It’s a race to the bottom between Radiant and SSSS.Gridman to see which among my favorite new shows this season gets the worst aggregator scores – right now it’s neck-and-neck. I’m not as bothered by such things as I was, just by nature of the fact that it’s basically the norm for me these days. Still, it’s fascinating in the sense that I think the reason behind it is so different in the case of these two series. In the case of Gridman I would sum it up with “betrayal” – it’s simply not the series most viewers expected from Trigger. In the case of Radiant I would lean towards “disdain”.
The other big difference is that I suspect people are going to keep talking about Gridman, even if it’s just name-calling and arguing. But once they’ve spat out their derision against the “kiddie”, “formula”, “boring” Radiant, it’s probably going to drop off the radar screens of almost every Western anime fan. And that’s a real shame, because this series has a real spark to it (and apparently gets quite political later on, from what I’m told). I’d hope it does decently in Japan anyway just because it could be a gateway for other European manga to be adapted, but I want Radiant to do well mostly because it’s good and I really enjoy it.
As the story picks up, the head (Inada Tetsu) of the Bravery Quartet formally introduces the group, though not himself – his name is apparently “Don Bossman” – and manages with the help of his team to put the Nemesis under a temporary magical seal. He professes to believe in Seth, which is music to the boy’s ears – and there’s no denying his courage if not his efficacy. It did seem slightly odd that Boss told Seth to act as a decoy while the Bravery Quartet set about evacuating the townsfolk, but I didn’t think too much of it in the moment. I should have trusted my instincts.
I don’t know how much actual combat experience Seth has working under Alma, but this encounter very much has the feel of on the job training. Seth seems mostly to be good at getting chased and shouting “Yabei!”, but he does at least learn from the fact that none of his direct attacks on the Nemesis have any effect at all. Eventually he realizes the better course is to try and restrain the beast rather than subdue it, which he manages to do – though he almost gets himself killed by pissing it off in the aftermath. For a moment there I thought he and it were actually going to communicate – and I wonder if that might foretell a development later on in the story.
I confess I didn’t see the turn with the Bravery Quartet coming, but what’s really interesting is the way Bossman tries to justify it. Seth rejects it out of hand, of course – but to the impartial observer there seems to be something to what the old scoundrel is saying. In truth, sorcerers actually have more in common with Nemesis that muggles in some ways, and both sides know it. Seth is obviously the hero of Radiant and the Bravery Quartet’s way is not the right way, but repeatedly putting one’s life on the line for a wholly ungrateful populace who scorn you seems to have limited appeal. As a 13 year-old idealist Seth is obviously nowhere near that point, but that’s not to say he’ll never be in a place where what Bossman said makes a certain amount of sense.
Meanwhile Alma is on her way back, her trip to fight a “Nemesis” having been a false alarm (in fairness, the Nemesis did strike me as kind of cow-like). And probably just in the nick of time, too, as Seth has his hands full (literally) trying to protect the ungrateful townsfolk from the Nemesis’ death ray after the Bravery Quartet bails. It appears that next week’s episode is going to involve both a bit of backstory and a sizeable change of direction going forward, but Radiant doesn’t seem to be in too much of a hurry to play all its cards right away – very much in the tradition of shounen fantasy before it.
karma
October 15, 2018 at 1:26 amThe biggest disappointment of this season.
“But once they’ve spat out their derision against the “kiddie”, “formula”, “boring” Radiant, it’s probably going to drop off the radar screens of almost every Western anime fan.”
I don’t mind “kiddie” (we need more shows like Ginga e Kickoff!!) or “formula” (I recently finished Naruto – without fillers to save some of my sanity), but why would anybody settle for “boring”? And it’s definitely boring.
– it’s second episode and studio is already stretching material with recaps and flashbacks. I guess that you won’t have to wait too long for fillers.
