Review of Ikebukuro West Gate Park

I decided to watch this after reading the show's description. It was something like this: "Makoto's life as two rival gangs struggle to control the city. Makoto's goal is to mantain peace". I was unaware at the time that this anime is based on a novel from the 1990s. Also, before you watch it, please keep in mind that back then marijuana was considered one of the worst drugs and that is revelant to the show. In any case, the summary I mentioned isn't wrong but at the same time I don't think it's entirely accurate. The story is indeed about Makoto who belongs to oneof the gangs and his goal in life appears to maintain the peace around Ikebukuro. The thing is, it isn't just about the gangs and its members but also about the regular citizens and their stories.

I was excited about this anime mostly because japan + gangs to me equals yakuza but that couldn't be farther from this series. I was sort of disappointed with it at the beginning but what truly stopped me from enjoying the show was how disconnected I felt from the characters and what was happening with them. 90% of the time I was in a constant state of "meh".

I like the visuals and the soundtrack is fine. However, I don't agree with some of the casting choices and it has nothing to do whether a rookie or a veteran seiyuu got hired for each particular character.

The only episodes that I truly enjoyed was the 10th and 11th ones but the ending was a let down. Everything was so obvious that I just couldn't immerse myself (as usual with this show) in this Ikebukuro world.

In conclusion, this was a 6/10 for me.