Review of Fire Force

I wanted to like Fire Force. I really did. Unfortunately, there were too many detractors throughout the show that made it one of the biggest waste of potentials I've seen. The story is fine for a shounen, it even has some interesting concepts, but the execution is poor. The pacing is off, and things that would normally take a few episodes to figure out get solved in ten minutes. There's no time to enjoy the mystery or try and figure things out as the viewer. Plot 'twists' have no set up. Worry not, the characters are equally as disappointing. They all feel like cardboard cutoutsof cliches when they have the potential to be so much more. There's no depth to the majority of the cast. It's sad to see an interesting world populated by brainless, one note stereotypes. The jokes don't land, are ill-timed to be in the middle of fights for some reason, and the fanservice is distracting and annoying.

The best part about Fire Force is that it looks good. It's visually interesting, from the Shaft/Monogatari inspired shots to the fight choreography. It shines the most when the character's aren't talking, just fighting. I love the window lighting that stretches across the room, the sprawling churches with stained glass, and the artistic feeling still shots of characters. I also really enjoyed the second OP--good stuff. The other OP and EDs weren't memorable.

If you don't mind a jittery storytelling experience, rolling your eyes at the side characters, and scratching your head at some of the choices the author made, you might enjoy this. Otherwise, just look up the fights on YT and give Fire Force a pass.