Review of Record of Grancrest War
Please note this review is intended to be read by those that have finished watching Record of Grancrest War and while care has been taken to minimise story related spoilers there may still be spoilers within character analysis. You have been warned. Based off a popular light novel of the same name Record of Grancrest War is an action and fantasy anime that gives us the opportunity to see what will happen if a wandering knight and a powerful but determined mage were to unite their powers and gather like minded individuals to fight against both the rampant chaos that is causing endless wars acrossthe land and the two large power blocks of countries that are taking advantage of the chaos to fight wars against each other.
But rather than fight for conquest and wealth as the members of the two power blocks do the knight and his companions fight instead to unite the land and all the crests and create an era where peace will reign for all races whether human, beast man, union or alliance by creating the ultimate crest the grand crest that will unite the land against the common foe of chaos.
Taking place on the continent of Atlatan a setting that combines medieval-era weaponry and tactics with the magic and creatures that is commonly seen in high fantasy settings is a world that is similar to our own one where humanity and every race that lives on the continent fight constantly with one another in endless wars using the supernatural powers offered by the crests which are both symbols of ranks and a representation of the powers that they wield. The most powerful of these lords form military alliances with one another with the largest being the Fantasia Union and their opposite number the Factory alliance whose struggles with one another have lasted for years. After the tragic events at a wedding that was supposed to have been the beginning of peace between the two factions, both sides withdraw and began to prepare for a resumption of hostilities between them that had been held in check by the wedding.
The overall story follows the life of Theo Cornado a wandering knight that aspires to create a world where peace will reign for all countries and his encounter with Siluca Meletes a 17-year-old mage that has similar aspirations as his own and their journey to gather as many crests as they can to create the ultimate crest that will banish chaos from this war-torn world the grand crest. Along the way, they will fight many powerful lords and their attendant mages while at the same time encounter many like minded individuals that share their desire to create a world of peace. But their journey while noble would pit them against the lords of both the union and the factory alliance who refuse to let go of the powers that their crests have bestowed them with and Theo and Siluca must use every inch of their cunning and intelligence to overcome the myriad enemies that try to stop them as they strive to create a world free of war. As they fight across the land to enact their bold plan, Theo, Siluca and their many allies would encounter a host of characters that will both aid them and hinder their quest that includes the calm and bold Marrine leader of the Factory alliance, the kind and motivational priestess Priscilla and the confident and perceptive Duke of Alturk Villar. But in their journey to create a world of peace not even the demons of hell can hope to stop them.
Siluca Meletes
Silica Meletes voiced by veteran seiyuu Akari Kito of Classroom of the Elite fame is one of the main characters of the series and is the main heroine of the series. A 17-year-old mage freshly graduated from the mage academy Siluca is an intelligent, assertive and fiercely independent person by nature that views the current world and the lords that are responsible for it with nothing but scorn and disdain. A perceptive and quick-thinking person by nature Siluca though a mage is also a capable strategist and diplomat capable of both planning intricate battle strategies as well as creative proposals that can charm even the most stubborn lords and get them to help them. While a cunning person by nature Siluca is someone that is both humble and willing to learn and rather than use this cunning to make a name for herself as others would instead uses this to analyse and defeat the plans that their opponents use against them whether these plans are military or diplomatic. Key to Siluca’s ability to defeat the many plans of her opponents is Siluca’s tenacious nature and her dislike of people that take advantage of their powers to lead others astray. As a result of this hatred, Siluca is someone that hates rotten mages as she believes they are not doing their jobs properly an aspect that comes largely from the proudness she feels as a mage that’s loyal to her contractor.
At the beginning of the series, Siluca as a result of her independent personality was not someone that many people could get close to and indeed in the beginning due to her pride she was somewhat haughty and prideful. However, while hard to please Siluca was someone that respected results and hard work and had no problem with praising those that she had seen work hard at their assigned tasks. While Siluca’s tactics are based off what her intelligence and analysis have told her it can be seen that like her personality Siluca’s tactics and strategies has a flair for the dramatic and were somewhat risky at the same time. This I felt was interesting as it matched well with her development as a character as while her early tactics were dramatic and risky as the series goes on this changes largely due to the effect that Theo’s beliefs have on her. As the series goes on and as Siluca encounters and befriends many new allies and reconnect with former friends it can be seen that Siluca actually starts to rid herself of her haughty and prideful nature and instead starts treating her allies with respect and starts trusting them with critical parts of her plans but at the same time not risking them by taking care of the most dangerous parts of her plan herself showing the care that she has developed for her friends and allies. A central aspect of Siluca’s character is, of course, her dislike of authority and of lords which creates a problem in that she isn’t afraid to state her own opinion on something which often causes her to tread into dangerous territory. However, as the series goes on though not disappearing entirely Siluca gains the foresight to know when it is time to offer her opinion and when not to but always willing to offer her advice when needed. At the beginning of the series, Siluca and Theo had a rather unusual first encounter and as a result, had a somewhat tense relationship at first.
