Dog Days: Not Just Another Dog Experiment
To start things off, I'd like every reader to take a guess. What is the storyline of this anime about to be? Why is everyone looking at me with those eyes all of a sudden? I see! You guys know how misleading anime titles can be in this day and age. Well, that's smart of you, because if you consider the literal meaning that those two words hold together, boy, are you in for a huge surprise!
Making its debut back in the spring of 2011, Dog Days sure had some balls going up against the best in the business. Being Optimistic describes the title well, with Steins;Gate, Anohana, and Nichijou running in the same race. Now, if you're a fan of the series like me and just hit your head because of the overwhelming excitement that took over your body at the last second, then props to you for giving this title a chance! But if you're a stranger to this series, it's your lucky day! We've got a total treat for you today, and you know you want to take advantage of it!
An Isekai That's not an Isekai
When you're an athletic and flexible middle schooler who knows the limits of his body all too well, life doesn't suck for you now, does it? But one day, when you're transported into another world thanks to a dog, who do you even have to say thanks to? Izumi Cinque finds himself in the world of ‘Flonyard,’ a lush green, beautiful world that has him bewitched and enthralled.
However, soon after, he comes face-to-face with the princess. Princess Millhiore is the one who summoned Izumi into this new world, all for him to assume the role of this ‘legendary hero,’ one who would defend her people.
Now, that's a selfish princess, if you ask me, summoning middle school kids just for the gist of it! But hey, at least it's better than dying from a heart attack just because a truck scared you to the afterlife, right?
Being the kind-hearted, goody two shoes that Izumi is, he immediately agrees, and the princess rewards him with the sacred weapon, ‘Palladion.’ A little thing I skipped: here in the world of Flonyard, people have ‘animal-like features’ despite being humans. Don't imagine them to be similar to the characters from ‘Odd Taxi’ here.
It’s just ears and tails and, at times, a little more. The Republic of Biscotti is a union of dog-like citizens that our hero, Izumi, fights for now. On the other hand, on the other side, the opposing kingdom is the Galette Leo Knights!
A Letdown! But are you sure about that?
Now, with everything in place, every other viewer would expect to witness some of the best battles the isekai genre has to offer, right? The anime does a pretty good job regarding the action scenes; I'll give it that. But no one could've expected the meaning of 'war' to be so different in this new world! Here in the world of ‘Flonyard,’ wars are these 'games' with proper play-by-play casts as the cameras capture every moment to make the perfect highlight reel come to life when it's all over.
Moreover, no one can die! Inflicting significant damage or a mortal injury would only result in 'the soldier' reverting to a harmless, innocuous cat or dog plushie based on the side they're playing for. The prize that lies at the end of these battles serves to make the kingdoms achieve new heights. Thus, it's a continuous cycle of League of Legends, with the LP gains kind of enormous in this world of ‘Flonyard.’
I am sure I have alienated a lot of you. In what sort of context are you asking me that? It is 2011, and Isekai used to be like that back in the day! It is no surprise it got lost in time! However, the action scenes are intense, and the show never runs out of them for some reason. Our hero, Izumi, knows how to use that sacred weapon to its full potential, and with him going up against the best this world has to offer, you can bet your adrenaline will be pumping a lot while watching this show!
So Many Personas......
The action aside, ‘Dog Days’ has characters carrying the show to infinity and beyond for most of its runtime. Of course, our main protagonist, Izumi Cinque, is there to remind us of what the best Isekai protagonist looks like. We also have a lot of female characters, so finding a ‘tsundere,’ the princess crush, and the ‘rival who secretly wants to date the main character’ does make the perfect isekai picture come to life. However, at the same time, there aren't any antagonists in the series.
Sure, Leo, the opposing side's leader, is there to serve as the enemy. But having shared so many memories and moments with our princess in the past, she feels nothing but affection and care for her, despite clashing it out with her every other episode or so. We even tried casting her brother Gaul as the antagonist, but he could not keep it up for long.
That aspect of the show really takes away a lot that the anime would've delivered. A good action anime always deserves a great antagonist to fuel the setting. But even if Dog Days manages to go full throttle in the action department, it's lacking as far as an antagonist is concerned, and that makes many fans change their opinion regarding the show.
Sick animation, great music
Sure, the anime has some great girls pulling off those cute cosplays and a lot of fan service to land the show on our top 10 list. But as I’ve said earlier, the animation carries it for the most part. Looking back at it, the animation is so fluid and well done that it makes many modern action titles look like they’re missing something for the most part.
The fight scenes are action-packed, and the music goes well with the whole setting of the show. Plus, the best part about this series is that it has this nostalgic touch to it. Living in 2023, current animation has almost every other show that makes its long-awaited debut. So, if you’re looking for something old-school, Dog Days will definitely be your best bet!
Despite the show not finding its direction for the entirety of its runtime and the plot going nowhere, Dog Days is an enjoyable watch. It lacks seriousness and makes you fall for all it brings to the table. But at the same time, that makes many people drop it after a couple of episodes or so. I think that’s one of the main reasons why the show isn’t well known, let alone has a fan base that rivals some of the top ‘isekai’ titles we have today.
Plus, the show doesn’t focus on Izumi having a way to return to the real world. These scientists constantly try to develop something to help him make that grand return. But nothing really strikes Eureka now, does it? For some reason, none of his family members or friends are concerned about him going missing, and that’s just the most isekai thing ever, if you ask me. But all in all, that adds to the show's charm and makes it stand out from the Isekai titles we have on our plates.
In my opinion, it is a 7. However, as previously stated, it could have scored much higher if it did not lack so many well-known ingredients for creating the perfect isekai dish. Fans of the series, I am sure you are all overjoyed to hear about this forgotten treasure being discussed today.
The only thing I can say to people who have not seen the show is that they should. Those interested in the history of the Isekai universe before the appearance of significant works like Re:Zero and Konosuba should give Dog Days a look. Do not pass up the chance! Yes, you will absolutely adore it! Till then, goodbye and take care!
Please Like, Comment, Share or click one of the links below to read another post.
https://pinnedupink.com/blogs/random-thoughts-because-mondays-suck
https://pinnedupink.com/blogs/on-screen
https://pinnedupink.com/blogs/flashbacks
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