This is the worst anime of all time. This is not being hyperbolic. There are some horrible anime in terms of production or story before but this series has a unique way of being repulsive. It is not even a pleasantly bad anime it is simply bad. The first thing that comes to mind is squandered potential.
The series gives the false impression of having a plot that has the potential to be a fun exploration of our present world and a foreign magical world crossing paths leading to fun adventures, an engaging plot, or at least a thoughtful presentation of what the implications of
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such an event would be. The art quality looks alright but instead of salvaging this series in fact makes this more repugnant as it becomes evident that it is being blatantly squandered on this series. In the same manner that someone takes the effort to cook a delicious stake and then proceeds to cover it in fecal matter. It doesn't matter if it was well done if the end result is that it can't be consumed.
For starters, the series makes the mistake of creating a boring and generic main character. From there it only goes further downhill. At no single point is the other world presented as a credible threat but as merely a boring cannon fodder for the good guys. There are no stakes set and there is no characters to drive the story. There isn't much of a diplomatic attempt to really be peaceful it's more of just them showing the inhabitants be amazed at Japanese culture and the ability to blow up people with swords. The animation enhances the pain of all of this since it drives forward the point that this is squandered potential.
Though plenty of anime have had boring characters and no stakes. What makes this the worst anime of all time is that it is blatant Japanese nationalist propaganda done in a poor fashion by even the standards of propaganda itself. The series features mainly the Japanese military shooting people armed with spears and effectively colonizing the other world. The supposed diplomatic ties being made to this other world are solely designed to give the Japanese state more power over this world. Every battle plays the same with them flawlessly gunning down lazy cannon fodder. The enemy is ridiculously evil and boring. The series mine as well just be the Japanese military blowing up and shooting paper targets with how little thought was given into them. There are no characters that are fun to follow even in an ironic fashion. They are all hollow and boring with the only unifying feature to either go off about how they think Japan or the generic main character are the best. In trying to showcase how great Japan is they forgot to actually show the Japanese military overcoming any actual threat. There is no struggle and furthermore the military shows a lack of restraint on a clearly weak enemy that would make even American war hawks blush. It fails even at trying to make the military look good since it is just showing them shooting people with swords while giving soulless smiles and expecting the viewer to be cheering them on.
For comparison, look at the series Stargate which shares the same plot while still being a form of propaganda specifically serving the United States Airforce and was still able to be engaging. It had lovable characters, had a challenging foe to overcome, and an actual plot. Even when dealing with the locals they are actually working with them. They demonstrate how their weapons are better but do not go off about how the American way is the best compared to the culture of the locals. They are not trying to take over other worlds they are trying to actually work with the people they meet. In doing so it also accomplishes the goal of being propaganda for American militarism. People watched that series and wanted to join the airforce. Gate accomplishes the ability of showing that Japanese nationalists are very eager to commit war crimes on barely armed forces.
Both as a series and as a piece of propaganda it fails beyond expectations. Seeing good animation wasted on this enhances just how bad it is. It drives home that it was not a failure of production it was the execution of the plot and characters. There is no point of actual tension or really a plot to follow besides just going from point to point to mow down a generic enemy. It slaps the viewer in the face with the show going out of its way to brag about how great and superior Japanese culture and military is to a fantasy world that isn't really explored at all because it is just there for the Japanese to invade. The only positive thing that can be said about this series is that if someone went back in time and showed this to Unit 731 they would have all lost faith in their cause and committed suppuku at the mere sight of seeing that Japanese nationalism would ever lead to this.
It needs to be further stressed that it is truly the worst series of all time by performing bad in every area. It is not unique, engaging, or interesting. In fact it goes out of its way to be repugnant with the poorly done propaganda smeared over above average animation that doesn't give any redeeming quality but instead helps drive home that it is a solidly horrible piece. It actively makes the real world worse by blindly promoting war crimes and jingoism. As if the past nationalist government going on a killing spree of their neighbors numbering in the millions and doing stuff that made even the Nazis say they've gone too far then getting entirely destroyed by the allies to a point of mass suffering for the Japanese was not enough of a lesson learned from the mistake of promoting this nonsense.
It is even more ironic that the bland enemy in the show resembles the very nationalism it promotes. They force their poorly equipped soldiers to die as cannon fodder, terorize their own population, attack their neighbors, and pick a fight with a superior force but refuse to surrender leading to the suffering of innocent lives. Yet somehow even with this caricature the Japanese military in this show is shown to be psychopaths going out of their way to commit mass slaughter with no actual attempt to appear defensive or diplomatic. They are effectively using a brief attack on their own soil to justify the invasion and colonization of another world. This is basically the American invasion of Iraq and Afghanistan but the enemy is even less of an actual threat. This series is so bad it provokes a discussion on the issues of nationalism and war to explain why it is bad.
It is a horrid series that fails as an anime and goes beyond to fail as a form of propaganda. Other very awful anime are often bad because of stuff like poor animation, bad plot, and unlikeable characters. Some are awful because there was clearly no care put into them or they just become boring. This piece however contains a unique way of being so repugnant that where an anime may be bad if it has poor animation it at least can be redeemed by the story or characters. The fact the animation is fair and the plot is squandered potential helps laser focus the glaring issues. It is as if the stars correctly aligned to show something truly god awful.