As a result of wanting to prove herself and show her skills to others at the beginning of the series, Silica treated Theo rather poorly. While acknowledging Theo as her contractor and lord the strategies that Siluca came up with in the beginning while highly effective at their intended role did not include Theo in them which had the effect of causing her name to rise but not her lord’s that she was supposed to be serving. As Siluca and Theo’s relationship deepens as the series goes on Siluca realises the error that she had made as she has let her pride overrule her duty to her lord something that she chided herself on. As a result of this as the series goes on Siluca’s relationship with Theo gradually changes with Siluca gradually being more open with him and willing to discuss her strategies and tactics with him showing her increasing trust and later admiration of Theo’s actions and beliefs and becoming his loyal right hand in his quest to unite the crests. The character of Siluca I felt was an interesting character that was both well designed and developed. The evolution of Siluca from a haughty and prideful mage that was overconfident of her intellect and skills as a mage to one that was both humble, trusting and friendly to her allies and loyal and dedicated to not just her lord but to his beliefs as well I thought was really well done. I felt that her seiyuu Akari Kito really did an excellent job at portraying the character of Siluca.
Theo Cornaro
Theo Cornaro played by new voice actor Kentaro Kumagai is one of the main characters of the series and is the main protagonist of the series. Initially, a wandering knight that Siluca encounters while on her way to her new assignment Theo is a righteous, determined and proud person by nature that’s also understanding and trusting of his allies and friends. Unlike the great majority of knights and lords that use their crests to gain fame and power Theo largely due to his modest nature and his strong sense of justice is the opposite and instead fights to protect the innocents that are caught in the conflicts that plague the land and true to this nature strives to fight his battles far from populated areas. A brave, loyal and friendly person by nature Theo is someone that can be said to be the very ideal image of a knight one that is both caring towards his friends and allies and brave and willing to step in and protect them from the most dangerous threats in this world the demons without any hesitation. As a result of this personality its perhaps unsurprising that Theo views the current chaos that the continent is locked in with disdain and indeed Theo is someone that believes that the crests that the knights and lords make use of should be used to help and protect the people from the chaos that reigns in the land and not be used to fight endless and pointless wars with one another and definitely not for personal gain. In line with this is what can be said to be Theo’s ultimate dream and wish which is to change the current world and create a world where peace will reign for all humans and races whether they belong to the union, factory alliance and unaffiliated races. A world where everyone can exist in harmony with one another without having to fight one another on the field of battle to settle differences of opinion.
At the beginning of the series Theo while having a worthy dream and vision was someone that was noted to not have much ambition and seems content with just fighting to protect the land and its people and in the process accumulate more power to power his crest. This attitude while matching his temperament nicely was seen as impractical by his allies and as the series progresses even Theo starts to realise this as well. As the series goes on and Theo begins to see just how much suffering the people of the land suffer due to the chaos and the wars between the various crest holders this awakens within Theo a desire to not just become a lord but also to be one that has gathered all the crests to form the grand crest that will end this suffering and bring peace back to the land. However even after becoming a lord and taking the first step on his journey to achieve his dream Theo rather than let his new station create a sense of ambition within him instead bravely maintains his core values always striving to fight for justice and freedom while preferring to exhaust all avenues of diplomacy first before committing to an action. Unlike most lords on the continent, Theo is shown to be someone that values the opinions of his subordinates and always willing to listen to their own assessments of the situation before deciding on a course of action. As a result of his long life as a knight, Theo is someone that has always believed that a knight’s duty is to protect the people and even after rising to become a lord this belief never changes and stayed with him. As a result of this Theo was someone that was uncomfortable with having his subordinates and allies fight for him while he can only command them and not fight alongside them.
