During the dawn of the 21st century, the United Nations Kurobe Research Institute was established in Japan to investigate an ancient artifact, which was discovered during the construction of the Kurobe Dam. Scientists from around the world have gathered in the facility to study the object, while their children enjoy their everyday lives attending Mt. Tate International Senior High School.
Yukina Shirahane, a reserved high school girl, is the daughter of the facility's head scientist. While visiting her mother at the facility, Yukina manages to solve part of the artifact's puzzle. To her surprise, what appears before her is Kennosuke Tokisada Ouma, a young samurai from the Sengoku era.
As a threat approaches from outer space, Yukina, along with Kennosuke, finds herself defending Earth against the invading forces. Along the way, she discovers the mystery behind Kennosuke and the reason he is determined to protect her.
[Written by MAL Rewrite]
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Comentários
Hinata-chi
--- THIS REVIEW MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS --- Note (before review) : I wasn't expecting much from this series as I began watching it at the time of it's airing (Spring 2016) because it started off with some cliche aspects. But lemme say this, I'm glad I took a chance and continued to watch it each week while it was airing as the story started developing, my lack of enjoyment for it increased to a level ofappreciation for this series.
Kuromukuro may not be most original idea as it involves a character from a different time period being awakened to a more modern time period to his own. In this case a Samurai named "Kennosuke Tokisada Ouma", from the Sengoku Period waking up in the United Nations Kurobe Research Institute, summer of 2016 to save a Kawaii girl named Yukina Shirahane, who happens to look like his princess who he failed to save during his time period from the Demons, his enemy from his time period. The Demons turn out to be back this time around, and it gives him the reason to live in this time period to fight for revenge for his Princess, even if it costs him his life. During his time in this world it was pretty amusing seeing him not know much about this time period at which he is currently now part of, mixed with Mecha fights against the Demons known as the "Efidolg" to protect Earth. The Efidolg have a goal and may not be what you had expected them to be, which you will find out if you watch this series. It was pretty interesting that he fought alongside with his Princess in a Mecha against the Efidolg during Sengoku time period, & now once more doing the same thing, in this new time period with a new partner, a girl who looks like his Princess. Lots of the characters in a series usually means a lot of characters that barely contributed to an anime but in this case, no so much. Even the Camera Boy Jundai has his purposes in this anime even if it's minor but still, I guess useful for this anime's development. I have no hate for any characters and like most of them. Personally I had a lot of excitement watching the fights in this anime, as well as the romance in this anime. Overall I enjoyed shipping characters with each other along the way as I love romance stuff in anime. The soundtracks in this anime were pretty good and I actually listened to the openings fully while watching this anime series, each episode. The art was perfect for this series but the art for the Mechas were not anything special compared to most Mecha anime. Thanks for taking the time to read this review and I hope you guys who are planning to watch this series, do so and enjoy it just as much, or better as I did. Again, I left a lot of details out such as a lot of stuff involving Yukina & etc to not spoil you guys.
arleneim
I won't lie, i didn't expect much from it when i started this anime but it is safe to say it went beyond my expectations. I am really really not into mecha genre but Kuromukuro proved itself to be much more than that. For instance, you don't have super machines that have one superpower that destroys half of the city thus proving all of the battle scenes you have seen so far become obsolete. Instead, the action scenes are melee focused, and the mecha's don't outshine everything else and their powers are limited. Characters are somewhat intriguing, you will witness some development towards the end ofthe season. Their interactions are sufficiently designed. The plot isn't the most unique gem of anime history but it doesn't need to be. After all this a light hearted anime that will make you cool off as you watch. But that doesn't mean the story is irrelevant, it becomes more appealing as it unravels along the way. Before i forget, the soundtracks of this anime are quite cool. I really enjoyed the openings.
Long story short i recommend watching this series. I do hope to get another season, the ending really suggested a sequel but in the end who has the money gets screen time. I sincerely hope Kuromukuro gets the popularity it deserves and continues to entertain us.
