A.Plus’s First Impression:
That was a dynamic first episode. My god. I could barely take screenshots because the action scenes were so fast. I just wanted one damn group shot.
I was more right than I thought I’d be when I compared this show to the Fate series. Replace the masters and servants with the zodiac and it’s pretty much the same story. No grail, but a strange magic man says he can just do the whole wish granting thing anyway. Honestly, seems a lot more convenient than the whole grail situation, although only time will really tell if that’s true.
I’ll be Frank (you can still be you). Here’s what I liked. The action we saw seems top notch. Fluid and bloody (but not too bloody). The premise is simple and that’s all it really needs to be to win me over. I also liked that the zodiac representatives seemed to, at least somehow, correlate back to their animal. Like Boar. Fashionably late as always.
And Rabbit. A necromancer. You know, just like in the original story of the Zodiac race. In general, I think it’ll be hard to develop any real character depth, but I like where it’s headed. I could see the astrology-personality theme being fun or, at the very least, maybe a refreshing break from what this type of show would usually offer.
So far the only thing I could do without is the costumes. I think maybe they went a little overboard. It just seems a bit excessive, that’s all I’m saying. Some outfits are pretty low-key. Then, there’s Rabbit and Chicken.
What was funny was that going through Boar’s backstory made me do a quick 180 regarding the sanity of herself and her family.
Boar: My father is abusive, my mother is obsessive, and my little sister likes to kill things.
‘Oh, wow. That’s awful. Well, you look like you turned out pretty well all things considered. Classic hardened, eldest child am I right?’
Boar: Then my father chose my younger sister to participate in the next zodiac battle, so I made out with her crush and slowly edged her on until she became obsessed with killing everyone and everything and couldn’t live without it. Then, at the peak of her insanity, where she was literally living in a cage, I slipped her a knife so she’d kill herself.
‘Oh, so you’re just… the crazy one? Actually, you’re more psychotic than your entire family. You took all three of their extremes into one person.’
The way the episode ended, I doubt Boar will die but who knows. I don’t. And I’m ok with that. I’m hoping this series will be kind of a mix of Fate and Rokka: Braves of the Six Flowers where we slowly uncover everyone’s backstory and how they’re connected while also cashing in on some much-anticipated fighting.
Needless to say, I definitely intend to keep watching. Out of the animals that have been named, Ox and Sheep seem like they’re gonna be a good time. Also curious if they’ll explain how a lot of them already know each other and the history between Boar and Monkey. Gimme those deets!
Side note, I love when I recognize voices and this show has a lot of good people in it. I know that he’s famous for a lot of roles, but for anyone that’s watched Acchi Kocchi, the same voice actor does Io and Rabbit and that is very cool but, mostly, disconcerting.
That is all I have to report! See you next week. If I’m covering this, that is. Which I plan on doing. So, yeah.
Zodiac War’s based on a Nisioisin novel (he of the Monogatari franchise) and designs by Nakamura Hikaru (Arakawa under the Bridge, Saint Young Men). The book should be out in English by now.
I didn’t expect the Killer Rabbit from Monty Python & the Holy Grail to get an image upgrade though. Should’ve used the Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch…
That killer rabbit took many knights lives that day… Where’s Tim the Enchanter when you need him.
EDIT: Oh wait, I forgot the important part of your comment. Based on a Nisioisin novel?! That did not come through when I was watching it. That makes me more excited than previously. Almost makes me want to research shows before I watch them… Almost.