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Sword Art Online Alternative: Gun Gale Online is an interesting series. It tries to improve upon the formula established by the original series by introducing a more traditional plot structure (ostensibly for those that never managed to figure out that SAO was a thinly veiled slice of life show), but in doing so it fails to capture any of the originality that made SAO a hit with its actual fans.

Instead what we get was an above average show that the talking heads of the western anime community can now bring up whenever they decide to repeat their common misunderstandings of the original series for ... quick cash.

I don't mean to suggest that SAOA: GGO was bad. It captures the popular trends and presents the type of story that people want to see. However, it has lost that one element that made the original so unique.

The original series presented an insanely complex and intricate world through the eyes of a few characters, without trying to highlight every detail, and give out every answer on a platter. It was an absolute masterpiece for those that enjoy thinking about the media they consume. By contrast, this is just an adventure story, very much like a dozen other stories every season. It's predictably hits the right story beats at the right time, it has a good mix of action and drama, and it plays out exactly as any other story of this type would.

This can't escape comparisons with the original at the technical level either. Neither the sound nor the art can stand up to the quality that was on display in the original series.

If you want a fun anime, you won't go wrong with this. It's the type of show that will leave you feeling decently satisfied. However, if you're looking for something unique, this falls quite short regardless on what side of the SAO debate you fall on.

- Story -

The story is well planned, following the traditional narrative arc almost to a tee. It pulls from the common anime tropes of "Friendship is great," and "Fight for what you believe in," but it throws just enough curveballs in the form of mental disorders and psychological stresses that were so prevalent in the previous series.

There are a few very clearly delineated arcs that help establish the flow of the story, each lasting a few episodes, and each revolving around a large battle. It's a popular pattern that has worked for many battle series, though it doesn't translate quite as well into such a short series. Due to the accelerated rate at which the story had to progress, there's was very little screen time given to anything that didn't directly serve the plot.

The did series manage to make very good use of the world established by the previous series (and created the hilarious situation where those that didn't like the original are now falling over themselves to convince each other that the game world is purely an accomplishment of this series). It understood quite well the source material that the original GGO referenced and managed to reproduce at least some of the common mindset of players of such games.

Another nice factor was the thought put into the tactics employed by the characters during the events in the show. Clearly some thought was put into creating a believable set of circumstances and establishing at least some level of reasoning for the way the various groups behaved.

However, for all those the story didn't manage to stick with me nearly as well as the original, save perhaps the final arc of the first season. Simply put, there wasn't enough substance in the actual story worth holding on to. It feels like it was made to be idle entertainment, all too quickly forgotten. There were some attempts at themes regarding having a healthy body image, and caring for the mental well being of others, but those didn't really come through very well at the pace that the story was presented.

In all, a decent story that can be enjoyed quickly, and forgotten likewise. I give it a solid 7 / 10.

- Characters -

I had trouble forming an opinion on the characters in the series. In all honesty, there are 3 or at most 4 actual characters to go around. Everyone else is treated as white noise necessary to pad out the VA list, and offer the feeling of a living world. The side cast was never used to communicate or accomplish anything. There were a few calm slice-of-life moments where the side characters worked reasonably well, but even those few moments were wasted to communicate the fact that the lead character had candy and cookies.

Of the actual main characters, only the two leads had enough personality to be more than caricatures. The lead character, Karen, was one of these two. This was by far the most entertaining character in the series, with some of the best lines, and a wide range of emotional responses. Through her we get to explore one of the few side themes of accepting yourself for who you are.

What more, she's the only character that actually acts in response to the situation. She thinks on her feet and overcomes her own personal demons to accomplish her goals.

The other female lead, Pitohui, is more interesting at first glance. When she is introduced, it seems like she has some major issues. Then it turns out that yes, she does in fact have major issues. Unfortunately, her development sort of stalls out there.

I applaud the attempt to highlight mental illness in such a way, but I would have found it more interesting to see her change, either in the positive, or even the negative side as the story moved along. Instead, we see the exact same behavior all the way through to the end, when suddenly everything is fine. The only saving grace is that the actual insanity is presented well, both directly and in an implied manner.

Of the other recurring characters, the one male character is rather bland. He seems to have a set of skills that is never justified, and his personality can be summed up in a few words. "Quiet. Obsessed. Masochist." The main character's best friend is in a similar boat. "Flirty. Gamer." Finally, the blob of amazons / rhythmic gymnastics girls is just that, a single blob not even worth considering as multiple characters.

Also, why did the gun need to talk? That was the most obvious attempt to create merchandizing opportunities I've seen in a while.

In all, despite a few extremely well executed personalities, I can't be very amazed at the roster for this show. I'll give it a 7 / 10, but just barely.

- Art -

The art took a negative turn from the first two series, with a slight drop in the character art, and a major drop in backgrounds.

The characters are bland looking, though I can forgive that due to the setting. There's not much you can do to make camo look appealing, even if you color it pink. I do feel like they could have added more fine details to some of the costumes, but that wouldn't have made that much of a difference. Fortunately, they put a lot of work into the range of expressions that all the major characters exhibit, and that work comes through very well.

The action scenes are also intense, with a good variety of maneuvers and movements that you wouldn't normally see. There's very real sense of dynamic movement during combat. Though the intensity is quite muted.

By far the worst was the drop in the quality of the backgrounds; constantly repeating patterns and textures, a limited color pallet, poor blending with the characters, little detail, and very simple composition.