PyraXadon
You know, it's one thing to go into a show expecting something it to be good. It's another thing to go into a P.A. Works show and expecting it to be good. Over the years, P.A. Works have shown us that despite having good animation and interesting ideas, you won't always end up with a good show and meaningful characters. And so, after 15 years of churning out what are mostly original anime (which is honestly quite impressive given how original anime are such a rarity these days), we have Kuromukuro or 'Black Relic', another mistake made by P.A. Works which isanother case of "Cool idea, terrible execution."
Story: Shiragane Yukina is your typical high school student with a mother who works in a high tech research facility that produces mechs and studies this giant cube-like object that no one yet understands. Upon what basically equates touching the cube, they find that inside the cube is a man who bears the personality and loyalty of a medieval Japan period samurai who quickly mistakes Yukina for someone else, tells her about the 'demons' that threaten the world, and bring her to co-pilot a giant mech that they call the 'Kuromukuro'. (Hey look, title drop.)
What started out as a mech series with elements of mystery due to the gradual feeding of details and story over the entire 26 episode runtime of the series quickly becomes one of the most boring and poorly written series that P.A. Works has made right up there with Glasslip. The plot of Kuromukuro just has no sense of urgency and as a result, spends most of its time focusing on other ridiculous sideplots than the threat of the world. Rather than saving the world or learning how to pilot the mech, we instead get stuck with a hotsprings episode, the school festival, making a movie, and all sorts of random shenanigans that have little to no place in a story focused on saving the world from the destruction of aliens! It seemed like the show cared more about trying to be a slice of life anime with mecha elements rather than a mecha show with slice of life elements. There's also the whole romantic sideplot between the two main characters which actually doesn't make if any sense when you put it in perspective. The show just kinda threw them together to make the two seem important when in reality, these two characters barely do anything at all. This squandering plagues the entire run of the series and puts it in a place where it has a confused identity, dooming the series with its lack of cohesiveness.
So when you throw away all of the sideplot/slice of life garbage that the show tries to implement, what exactly do you get in the end? The action and mech focus while considered as the main plot of the series doesn't bear fruit in the way you would expect it to. (Plus, it's only like...20% of the entire show.) Very little of the show is truly mechs sword fighting since the majority of this time is devoted to exposition, more exposition, and even more exposition which is kinda weird considering that the aliens or 'Efidolg' as they call themselves have the generic "Take over the world plan" which...doesn't do the show any favors. It's a very overused kind of plotline than when revealed, is kind of depressing to see since you sort of assume that there's something more to it when presented...but no, it's just "Take over stuff. Muahahaha!" It doesn't help that the main characters have plot armor so thick that not even a complete alien takeover where literally everyone, protagonists included, are stuck helpless just waiting to be absorbed into the Efidolg's empire, thus making the entire struggle completely meaningless cause you know they'll never die. Not only that, but the show has a few mystery elements that it tries to shove in there like mysterious disappearances and whatever that when revealed, don't actually have much impact on the story overall. On paper they sounded good, but putting them into practice once again doesn't do any favors because of how unimportant the show made it sound.
Pacing is also a huge leader in Kuromukuro's downfall and possibly why I cracked my table when watching the final episode. The show is never even and it never wants to get to the good stuff or stay at the good stuff. During the random bullsh*t, the show is at its most lethargic, spanning an entire episode or episodes focusing on an event that doesn't have in any way have to do with the main plot, before speeding up like a madman to get through the action/plot-relevant bits so that it can go back to its happy-go-lucky annoyances called side characters. The finale especially is the biggest offender of this because it's by this point in time that P.A. Works realized that they wasted so much time before that they have only ~24 minutes to shove in a timeskip, a reconciliation, more exposition to explain what is going to happen, and a mini fight that scratches more heads than earns smiles because of the quality of its open ending where really nothing gets resolved.
P.A. Works's attempt to celebrate their 15th year anniversary created a mess of a show that focused on the wrong things, had very generic conflict, and a love story that doesn't make sense due to how forced everything was. The end result was a generic mech show that created more problems than it could solve, and a very disappointed reviewer who still prays to see a show as good as Shirobako or characters are good as Charlotte from a P.A. Works show again.
