Review of The Heroic Legend of Arslan

I think ancient warfare ranks alongside football right at the top of the list of things that bore me to death, so I didn't begin this series with the highest of expectations. Having the source material being shonen doesn't help either. Although the show does depict atrocities you might imagine from this setting, the presentation is bland and sanitised. Furthermore, with army commanders depicted not simply as leaders but practically gods with superhuman strength and fighting ability, this isn't merely a fantasy with strong military themes, but a teen fantasy with all the potentially fun parts of the subject matter (see Game of Thrones) cutout.

Nonetheless, for all the blandness of its setting and shonen implausibility, Arslan Senki tells a compelling story through a medium where having a coherent plot increasingly looks like an outdated fad. It's a story about conflict and the ideological factors that beget it. The main character, Arslan, struggles with the illegitimacy of his claim to the throne and the hypocrisy of his ideals, but his compassion and self-reflection inspire loyalty and bring together a cast of loyal followers who become strong characters in their own right. Hard decisions have to be made along the way, and the allies he has to make aren't always ideal.

There's definitely a sense of real-world connection and complexity to the political themes which gives the series a unique character, certainly no accident as the story is from the same man who wrote Legend of the Galactic Heroes. It's still maybe a tad too lighthearted, but that also makes the characters and their chivalrous banter all the more likeable.

To top it off, Arslan Senki is simply a good overall production. While I'm no fan of the mostly generic musical score, the animation is good (although there are a tad too many stiffly animated 3D soldiers) and unlike some other two-cour series, it maintains that standard throughout without any blatant or noticeable errors.

Arslan Senki ends only a fraction of the way through the story, but a second season is allegedly already in the pipeline. While I started off being prejudiced - to an extent I still am - towards its genre and artstyle, Arslan Senki hooked me with its epic story and scope. I look forward to its continuation.