The props and buildings all have the expected shape, with no actual personality, and even the vistas feel grimy and limited. Gone are grand sights of fantasy worlds, replaced with a quickly done forest landscape with some hills in the background, or some common buildings such as a school or a bar.

If it weren't for the work put into the characters, I would come down very hard on the series. However, the it's clear that the effort put into the show was focused in one area at the expense of another, which is an unfortunate reality of this medium. Because of that I will give it a 7 / 10.

- Sound -

If the art took a negative turn, the sound took a nose dive. The music continues the trend from the original series but doesn't have the epic world backing it to maintain such a level of grandeur. It sticks out in a very negative way, like playing a funeral march for a kid's birthday party.

The sound effects are not very impressive either. For the combat it sounds like they bought a bunch of stock shooting sound packs used for game development, and half of those fail to have the impact that you would expect.

The voice performances were likewise quite bland. With a few stand-out insane laughs and emotional moments it felt like they just went with the first take of every line. There's little emotional depth here, just saying things in sort of the right mood. As for the songs, I stopped trying to listen to them after the first two episodes.

With all these shortcomings, I think I'm being quite fair by giving it a 6 / 10 in this category.

- Enjoyment & Overall –

Despite the amount of criticism I have for the series, I can't pretend that I didn't enjoy it. SAOA: GGO was a fun romp through a loosely game-based world, with a few entertaining characters. Nothing gets resolved, no lessons are taught, but when you come down to it, the experience is still fun.

If you like the original SAO for the depth of its world and presentation, then this series will merely tickle the itch for more. It's missing most of the elements that made the original great, lost in favor of presenting a series that is easier to consume.

If you like the original SAO because all the characters were "so cool," then this show will be like that, only less pretty.

If you hated the original SAO because you felt the story was "too simple" then this show can offer you a brief glimpse into what keeps SAO genuinely popular, despite the wall of community hate.

If you hated the original SAO because someone on YouTube told you it was bad… Well, now most of those talking heads are singing the praises of this one, so good for you I guess.

As for me, I found this to be a fun show, an entertaining show, but not a show I'll remember or come back to, and not a show that I'll spend much time analyzing. In other words, this was a pretty good anime. A 7 / 10, with little question about whether it deserves the score.

"To rate an anime appalling requires that a show goes past offensive, and into a world of its own. It is a rating reserved for shows that revel in how terrible they are. These are the masterpieces of disgusting; the types of work that fail so spectacularly that these failures are discussed in hushed whispers for years to come."

I don't rate a show with a score of appalling just for being bad. To reach this lofty rating a show must go above and beyond what I consider terrible. It must truly love the things it does wrong. "In Another World With My Smartphone" does exactly ... that, and with a gusto that is rare to witness.

I have seen bad anime before. I have seen truly horrible anime before. I have seen series that ignore all that we have learned over the years about storytelling, pacing, world building, strong characters, and an engaging plot, in favor of clichés, stereotypes, inexistent plot progression, and caricatures posing as characters. What I have never seen in a series is the utterly glee that this show projects while committing some of the worst sins of storytelling.

As the series progressed we were treated time and again to more and more evidence that this was not a mistake. To me all the evidence suggests that this show was not a result of someone simply being bad at telling a story, but a conscious decision to ignore they key elements of storytelling to create the ultimate piece of filler media. This was a show that was extremely good at taking all that it takes to make a good story, and throwing it into a wood chipper.

I will recommend this show to exactly one type of viewer. The one that wants to see the worst of the worst. The one that is genuinely curious about the depth that may be reached, not by a series that simply doesn't suit a person's taste, but by a series that genuinely tries to explore how much people will tolerate if it's presented in a shiny enough package.

There may be others that might somehow find enjoyment in the self-insertion level characters, the utterly contrived situations, the near godlike power of the main character, superseded only by a denseness that would make even of the most obtuse anime characters that have graced our screen stop and say, "Dude, what is wrong with you?" Maybe this might appeal someone that has never watched a single anime, movie, tv show, nor never read a book, or even a short story. This review is not for those people, because that is not a perspective that I can put myself in. Instead, this is for the ones that are genuinely saddened that a show like this can be made, and that it can merit a score above the one I give it.

I rate this anime appalling, 1 / 10. Read on to find out why.

--- Story ---

Humanity, as a species has had a long history with storytelling. We have studied the art of stories, which we have told for as long as we have had language, dating back to ancient days of small tribes resting around camp fires after a long day of hunting and foraging. Throughout this time, we have figured out what makes a story interesting, memorable, and engaging. We have described and understood the concept of narrative arcs, and archetypes, we have identified the critical elements of world building, and characterization, we have defined thousands upon thousands of tropes that appear again and again.

This anime does not care about any of that.

The story can be summed up with one sentence. A guy gets everything he wants with no downsides. The formula for any conflict is as follows: there is an issue, so the main character pulls a new power out of his ass to resolve it. Is someone dying from injury or poison? Magical healing spell that cures anything. Need to be somewhere in a rush? Magical teleportation spell that goes anywhere you've seen. Need to go somewhere you've never seen? Magical mind reading spell to see a place from a person's memory. Need to destroy an army of enemy soldiers without collateral damage? Magical fuckin pin-point WMD.

At no point is there a crisis of any sort, or even the risk that there might be a crisis building. Every problem introduced is resolved within minutes of appearance, without an ounce of struggle, character growth, or any semblance of an obstacle. Any potential long-term complication that is even remotely hinted turns out to be a non-starter through a contrived resolution within the same episode. Need some money for survival? Sell some clothes for a small fortune. Need a place to live? Get a mansion with a butler and a few maids just because. Can't decide between a love interest? No problem, they all get along, and have actively been working together to form a harem.