Overview:
- Wasted too much screentime on slice of life
- Main plot was put on the back-burner
- Way too much exposition for a very generic plot
- Horrible pacing issues
- Several mystery parts with drab conclusions
- The most rushed ending I've ever seen
Characters: As a largely story-based show, the characters in Kuromukuro adhere to that by being puppets on the stage to do stuff in reaction to the current problem at hand. As such, characters in Kuromukuro are far from deep with little to no character development for any of them.
Why don't we start with Shiodome Miuna, I mean, Shiragane Yukina. (Sorry, wrong series. They just look so similar.) As the main heroine of this series, Yukina honestly doesn't do anything of value. Her entire character is built around the idea that she's this meek little girl who eventually mans up and pilots the Kuromukuro along with the other main protagonist, but it really doesn't come to fruition. Sure she's less whiny by the end of the series, but the only thing she really does is preach about wanting to save the world from the imminent threat that the show tells us about because "lol, we ran out of screentime". She doesn't do anything of significance since other characters always drag her into things, creating a character that truly has no will of her own with a hint of damsel in distress that overall creates a character that I could give less than two sh*ts about.
Then there's Ouma Tokisada Kennosuke, the 18 year old samurai from medieval Japan encased in a giant cube and preserved until the modern day. You know how it is. He's a dude that holds onto old and tired values that in the modern day, don't really make sense, and is also inept at technology because he never had them and as such is surprised at the thought that you can talk to someone via a tiny box you hold up to your ear. Chivalrous as he may be, that's about all you'll get out of Kennosuke. His character is that of a generic samurai beholden to the master that he serves and destroy all the demons! His values and what he holds dear eventually change as the series goes on, but the whole samurai aspect and samurai code that he lives and breathes is such a central part to his character that that's about the only thing that he has going for him. Take that away and you're left with what equates to an empty husk that doesn't have any real purpose.
And then there's Sophie. Oh Sophie. Why you're quoted as a main character, I don't know. I chose to talk about her specifically because the show makes such a drastic attempt to make her relevant, important, and overall a half-decent character at the start with this underlying hate towards Yukina that I expected to get explained later on, to a half-baked character with a pension for samurai (that never gets explained) who has little to no importance in the grand scheme of things. I think P.A. Works was trying to fulfill a quota by having a little girl pilot a giant robot or something, since Sophie's entire existence is just a way of creating some form of plot progression using her character.
Villains are unsubstantial since they assume that the whole "Sending down one person to deal with the threat" is enough to fulfill the malicious plans that they have in store. They're stupid, none of it really makes any sense, and they're all generic to a fault.
As for side characters, we have the plot related side characters and the slice of life related side characters. To save the worst for last, let's start with the former. Want exposition? The guys working at the facility got ya covered. These guys really have no reason to do anything aside from being either a slight nuisance, or be there to feed information to the audience so we know what the hell is going on. There're also apparently other countries that come in and have their own say/actions in this series, but it's so minuscule and lacking that they might as well have not done it in the first place.
And then there're the slice of life characters. Oh boy, where do I begin? These are if not the most annoying characters in the series. Sad part is? You see them more often than any other member of the supporting cast. The most prominent ones are Yukina's classmates which begs the question of "Why are you friends with these people?" You have Yukina's best friend who's a cosplayer and the supposed 'wingwoman' to the romantic subplot, you have the foreign guy who tries to get people to care about him by silently whining to himself when in reality, no one actually cares about him, the completely unnecessary other dude who adds nothing to the series aside from arrogance and a sad attempt at creating a love triangle that this show CLEARLY needed, and the annoying vlogger character who puts any and everyone in danger just so he can get footage for streams even when his life is on the line because clearly, your footage is more important than the dude's leg tendon that probably got cut when he jumped in and tried to save you from getting killed! (You can probably tell who's my 'favorite'.) The show shoves these nuisances in your face so many times that it downgrades the viewing experience as a whole. They desperately try to get you to care about these horrible people which doesn't turn out very well because they're so unnecessary, the overall quality of the would increase dramatically if they weren't in there.