However, as the series progresses this sense of unease gradually disappears as Theo comes to realise that the reason that his subordinates and allies fight so hard for him even against tall odds was because of the faith and trust that they have in their lord and his beliefs and as a result rather than feel unease and worried about them Theo instead takes it and uses it as his main strength and motivation. As a character I felt that Theo was one that was both well designed and developed with his development from a wandering knight that had the barest idea of a dream to one that was determined to change the world and create a world where peace will reign for everyone no matter the odds arrayed against him being the best aspects of his character.
Marrine Kreische
Marrine voiced by veteran seiyuu Ai Kayano of Guilty Crown and Anohana fame is one of the main support characters of the series. The daughter of the former archduke of the Factory alliance and after his death the new leader of the Factory alliance Marrine is a calm, composed and understanding person by nature that’s also perceptive and cautious and is shown to be a person that’s easily capable to telling one’s true character quite easily. An intelligent and logical young woman Marrine is someone that respects those that show courage and determination and is someone that places her trust in allies and friends that have proved their worth to her treating them as valued allies that she can rely on. While an intelligent and shrewd negotiator, politician and a capable field commander and swordswoman Marrine is not someone that will underestimate enemies and indeed has a healthy amount of respect for all that stand in her way whether they are of the same social rank as she is or not. While a capable field commander Marrine is shown to be someone that largely lets his subordinates make their own decisions on the field preferring instead to observe their actions and only stepping in when needed. This is shown in both her time on the field and her time managing the lords that form part of her alliance. In line with this is Marrine’s belief that the men under her should serve on their own volition and that she shall not force them to serve her blindly due to a perceived loyalty to her family name.
As the series progresses and Marrine’s personality and character gets expanded upon it can be seen that while outwardly Marrine is a very strong-willed and determined woman that’s determined to achieve her goal of uniting the continent under her rule beneath this Marrine’s feelings are anything but strong and is in fact relatively fragile. As a result of losing both her beloved father and be split from the person that she had fallen in love with at the beginning of the series Marrine was forced to harden her heart and banish the grief that anyone in her situation would be feeling and concentrate on the larger picture of fighting the true enemy that has caused the tragedy. Despite taking the path of a conqueror and being labelled as a villain by all it can be seen that Marrine is someone that tries to minimise the number of casualties when possible by making use of negotiation which shows that beneath her determination to unite the land her human side still remains to a degree. As the series goes on it can be seen that Marrine while very determined to achieve her dream of uniting the continent still wrestles with the human side of her character and despite seemingly giving up her happiness to focus on trying to achieve her dream which is best summed up in her belief that she is someone that is stained with blood and not someone that is worthy of happiness there are still feelings and emotions that she cannot get rid of within her namely her remnant feelings for her former fiance Alexis. The character of Marrine I thought was one that was both well designed and developed with her development from a young woman that was on the Verge of marrying the prince of her dreams to a determined and driven conqueror who aspires to unite the land to honour her father while cutting off every side of her that made her the person that she once was on a quest to find the truth being one of the best aspects of her character. The concept of becoming a conqueror that aspires to conquer the land to find the truth while shouldering all the blame and resentment of others I felt was an admirable concept that matched the strong-willed Marrine very well. I felt that her seiyuu Ai Kayano really did an excellent job of portraying the character of Marrine in the first villain role of her career.
Priscilla
Priscilla voiced by veteran seiyuu Natsumi Takamori of Orange and Brave Witches fame is one of the main support characters of the series and is one of Theo and Siluca’s many allies in their quest to unite the crests. A priestess of the order of the crest a religious order that accesses, awards and distributes the crests to the lords and knights of the continent Priscilla is also the daughter of the founder of that order making her a relatively famous person within it. True to her role as both a priestess and a healer Priscilla is a kind, caring and understanding person by nature that cares deeply about everyone that she meets and would not hesitate to put herself in danger if it means it will help people that are injured or need renewed faith. While a quiet person by nature Priscilla is an intelligent and perceptive person by nature and can easily tell when something is bothering someone and as a result like Siluca she serves as one of Theo’s most trusted advisers where her role as a priestess and her skills at diplomacy can be put to good use.
