Engage Kiss

“Thrilling Action Meets Heartfelt Emotion”

We all have our own partner-in-crime, albeit not in the literal sense. They can be your romantic partner, best friend, sibling, or even pet, but they all have similar effects in this regard. This is the being with whom you have fun and break boundaries, allowing you to experience things you couldn’t have alone.

Because they are such an integral part of our lives, it can be difficult when we’re torn apart by whatever reason, leaving us feeling a sense of hollowness nobody else can fill. I certainly know what it feels like, but it’s important to somehow keep the connection intact while not dwelling on the past. Yesterday is history, tomorrow’s a mystery, but today is a gift; that’s why it’s called the “present”!

“Engage Kiss” is a TV anime series that aired from the 3rd of July until the 25th of September in Summer 2022. Consisting of 13 episodes that run for 24 minutes each, this show featured the genres of action, comedy, and romance. Producers include Aniplex, Square Enix, Docomo Anime Store, Nagoya Broadcasting Network, BS11, ABC Animation, and Contents Seed, while Aniplex of America licensed it and Studio A-1 Pictures brought it to life.

The main staff behind it are Nara Shunsuke as producer, Tanaka Tomoya as director, Takadera Takeshi as sound director, and Sakuma Takashi as episode director and storyboard. It received a rating of PG-13 for teenagers 13 years of age or older.

This is an original anime that is a part of Aniplex's "Project Engage," a Japanese mixed media project. It was released on Blu-ray and DVD in Japan from the 28th of September 2022 until the 22nd of February 2023.

The story is set in Bayron City, which is a pioneering metropolis built upon the foundations of a newly discovered energy source that mystically promises every citizen a luxurious and comfortable lifestyle. Nothing suspicious at all, right? But we then see our protagonist, a young demon exterminator named Shuu Ogata, whose daily life is anything but the extravagance promised.

This character is no NEET either; in fact, he runs his own private military business! But somehow, he often finds himself struggling to make ends meet. Perhaps this can be credited to all the reckless expenses. Not everything is bad, though, because Shuu’s demon partner-in-crime, Kisara, is happy to help him deal with the myriad of household matters, even if she’s a tad too forceful for his comfort.

Either way, the duo works together to take countermeasures against various demonic hazards, which happen to be the biggest threat to the seemingly perfect city. In their line of work, there’s always danger lurking around corners and shadows, so they must strive to ensure the town's safety regardless. Everything comes at a price, though; exterminating the possessed comes at a hefty price of its own, even if it’s not known to most.

Engage Kiss is done in a way that hooks you from the first episode itself; at least that’s how it was for me. It flaunts numerous likable waifus, superb action, and high-end fanservice,all held together by a decent story that wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be. Even the world building was done right, as it built up interest and reminded me of other good titles. While the protagonist looks like a typical harem dude, women aren’t foreign to him, and he can handle himself competently around them.

He is a breath of fresh air in an anime genre saturated by guys who don’t know what to do around women and are dense to the point of no return. With some great girl banter, this is a personality you can actually enjoy on screen. He is a normal human being in a supernatural world, but this doesn’t stop him from taking action in combat situations as well.

This isn’t to say the storyline is perfect, because it feels like they are juggling way too many themes at once, and you may occasionally wonder what you need to focus on. This is not a Rom-Com either, because they emphasize the action a lot, and this is a positive aspect. When the comedy does pop up, it suffers from poor execution and ruins moments that would’ve been better without it.

I must commend the emotional scenes, because they were the highlight of the show for me and were executed almost flawlessly. It’s a shame that some of their attempts at comedy diluted the impact of said moments on occasion, though. Meanwhile, the action and romance factors are done superbly: the fights had my eyes glued to the screen throughout, and the love triangle was entertaining to watch play out.

The initial love triangle evolves into a harem after the introduction of Sharon, and the dynamic competition between Kisara and Ayano adds much more intrigue to this tale. I’ve seen tons of anime featuring demon fights, but Engage Kiss played their cards right to keep it entertaining all the way. The story remains reasonable and doesn't lose track of itself amidst all the themes, so props to that!

Shuu can be a hit or miss, depending on your views. Personally, I liked how different he was from generic MCs and kept pressing forward. He is likeable from the onset, but sometimes it feels like he doesn’t care about others’ feelings. He is determined to learn the truth behind his family's demise and find his lost sister, even if he hurts someone in the process.

This obsession of his is kind of unjustified, but this is when you need to remind yourself of the genres this show covers. We do see our MC showing genuine respect towards Miles, who is a well-written supporting character, and he doesn’t back down against any demon due to the scars from his past. It’s worth noting that he has the best character development throughout the series, making him even more likable by the end.

Now onto the rest of the character department! The three main girls in the harem are very distinctive and likable in their own right. Kisara is the cute yandere who will stop at nothing to keep her beloved safe. Yuugiri Ayano is the ex-girlfriend who is definitely not over her ex-boyfriend. Holygrail Sharon is the attractive but crazy nun who runs into them. Granted, some might find Kisara annoying or Sharon unnecessary, but at least one of these girls will likely appeal to you.

The four main characters are pretty well written, and their interactions were truly fun to watch. Some of the good comedic moments are the moments of jealousy between the girls, resulting in a good ol’ cat fight. Who doesn't love those?

Engage Kiss is truly impressive in the art and animation department, so kudos to A-1 Pictures! The visuals are nothing short of amazing: the character designs are great (excluding Shuu, who looks like a typical Harem MC), the color palette fits in perfectly, and the backgrounds don’t degrade over time. The set pieces honestly had me in awe at times! I honestly had to wonder which scenes the team put most of their resources into, though: the fights or the kisses... Both were very visually impressive!

As for the sounds and music department, they did a good job once again. The opening theme is "Darekare Scramble" by halca and the ending theme is "Renai Nou" by Akari Nanawo, both of which are nice but nothing special. The OSTs are spot-on; I loved how they enhanced each scene to new levels while staying true to the show’s vibe. They even managed to maintain the atmosphere well in serious moments, which is rare, and built up tension perfectly with it. Action scenes have great sound effects, while the voice acting compliments it all just right.

Engage Kiss is a very fun and wild watch, complete with good female characters, awesome fights, a fairly interesting story, and a likable protagonist. It’s sad to see not enough people giving this show a go, but I can see why if they judge it by the synopsis and promotional art alone. You will almost certainly enjoy this, unless you’re looking for an absolute masterpiece.

Just sit down, chill, and give this a go; you’ll be entertained from the first episode itself. The story is not without flaws, and the comedy will miss at times, but the romance, action, and emotional aspects are pretty good. As bland as the main cast may seem on paper, they are all very likable and interesting in their own way. If they make a sequel for this series, I will definitely watch it.

If you’re looking for a solid Rom-Com, this isn’t the best choice, but it is still better than most Harems out there. On the other hand, if you don’t develop a liking for even one of the four main characters, you’ll probably end up far less entertained as well. This show is surprisingly original once you actually watch it, doing things right where most others of the genre blunder. If you are looking for an entertaining anime to watch but nothing too grandiose, I highly recommend Engage Kiss!