sorcery

As soon as the OVA begins, we're directly shown Taku warped to Slaffleaze world a la Escaflowne. We're not even introduced to him beforehand, way to go for main cast characterization. Besides, it's a chronic problem with this format. I found myself not caring at all for characters like Dr. Garetti. This Magikoopa lookalike is so bland I question his legitimacy in the plotline after watching Capricorn. Was he useful ? After all, Taku and Mona simply put infinity anchor out-of-order without his help even if we're told he's the only one able to do it. The supporting cast isn't particularly detestable or likable, theyjust lack too much screentime for viewers to relate, so fine, they're all cardboard cutouts to say the least. A special mention to Zolba whom reminds me a coolass Dragon Ball villain, too bad he simply suffers the generic evil conqueror syndrome... By the way, his death is only implied. We don't even get a final confrontation between him and the heroes! Overall, the story is too much generic to not be forgettable. It was rushed with deus-ex machina devices along to make plot advance. Art wise, it feels like character-designer went to work after a streak of Hayao Miyazaki's Sherlock Holmes episodes (excuse me to channel his name in vain, but it was the first thing popping in my mind while digesting it). It was alike, albeit lifeless and uninspired. Apart of that, main cast design looks dated like a mid-eighties OVA, it's hardly acceptable if you compare it for example with Silent Mobius movie released the same year... I'm not particularly compelling about animation in general, so I'd say it's pretty decent in my book. The music, unfortunately, is like the rest: it's your token fantasy score thrown in for good measure. If you ask me to whistle away one song I wouldn't be able to make it. It's a bad sign. All in all, there are very few redeeming qualities to that title. I liked the mere idea to see squads of hominoid armored dragons in action but without a strong background behind it, I can't help but being only remotely interested.

Pink_Noodle_Hair

Story - Very simple in both a good and bad way, but I think a bit more fleshing out was in order. The run time is only 47-ish minutes counting credits so that's not much time to tell the story of an entire other world. What is there, isn't bad, but it's all very much been done a lot even in the time it was made most of it was nothing new. Easily the worst part of the movie. Art - I don't hate the style used here. It's very cutesy, gives me slight Ranma vibes from the main character. Neither is it like really greatthough either. It's just passable and that's fine. Sound - The voice acting is fine, the music is catchy rarely but mostly pretty standard and not much stands out, the sound effects used were of it's time and that is to say very stock. It was never distractedly bad but neither did it elevate it or alleviate the other flaws of the movie. Character - The main character gets almost no time, in fact pretty much no one does. The closest thing to any really development is the backstory of Mona and her Yappie tribe. I'll say also that even though the characters weren't fleshed out enough none of them were overly annoying either. They were all decent enough but it would have been better if we really got to actually know any of them at all. Enjoyment - My previous lines probably make it sound like I hated it. Honestly, it was worth one watch through. I think I'm biased in that I'm a sucker for this era and style. Those feelings aside, there's nothing really bad or off putting about it that I can see other than a moreover blandness. Overall - As much as it doesn't do right, it also doesn't do incredibly wrong, and I stand at scoring it a 6 because as stated before it was not overly long and it kept to a simple story that begged for more but simultaneously didn't waste my time. It's something that would make for a fun tabletop or a sequel that goes into more of this world that we see almost nothing of. I say it's honestly worth going through once if you like this genre or this era of anime. Edit - I have found out there is a manga but it's very short at 5 volumes. Skimming through that quickly there does seem to be *slightly* more fleshed out story but it it still seems to be your average light foray into isekai with ecchi themes.