Review of Reikenzan: Hoshikuzu-tachi no Utage

Man, I really wonder how this anime has such a high score. I mean, okay, it's pretty decent. That is, if we set the bar at a low level. It was written as if a fan, upon watching a lot of shounen anime, suddenly had an idea about a story and then went off on a writing spree. Of course he'll include an overpowered MC - an intelligent one with great physical ability on the side. And then a sexy woman who acts as if she's a good-for-nothing but is actually really strong and would be the MC's master. Ah, and then another woman who isalso very strong but in another sense, it would be good if there are two masters. "Not sure what that other sense would be, but I'll probably have an idea of her background later on." And then a whole bunch of other cliched characters that would serve to make the MC look stronger.

As for the story, he had this one concrete idea for the start, until a little of what's after. And then, he suddenly got lost later on because there's literally nothing going on aside from the training. He got no more idea on how to push the MC to become stronger, most likely because he hadn't established anything beforehand as to what kind of major conflict (e.g. villain) would there be just like in other shounen anime. "Ah, I messed up." So he started to consult fellow fans for ideas and also watched other anime for references. In one way or another, he managed to sew up all sorts of ideas until the anime ended. (And there's even a sequel ugh but that's for another rant--- I mean, review).

It really was a pretty decent watch at the start - it helped that I didn't have any expectations. I was willing to forgive the lack of a concrete story framework and dismiss it as a new writer's fiction. My curiosity got the best of me and I wondered how the MC would master the technique he's studying, how it would be when he meets up again with his long-distance friend who seems to also grow stronger and stronger, and how he would use his techniques on a real battle. But no, I didn't get anything. Somehow, other characters really were just written to make the MC look stronger and then they got forgotten for the next scenes. Potential rivalry and camaraderie were abandoned, and no characterization was established. Even the MC and his masters are inconsistent. Obu (the good-for-nothing but strong master) would be the most consistent of them all, but I lost interest when she got into a fight and then there's no battle choreography at all, even special techniques to show that okay, she's powerful. Somehow, she was also granted the "OP spell" at this point.

Moreover, the last episodes really just looked like a tangle of external ideas that didn't go well with each other. The characters are at their most incoherent at this point and there are sudden developments between characters at the last episode which I really wouldn't call as such since there are no build-up or hints beforehand. It looked as if the editor just noticed that the anime's going nowhere, so they suddenly put together something, whatever it is. Heck, I watched some episodes of the sequel and it differed a lot from this first series, and that is a major proof of the anime's inconsistence.

So there. Nothing went on, and if you're ever gonna watch it, best expect it to be just a time-killer. It's a good past time if you don't bother yourself with the details. But well, I don't really recommend it. The only merit I probably got in this anime is the great opening song by Soraru and Mafumafu. The animation was also pretty at the start, until it suddenly got lousy at the middle.