Surely there must be some saving graces here. Perhaps the world that the characters occupy has some sort of redeeming qualities? Sadly, that's not to be either. The setting is the most generic magical world possible, distilled down to the basest of qualities. There are castles and kings, there are people with animal ears, there is elemental magic, there is a floating island. It is the starting point for any RPG set in a magical world. However, that's where the series draws the line. There is next to no politics. All the inhabitants of this world are all perfectly happy with their place in life. There are a few monsters, but little more than the trash you would experience at the beginning of any JRPG ever.

Failing all of those, at least some common anime tropes must be played out to good effect, right? Not so, dear reader. This anime even fails at exhibiting the more entertaining tropes of the genre. There was the potential to offer some commentary, or parody in the style of KonoSuba, but all the events and characters are played perfectly straight. There was the potential to have some wacky, ecchi hijinks in the style of To Love Ru, but would demand at least some level of romantic rivalry and hillarious misunderstanding to arise. Failing all that, from the beginning there was the potential inherent in the very damn title of the anime, the Smartphone. Surely something could be played around the idea of introducing a wholly new, unheard of technology to this magical world. Sadly, the phone is little more than a prop; it's an excuse for giving the main character a minimap, access to recipes, and the ability to track anyone anywhere. Every other character just accepts it as magic, and there dies that idea.

In short, even the most slow-paced examples of the healing, fluffy, slice-of-life genre has more happening that this anime. This series maintains the story pacing of a piece of fan fiction written by a bored 7th grade middle school student during math class.

So where does that leave this anime? In place of a narrative arc, we have a flat line of constant minimal tension, with occasional feeble attempts to pretend to have a conflict which fizzle out almost immediate. Instead of a setting we have a generic magical world where nothing is happening. We don't get challenge or a crisis, or even a villain. We just have a guy with nearly godlike coming to terms with the fact that he's ok with having a harem. That's not a story, that's a joke played at the expense of the viewers. Worse, towards the end the show nearly breaks the fourth wall to suggest that this was all intentional, and for that I give the story a 1 / 10.

--- Characters ---

I suppose the best I can say about the characters in the series is that they exist. There's nothing to really differentiate one character from another, save an occasional vocal quirk, and their outward appearance. Given the utter absence of conflict in the show, it should not come as much surprise that character growth is wholly absent from the equation. The characters we get at the beginning are identical to the characters that we see at the end. Absent any growth, the characters must stand on their own innate complexity. Unfortunately, there is none to be found.

Every character in the series can be described by two or three adjectives, which in turn reveals every element of their personality. The main character is nice, and intelligent, but socially inept. Girl A is shy and quiet. Girl B is forward but dumb. Girl C is direct but reserved. Girl D is outgoing and clever. This goes on and on for every character in the series. Any one of these characters placed into any event will behave in accordance to their characteristics, and nothing else.

There is also nothing happening in terms of the relationships that exist among these characters. Early in the series all the main female characters agree that they want nothing more than to be a harem for the protagonist, which excludes any sort of romantic rivalry before it even has a chance to build. Meanwhile, the main character remains blissfully unaware of all this development until confronted with it in the last episode, at which point we are treated to a few scenes of him dreading the difficult decision of accepting his utterly willing harem, before accepting it as the best way forward.

After taking all that into account, what are we left with? Well, there are characters... At least the story was breathtakingly bad, but the characters are just... There. A feature of an otherwise horrid anime, not even worth the lowest possible rating, a 2 / 10.

--- Art ---

At the very least the visuals are not horrible at first glance. It is certainly not stellar, but the characters have fairly distinct costumes, the character colors are bright and vivid, and there is some consideration of lighting and composition.

Unfortunately, that is where my praise for this aspect of the show ends. Any motion is slow and jerky, like it's missing half the key frames that would pass minimal muster. Outside of action scenes there is very little motion. Walking loops are lone, and involve the same static drawings bobbing up and down, with an occasional change in expression. Forget small details like flowing cloth, hair shifting in the wind, or idle motions. Even action scenes are utterly minimalistic, with little movement and a bunch of exposition between each motion.

The backgrounds are largely a bust. Most backgrounds are minimalist designs; walls, hallways, brick walls, green blobs passing for trees, or even just single-color panels. Anything more complex, such as towns and cities gets the minimalist treatment, with basic shapes, and single shade color palette. Even the scenes meant to show a large vista barely get a passing grade.

Finally, the CG stands completely out of place. It adds very little to the overall visual effect of the series, and just serves to remind that the animation around it is jerky by comparison.

In all, it's obvious that the show had next to no budget, and tried to cut corners everywhere it could. I'm being very generous when giving the art a 5 / 10.

--- Sound ---

One of my biggest pet peeves in anime is the abuse of music. I'm of the opinion that music should heighten the experience of an anime. It should highlight emotional states, foreshadow events, and guide the mood of the viewers. It should not just fill a lack of background sounds, which is what this series does.

The music here just blatantly emphasizes the events happening on screen. If a scene is tense, the music sill be discordant. A peaceful scene will have some calm chords on a violin, guitar, or piano. Silly scenes will be light and flighty, while action scenes will have a powerful, epic orchestra. It is music that adds nothing to the experience, and just highlights the events that are happening.

At the very least the voice actors seem to treat this seriously, for the most part. Character emotions come across quite clearly, and the voices seem well suited to the character designs. I can't judge beyond that, simply because the lack of powerful story moments means that we rarely got to see the characters put into situations that would require extensive mastery on the part of the actors.

