Myriad Colors Phantom World

In the near future, the accidental release of an experimental virus causes an outbreak that changes the brain chemistry of people, allowing them to perceive extra-dimensional beings called "Phantoms". Some kids who were born after the outbreak have developed special abilities that let them fight these beings and put an end to them.

Even though the vast majority of phantoms are harmless, many of these gifted children are placed in clubs, schools, and organizations dedicated to dealing with those that prove to be threats to humanity. The story follows Haruhiko Ichijo and his friends in the Phantom-hunting Club of Hosea Academy, a private school for children with special abilities to seal Phantoms, and their everyday lives and struggles.

Myriad Colors Phantom World is a fantasy anime from the winter season of 2016. It aired from January to March and has 13 episodes. The production was done by one of the most famous studios in Japan, Kyoto Animation, which is known for great series and movies such as Silent Voice, Violet Evergarden, Clannad, Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid, K-ON, and many others.

When it comes to the plot of the anime, judging by the premise alone, it could be said that it is an interesting story. The topic itself is nothing new, but it should be taken into account that after so many years since the creation of manga and anime, it is very difficult to come up with something that has not already been done. So, despite being unoriginal, the theme of Myriad Colors Phantom World is distinctive enough to stand out.

The problem with this anime is the way the subject is handled. While the concept is interesting, the way it was executed killed its charm. The story is presented in a more lighthearted way than expected, so the content of the episodes is often more intended for those who watch for the harem than for people who are interested in the premise. Very often, you don't know what's going on, and it will seem to you that the plot has no point, which is not entirely incorrect. Only towards the end does the plot start to make some sense, but it is not enough to correct the previous 10 episodes.

Of course, even before the end, there are interesting topics that are presented in a unique way, such as psychology. At the start of each episode, the main character talks about the theory that will be shown in that episode. This sets the tone for that part of the anime. Unfortunately, even though it's a great way to start the episode, the rest of it can be boring and confusing. It seems like the author had an idea of how the story should go, but when the anime was made, everything that fit with the theories at the beginning of the episode was thrown out and replaced with a generic plot and weird fan service.

The biggest flaw of this anime is its genericity. Although there is no need to come up with completely unique themes, the way in which the theme is handled is very important. Myriad Colors Phantom World presents its theoretically very interesting concept in the most boring way possible. Instead of a concrete story with a real villain and a dose of drama, Myriad Colors Phantom World gives us a generic episodic story whose plot repeats itself almost to the end. The concept that you see in the first two episodes is what will last until the 11th episode: something happens, the characters assume that it is the work of the phantom, they have difficulties in the fight with the phantom but eventually win, and repeat.

This repetition and boredom were caused by the lack of a plot, which also prevented any plot twists or emotional moments from happening. That's why the last three episodes are very popular among fans. Very emotional and with a concrete plot, these episodes are also the best-rated. But that doesn't make up for the fact that most anime stories aren't very well thought out. So even though the ending was very nice, there is no excuse for 10 not-so-good episodes.

One of the aspects that also bothered many was the combat. Although the plot is based on the fight against phantoms, the battles are very short and forgettable. Although the animation and choreography of the fights are nicely done, you won't get too deep into them because they aren't exciting and don't add much importance to the story. The action part of Myriad Colors Phantom World is so poorly done that the anime gives off the vibe of a slightly twisted slice-of-life series.

It's not all bad in this anime, though. The story may not be executed as well as possible, but it's not something that can't be enjoyed. The main contributors to this are the characters, who may not be the best-written ones, but they will certainly entertain you.

According to some rules, we should start with the main character, Haruhiko Ichijou, who is not overly special and can be classified as an average protagonist without much personality. He is a good boy who wants to help everyone. However, he has knowledge that means something to them in the fight with the phantoms and actually does something for the story. Although, like all the characters in this anime, he is a cliché, he can be relatable and funny.

Considering this is a harem, the quality of the female characters is surprising. Of course, we are not talking about some kind of revolution when it comes to women in the harem genre, and the fact is that they are all stereotypes, but they still manage to have personalities. Mai is what fans would call the best girl.

She has a nice design and is a strong and lively person who does her job well. She's usually the one doing the fighting, and even though her power is overly sexualized, she's developed enough as a character that it's not a problem. Reina is also one of the more beloved characters in the story. She comes from a strict family and is the only character with at least some backstory. There is also the unfriendly and hard-to-talk-to Koito, as well as Ruru, the strange ghost who follows the main character wherever he goes.

When this gang comes together, you get a chaotic crew that will keep your attention and keep you entertained.

Whether you liked this anime or not, everyone must agree that the animation is beautiful. Of course, that's no surprise given that Kyoto Animation worked on this series. The character designs are beautiful, and the fight scenes are smooth as butter. The fights, no matter how short they are, are very enjoyable to watch, and sometimes you will have the impression that you are watching some high-budget battle shounen. Although the quality may drop from time to time, there are no strange frames or deformed structures.

The music is also not bad. Some may find it obnoxious, but it fits the anime and its aesthetic quite nicely. You should definitely pay attention to the beginning and ending.

Myriad Colors Phantom World is not an anime that everyone will enjoy. The story is episodic and often plotless, and the characters are not overly developed. However, this anime is fun and easy to watch. It is one of the more acceptable works in the harem genre and a perfect story to relax.