Review of Strike the Blood
If someone ever asked me to name the most mid anime of all time, the textbook definition of a 5/10, especially from the 2010s, I’d immediately point to Strike the Blood. It was a series that drew a decent amount of attention during my early days of watching seasonal anime, and for some reason, it just kept getting new seasons every few years. Naturally, I started to wonder: Does Strike the Blood actually have some hidden brilliance or a cult following that justifies its longevity? The premise itself is serviceable with vampires, ecchi elements, and supernatural factions, and it initially showed potential. Compared to other ecchiseries of the time, like High School DxD or Infinite Stratos, its fanservice is relatively tame. Yes, it objectifies women, but not as aggressively. The vampire setup gave me Tsukihime vibes, but overall, the tone and structure felt closer to the Toaru series, with Koujou being a Touma-type protagonist.
The first few arcs genuinely piqued my interest; there seemed to be some effort in world-building, hints of global power struggles, and supernatural politics. But all that supposed depth ends up being just background noise. We’re told about various factions battling behind the scenes, but we never actually see any meaningful payoff. These mentions usually just serve as a setup to introduce new characters from exotic places. The story then slips into a very passive, formulaic rhythm with Koujou and his group hanging around on the island until the next crisis lands on their doorstep.
The structure of the anime is rigidly arc-based, with each one lasting about three to four episodes, resembling bite-sized shounen arcs. And this is where the show’s identity becomes clear: everything is just “fine.” The pacing is okay, not too rushed like many modern anime, but not sluggish either. Each arc plays out exactly the same: new threat appears, a new female character joins the group, Koujou gains a new ability, there’s some superficial inner conflict (usually about identity, power, or emotions), and then the group resolves a supposedly world-threatening crisis with minimal tension. This all ends with Himeragi’s now-iconic line, “No senpai, this is our fight,” followed by some fan service, something that has become a meme in the fandom.
It genuinely feels like both the author and production team were self-aware about how formulaic the series had become and simply leaned into it. There’s no sense of progression or cohesion between arcs, as one moment they’re fighting robot terrorists, the next it’s witches and monsters, but everything follows the same mold. And of course, every character loves Koujou. Even the male ones seem charmed by him. Koujou himself reflects the show’s overall tone: he’s not bland enough to be a total self-insert, but he’s still painfully average. He’s strong, but not ridiculously overpowered, and gains new powers at a steady, predictable pace.
Strike the Blood is the ultimate anime for when you want to watch something, but don’t want to be challenged, surprised, or emotionally stirred. Each arc is just a variation of the same template, with different enemies and support characters. It’s the definition of simulacra: You consume it, but you gain nothing from it. And yet, somehow, that makes it stand out. Like its animation, solid overall, occasionally messy, occasionally nice. It gives you a sense of watching something, without ever demanding much from you.
In the end, Strike the Blood is the embodiment of “mid.” Not quite average, not terrible, just okay. Utterly indifferent, and that, oddly enough, is what makes it memorable. A perfect, textbook 5/10.