Finally, the sound design is actually decent, though again not particularly special. Actions that clearly require sound effects get them, and the sounds seem to reflect the characteristics you would expect from the environment within which they occur. There are background loops in places that you would absolutely expect it, but nowhere else; while you'll hear stock banter in the city, birds chirping in a garden, or footsteps from people walking, there won't be any wind rustling leaves, water dripping from ceilings. Not that you'd be able to hear any of these things given how often the music cuts in to remind you of the intended mood.

In recognition of the genuine hard work put in by the voice actors and sound engineers I will rate the sound as the best aspect of the series at 6 / 10.

--- Enjoyment ---

Reading everything above you would think I did not enjoy the show, and you would be correct to a degree. This show was a trial to watch as an anime that takes itself seriously. However, I did not drop it like I normally would when it comes to a series this bad. The reason is simple, this show does things so wrong that I simply cannot recognize it as an accident.

With that in mind, I actually found entertainment in guessing how "In Another World With My Smartphone" would disappoint me next. The simple fact that I could never guess what trope, rule of storytelling, or archetype it would mutilate next kept me coming back for more. I cannot deny this experience, so while I did not enjoy the anime as a story, I will still rate my enjoyment of it at 5 / 10 for keeping me guessing.

I describe a masterpiece as “a realization of an artistic vision that goes above and beyond what is possible for a normal anime. It implies a level of understanding, thought, and workmanship that stands above anything else in that genre. It is a piece of media that can evoke feelings and emotions within me unique only to it.”

Re:Creators fits that label perfectly. It would simply not be possible to tell this story in any other medium. Every aspect, from the theme, to the plot, to the characters, to the visuals, and even the music and vocals manage to perfectly distill what is unique and wonderful ... about the medium. Every action scene, every trope that either plays out or is subverted, every moment of tension, speaks of a of an artistic medium that’s truly starting to mature.

This is a love story to Anime, and to all the stories it has brought to us.

--- Story ---

It’s impossible to discuss the story of Re:Creators without first discussing the main theme. The idea that stories are no more, and no less real than any other world. The theme permeates every single scene, from the initial moments, down to the final group shot. It is within the context of this one theme that the true artistry of the show shines through.

The story begins like so many isekai shows that have been popular of late: a character gets transferred from one world into another. Right away there’s a catch, the new world isn’t one of swords, or magic, or warring states. Quite the opposite, this new world is exactly what the isekai genre tries to escape; contemporary, early 21st century Japan. What follows is not a story about impossible odds (though those are present), nor about trying to overcome all limitations (though that must happen as well), but a story about what it means to create.

Every character and event that plays out is well fleshed out in their own right, but they also stand as a representation of a core element of a genre. In this context, there are two stories being told simultaneously. First is a story of a struggle against a villain seeking to destroy the world for reasons both understandable and terrible. That story is fun, but not much more so than many other series released over the past few years. Second is a story about the meeting of genres, styles, and types of stories that we have started to witness over this same period, and that’s where we get to see a truly breathtaking view into the heart of the medium.

What goes through the mind of a mech pilot fighting against impossible odds? What does a magical girl do when confronted with something other than the black and white, good vs evil battle of her genre? Can a hero fighting a tide of impossible odds maintain her resolve when faced with an easy out? Can a grizzled detective understand why he is faced with endless challenges? Can the heroine of a dating sim accept her role in the lives of many lonely people? Do stories truly end when the original author is finished, or does the realm of fan works offer truly endless possibilities?

These are just a few of the question that this series manages to tackle, while maintaining a healthy pace, and following an enjoyable set of phase arcs from conflict to climax. The only issue I have with the story is that it adopts quite a few story-telling styles between different arcs, similarly to how it mixes characters from multiple genres. If you are not intimately familiar with all these styles and their common tropes it’s very easy to get confused and lose track of the various ways in which it delivers on its theme. If you fail to make this leap, then you are going to only see the lesser half of what the show can offer you. However, assuming you can navigate these challenges, the story is utterly superb and manages to deliver on all counts, 10/10.

--- Characters ---

The characters are the other side of the coin that drives forward the plot of a series, and Re:Creators did a lot of things very, very well here, though not without a few stumbling blocks. The show had a LOT of very interesting characters vying for screen time, with a lot of competing personalities. Many of these managed to mesh quite well, but some simply did not have enough development time, and did not have the depth necessary to stand alongside the rest of the lineup.

The strongest of the bunch are introduced in the first few episodes. The first few creations, along with their respective creators get the bulk of the screen time, and see the most personality development. I’d also like to give a special mention the villain of the series, and her near perfect representation of the context of fandom creativity. These early scenes give you a great view into the personalities of the characters, and how they are tied to the personalities of the authors creating them.

It is through this reflection that we see the core theme come to life. This is what drives home the idea that the creations are alive, and experiencing their own world far beyond what the creators describe. We get to see glimpses into the lives of all the major characters, experience the aspects of their personalities that would never make their way into the original stories, and see them facing challenges utterly different from the ones they were intended to face.

Another strong aspect of characters was the realism with which they reacted to events they faced, while still remaining true to their original character descriptions. This show decided to skip the constant stream of misunderstandings, hot headed disputes, and shady dealings by villains that are too smart for their own good. Every event that happened made perfect sense given the world and the characteristics of those involved, and shows a desire to resolve problems while avoiding new ones. Even the big twists made sense from the perspective of those involved.

