Matoi the Sacred Slayer · review
One Underated Anime with simplicity and good story! Shoushin Shoujou Matoi Probably one Anime that Majority of people didn't watch because it's aired on wrong season About Mahou Shojou ( Where Ikusei Keikaku was Aired so everyone attention will straight to that anime ) Story : ( 9/10) the story is rather simple, it's about sumeragi matoi , a very ordinary middle school girl one day get attacked by creature called night and suddenly transformed to Exorcist girl from amulet that hands down from her missing mother as granted the power from the god . so her extraordinary day begin as she keep her everyday life and exorcistgirl in balance.
so what deal with this story? it's simple, they kept it straight foward without make their viewer shake on various tragedy like madoka and ikusei keikaku did. so this anime really took different road. matoi herself was seeking for her day rather being ordinary, so at first she's really insist to not involved but get dragged by Yuma (her childhood friend) that later became exorcist girl too.
and not to mention most Mahou shoujou animu are focusing on Friendship or love but Matoi anime are different.
they rather focus on matoi and her father awkward relationship since she's was separated from him for couple years. each episode show how they progressing their daughter-father relationship (spoiler : episode 11 are best part)
Art (7/10): the character design are nothing special, but as expected from white fox who done re:zero and Gochiusa anime. they're really put great effort on this anime. their transform mode design are looks really great but sadly other side character and even the night are pretty plain
Sounds (10/10) :
this is one best part of this anime! opening theme are no doubt best one of the season, the rock/enka sung by M.I.A Regina really built a nice tense before the anime started and the ending song from Sphere are sounds tender and sad which potrait how the dramatic sub-plot for matoi and shingo with scene where matoi pick up shingo by bring him a umbrela. not only that, the anime ost are fantastic.
for example, the battle bgm are pretty intense with modern music with some traditional touch on there.
Character (9/10)
Matoi: The main character are the typical cute anime girl you find on a lot anime. she's cute, pessimistic, shy and a bit naive. matoi is someone who just want her everyday life going as ordinary as possible. she's get dragged by her childhood friend and ended fight night everyday.
she's also very clumsly in front of her father but she's trying hard to keep her relationship natural as ever.
Yuma : Matoi Childhood friend, probably opposite of matoi. she's hella cute, very optimistic, brave and LOUD! she's probably the one who kept me interest to this anime. yuma have exorcist bloodline so she's already gifted as one since very young but later her God are sealed by her grandpa. so at first she's kinda annoying and keep drag the MC to dangerous place but after Claris accidently break her seal. she's granted her power from 2 gods and became exorcist girl as well
Claris: to be honest nothing much to tell about her. she's always move and act if only there's command from her supervisor. so until she's friend with yuma and matoi, she's really cold, knight-ish, and mean toward other one. her objective are for revenge her old partner after got attacked by night and fall to coma state. even when she's get along with both of them, clarus still kinda emotionless but later on episode 11, she's finally show her emotion and for the first time denying her supervisor command.
Enjoyment (9/10) : this anime are kinda breath air for Mahou shoujou anime. it's only 12 episode with a lot opposite aspect of mahou shoujou you see nowdays. so you find a lot cliche in this anime but their presentation are somewhat very enjoyable so you kept your interest and keep watching
overall (9/10):
highly recomend this anime if you like something extraordinary yet very ordinary. it's like watching slice of life anime but with some action and story progression. so there's some intense and story plot that keep your interest and invest but there's also some healing factor as we seen a lot on CGDCT anime