Review of The Severing Crime Edge
With a unique storyline and engaging characters, Dansai Bunri no Crime Edge is definitely an anime worth watching. It might seem complicated and complex at first, but the anime runs on a simple and easy to understand plot, which allowed me to get used to the characters without focusing to much on trying to figure out the plot. It got a bit predictable towards the end, but there are plenty of unexpected surprises that make up for it. The episodes all felt connected, and the right amount of comedic moments were mixed in with action scenes, yet the plot continuously moved on. Some topics exploredin the anime may make some people uncomfortable, but can usually be overlooked. Overall, the ending was pretty good and delivered enough closure, but it hinted at a second season that has yet to be announced (unfortunately).
The style of the art is nothing too special, but it is memorable and the characters are recognizable. Personally, I feel that the style matches the storyline pretty well, and the designs for each character were drawn well. They were unique as well, so it was easy to tell different characters apart. The only thing I have to complain about is that most of the fight scenes were not fully colored, and only used a few basic shades of color. The animators probably did that for effect (or they got lazy), but either way, I would've liked to see the fight scenes colored.
The theme song for this anime is one of the best that I've ever heard. The sound effects are done well, and the background music doesn't take away from the dialogue either. It was nothing breathtaking, but nothing to complain about either.
Most of the characters were easily likable, even the ones that appear to be 'evil'. None of them were Mary Sues or Gary Stus, and they each had their own flaws and special characteristics. The amount of characters was just enough so that I didn't have to scramble around to remember everyone's name.
Honestly speaking, this is one of my favorite animes by far. I would definitely recommend it to anyone who doesn't have too many triggers they need to be wary of, and I think that many people would enjoy this series. Everyone I've recommended this anime to so far has come back to be with positive response. Unfortunately, the fanbase for this anime isn't very large since it's not that popular, but hopefully people will continue to enjoy it.