Review of Blood Blockade Battlefront

A lot of fun (had no idea what was going on) Pros: Overall, I had a great time watching this show. The series has the great character expressions, aesthetic visuals, and great animation I’ve come to love from Studio Bones. The world — set in a post-supernatural-disaster New York City — is immersive and interesting, well-crafted to show how two very different worlds have begun to coexist, though not without the expected strife and prejudices from both sides. There are some really cool surrealist scenes woven throughout, reminiscent of those in Soul Eater. Though most of the characters aren’t very developed (many are one-note, including themain character, and some major players don’t receive a backstory/have their motivations revealed until close to the end), they still have great interactions and play off each other nicely. The comedic gags are often absurd and well-timed, the serious scenes appropriately intense, and the heartfelt character moments tug at your heartstrings. It’s chaotic and silly and the vibes are immaculate. Plus, both the OP and ED are peak.

Cons: I began this show about 6 years ago and dropped it after episode 6 because I had no idea what was happening. More recently, I picked it back up from the beginning, remembering how much I liked the elements listed above, and watched it to the end of its first season. While I enjoyed it all the way through this time, I was also on the edge of my seat, especially during the finale, because I was desperately trying to figure out what was happening and why it made sense for the show to execute in the way it did, based on the pieces I was trying to put together.

One of the major issues with this show is that it can’t decide whether it wants to be a serious supernatural mystery/action series or a slice of life in a supernatural setting. On the one hand, you have a Men In Black-like story, with the main team of characters battling villains and trying to protect the city from the evil creatures that threaten to destroy it, all while a mystery brews. All that is paired with low-stakes character and comedic scenes and stories that have little to no relevance to that main action. In my opinion, these are some of the show’s best moments: three characters go out for lunch on their break, only to find every restaurant inhospitable to humans; the main character (Leo) and a friend sneak out to see a movie; Leo befriends a burger-loving mushroom.

Now, this dichotomy in itself is not a bad thing. The interesting worldbuilding and plot keeps the watcher hooked as mysteries and information are revealed, while the lighter moments add levity and fun. The problems arise when you consider how much time the show devotes to each part. Its non-plot essential elements vastly outweigh the ones that move the main story forward, to the point where what would normally be the A-plot becomes the B-plot in favor of a wrestling match or pizza delivery attempt. With the story this show is trying to build and the conclusion it eventually comes to, the scenes important to that story are sprinkled here and there, often changing to a more serious tone — which is good, since it helps differentiate these scenes from the others — and leaving you with more questions than answers. This especially hinders the “main villains”, who only show up a few times, often just to comment here or there rather than actually do something. They don’t reveal their motivations for what they’re doing beyond a surface level and barely play a role in the final showdown.

So, as much as I love the more episodic, comical elements of this show, I think it could have benefited from cutting some of them down in order to give the A-plot more time in the sun.

TL;DR: If you’re looking for a show with interesting worldbuilding and fun character interactions, this is for you. However, don’t go in expecting a plot.