When Supernatural Battles Became Commonplace: An Overshadowed Gem

Let us travel back in time to the year 2014! It is a year that is still a strong contender for the title of "best year for anime" in the twenty-first century. Studio Trigger had just finished Kill la Kill, the anime that catapulted the studio into the worldwide phenomenon that it is today.

Many of you might think that a show by the godly Trigger Studio would hog away the glory and fame instantly. The year doesn’t matter. Let me introduce you to "When Supernatural Battles Became Commonplace," the anime that the year in question, 2014, overshadowed. Now that everyone's at the bottom of this misery/disarray ocean after hearing how they've skipped this Studio Trigger anime, let me talk about this hidden gem!

AN UNCONVENTIONAL HAREM ROMANTIC COMEDY

A year when romance was in the air, 24/7, 365, ‘When Supernatural Battles Became Commonplace’ decided to do things differently. During a literature club meeting, something unexpected happens. Jurai Andou and the four other club members, including the adviser's niece, suddenly get superpowers. Just like that, out of nowhere.

Given the ‘Chuunibyou syndrome-afflicted teen he is, Jurai Andou is on cloud nine and wants to test out all his newfound power has to offer. I mean, it’s only curiosity to see what this new ability is capable of, no? However, after a bit of experimentation and a huge surprise, the question as to why this handful of characters were granted these powers remains at large.

There’s no answer to that question—the question as to why. How did these powers make their way into the literature club meeting room of all the places, and since it's an anime, what's being expected from these different faces that we're seeing on the screens right now?

The anime does a great job of keeping us hooked on the show since our curiosity for answers makes it impossible not to binge the title overnight or so. From that day on, the different club members must go along with their lives as if nothing significant has happened. The perfect recipe for the rom-com harem anime of the year was always there. With the different character personalities, the title ensures we get something we will return to watch repeatedly.

Sure, when all those powers were revealed, many of us expected nothing but battles to come our way. But in the end, the anime makes it abundantly clear that what matters most is the literary club members' journey toward one another due to their shared powers.

A CAST OF CHARACTERS THAT WILL KEEP YOU GUESSING

When it comes to these rom-com harem titles, this question always pops up in every viewer's head every other episode or so. Who does ‘he’ end up with? That couldn't be truer as far as ‘When Supernatural Battles Became Commonplace’ is concerned. With every other character giving it their all to steal the show for themselves, it's only natural that you have to pick up the light novel by the time you're done with the anime!

Jurai Andou, our main protagonist, is your typical carefree, 'happy-go-lucky' protagonist who would not blink an eye if you set fire to his house. Having the ability to appreciate others for who they are without judgment is a desirable trait. At the show's beginning, everyone is given a unique ability; however, Jurai Andou appears to have the worst luck of anyone, as his power, "Dark and Dark," is merely for show. And yet, given his personality, he does not give a damn and relies on his Chuunibyou syndrome to compensate.

Tomoyo Kanzaki has my favorite power; the ability to manipulate time has always been as underrated as it gets. Tomoyou Kanzaki can control time with her ability, 'Closed Clock.' But she can't rewind or go back in time, which is the most significant limitation of her power. The chemistry between her and Andou is a treat to watch!

Sayumi Takanashi, leader of the school's literature club, exemplifies the epitome of sophistication in the student body. That grace, that aura that can instantly make anyone fall head over heels for you—the fact that Sayumi Takanashi has a crush on Andou—makes me doubt every other reality in existence. However, with her power, 'Root of Origins,' she pushes her way and becomes the best girl in the series by a long shot!

Chifuyu Himeki is an elementary school student who just happened to be in the right place at the right time. Given that she can now create portal dimensions and use this power to create almost anything out of nothing, don't let her petite frame fool you. This elementary school girl apparently shares the feelings of the other female characters for Andou, so the author has "gone on" and shown us their true colors.

Hatoko Kushikawa, the 'Tsubaki to Arima,' is Andou's childhood friend's next-door neighbor. She is quite the entertainer, being the airhead that she is. Her ability is 'Over Element,' which allows her to manipulate the five natural elements and instantly make everyone remember Xiaolin Showdown!

TRIGGER FANS WILL BE DISAPPOINTED

Given how Studio Trigger has blessed us with hit after hit over the years, it’s only natural that a random 2014 hidden gem from the studio will make the critics go crazy on Twitter. ‘When Supernatural Battles Became Commonplace’ isn’t your ‘Kill la Kill’ or ‘BNA.’ It’s got its charm, and the rom-com harem fans won’t be able to resist them.

Let us pretend that the animation studio is removed from the equation. In that case, the animation is good for an anime of this vintage, with the effects of those powers and transitions looking more polished than in many other shows from the same era.

The colorful romance and Andou's harem setting are bolstered throughout the entire runtime by the memorable OST soundtracks that stick with us long after we have finished watching the show. The ending theme song was better than the opening, but not everyone agrees. So I will leave it to you to decide. Yukari Tamura performs the opening song for the anime series "When Supernatural Battles Became Commonplace," titled "WONDERFUL WONDER." Yuka Iguchi is the artist who performed the final song, "Kimi ga Emu Yuugure."

Overall, once you pick up this show, it’s hard not to finish it in one sitting for the flow. The progression goes so smoothly that you just wait to see what else the show throws at you. But with only 12 episodes to boot, you can’t help but experience this feeling of sadness once the show ends, especially after the battle in the last episode, making it well-known what this show has been all about from the very beginning.

The series is based on a light novel, which, at the time when the anime was airing, still needed to be finished. The light novel ended in 2018, and with no English translation whatsoever until 2021, fans of the series have been on the lookout for these fan-unofficial translations that make the whole story take a different turn at times.

However, thankfully, 2021 marked the year when light novels started coming out in the form of these ‘official’ digital English releases. That has made reading the series a lot easier. I read all that the title has to offer, and trust me, the light novel makes it seem like the anime was a single piece of the puzzle.

If you’re done with the series and have thought about all these romantic scenarios for almost a decade, this is your time to make the Kindle taste those digital releases. But if you’ve never heard of the series even once, now’s the perfect time to pick up the show and watch it in one go.

Trust me, you will not be sorry. Watch the show, Trigger fans, and see how far Studio Trigger has progressed. It is almost inspiring to see the studio's progress over the years, and what better way to do so than to watch this?

Many people will simply rewatch Kill la Kill, but 'When Supernatural Battles Become Commonplace' is not to be overlooked. I give it a 7.5/10 and strongly recommend it to all rom-com fans out there. Where the anime ends, pick up the manga. Trust me, you won’t regret it.