Review of Sagrada Reset

Two individuals use their reset ability and their eidetic memory abilities to solve problems involving or revolving around abilities. Story: Most stories have a sort of macguffin, whether it is a physical object or just an end result that the protagonist tries to achieve. In any case, a macguffin is a motive for the main character to do what he or she has to do. This anime is no exception. In the town of Sakurada, people possess strange abilities that range from making everyone within a certain radius laugh uncontrollably to having photographic memory. It may seem like a standard superpowers anime, but there are afew differences. There’s barely any action and it’s not the standard comedic slice of life either. Instead, this anime focuses primarily on mysteries and deeper themes such as identity and ethics. In a way, this anime focuses more on human behavior rather than the abilities themselves. As such, there are many seemingly-nonsensical conversations between the characters. However, there is a method to this show’s madness. It will reveal itself in time.

Characters: One noteworthy aspect of this anime is the characters themselves. At first glance, all of them seem monotonous, lifeless even. However, they all have their own idiosyncrasies and personal growth, aside from their abilities, of course.

First, let’s talk about the two main characters Asai Kei and Haruki Misora. On the surface, they are probably the most apathetic characters in the show, rarely ever showing emotional responses to their surroundings. However, this does not mean that they are monotonous individuals. Throughout the storyline, they slowly learn more about themselves, their identity, their beliefs. Kei constantly struggles with his ideals: the perfect human being, why Souma did what she did, Haruki’s development. Meanwhile, Haruki constantly struggles with her emotions and her individuality. The two of them grow—with Haruki’s development being reset from time to time—and learn how to deal with conflicting beliefs/emotions.

Now, with the two characters that most people would expect to have the most character development out of the way, I personally think that there are other characters that have significant character development. Out of necessity for keeping this review as spoiler-free as possible, I’m going to go over these characters very briefly. Souma Sumire, to start, is very important as Kei constantly thinks back to her and her identity. On the other hand, I really admired Kagaya and Tsushima because they themselves were struggling with their own conflicts with the town. Kagaya struggled with the concept of ethics, more specifically between the utilitarian perspective and the consequentialist perspective. Tsushima on the other hand struggled with his responsibilities and his own emotions, although his story was very much skipped over so it’s largely insignificant. Although it may not seem like it, I believe the conflicts that these side characters face bring up important points in everyday society. In any case, Kei brings up a good point: “There is no right answer. Everyone should be able to find their own answer.”

Music/Audio/Art: This section is going to be really short because I do not usually have qualms about the music, voice acting, or art style. Both openings and endings were nice to listen to before and after episodes. The music in the episodes did not have a big impact on me, but they were not out of place either. As for voice acting, Yuuki Aoi did a really amazing job voicing Souma Sumire’s character, especially in the final episodes. The art of the anime itself is satisfying to look at. It hosts calm colors so that viewers can fully immerse themselves into the dialogue without becoming distracted by the art.

Execution/Overall flow: Yes, the show may seem slow and tedious for those who do not stick around until the end. Yes, the concepts that they touch upon may seem complex, trivial, or even overbearing. However, everything will start to make sense in the final arc. Pretty much everything is reviewed within the final few episodes, wrapped up, and handed back to you. The first few episodes/arcs are bound to feel long and strained due to the introduction of countless thought experiments (which I personally find intriguing) and theoretical debates. The writing is well thought-out and every conversation and soliloquy happens for a reason.

Overall score: 9.5/10 I was originally put off by the slow pacing of this anime, hence why it took me 4 months of on and off watching to finish the show. However, the final arc was truly captivating and brought back questions that I previously had and had forgotten, and then answered them in the most satisfying way possible.