Overview:
- Lacking main cast
- Generic and uninteresting villains
- Way too many exposition characters
- Terrible people do not a supporting cast make
- F**k you, Jundai. (Hope you get your camera shoved down your throat and choke on it.)
Art: The art is actually really lowbrow for what P.A. works generally produces. While the designs and overall look of the series do seem like a P.A. works show, the quality is severely lacking. Nothing really stands out which is a shame considering the company has Angel Beats, Nagiasu, and Charlotte under its belt, thus leaving me puzzled as to what happened to make this project not be as stellar as some of their previous works since the only word that can be described for it is "average".
Though despite that, the worst offender for this show's artwork are the mechs that the series has. They're produced in CGI and don't really mesh in too well with the series. Most of the action is done via CGI robots as a mecha show might suggest (plus, it's probably cheaper), and all I can say for the overall look of the show is...eh. Average really is the only word that can describe this and that's really a darn shame looking back because I really do like P.A.'s arstyle and quality.
Overview:
+/- Average artstyle
- Mechs don't mesh in too well tot he handdrawn background.
Sound: I don't really care much for these tracks honestly. All of them are pretty generic and not particularly worth the time to listen to, so in essence...skip'em. Not worth the time.
Personal Enjoyment: It's pretty clear from the '2' rating and the rants sprinkled throughout the story and character sections that I LOATHE this show. I've consistently been watching shows made by P.A. Works and I truly believe that the company has imaginative ideas and good enough animation to create something that's good quality overall. But time and time again, I'm reminded that they go the other way instead and end up creating messes that beg the question "How did this show end up this way?" Kuromukuro was a show I went in without many expectations trying to see if P.A. Works would be able to make something half-decent again. The very first episode didn't amuse me and every proceeding episode dragged the show down farther and farther and farther down the dreaded hole of P.A. failures next to Glasslip and Haruchika. I hated watching this show, agonizing week after week until the final episode where the final letdown finally let me be free.
Did I like this show?
F**K NO! The only thing that I could see as an upside to this gargantuan failure of a cohesive story is the fact that they animated a giant stone pillar crashing through a building that was represented as the main office building for P.A. Works. That legitimately made me laugh and was probably a small apology for the amount of f**k ups that they have done.
What didn't I like about this show?
Everything. Like legitimately, everything. Especially you, vlogger boy. You have literally no purpose in this series aside from being a gigantic prick. Like seriously, who thought a completely unlikable character like that would be a good idea?!
Would I recommend this series?
No. I would suggest you avoid this show like the plague. It has really one-dimensional and lacking characters, wastes so much screentime that they're only about 4 proper fights in the entire series (each of which span roughly 3/4 of an episode only), all wrapped up in an incomplete bow where the main plot/threat isn't even solved in the end. Happy 15th anniversary, P.A. Works, see you next year when you inevitably waste another good idea. (Please prove me wrong.)
Stark700
I have to admit, Kuromukuro is a show that taken me by a surprise. It’s not just because of P.A. Works is involved in a mecha show (since when was the last time they’ve been involved in something like that?) but because of how quickly the first episodes takes a viewer like a storm. As an original anime, Kuromukuro is a series that’s like casino, gambling between the good and the bad. Simply put, Kuromukuro doesn’t simply want to be your typical giant robot-war drama but also more of an emotional ride. It wants to capitalize on its characters with its fictional world setting and mostimportantly, character relationships. The storytelling also has a bit of background that took place 450 years from its present timeline. Back then, there was an alien force known as the Elf Dorg that invaded Earth. However, the Washiba clan and their heir Yukihime along with Kennosuke Tokisada Ouma were able to retaliate against them while using a weapon known as the “Black Relic”. Yukihime mysteriously vanishes around this time as well. Then, some 60 years ago, this Black Relic is discovered. In the present timeline, a young girl named Yukina Shirahane accidentally gets involved in these mysterious affairs when she triggers the peculiar mecha. See where this is all going? It’s essentially a show that connects events from the past to the present. And while this is hardly anything original, it offers promise as there’s a lot to explore from the initial premise.
