• Studios: ENGI
• Source: Light novel
• Genres: Action, Game, Comedy, Fantasy
• Synopsis: “In an unexpected turn of events, dull high school student Hiro Yuuki obtains the full dive role-playing game Kiwame Quest. Created by the best of technology, the game claims to take “reality to its extremes,” from stunning graphics, NPCs’ behavior, to the scent of vegetation, and even the sensation of wind brushing against the skin—everything was the result of an ultimate workmanship. Except, the game is a little too realistic and messy to clear. Kiwame Quest features over ten quadrillion flags and reflects the players’ real-life physical abilities in the game. Being hit in the game also hurts in real life and slash wounds take days to heal. The only reward here is the sense of accomplishment. Conquer the most stressful game in history that can’t be played casually!”

-MAL News

First Impression:

I’m still running on the SAO (or rather the idea of anime taking place within a video) high and I just get overly excited about these types of settings. Now obviously this show may not have the same drama or story development as SAO but the aesthetic aligns pretty closely with some extremities that could quickly deduce your enjoyment of it. Let’s dive in!

I definitely want to start with the difference between “Reality” and “Virtual reality”. I love the differentiation between the two with the color palette use. The “reality” uses more cooler and monochrome tones giving it a dull look, but that doesn’t reduce the quality of the art as the backgrounds are still quite nice! It seems like we’re seeing the world through Hiro’s psyche, how he views the world. A subtle details the gives some immersion for the story and I love it!

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A side topic but this was somewhat my reaction when I played on a PS5 for the first time…the haptic feedback made the game MUCH more immersive! I mean adding resistance to the bumpers for First Person Shooter games so it feels more like shooting an actual gun!? Technology blows me away everyday! But back to the show, I love this realization that he can feel pain. Hiro’s got a gamer mentality, he quickly takes in the story and scenery of the game and start to put together the mechanics and how the game operates. I love the color tone change when it switches over to Hiro’s monologues as the reactions are over the top! Though I’m interested in the realism of the game…if you can feel the wind and pain…just how far can you go…?

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We love to see realistic games…until NPCs die permanently because you tackled them out of anger and the knife that they were using to eat an apple penetrates their throat…! That’s one way to start your adventure, I guess…? Remember that this show is still a comedy (which it has a lot of comedic elements!) but the brushing off of the death of Martin was…strange? I’m laughing as Hiro runs away from the now psychotic Alicia but at the same I’m concerned!? I have no idea how to react to this scene but on the flip side, the fact that a show was able to render me speechless within its first episode is pretty rare! I want to see more!

Kisaragi, Reona

Kisaragi, Reona

This last part will be a character design appreciation section! I’m head over heels for the designs and I honestly can’t get enough of it! Reona is by far my favorite character in the show, from the smug attitude and her playful personality makes for quite entertaining scenes! Speaking of heroines, there seems to be an over the top theme going on here with the personality traits! Reona is overly smug, Alicia turned psycho, Hiro’s sister seem very cool and apathetic, while the red head (from the PV) looks like a straight sadist! The character tropes are nothing new to veteran anime watchers but the extreme interpretation of the common tropes give it a refreshing new look!

Recommendation:

YES

There are wildcards every season and this is one of them. The thin line between chaotic mess and a successful show is a solid plot line. My recommendation is to give it the 3-episode rule and go from there as I think there’s something good here that needs some setting up before it can really be enjoyable! Of course I’m also on the Reona fan train so…if anyone wants to join…let me know LOL!

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