– “action” in this episode consists of few limpy punches and “talking is a free action” trope turned up to eleven. I guess there is no better time to deride sorcerers like after sudden monster appearance. They probably know that Nemesis is polite enough to not interrupt any of such speeches. There is more tension in random “monster of the week” fights in Precure series.
– you can expect fearmongering and gossiping from peasants, but they should also have a tiny bit of pragmatism. But no, they will continue to antagonize Alma, neighbourly Nemesis Hunter (when we can see that no other force can protect them from monsters), and even in the face of danger they’ll need to show their ungrateful side instead of, you know, being scared and running for their lives. It’s just copying worst japanese patterns in persecution of survivors and anything that isn’t average (“Why I have such cool superpowers instead of being a normal person, woe is me!”). I’m sorry, but I’m not buying such crap.
– It is also a cheap attempt to show Seth in a better light, but unskillful manipulation makes things worse. Ok, the kid has good intentions, and is less obnoxious than Asta from Black Clover (not a high bar), but that’s about it. Even if he does something semi-smart (like immobilizing Nemesis), he will quickly undermine it. I’ve heard that he’s even worse in original material, so I wouldn’t hope that it gets better.
– Final minutes are the last ditch attempt to make him sympathetic, but for me it’s the final nail in the coffin. Couldn’t our boy do something heroic and appropriate to his power level like in ex. redirecting the attack by jumping near the monster and punching it in last possible moment? No, of course he’ll protect everyone using some kind of hidden, bullshit, “Chosen One” superpower.
“I’d hope it does decently in Japan anyway just because it could be a gateway for other European manga to be adapted”
I understand that you fear for the future of anime (and I respect that), but I feel that Radiant could make a way only for another copycat. It won’t change anything for better.
When I heard that Radiant is adaptation of French “manga”, I was rather excited, because I expected a breath of fresh air. Later I started hoping just for a good, formulaic battle shounen anime (so somewhat stale air), but I can feel only CO2 here. If somebody likes Radiant for what it is, then more power to that person, but I will sate myself with Karakuri Cicus and JoJo.
kiwi
October 15, 2018 at 1:48 pmi feel like that is a little bit of a harsh review, merely from the standpoint that it’s not as outrightly terrible as you’re making it out to be. I’m willing to give it a little bit more of a chance i guess, because I remember being wholly unimpressed at the beginning of hunter x hunter, only to be proven gravely wrong not much later.
i’m willing to see where this show goes before dropping it altogether, i guess is all i wanted to say. (btw: also pumped for jojo 5!)
Guardian Enzo
October 15, 2018 at 2:52 pmKeeping an open mind. No reasonabfan fan could ask for more than that.
Rita
October 17, 2018 at 6:18 amI am shounen trash and I fully recognize how to the hilt Radiant is playing a lot of the tropes, and I’m sure plenty of people won’t find that as endearing as I do. But the thing is, in the current anime landscape, fantasy shounen is about as much of an endangered species as its shoujo counterpart that honestly it’s almost like a nice warm cozy blanket of familiarity. Granted, that makes me a lot more biased towards it and probably a lot more lenient, but I enjoy it all the same and at the end of the day that’s basically the only measuring stick I use to see if I keep watching a show.
Guardian Enzo
October 17, 2018 at 6:20 amAnd what other measuring stick should one use, if not that one?
Look at it this way – are you biased in favor of the series, or are all those other viewers biased against it?
Kurik
October 18, 2018 at 3:41 pmWhile I am not exactly excited about this series so far I am mildly intrigued. Not a fan of the ending with him being able to randomly dig deep and out of nowhere produce powers strong enough to block a nemesis blast and surprise a veteran who thinks that’s impossible for a kid that doesn’t know magic as well but hey. I will keep the faith it will all make sense.
Guardian Enzo
October 18, 2018 at 3:48 pmI think it will. There’s a transcript of Valente’s NY press appearance available online, and he goes into some detail about how he formulated the mythology. Also some intriguing hints about where the series is going from here.