Review of The Heroic Legend of Arslan

Arslan Senki captivated me from the moment I began watching. From its music to its diverse and loveable cast of characters, this anime has so much to offer to its viewer that it merits two play-throughs to get the full benefit. There’s already a pretty good synopsis written above so I’ll spare you that and jump right into the review. Art: 8 While the vast majority of the art is fantastic the CGI is rather noticeable and jarring at times. Though, I do completely understand the reasons for utilizing this technique. They needed to animate massive armies numbering in the tens of thousands. To do so byhand or traditional methods would be tedious and a waste of time/resources. Everything else was spectacular – from the set pieces to the characters themselves. You can easily ascertain the tone of a particular scene by the art alone. When telling a story art, sound, and characters all have to work together to illustrate the plot, and this anime succeeded in that regard.
Sound: 10
Let me just say that the soundtrack is PHENOMINAL. It’s so damn good that I play it on repeat while I’m gaming. It’s different from most soundtracks that you’ll hear in other anime, and fits the tone and setting extremely well. As far as audio/sound effects are concerned – they are expertly done. Something as simple as the swing of a sword sounds full and believable. When a powerful character enters the scene your ears are greeted by heroic (or menacing) fanfare and a specialized soundboard. When the iconic characters, such as Daryun, swing their weapons about its something akin to a hurricane. When they make contact you can almost feel the impact. Everything about these characters sounds powerful and epic.
Characters: 10
It’s been a long time since I’ve fallen in love with a cast of characters. Arslan Senki presents us with what I like to call a “Hero Themepark.” Basically this is a show that centers around a set of heroes who are, aside from a few bumps and bruises, seemingly invincible. Though this concept applies to the villains as well. So what happens when these epic, near-invincible characters collide? Some of the highest octane, nail-biting action you’ve ever seen in an anime. When a character is defeated or dies it feels like a god has been slain, and it changes your perception of the victor entirely. “He/she is far more powerful than I thought.” You’ll see these heroes take out entire waves of enemies all by themselves. Daryun’s name alone strikes fear into the hearts of enemies.
Overall: 9
The series is a MUST WATCH, and is severely undervalued. You can find it on Hulu or Gogoanime. The story, characters, and music are all on point and work together to bring one of the best series of 2015. If only season 2 wasn’t 8 episodes long…wtf man.