Second Impressions Digest – Nanatsu no Taizai, Shingeki no Bahamut

Nanatsu - 02 -5 Nanatsu - 02 -13 Bahamut - 02 -8 Bahamut - 02 -13

There’s more style than substance here so far.

Nanatsu no Taizai – 02

Nanatsu - 02 -1 Nanatsu - 02 -2 Nanatsu - 02 -3
Nanatsu - 02 -4 Nanatsu - 02 -6 Nanatsu - 02 -7
Nanatsu - 02 -8 Nanatsu - 02 -9 Nanatsu - 02 -10
Nanatsu - 02 -11 Nanatsu - 02 -13 Nanatsu - 02 -14
Nanatsu - 02 -15 Nanatsu - 02 -16 Nanatsu - 02 -17

Of the two adaptations of quite new shounen manga this season (both starring Kaji Yuuki), there’s no question The Seven Deadly Sins is the better-produced as compared to World Trigger.  It’s also slicker, more polished and more stylish.  Yet somehow I find World Trigger to be the more interesting show, at least so far.

There’s nothing especially wrong with Nanatsu – in fact it’s quite likeable on the whole.  I’m just finding it a bit routine – none of the characters really jump, the premise seems especially by-the-numbers and the middle-school ecchi rather crass.  The subplot with village boy Mead (Kobayashi Yumiko) and the Holy Knight’s sword was pretty standard stuff, too – though adding Miyano Mamoru to the cast as said Knight, Sir Gilthunder, adds some interesting possibilities.

Comedy seems to be the best suit of this one, and there have been funny moments in each of the first two episodes.  I’ll certainly give it another week or two, but right now it’s a stretch to think I might keep blogging this series.

Shingeki no Bahamut – 02

Bahamut - 02 -1 Bahamut - 02 -2 Bahamut - 02 -3
Bahamut - 02 -4 Bahamut - 02 -5 Bahamut - 02 -6
Bahamut - 02 -7 Bahamut - 02 -9 Bahamut - 02 -10
Bahamut - 02 -11 Bahamut - 02 -12 Bahamut - 02 -14
Bahamut - 02 -15 Bahamut - 02 -16 Bahamut - 02 -17

This is a series where the buzz has outstripped the anticipation in a fairly major way.  While I couldn’t quite buy into it after the premiere, I found myself getting swept up by Bahamut: Genesis somewhat more with the second episode.

The appeal for me with this show is that it’s fun, and it’s different.  Bahamut is not at all a cookie-cutter fantasy anime – there’s a distinctly Western feel about it to me in fact, right down to Ike Yoshihiro’s Mediterranean-influenced soundtrack.  In a sense it’s a kind of stylistic cross between a modern Japanese card battle game and a raunchy swashbuckling Hollywood action flick from the first half of the last century.  The situations and relationships are pretty standard but there’s always a lot of interesting stuff going on in the periphery, and the banter between the characters is pretty entertaining.  I keep hoping that Favaro and Kaisar (Inoue Go) will team up, in fact, and turn this into a kind of buddy picture – they have a fun chemistry between them.

As for plot, well, I think it’s “premise” in the quite literal sense as it’s really an excuse for a bunch of crazy stuff to happen.  But we do have the always-welcome addition of Hirata Hiroaki to the cast as the Orleans Knight Lavalley, and lots of talk about the God’s Key which is the reason everyone is after Amira (Shimizu Risa, who does a hell of a Sawashiro Miyuki impression).  I suppose Favaro is eventually going to fall in-love with the girl he’s continually trying and failing to betray, and Kaisar already is.

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7 comments

  1. R

    One of the reasons I have kept going with Bahamut is simply because the art design is so unique in the anime world. There is a refinement and elegance to everything about the character designs and the world (except for maybe the slightly pandering succubus transformation). And certainly, MAPPA's production values have helped up the ante. Given it's supposedly a 13 episode series, it'll be short and entertaining, which is perfect in an otherwise busy Fall schedule.

  2. K

    I don't know what Bahanut really is, and, at this point, I don't really care anymore. I'm enjoying it way too much to care about anything else.

  3. K

    I watch Bahamut and it's actually quite good…

  4. g

    I like both of these shows – but if you are trying to pick which one to blog, I would go Bahamut.

    Seven Deadly Sins is a lot of fun, but i think most of what makes it fun are crazy action sequences and slapstick comedy – neither of which lend themselves to blogging.

    Bahamut is similar, but might have a little more to it? Plus, it has a higher boom-bust potential than a proven manga, which I think is good for discussion…

  5. R

    Kaisar is definitely in love with Amira, and I'm definitely in love with Bahamut. This show is fun and more than fun — it's a show of adults having fun. As cliche and predictable as it is, we have the potential of getting some real characters here — I have a feeling that this is a show that the characters are treated with respect. I like the adventurous plot, the unique art and the befitting music. This show is one of my five picks for the poll…am happy that so far it turns out well. And, yes, I will always welcome Hirata Hiroaki to my anime world.

    After trying out both World Trigger and Nanatsu no Taizai last week, I know that I won't have time for both…so…drop.

  6. J

    I think Bahamut is trying very hard to be fantasy Samurai Champloo. The right combination of complimentary elements that aren't usually paired together + the 2 male leads bound to end up working together and always being at odds, because of a girl with some kind of purpose.

    But then of course with a big giant dose of DESTINY and epicness.

    Not bad, but not super special either, at least they've done the cgi pretty well when they've touched on it, and the character designs are kinda unique.

    Is this based on a videogame by the by?

  7. A card battle game, yes.

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