Setting aside the merits of the series itself, Cestvs: The Roman Fighter is a good reminder of what could have happened with Kingdom.  I’m not saying this series is as well-written as that one, but the larger point is that if Kingdom has remained as visually grisly as it started out, I sincerely doubt I could have kept up with it.  Those first couple of episodes were truly horrifying – the CGI was borderline criminal.  It would have been a comparative tragedy, because of course it’s so good in other respects – but that’s likely what would have happened.

Happily enough Kingdom improved after that vile start.  It certainly never became lavish or expensive-looking, but tolerable was good enough given how great the writing was.  With Cestvs I’m afraid we have just the opposite.  Rather than spend the time and money on CG modeling for the pre-timeskip characters they just animated them traditionally (if cheaply).  Once we jumped ahead to the main part of the story – at about the halfway point of this episode – we’re back to what we had in the first two minutes and the PVs.  Which is to say, thanks but no thanks.

I’ve learned to live with CGI, even to enjoy it when well-deployed in appropriate situations.  But this is just cheap, crappy-looking awfulness.  I do rather like the story so far – it has a real pathos to it.  And the depiction of Nero is certainly sailing against the wind.  Those who know their history will be interested in the Agrippa angle, as we know how that ends up.  But I really don’t think I can take 22 minutes of felonious optical assault on this level every episode.  I’ll give it my best next week, but I’m not holding out much hope.  I know my tolerances pretty well by now be it for moe pandering, misogyny, CGI or any other anime toxin – and my gut tells me they’re going to be exceeded here.  A shame, but what can you do.