However, not everything is perfect here. Some characters simply did not fit as well into the story, or felt like they were shoe-horned in there to add some fan-service, or create a bit of extra conflict. My main complain would probably be about the male lead. Even though he turned out to be quite pivotal, the amount of actual development he experienced was quite minimal, which is strange given that he had a lot of screen time. I do appreciate the attempt to present him as a normal teenage kid going through normal teenage problems, but his growth arc was too simple even though it had the potential for greatness.

That said, I cannot take off too much for failing to capitalize on a few characters, especially when the majority of the cast was so well fleshed out. When the show ended I felt like I truly knew who the characters were, what drove them, and how they changed throughout the story. The way the creations were presented as both characters in their own right, as well as the creative results of their authors was an entirely novel experience, and for that I will say the characters were presented nearly flawlessly, 9/10.

--- Animation ---

The visuals in this show were crisp, clear and effective, though falling short of the master level animation you might expect from a truly high budget series. It was quite easy to see that the character designers put quite a bit of effort into this show, but there simply wasn’t enough budget to give every scene the love it deserved.

The action scenes were reasonably well presented, though certain elements like the explosions were lackluster. Most of the fights felt a bit slow, though that may simply be the nature of the characters. There were certainly some high intensity fights going on near the end. Again, as with all the other sections I have to give props to the animators for managing to capture quite as many styles as they did, with everything from giant mecha fights, to martial art slug fests, to gun battles, and even apocalyptic magic duels.

Outside of the action scenes the range of expressions were startlingly varied, though each individual expression was a bit static for my liking. I suppose that’s the price for having such a large number of character designs and styles. That said, the show managed to maintain a dynamic feel by ensuring there would often be small movements in the background, such as idle motions during talking loops, or the characters shifting attention when a new person in a group started to speak. In all, the show managed to catch my attention visually, even throughout some of the many the dialog heavy sections.

Finally, the backgrounds were very well done. There were often multiple angles on a single scene based on the best camera position necessary to display a character’s range of emotions. It was common to see both wide angle, and closeup shots of various settings based on the topics being discussed, and even when scenes could have been re-used there was always some amount of change in the backgrounds to prevent things from looking static.

In all, the animations were extremely well done given the genre and budget, and though I’ve seen better animation as a whole, I cannot in good conscience count off for that given the scope of what they did here. The artistry with which the characters emotions were presented was masterful in its own right, but the variety of backgrounds sealed the deal, 10/10.

--- Sound ---

The VAs certainly earned their paycheck for this series. All of the characters voices fit perfectly, and had the emotional range necessary to match the quality of the art on display. Tense scenes dripped on tension, during action scenes you could feel their blood boiling, and when the characters were relaxing it was easy to catch a vibe of relaxation and enjoyment.

This was true even across the multiple genres on display, which worked to add to the effect of mixing realities. The vocal work was one of the most powerful elements connecting all the characters together, giving everyone an equal plane to interact on, despite the vast differences in visual design and genre of origin.

The music was also extremely well presented. The show made good use of silence, and let the interludes of music both accentuate and hint at events both present and future. The various character themes fit perfectly, the vocal tracks were exciting, and did a great job of capturing the intensity of the pivotal scenes.

Even the audio effects were extremely well put together, which ensured that the sometimes-lengthy periods without music fit within the context of the rest of the show. Little details like the sound of traffic in a building near a highway, the soft whisper of the wind in a field, the hum of distant machines in a stadium, the different types of crowd sound loops for the different types of crowds ensured that the world seemed alive. Even little things like furniture clacking when being moved, or the scratch of pencils of paper managed to complete the illusion.

As with all the other categories, the audio was an obvious labor of love that went way beyond what I would expect of a normal series, 10/10.

--- Enjoyment ---

If you made it this far then this result should come without any surprise, but I found Re:Creators to be one of the most enjoyable shows of the past several years. It managed to capture so many ideas that spoke deeply to me, and it executed it within a package of immaculate production values.

Re:Creators was an amazing experience from the first scene to the last, and one I hope to revisit again and again in the future. I rate it a masterpiece, and I hope this review might help explain why.

- Overview -

Rakudai Kishi no Cavalry is a positively surprising addition to the Magical Sword Battle genre. The setup is a fairly standard "super powered teens playing with swords and magic in a school," and it doesn't push any major boundaries in terms of storytelling. It plays on the familiar theme of chivalry and honor, even in the face of impossible odds. It's all quite recognizable, but presented in the background so that it doesn't really stick out.

Where the show really excels at is the characters. All the major characters are interesting and at least somewhat relatable. They all have their strength and ... weaknesses, with their own personality flaws and expectations, and they genuinely grow and develop throughout the seasons. It’s easy to find yourself liking even so-called enemies as long as they are honorable, and when the show makes you want to not like a character, they manage to accomplish that without any trouble.

On the technical side, the animation is clean and crisp, though rather limited in terms of backgrounds. Fortunately, this does not prevent the battle scenes from being quite fast and intense. Perhaps they could have spared a bit more detail when it came to characters, but I get the feeling that they were working with fairly limited resources. The audio fits the mood, but doesn’t really stick out. There are not really any distinct sound effects, and the music is sort of just there. The saving grace here are the voice actors. They manage to really give life to their characters, and deliver a spirited performance that really suits the theme.

All together it’s actually a surprisingly enjoyable experience. While neither the story, nor the technical presentation were stellar, the series was saved by enjoyable and interesting characters that managed to grow and evolve throughout the show. I don’t want to count off too much for issues that were most likely the result of a tight budget, so I will solidly recommend this for anyone that isn’t instantly turned away by the genre. (8/10)

- Characters -

This is the true strength of Rakudai Kishi no Cavalry. Everything from the visual design, to the voices, the personalities, and even the development of the characters was very well done.

