The Asterisk War | Sesson One | Anime Review

The Asterisk War

(Gakusen Toshi Asterisk)

I have a bad habit: if I watch one isekai, suddenly I want to watch five, and if I watch a fantasy anime, boom, I decide I want to watch two or three more of the same genre. Generally speaking, this is the same for any genre I watch, and the more I watch, the more I realize a lot of these anime are the same, sans a variation or two.

The Asterisk War | Season One | Anime Review | Pinnedupink.com

The result is often similar to dating in that if I could take pieces from these five people, I could make the ultimate mate, or if I could take a piece of this anime and a piece of that anime and put them all together, I would have a banger, but who has time for that? The phrase "to err is human" refers to the fact that, while in a perfect world, all anime would be great, this is not the case. So, despite this anime's flaws, did The Asterisk War make me interested enough to watch season two? The short answer is yes.

Ayato Amagiri is the main character in the anime and manga series Asterisk War. He is a transfer student who comes to Seidoukan Academy to look for his missing sister. Although his sister attended the institution just a few years before, it is currently unknown where she is. Ayato is a Genestella, or a human who possesses supernatural abilities. Academies like Seidoukun are able to use these abilities.

It is with these abilities that Claudia, this anime’s Queen Diva of "ecchi-ness,” and the student council president, Ayato, will bring honor to the academy by representing it and winning in this year's Festa.

Think of the Festa as a battle royal in which 256 teams representing six different academies battle it out, ala the Dark Tournament 2.0. The winner of the Festa gets their wish granted as long as it is achievable in this new world. Yes, this is a new world. So first off, credit to the writers for explaining the way the world of Asterisk Wars works in under twenty-two minutes (give or take).

The events of "The Asterisk War" take place in a not-too-distant future in which the majority of the earth has been rendered uninhabitable as a result of a cataclysmic event. As a result of this catastrophe, the city of Rikka, which is also referred to as Asterisk, has emerged as a symbol of hope for all of humanity. Rikka is the location of six different academies, each instructing students in the art of combat utilizing various types of weapons referred to as "Lux."

In the world of "Gakusen Toshi Asterisk," students are ranked based on their performance in battles. Each academy in Rikka holds an annual tournament known as the "Festa," where students compete against each other using their Lux weapons. The winners of the Festa are awarded points, which are used to determine their rank.

The ranking system is based on a point system, where each victory earns the student a certain number of points. The number of points awarded depends on the strength of the opponent, so defeating a higher-ranked opponent will earn more points than defeating a lower-ranked one. Conversely, losing a battle will result in a loss of points.

The ranking system is important because it shows a student's status and reputation at their academy and in the Rikka community as a whole. Higher-ranked students, known as "Page Ones," have access to better resources and privileges, while lower-ranked students may struggle to keep up.

As earlier mentioned, Ayato Amagiri is a Genestella and is also everything anime. He is shy, polite, and a bit naive. He uses a common anime trope: "I am all of these things that were said about my character before, and I am an overpowered protagonist." Despite these flaws (sarcasm), many viewers will find his archetype familiar. He is paired with Julis Riessfeld, the second of our two main characters.

Her real name is Julis-Alexia von Riessfeld, and her personality is the exact opposite of that of Ayato's. Due to the fact that she is a princess, she has very few friends, and despite the fact that she is proud, she is easily embarrassed when in embarrassing situations. She is a formidable combatant, and she possesses the ability to control fire, much like a select few pink or redheads from more recent times. She knows how to fight and is a very good tactician, both of which go well with Ayato's unusual way of fighting. Throughout the course of the anime, she grows closer to Ayato, often becoming jealous of the other girls in his circle.

Honestly, she has little to worry about, as although Ayato is the typical horny teenager, he lacks the maturity to follow through on the advances of the females around him. Be it the voluptuous Claudia, the shy but dealy with a blade Kirin Toudou, or his childhood friend and stoic Saya Sasamiya, who oddly reminds me of Gaz from invader Zim, Ayato is all about honor and a good fight. As this is a shonen anime, he'll get a good fight.

Behind every good protagonist, though, is a better villain, and there are multiple villains, either out to destroy Ayato directly or improve their chances of winning the Festa so as to have their desires granted. As there are more than a few things going on, it would be too soon to hint at them now, as they will be revealed over the course of the twelve episodes, with the payoff hopefully coming in season two.

Sure, it seems strange that after 12 episodes, I'd have to wait for a whole second season to get some answers, but to be honest, it seemed well worth it. But that's my opinion.

However, for people in the community who know about Asterisk War, this tends to be an anime that you either like or hate, with little in between. Even though it has an MAL rating in the high sixes and almost a seven, many people don't like it, and probably for good reason. It's probably being compared to every other series based on the fact that if I win the survival match, my dream will come true.

One thing I've learned is that every viewer has something that keeps them glued to an anime. I don't mean the "I never drop an anime" viewer. This isn't the Anime Marines, so it's okay to drop an anime you don't enjoy.

Nevertheless, besides Ayato and Julis, who grew on me, I became a fan of the blue-haired, stoic Saya. Shiori Izawa gave voice to Saya, who has her own set of tropes, and she became one of my favorite characters.

As I mentioned before, Saya reminds me a lot of Gaz from Invader Zim, which is probably due to her father being a scientist, who appears on screen and possesses a similar personality. Her character development alongside Kirin, who for the life of me needed a different VA, added to my enjoyment.

Couple their character arc with the Vampire Princess Lamilexia's climatic battle with Ayato, and I was sold, even if Kenji Seto, who directed Asterisk War, only needed four episodes to peak my interest. Credit the animation for that.

A-1 Pictures did a fantastic job on the animation using fluid motion and movement. There were a lot of cool one-shot stills, such as when Julis and Saya come under attack by those attempting to undermine the Festa. There is CG used in this anime, with a lot of it used to illustrate the Lux weapons. For the most part, it works well, and unless your eyes are really discerning, most defects will slide by.

Outside of familiar territory, Asterisk War was an enjoyable anime. Production likely knew they had enough time to develop the plot because the show aired from October 3 to December 19, 2015, and then again from April 2 to June 18, 2016. This is great news for the fans, but it will likely turn off casual viewers who are turned off by the shallow character development.

In spite of this, The Asterisk War earns a "recommendation" thanks to its mouthwatering animation, engaging pacing, and well-known cast of characters, as well as a progression in the plot that will hopefully pay off in the following season. The conclusion left me with a feeling of excitement, and I am looking forward to watching and reviewing the second season, despite the fact that fans are already demanding a third installment of the show.