As a result of both her beliefs and what she has seen across the land as a member of the order, it can be seen that Priscilla is someone that hates dictators and those that commit acts of cruelty using the crests that her order has awarded. As a result of this upon hearing about Theo’s dream, Priscilla was among the first to make their way to him to determine whether Theo is the light that this world so dearly needs. In line with Priscilla’s training as a priestess, Priscilla was noted to be someone that was very motivational that was helped greatly in the faith that she has both with Theo and with the central teachings of the order of crests and was capable of swinging the opinion of large crowds of people quite easily. The most prominent trait of Priscilla’s is without a doubt the special crest that she wields which has the miraculous power of putting Priscilla within a trance that allows her to heal even the fatal of injuries a power that I felt was really appropriate for a priestess healer like Priscilla. The character of Priscilla while largely a support character I felt fulfilled a very important role for Theo and his faction as she served not just as the factions most effective healer but also one that was able to offer Theo many useful pieces of advice that he needed as he fought ever harder battles against increasingly powerful enemies in his quest to end the chaos. Priscilla’s title of holy maiden that referred to both her role as a priestess and her special crest I felt was one that was really appropriate for her and a title that she really deserved.
Villar
Villar Constance played by veteran voice actor Takahiro Sakurai of Bungo Stray Dogs and Log Horizon fame is one of the main support characters of the series and an important ally of both Theo and Siluca. The Duke of Alturk a country that’s part of the union and one of its most influential members Villar is an intelligent, confident and perceptive man that is well versed in both diplomacy and military arts and as a result is highly regarded by all those that know him. While a confident person by nature Villar unlike most lords at his station is not someone that is overconfident and indeed Villar is someone that is humble and kind and treats everyone that he meets with respect and humility no matter their station. A calm and patient person by nature Villar is also considerate and possesses considerable foresight that allows him to project both calmness in meetings and anticipate the types of issues that may come up at a meeting to a certain degree. While a proud person Villar is shown to be someone that values the lives of his subordinates and would always try to preserve their lives and stop them from taking part in reckless actions which are best shown in the battles that he took part in prior to the fall of castle unicorn. As a result of this Villar is someone that has earned the respect and loyalty of countless lords that live nearby a feat that proved useful during the defence of Alturk from the factory alliance. Unlike other lords of the continent who tend to view those of lower social rank than they are with disdain Villar is unique in that he is someone that prefers to judge someone by their merits and deeds rather than say their family name an aspect that I felt suited his personality greatly. A core personality trait that is unique to Villar is the importance that he places on family largely due to his past experience with his own.
As a result of this trait, Villar is someone that values family highly and dislikes having to fight members of his own family on the battlefield. A key aspect of Villar’s personality that resonates with this is his cardinal rule about the female mages that are contracted to him in that once they reach the age of 25 they must retire and leave his service. This unusual rule through a logical one has earned Villar many nefarious nicknames but the core reason for this rule is because Villar wants to give these women the opportunity to marry and create a family of their own. The character of Villar Constance I felt was an interesting character that was both well designed and developed with his character as a powerful but fair duke that commanded the respect and loyalty of his people and his fellow lords through his determined attempts to preserve their lives being the best aspects of his character as he was the opposite of what many of the lords that fight in this war were like. In a way, Villar can be said to be the ideal image of what a lord should be for even against overwhelming odds Villar still faced them bravely not compromising on any of his core values fighting to the very end to save others and ensure their happiness. I felt that his voice actor Takahiro Sakurai really did an excellent job at portraying the character of Villar Constance.
Amv
Animation wise I felt that the various locations and settings that the cast visit over the course of the series was not just beautiful and well designed but also showed a great variety of terrain types that matched well with the theme of a large continent-wide war that served as the series main premise. The character designs for each of the main cast I felt were also well done and each character I felt matched well with both their personality and intended role within the series with their clothing, in particular, being a great complement to their designs. The use of magic within the series which serves as one of the series key premises in the form of the crest I felt was well done not just in the execution of large-scale magic but also in the form of the crests and the effect they have on the casters subordinates as well. The idea that each crest acted not just as an identifier for the soldiers but also gave them a semblance of their lord’s power I felt was a nice touch. In terms of large-scale battles whether its land-based or naval I felt that the battles that were featured within the series were both well animated and designed and made great use of both the fantasy setting as well as that of tactics and terrain. Each battle while large and often consisting of multiple fronts was well animated and allowed us to see clearly which side was winning in brutal detail thanks to distinctive combat gear that was used by all sides. Music wise I felt that the series OST was really well done and did a great job at highlighting the various scenes and emotions and feelings that the cast experience as they fight in this war to end all wars. The series opening and ending themes of which there were four in total which was Starry by veteran singer Mashiro Ayano, Pledge by Asca, and Rin and Shodo by Asca and Ayano respectively I felt was pretty strong songs that complemented the series really well.
