developing the large character cast. It's plot serves its purpose in being a simple, fun 13 episode anime. So that's why, in my opinion, the plot and story of Musaigen isn't as bad as some claim.

ART - 10: The art style and animation in this anime is amazing. It's comparatively better than most Shonen animes. In fact, it competes on level with high-budget anime. The fights are well choreographed and smooth as butter. There aren't any awkward frames or scenes anywhere in the anime. In my opinion, Kyoto Animation knocked it out of the park with this one.

SOUND - 10: The voice acting and soundtrack, likewise with the art, is amazing. The voice actors are all very talented, expressing emotion perfectly through the characters. The voice actors really bring the cast to life. The soundtrack is also nice. The upbeat music really brings in the action and fight scenes. The OP's and ED's are also amazing.

CHARACTERS - 8: This is another category in which many people criticize Musaigen. True, the stereotypical kuudere, tsundere, and loli are there, but they don't let those stereotypes define the characters. The MC also doesn't end up in exaggerated, cliche situations with the cast either. Each of the characters has their own personality. Although you could call Mai a tsundere, she doesn't really act like how a stereotypical tsundere would act. The same could be said with all the characters. Each character also gets a chance in the limelight with the MC, providing a welcome space to develop themselves, aforementioned. The MC also doesn't get himself involved in the stereotypical harem-y type situations with the cast. Although there are hints of romance, they are light and fluffy, adding to the overall enjoyment. The same goes for the fanservice. Although it is there, it's not really done in a sexual sort of way. The anime doesn't sexualize the loli-type character, and what fanservice is there is mostly done for laughs.

OVERALL - 10: I personally really enjoyed this anime. If you're looking for an immersive world, with a deep storyline and tension, then this isn't the anime for you. Musaigen no Phantom World is a fun, fluffy anime that you could enjoy on the weekends. It certainly isn't a gamechanger, but the 4th wall breaks and references are a welcome surprise. It's an enjoyable anime, that shouldn't get the 6.8 it has. So in all, if you're into a light, fun anime, I would give Musaigen no Phantom World a chance.