Review of D-Frag!

Loud, funny, predictable at times, but still adorable and satisfying. Despite the close relationship that anime fans have to gaming, it's rare to see an anime dedicated purely to the subject. However, D-Frag is a show where games and the world of gaming is the basis for a funny and refreshing spin on the school club anime scene. The story starts with Kenji, a so-called delinquent, who has recently moved to the city with his friends. They aren’t really bad people; they merely want the mystique that is attached to those sorts of people. Kenji and companys' appearance breathes hope into their club, but however, theirrecruitment drive is…less than orthodox. It borders on the manic and farcical. The first several minutes give you no preparation for this, and at first, the audience left in stunned silence, but the tension slowly dissipates and you realize that the club is a rag-tag team of eccentrics, obsessives and power-mad horrors. However, there’s a twist in the tale, entailing the prior existence of a Game Dev Club, led by a busty girl named Takao. This extra addition gives a sense of competition and dynamism to the story. It could’ve been completed in the first episode, but the element of peril would’ve been extinguished. Fortunately it lingers on and adds an extra dimension to proceedings.

Yes, some of the characters can be included into a cookie-cutter-like feeling, incorporating archetypes such as the dominatrix, the peppy go-getter, the lazy placater, yet each of them possess an extra dimension which saves them from being purely plot vehicles

As for the rest of it, it sort of falls down. The art work can be good at times and when the comedy is heightened to insane levels, it comes into its stride and it works. Unfortunately, during the bits in between it feels a little flat and dull – like watching a rushed product, or a part where the animators were anxious to get to the more comedic, and interesting parts. It lacks consistency and originality in its artwork, but nevertheless, a good watch.

I certainly like this show and find it to be very funny. Gaming is something that most anime fans can understand and relate to, so I’m surprised it has not been explored more often. It's a refreshing addition to the school club genre and I certainly recommend this show for people seeking a wacky comedy with a lot of slapstick and shouting.