The two main characters, Ikki and Stella are immediately likable, though they might not immediately like each other. They both carry their own burdens, but they still remain good at heart. They’re funny, emotive, and they all have their own very distinct personalities.

Another strong point here is the relationship in the series. This is a rare series that will show a relationship in progress, as it slowly grows from something simple, to something more serious and romantic. What more, this is a rare series that will show characters showing that rare ability of conflict resolution that does not normally get much play in series of this genre.

Even the side characters are interesting and likable. They all have their own unique quirks, and they can all show unexpected that ties back to the main characters in interesting and sometimes unexpected ways.

Overall, this show can stand up proudly within the category of characters. It’s earned it. (10/10)

- Story -

The story for Rakudai Kishi no Cavalry is something you’ve seen a dozen times if you make a habit of watching series like this. There is a special school, for special kids, that have special super powers, and these kids have to fight because reasons. You can expect many of the normal plot points, all the way from the poor unloved kid who’s never had the chance to shine all the way to his super big awesome climax. It’s more or less checking off the Hero’s Journey checklist, but it does it well.

There is a constant running theme of chivalry and honor; there’s a lot about protecting the weak, and not abusing your power. There is a fair bit of self-betterment, and dealing with the impossible and persevering. In all it tries to carry an uplifting feeling throughout the entire season.

In all, it serves the purpose of being a stage for the characters, so I can’t really complain. (7/10)

- Art and Audio -

You can tell very quickly that the art budget for this show was limited. There are not too many backgrounds, with very few grand vistas, and quite a bit of reused materials. The characters, while nice looking, do not have too much depth when it comes to animation outside of battle scenes. Even the battle scenes seem to be about doing more with less. (6/10)

A lot of the sound effects sound like they came from an audio library, sometimes with different quality effects one after another. The music doesn’t really set the tone as much as follow it, and occasionally it gets too lout and overwhelming.

Fortunately, as I already mentioned, the major voice actors really aced their parts. The characters all sound great, and manage to convey a lot of the emotion that the animation doesn’t present. I also have to give someone props for the main character’s tagline, “With my strongest I will defeat your strongest.” Come on, that’s just awesome. (7/10)

- Enjoyment -

Despite the many shortcomings, this anime is a great watch, assuming you don’t mind Magical Schools, Battles, Romances, and a bit of Ecchi. It’s a show carried by the characters, and they manage to keep it up throughout the entire seasons. (9/10)

DanMachi is a perfect example of a successful formula applied in a very unoffensive, reasonably executed, and acceptable style. This is not a series that pushes any boundaries, or tries any original techniques. It is just a good series to highlight the state of Anime in mid-2015. It's not going to be winning any awards, but you could certainly do much worse.

- Story -

The first term that comes to mind with DanMachi is "formulaic." Not in a bad way mind you. It is a fairly nice formula, employed fairly effectively. The story is interesting enough that you don't want to toss it. Sure, it's the ... standard "becoming a hero" plot presented so blatantly that the series full on lampshades it. There's no suspense, and nothing to foreshadow. The hero is always the nice kid, he always has to overcome a challenge, and he always wins. The only real good thing to say here is that the story doesn't try to stick out. It takes you through the paces, shows you the scenes you would expect, when you would expect them, and then gets out of your way.

- Characters -

Fortunately the characters are a bit stronger. They are relatable enough that they don't feel artificial. Each of the main characters gets the obligatory story arc, with the obligatory story about how they are actually really good, but how they haven't been able to rise to their potential. All in all, they're fun little stories with satisfying resolutions. These certainly aren't the qualities of memorable characters, but they never really hit any sour notes either, which leaves a decently satisfying experience.

- Art -

The one area where the series stands out is the art. J.C.Staff was in good form with the art direction this time. The characters are unique and full of personality. Each certainly has their own style, and range of expressions. All the motions are really smooth and dynamic, and it's clear that a lot of work went into making them seem alive.

I think they could have done with a bit less of the fan service, but I suppose it's to be expected with this "RPG Game" genre that's been popular lately. My only real complaint in this department would be the backgrounds. There are a lot of boring caves and reused scenes for interiors. The few vistas the series treats us to are not particularly expansive or appealing. Fortunately these elements are played off in a way that puts the characters center stage, so I won't ding them too hard on it.

- Sound -

Another strong, arguably the strongest area, is the sound direction. The musical score marches the feel and direction of the anime very well, and the orchestral rendition through the entire series give it a nice, uplifting feel. The sound effects are also top notch. You can always expect to hear a fair bit of atmosphere, while the actual primary actions are always sharp, and never blur with the rest of the sound. The voices suit the characters, and the performances are very professional. Unfortunately given the somewhat shallow story you never get to see the actors put to the test, but I won't count off for that.

- Overall -

In all I think the series is fairly enjoyable. It's a nice series to watch if you have a few hours here and there, and you don't have anything more pressing to do. It won't load you up with heavy concepts and stories, and it won't be too cheesy that you turn away in disgust. Just a nice safe middle ground. There are even nods to other popular series interspersed throughout, and it's a fun challenge trying to recognize them. Give it a try if you simply want a light series for casual watching. Maybe watch it in between marathon sessions of deep, emotional, complex stuff to clear you palate.

Kyousou Giga is an exploration into storytelling, mixing mythology, sci-fi, and a rich cast within a whimsical yet still believable world.