In terms of voice acting, I felt that each member of the voice cast was able to do an excellent job of portraying their assigned characters. In particular, I feel that Akari Kito, Kentaro Kumagai, Ai Kayano, Natsumi Takamori and Takahiro Sakurai all deserve special praise as I felt that they all did an excellent job of portraying the characters of Siluca, Theo, Marrine, Priscilla, and Villar.
Overall conclusion
In overall Record of Grancrest War I felt was an excellent anime and alongside Beatless, Darling in the Franxx and Katana Maidens is one of the heavy hitters of Winter 2018 with its main strong points being its strong premise, excellent story, well designed and developed characters, great blend of politics, wishes and war, a strong voice cast and its many large and well-designed battles.
The overall premise of the series was, of course, the continental-wide war within the series that pitted large military alliances against each other in a large war in which both sides sought to gain power by defeating their enemies and gaining the superhuman powers that the crests a concept unique to the series contains. While battles of this type are a common theme in most action anime the fact that this took place within a large fantasy world that had both magic and industry within it I felt was interesting as this kind of promise is relatively rare among anime’s and more common in movies. While the war large as it is involved countless lords, all fighting to gain power in order to rule more land and thus gain more prestige the real premise came in the surprising form of a minor knight that had large aspirations that were surprising for someone of his standing and station an aspiration to create a world where peace would reign. In a world filled with power hungry lords who fight continuously to gain power the idea that a mere knight would not just possess one of the mythical crests but also have a unique wish and desire to use that crest to fight and create a better world for the people I thought was rather special. While weak as an individual Theo while facing intense opposition for his plan never feels fear and never wavers in his beliefs and wishes to create a better world and as he fights and triumphs over every battle sent his way Theo not just matures and changes from a knight to a lord but also gain many allies and friends who share his view of wanting to create a new world free of chaos. Even when faced with the large military alliances of the alliance and the union Theo does not feel fear and managed to not only outfight his opponents and also outsmart them and convince them through sword and words to work with him and finally end this time of chaos. This premise of having a minor knight rise to power and promote a plan of peace to all factions with not just military action but also diplomacy I felt was interesting and made great use of the fact that all humans and races whether they are knights, lords or simple soldiers all wish for a day where they can drop their weapons and armour and live their life without having to kill another fellow human being.
The overall story of the series in addition to the premise I felt was also one of the series main strong points. While largely following Theos advances and development as both a character and a lord the story also gave us the opportunity to see how the two alliances of the series the Union and the Factory alliance fought the war and the problems that they had to deal with as the tides of war changed as the war went on. This aspect of switching between not just Theo and his allies but between Marrine’s Factory alliance and Alexis’s Union alliance I thought was well done as it showed that this war is taking place on multiple fronts and that Theo and his forces are though an important part of the war still only one part of a larger war that’s sweeping the continent. Key to this is the usage of several key characters that are used by all factions to keep each other in check as each faction fights to conquer important territory in their quest for victory with the most notable of this being the character of Mirza who while originally a prince of a nearby country and Villar’s ally soon becomes one of Theo’s greatest threats thanks to his ambition. When paired with the politics that existed between the lords and the alliances and the large-scale battles that formed the key parts of the story Grancrests story proved to be really impressive as it was anything but predictable and was full of unexpected developments, betrayals, and revelations that played out more like a movie than an anime.
Overall Record of Grancrest War was an anime that I really enjoyed watching with its main strong points being its strong and unique premise, excellent story, well-designed characters, strong blend of politics and war, strong voice cast and large and well designed and executed battles. I felt that the series handled its many different themes relatively well with the handling of its core theme of defeating and forcing each faction to the negotiation table to end the war and unite them against the real threat being the best one. Seeing Theo, the minor knight not only gain ranks as he overcomes the countless trials that he was faced with but also gain many powerful and loyal friends and allies that share as his goals as he tries to change the world was one of the best things about this anime and proves that if you have a strong will and powerful and like-minded friends that anything is possible even the impossible task of changing the world. As a final score, I would say that Record of Grancrest War easily deserves a final score of 10/10. In order to free his homeland and bring peace to it, Theo instead ended up changing the world.