Review of Ya Boy Kongming!
This is the darkest dark horse seasonal anime I've ever encountered. While I did have an inkling to this being good from the moment I watched the preview, it was more a hope then an actual prediction, purely because I thought that the concept was unique and refreshing, which immediately boosted the score to an 8. I can happily say show exceeded every expectation I had for it. STORY: Zhuge Liang, the master strategist of "Romance of the Three Kingdoms" fame(Or, for millennials like myself, that dude with the fan from "Dynasty Warriors"), dies full of regrets. He then opens his eyes, finding himselfrejuvenated, and in modern Japan on Halloween night.
Unsure what had happened, confused by all the costumed individuals and loud noises, he thinks he is in hell, and while wondering the streets, he hears a performance from what he first thought to be a demoness, which shakes his soul.
a few more events happen, and he eventually decides that he was brought here to help this young lady achieve her dreams.
And he does so, as masterfully as only a master tactician can.
And while there WERE some things that were obvious plot armor(ie in the way he somehow managed to stumble into meeting all the right people), it didn't feel forced, but rather a result of a master tactician obviously being a smart enough to figure out how networking works.
A perfect 10.
ART
Beautiful colors and character designs.
I especially loved the chibi Eiko in the ED.
Those cheeks are so squishably wholesome!
However, I had to deduct a point over something very bad:
The teeth.
Dear god, the teeth.
They don't match the shape of the mouth at all, even curving in the completely wrong way.
So 9 it is.
SOUND
This is a music anime, so you would expect sound design to be top notch.
And it is.
Let's start with the OP:
It's a cover of a Eurobeat song from 2013, and seeing as the setting of the show is the Japanese club scene, it seems like a great club song would be perfect as the OP to get watchers into the vibe.
And it worked perfectly.
I couldn't skip the OP even once, because it was just that good.
Also:
Koumei dances like me, which was hilarious to see.
They brought a professional singer for Eiko's singing, which I understand isn't a common thing, but it worked perfectly here, because I really believe half the impact would be lost without a proper vocalist.
And the RAP section!
Holy crap, Koumei's rap bit was INSANE!
And the ED stitches it all together, with a perfect wholesome wind down.
A perfect 10.
CHARACTER
The main cast are all some of the most well rounded, three dimensional and complex characters I've seen in anime in a while, and it's a pleasure seeing them grow and evolve.
Koumei has regrets he wants to tie off, and uses Eiko as a substitute for his long dead friend.
Eiko is using music to fight through her own issues, and slowly recovers.
Kabe tripped into his talent and passion, but said talent and passion eventually caused him to develop a fear of performing.
Again, a perfect 10.
ENJOYMENT
You will either love it, or not.
If you're in the former group, it'll be a 10.
If you're in the latter group, you'll likely think it's a 5 or a 6.
However, for me, it's a perfect 10.
Overall score:
10/10, will definitely be rewatching it a lot.