The plot is presented in a compact episodic form, exploring just a single aspect each time, in a matter not dissimilar from the Game of Thrones. It catches all the right notes, managing everything from happy and whimsical, to sad and melancholy, from lighthearted to serious and back again, all in a natural way. The setting is both believable, and utterly impossible; combining humans, gods, and beyond.

The art is vibrant and cheerful, though not too detailed. This only adds to the tone of the ... anime, and reminds you not to take it too seriously. It reminds you that this is a world where things work out for the best, because sometimes that’s just what needs to happen. However, it still manages to stand up in the more serious scenes when it has to convey a proper sense of drama.

The audio is very well handled, with thematic scores reflecting the themes of each scene. In terms of sound effects the series seems to go with the less is more philosophy. The main focus is the dialog, music, while the sounds effects only crop up in the most obvious places, and don’t really add or detract from the experience.

The characters are an unusual collection of tropes that you could seldom see together. They are perhaps a bit too archetypal, but there’s such a wide range of them that it never really becomes a bother. All of them have their own goals, and their own emotions that you gradually get to explore. At times the things you discover may even surprise you with a complete turnaround. Though of course other things are just exactly what’s on the package. That package is labeled “Koto”.

In all, I would say this is a series that any avid fan of anime should look into. That said, it’s definitely not a series for those that have not seen much anime. A lot of the jokes will fly over people’s heads, while the cultural references and memes come fast, and often carry some importance. Still, do not let that scare you away if you feel like you have a solid grounding in the medium. The experience is certainly worthwhile.

-- Overview --

The SAO franchise, and particularly SAO II, is a very controversial series. It is disliked by a lot of people, and the complaints are quite damning. For these people the story seems disjointed, the characters make decisions that don’t make sense, and the pacing is all over the place. Those that make such complaints are happy to describe how they think they would act if they ever found themselves in a similar situation. These people generally have something in common. They have either never played any MMOs, or played them very casually. In this I am sorry because they will likely never understand ... the depth that this anime has to offer beyond a few nice pictures and pretty songs.

This anime, and the entire series, is a love story for and to the MMO players, made by MMO players. That means many, if not most, of the intricacies of the story and characters, and indeed even much of the message fails to come through if you do not have fairly extensive hardcore experience in MMOs. This is unfortunate, because the depth of this anime is on par with some of the greatest stories I have seen in this medium. To make matters more difficult, the story requires a very good understanding of the plot and themes of the first SAO to completely appreciate. It is simply not be well suited for casual watching; little details of vital importance flash for short seconds, often in completely unexpected scenes. Characters do things that are easy to misinterpret unless you can understand out what’s going on in their heads. The relation between the various events are rarely spelled out, leaving you to fill in some of the blanks yourself. All of these are things that make sense if you remember the source material is a book. The anime is very true to the book, and thus it should be watched with the same amount of attention and tolerance that you would put into reading a good novel.

If you can accept the level of engagement required, SAO II is an absolutely wonderful experience. It paints an accurate picture of what those of the mid-2010s thought life would be like in 2025. It covers some of the most important questions that you could ask. It tells a story that knows that it's better to show, rather than tell. Best of all, it does so in a package of impeccable artistic quality; sporting both gorgeous art, and very atmospheric music. This is quite critical for the story. Due to the absence of a novel’s narrator, the series has a penchant of dropping into the point of view of the various characters. This is often the only gateway the viewers have into the mind of the characters. It also helps justify a good bit of fan service; such is the mind of a teenage boy.

The biggest problem that I could really complain about were the occasional inconsistencies across scenes; spelling mistakes, characters in strange positions, and minor bits of continuity strangeness that you might notice on the second or third watch-through.

It's a series that meant to mature and bloom as you understand it better, and in doing what it set out to do it is an absolute masterpiece.

[Spoilers to follow]

-- Story --

Any discussion of SAO II must inevitable be prefaced with a discussion of SAO. This is a plot heavy sequel of a plot heavy anime, and it's simply not possible to understand the various character study arcs without some understanding of the message SAO was trying to deliver. At the core of SAO was the question of "What is Reality?" Eventually it arrived at the answer that your reality was what you made it, within balance and reason. In the process it followed the daily lives of a few perfectly normal people as they went through a dangerous world they could never have been prepared for. It let you see into the lives of two kids that suddenly had to fight for their lives, and mature long before they should have had to. Most of all, it did so in a perfectly believable way that any MMO player can easily relate to.

SAO set the stage for SAO II by introducing the characters and the experiences that brought them together, and then gave way to SAO II to truly study what this meant for each of them. SAO asks, attempts to resolve the question of "What is reality?" Then SAO II picks up this theme by asking the only question that hopes to achieve the same scope and scale. This anime is a thematic study of the question “What does it mean to live and to die?

Everything in SAO II is questioning the meaning of life and death, particularly when it comes to this world that the characters have accepted as being equal to their own reality. Everything from the first arc, which blurs the line between death in the real world, and the virtual, to the last which offers a bittersweet glance at what it means to live life to the fullest. Even the middle arc offers an interesting perspective on how alive the world the characters inhabit really is, and how deep the attachment to this world runs in each of them. Weaving throughout all these themes, the series manages to include a heartfelt romance, a good look at various cultural idiosyncrasies of Japan, entertaining fight scenes, and a variety of worlds each totally different from the other.

-- Characters --

The characters were probably the strongest point of the series, assuming that one took the time to really empathize with them.