Every character is one dimensional and there to praise the Japanese or the main character. Even the main character who I do not remember their name because of how boring they are is just not notable. The story does not give a challenge or impact on the characters themselves. Nothing is really learned from anything. The characters do not drive the story they are just railroaded from point A to point B to shoot targets or talk up the greatness of Japan. As if to insult the viewer the fan service is not even that good it is just the most lazy bottom of the barrel fan service. Even worse if the viewer is not into fan service it then appears as if a sad attempt to bribe the viewer into still watching.
The plot had every right to take off in a fun and exciting direction. The other world could have been an actual threat to Earth or some complex navigation of the politics and culture of the other world compared to Earth. One could speculate the various implications that two different worlds crossing would create. The differences in technology compared to the magic of the other world could have been showcased in actual fun clever manners. Not once do they really do anything clever or overcome a challenge in an interesting or engaging manner. There just was no thought put into it.
This series needs to be studied for future reference in truly awful anime, propaganda, and wasted potential.
Hatred is not the correct word expressed against this anime. There may not even exist a word for it in the English language. One would think since this is the worst anime of all time that this review would not recommend it be watched. However, the point is not to say no one can watch it but simply that it is bad. Watching it with the issues raised in mind may be neccessary to better understand. Some anime are unwatchable because they are bad. Some are watchable to enjoy because they are bad. It is not watchable but could still be watched not to enjoy but to truly understand what squandered potential and an actually bad anime looks like. This is reinforced by the fact it is not attempting to be bad and actively attempts to fool the average person just looking to enjoy anime. What is being watched may be an anime but look between the lines to see that it is competent animation wasted over a bland story with boring characters meant to serve as propaganda. There is not a single other anime out there filled with the same insufferable tone, awful implications, and wastefulness. It needs to be stressed it does not even matter the political orientation or inclinations of the person watching it because it is just so poorly executed all around.
It does not only serve as a horrible anime solely due to itself but how the existence of it insults the production of other past anime that have explored themes of war, imperialism, and nationalism. They were born out of a shared history with lessons and well thought out forms of expression laid out in animated form. This comes in to disregard what previous works have taken the careful time to express the pain and devestation that came out of the same ideas this show promotes. Even worse this is done in a boring and uninteresting manner to the point that it fails at even that. The average takeaway is more on the lines of people who rightfully that a story about a fantasy world clashing with modern military technology is a truly interesting premise. The lack of visibility in similar works means there is less of an ability for the viewer to compare it to a competently done version of the same premise. Which is yet another case for why this is the worst anime of all time since it sets the bar so low by making it just mowing down troops with melee weapons running forward mindlessly. There is so much more that could be done with such an interesting premise and it was squandered and leaves a feeling of betrayal. As a form of propaganda it insults the intelligence of viewers into just seeing a boring main character with anime girls and buying into the ideals they are trying to push onto them. Others who just wanted to explore an interesting premise are both fooled into watching propaganda or are given the worst possible presentation of such a premise.
It is not bad in a way that people could put it on to point and laugh about. It is bad in the sense that it provokes a discussion of various issues of imperialism and nationalism in the context of an anime that attempts to promote these ideas concealed as any other anime involving fantasy worlds and waifus but poorly done and boring. It insults art as a form of entertainment and as an exploration of humanity. Even in a parallel world where Japan rules the world after WWII would this piece would be seen as somehow both infuriating and boring to watch.
This is the worst anime of all time.
Truly if there is a god he has forsaken humanity. If there is a heaven we have turned a blind eye to it. This is the progeny of the many evils of humanity hidden under a mask of pure deception. A promotion of murderous ideals that have plagued human nature and history while expressing the very same repugnance and banality that comes as a result. Instead of seeking the better angels of our nature this piece makes one forget why we cry over death and love when we are alive.
Jan 7, 2023
This is the worst anime of all time. This is not being hyperbolic. There are some horrible anime in terms of production or story before but this series has a unique way of being repulsive. It is not even a pleasantly bad anime it is simply bad. The first thing that comes to mind is squandered potential.
The series gives the false impression of having a plot that has the potential to be a fun exploration of our present world and a foreign magical world crossing paths leading to fun adventures, an engaging plot, or at least a thoughtful presentation of what the implications of ... Jan 7, 2023
Isekai Ojisan
(Manga)
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Very good series that exceeds expectations in all areas of what one would expect of an isekai. Fun characters, good humor, and a captivating plot. The style and art itself further adds to the unique and enjotable nature of the series. The main character gives a fun subversion of previous tropes but in a fun spirited manner. Other characters as well are shown to be very expressive with various personalities helping keep it a rich character driven stoy.
This is a masterpiece not because it is blowing up the world but because it exceeds expectations in all areas for what it is while showing that ... Jan 7, 2023
Isekai Ojisan
(Anime)
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Great series. Very good style, solid humor, and a quality plot with a lot of potential. Not made to blow minds or change the world but simply be a fun piece of entertainment in all areas. The strength lies in the interactions of the various characters and the ability of the main character to play a hilarious role of subversion of past tropes in the genre. What makes this a masterpiece is the thoughtfulness put into everything. It not only meets the standards of what one would expect from a typical isekai but has exceeded expectations. There is plenty more potential within this story and
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