The show itself has both a serious and lighthearted tone. It combines elements of action, sci-fi, drama, and perhaps even romance. The most mysterious character is Ouma, a main male protagonist born around the Sengoku period. He establishes himself as Yukihime’s protector and he forms a peculiar relationship with Yukina as she resembles her. Being born around the Sengoku period, it doesn’t come as surprise that he is clueless about modern day technology either. Then, there’s Yukina, the typical school girl you can find in almost any sci-fi related series. Although I have to admit, she didn’t leave me with a good impression at first. This comes from the fact that she is often insecure about herself and has a ‘damsel in distress’ type of feel. Prior to getting some actual combat experience, she felt more like a character that needed to be saved rather than saving others. Luckily, the show is able to make her more likeable as the story progressed to show a stronger side with her character.
Speaking of characters, the show actually offers quite a diverse range of them. From skilled pilots to dedicated researchers, you’ll probably find at least one character where your mind is thinking along the line of ‘oh that looks familiar”. One of the more prominent female characters in the show is Sophie Noel, a French exchange student who is considered a prodigy. In contrary to Yukina, she is very self-independent and more difficult to approach. Throughout the series, her involvement with the various conflicts brings light about her character. It’s shown that despite being a bit self-centered, she is also very courageous and wants to make a difference in her world. As such, the main three protagonists all stand somewhere on their own that differentiates them from each other. Still, the most mysterious character is unquestionably Ouma. His past isn’t very clear as we only see cryptic clues about them. Furthermore, Ouma’s personality is one that’s very formal although also comedic if you put him into a modern life environment like a school.
Although the series has a serious plot (hello? An imminent alien invasion?), it also has a lot of lighthearted moments. This can result in more of a mixed bag reception because viewers may not take the show seriously as intended. The slice of life moments from school are prime examples of this while we also get the occasionally breather episode that furthers the pacing issue. What I do think holds value though is the character relationships. Besides the three main protagonists, there’s evident family dynamics especially with Yukina. She has a mother who is a chief researcher but also plays the role of a mother. Ironically, she seems to lack qualities that would make her a realistic mother but deep down does care for her daughter. (as shown in later episodes) Yukina’s younger sister sees Ouma as a role model because of her passion for historical dramas. Finally, it’s noticeable that Yukina’s father is not present in the show because he mysteriously disappeared. This brings back Yukina’s reasoning for lacking self-esteem as well. So at the center, Yukina is primarily the girl that somehow always gets involved with the mysterious events in the show. Whether it’s meeting a look-alike of herself or even getting abducted by aliens, it’s unquestionable that Yukina has an important role. But the real question is if she is likable? I think this can be viewed from several perspective but most importantly is her development. The show will test your patience as each episode progresses. From a personal perspective, I think she is acceptable but her first impressions aren’t what I call as memorable. At least compared to other characters, Ouma’s introduction will definitely leave an odd impression before your eyes.
Produced by P.A. Works, it’s no surprise that the character designs looks familiar. Anyone who has seen Nagi no Asukara will find a similarity with the looks especially the main female characters. P.A. Works has always been known for their exquisite background scenery and the studio once again brings their talent to the table. We got gorgeous visuals with the natural forests and mountainous regions. In space, there’s a strong feeling of sci-fi when it comes to the action sequences. While the show isn’t known for its fan service, it is however known for more of man service thanks to Ouma.
In terms of its soundtrack, the musical content of Kuromukuro works quite well. It delivers with an instrumental feel while also known for its emotional drama. However, I find the voice mannerism to be tolerable at best. Yukina’s voice took me a long time to get used to while Sophie’s tone is way too soft for someone with her talent. Of course, Ouma stands out the most with his manly voice, something that I find hard to ignore.
