Black Bullet | Missing In Action | Anime Review

Black Bullet

“Missing In Action”

Many excellent anime have the word "black" in the title. Black has given us some memorable titles, from Shonen Jump's classic Black Cat to the weaponry-obsessed Black Lagoon and the Butler from Hell in Black Butler. But if there is one show that rarely gets mentioned, let alone ignored, it is Black Bullet. I can see why the show got buried underneath the plethora of titles that kept coming out over the years.

For starters, the 13-episode mark meant that things had to go at a lightning-fast speed, making the pacing as rushed as possible. On top of that, the last nail in the coffin, indeed, was that the light novel has been on hiatus for nearly 10 years now with no news or even a rumor regarding its grand return. I know a lot of people start bringing up Yoshihiro Togashi's Hunter X Hunter into the picture at this point, but do you realize that it's an entirely different matter here?

Black Bullet fans have been waiting in the wings for a long time and still hope that one day they'll see their favorite title once again. Enough of that; we're here today to reminisce and look back at the show for everything it brought to the table!

A plot that screams generic?

Thinking about it now, Black Bullet did seem to foretell the future, didn't it? This anime takes place in 2021, a year after the virus of 2020 spread throughout our world. At last, someone can challenge the "Simpsons predictions."

It's 2021, and humanity is on the brink of extinction. Most of the human population has contracted the parasitic virus "Gastrea" and turned into monsters. The survivors have no choice but to hide behind these monolithic walls made of "Varanium," the only substance capable of defeating these monsters.

This is where the ‘loli’ attack comes in, full force! The Tendo Civil Security refers to these young female characters as "cursed children," and the small amounts of the virus that are present inside them have given them monstrous abilities. But they don't have to go up against these monsters alone since they are paired up with these promoters, the characters who guide them. With many characters being introduced suddenly in duos, it's tough to choose who you'll end up rooting for, to be honest.

The perfect duo does not exist.

One of the most vital points of Black Bullet is its characters. With a great protagonist and an even better antagonist, the pace at which this universe throws all these different faces at you can be overwhelming. Many people choose the leading duo of Enju Aihara and Satomi Rentaro, despite Aihara sometimes getting quite annoying. The duo tries their hardest to support each other both inside and outside these fearsome battles. And at the end of it all, you can see how their bond has thickened, and they’ve come a long way.

Also, when it comes to Satomi Rentaro, I don't think any other character persona would've been fit to fill this central character spot that the Black Bullet universe offers. Despite being generic at times, Rentaro is the protagonist that this universe needs, if that makes sense. Hot-headed yet caring, reliable, and not able to express his feelings for the girl she loves even when she's terminally ill, you can't help but want Rentaro and Kisara Tendou to get together, even when Enju Aihara is trying her hardest to prevent that outcome.

Aside from the other initiators and promoters, the character who really takes the cake is the antagonist, Hiruko Kagetane. It's not me, but many anime titles feature the Joker from Batman. The fan favorites are Nikolai from Bungo Stray Dogs, Hisoka from Hunter X Hunter, and Joker from Black Butler. Plus, Hiruko Kagetane's past and how he changes later in the light novel make him land that top spot. I don't want to give away too many spoilers here since many of you haven't read the light novel!

Action fuels the bullet.

Released around the time when similar shows like ‘God Eater,’ ‘Attack on Titan,'’ and ‘Seraph of the End’ were making highlights left and right, studios Kinema Citrus and Orange sure had some big names to tackle. Not to mention that the studios weren't all that well known back in 2014, with Orange only having one prior project under its belt. So, looking back at it now, it was only natural that Black Bullet was this underdog jumping into the new seasonal lineup. But it's safe to say that, as far as the action is concerned, the show was second to none.

The animation is great, and the action scenes are even greater. Sure, the show has breakneck pacing that makes those fights not last that long, but still, it's great while it lasts, isn't it? Being an action show that's based on a light novel, you really have to score in the fight department since not every other viewer is there to look at these Loli characters, making every other fan service trick in the book come to life.

But you get used to all that, and honestly, the action alone is the only thing that makes you keep coming back to this series, even if you want to drop it every other day for good!

The music is so good that viewers often seek out the opening and closing themes on YouTube long after the show has ended. The series has produced some memorable OSTs that help set the mood and atmosphere.

Looking back at it now, in spring 2014, the year when Black Bullet made its debut, we had quite a few powerhouses running in the race to claim that number-one spot for themselves. Haikyuu, Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure, and Ping Pong the Animation, among others, were there to get that head start thanks to their humongous manga fandoms counting down the days before that fated first episode finally went on air.

It’s sad that it wasn’t the same for Black Bullet since the show is as underrated as it gets. Sure, it isn’t the best show out there, but it still deserves a lot more attention, if you ask me!

If you watch Black Bullet again now without worrying about the show's pacing, I think you will enjoy it just as much as the first time. It is just strange that they kept going for 13 episodes when it is obvious that 25 episodes would have boosted the show's popularity significantly.

Not to mention the fact that, even after ten years, the authors still seem to be in the midst of hibernation, as all we have heard from them is how exhausted they are from working on the anime. Your audience has been waiting a long time, and you guys have not delivered. It’s about time to make that grand return and show the fans that the wait was really worth it!

Personally, I’d give the show a solid 7.5/10, and looking at everyone’s favorite anime website right now, I’m sad that it’s ranked lower than that. Guys, the show deserves at least a 7.5; don't be toning it down to a 7 or a 6.5 for no reason. If you’re a new fan, I’d highly recommend checking out the light novel instead since it has a much better story progression on top of having the continuation that the anime skips on entirely.

Despite being on hiatus for nearly ten years, the published light novels still have a lot to offer, and the anime only covers the first couple of volumes. Plus, if you are a longtime fan of the show and have not given these light novels the attention they deserve, you should start reading them now!

Fans of Black Bullet who have not read the light novels have no right to the title. The show simply made me nostalgic and transported me back ten years, but I think that is the case for most of us now. Don’t sleep on this bullet! You’ll be missing out for sure. Until next time, take care, and goodbye!