Kirito is a normal teenage boy, with normal teenage interests. He’s fascinated with VR technology, and has dreams of realizing his own ideas developed over years in this sort of game. Behind this mask you have a boy who was forced to become a soldier, and bear the burden of thousands. He’s a person that wants to live his life in peace, but is willing to help those in need. He shows a deep attachment to the world that became his home; the world where he met his love. He acts like a person forged on the battlefield; when under pressure he takes charge, and when he is safer he understand the need to rest and plan. He actually shows traces of PTSD, with clear hints that he’s spent quite a while dealing with these matters, either alone or with professional help. He’s also a bit of a pervert, but what would anyone expect. The book makes it quite clear that he an Asuna share a rather intimate relationship.

Along with Kirito the first season introduces Sinon, who is a bit of a "foil" that the story uses to help compare and contrast with Kirito. Like him she had killed someone, but unlike him she never had the experience to deal with the result. Instead she built herself a nearly schizophrenic persona of a quiet sniper running with the rough and tumble gunmen of the world of GGO. As the first arc progresses we get to see as she slowly manages to put her trauma behind her, and recaptures the more friendly and outgoing persona that you might expect of a girl that age. She does fall off in importance once the first arc is over, being relegated to an minor role for the rest of the series. This makes sense when you consider that the Sinon is Kirito’s friend, while the second major arc focuses on Asuna.

This brings us Asuna, arguably one of the most interesting characters in the series. While we are only treated to hints of her problems during the first half of the series, the second half does an amazing job of telling her story. Here we learn that Asuna is facing some serious challenges of her own. Despite her normally happy appearance we get to see that Asuna is troubled by her position in society. As the daughter of influential people she is faced with certain expectations that run counter to what she wants from her life. However, her upbringing, and the cultural gulf between her and her mother makes solving those problems quite difficult. Despite all of that she manages to put on a strong face for all of her friends, even when she finds out that the first female friend to truly understand her is a young girl in the terminal stages of AIDS. In this she acts as a pillar of stability for those around her, protecting her family above all else.

Yuuki is a mirror into Asuna’s character in the same way that Sinon was a mirror of Kirito in the first Arc. Like Asuna, Yuuki strives to protect her friends in the face of insurmountable circumstances. She too puts on a mask of the happy, cheerful girl, even when her reality is a broken body constantly on the verge of death. She works hard, and does her best so that the technology which let her live the last of her days in happiness can help others. With her strength of will she even helps Asuna find the strengths to confront her mother, passes on a legacy that will live on in the VR world, and receives a true champion’s farewell.

Then, we have the "harem." Despite what some chose to see, this is actually a fairly normal a group of friends who have formed a bond akin to family with this alternate world. These are people that lived, bled, killed, and faced sorrow with the main characters. Some of them have traces of an old crush on Kirito, though that is rarely played out beyond exasperated sighs as they watch Kirito and Asuna cuddle in the distance. Nevertheless, all of the members of this group are well fleshed out characters with interesting personalities and unexpected depth. For the most part these characters add a softer, often more comedic edge to the interaction. That’s not too say that they lack serious moments, but unfortunately they simply cannot get the serious treatment that the main characters enjoy.

Finally, I cannot let the review go without bringing up Yui. The character that gets the most complaints for not being human enough, and for her role as a silly diversion. Ironically, Yui is the one that best exhibits what she was meant to; she is an AI, and behaves herself in a consistent fashion with the rules of the universe that we are introduced to. There are even hints to a deeply technical side of her that is very close to Kirito, and helps him in his day to day life. Unfortunately we rarely see her outside a tentative support role, though I believe there is a lot of potential there had the show dared to explore it further.

-- Art & Sound --

There is little to say here. The both the artistic and audio direction were top notch. The studios selected were clearly picked for their ability to deliver a complete package, and I believe they managed to catch the mood and the theme of the series perfectly. The music was quite amazing and thematic, connecting well with the ideas of the show. It’s truly difficult to match the melancholy feeling that the last ending theme evoked when you realize that the song was something shared by Asuna and Yuuki, as the last notes fade out over Yuuki’s memorial.

I will take some issues with the character animations, particularly during dialog. While the backgrounds are always utterly amazing, the characters are often too still, and too simple to really do justice to the backdrop. It’s something that’s fairly easy to forgive given the consistent style, and exciting battle scenes, but it still stands out at times.

-- Enjoyment --

If you are willing to invest some time into this show, and truly dive into the world then it offers an experience few series can match. If you can relate to the experience of farming rare items for weeks on end, of gathering materials for a rare recipe, of spending weeks and months on a new boss, and of meeting friends that will last a lifetime through the screen of the game, this series will speak to you like no other. If you are willing to treat this series with the care and attention given to a book, then you will find an involving and captivating plot. If you can look beneath the surface you will find a deep world full of wonderful characters. Unfortunately if you are just looking for a normal anime experience to fill out your list then you might not even see a glimpse of any of the things I speak of.

-- Overall –

This series completes the package that is SAO. Even if we never see SAO III, I will hold it in my heart as one of the greats.

I would be a fool to claim that this is a show for everyone. Clearly it will not appeal to every person that picks it up. However, I do not believe that this is a shortcoming of any sort. I simply do not see how it could have delivered such an experienced to a wider audience, at least in anime form. Maybe more people might understand it if read from the book, but that’s not really here or there in an anime review. In short, when seen by the target audience, this show offers an experience that matches and even exceeds some of the very best masterpieces of the past decade. For that I give it 10/10, and to those that understand why I raise my glass. May we meet again, and share the stories of the worlds that we have seen.