It’s unlikely that you’ll find yourself watching Kuromukuro as a high priority on the bucket list. It’s hard to deny but with so many anime coming out these days, it’s one of the lesser noticeable mecha shows. However, I think Kuromukuro is worth the time investment. Yes, it is 2-cour that shuffles between a mecha drama story and all all-out galaxy war involving earthlings and aliens. Even if you’re not a fan of P.A. Works or mecha, it still has moments that can make you come back wanting for more.
farfollow
I've finished the series recently and I have to say that it's a very good anime considering I'm not a big fan of mechas. I glossed over this anime for a while just by the look of it and the summary because I don't care for cliche-robot-school-air head girls saving the world. Oh boy, was I wrong. And I'm glad I started watching out of boredom. The main characters look like cliches, but they really are very far from that. You wouldn't know it at a glance, but the characters are pretty creative from the very beginning. The main girl (Yukina) seems to get calleda typical 'airhead', where I assume they get from her poor grades from the introduction episode but in fact she's just not all that interested in school and has a passion for structures both man-made and straight from nature. That's refreshing to have a main character that seems very relate-able right from the beginning. The school element doesn't over power either, and that's great.
The school-drama thing is not that prevalent which is great, this anime doesn't waste that much time with filler while at the same time developing at a nice steady pace. The love element is very spot on, and there's no beating around the bush like Ranma or Inuyasha. The animation is fluid through out, some fight scene repetition here and there, but over all it's of a much higher standard.
While the BASE idea may have been done before, this anime easily develops a stand alone plot with the twists, plot points, and it's characters are creatively unique and strong all around.
The ending doesn't happen in the feel-good way that you'd expect, and boy am I happy about that. Twists that feel like reality are very unexpected in animes!
Overall, I will happily be awaiting season 3.
Zeurivar
NOW. ARE YOU READY FOR SOME - Samurai styled protagonist from the past in present time? - Mech fights? - Some slice of life highschool time - Alien robos crashing from the sky? (I SAYY CRRRIIIERR I SAAYY..nvm) - Mysteries of the past and the future of humanity at stake? - Cute gals like Chisaki from Nagi no Asukara (since its P.A. Works)? Then you got it down right here!For an anime aired during Spring 2016 I sure left this one out. In fact, it didn't get that much attention during the season but boy was I glad I watched this!
Personally this anime was so much more interesting than "Dancecross Charlie" (which was airing during the same time but had a whole lot more publicity obviously because of the franchise) and "Crashlips" (from P.A. Works as well, boy that was horrid).
There are interesting mechfights. Characters with different personalities and their different agendas (and stereotypical characters like AMERIICAANNSS SAYING THEY'RE GONNA BUST BULLETS UP UR A** EVERYTIME HE GOES TO BATTLE) I but I just adoooree P.A. Work's characters from which they followed the same style as Nagi no Asukara! Doesnt the main heroine just remind you of Chisaki?
Not to mention there are some romance in this. No great anime has no shred of romance in it >:)
Man I love how everything unfolded in this anime. Kennosuke's past, the evil alien's plans, and how it ended. Some say it was rushed, I personally thought it was pretty great.
(/Spoiler/ This gave me a bit of nostalgia from Heroic Age. How he opened up that wormhole and unfortunately leaves that girl of his life to do what he must. )
This anime was an overall a super satisfying 26 episode anime that answered the questions I wanted answered, ended the way I'd loved it to end and making me wish there was a 2nd season ;_;
LegendAqua
Kuromukuro was one of LA's most indecisive animes of Spring & Summer 2016 as LA really didn't know whether it was good or not?, well did it succeed in winning LA over or did it crash and burn?...let's find out. For what a premise is given to us, Kuromukuro at a glance is essentially Neon Genesis Evangelion with it's "invading aliens", a main female protagonist named Yukina Shirahane voiced by Mao Ichimichi who is reluctant to pilot the "Black Relic" as "support" and a boisterous amnesiac mysterious Kennosuke "Ken" Ouma voiced by Youhei Azakami who's the main pilot for the "Black Relic" and having to fightalien robots trying to invade for unknown reasons, Kennosuke also goes through knowing how the modern age works due to his samurai-era like ways getting him A LOT of attention as well as troubles that goes along with it......yeah feels like Neon Genesis Evangelion just in a slightly lighter tone doesn't it?. Well for that LA can say that the notion of this being an Neon Genesis Evangelion clone is a farce as it has it's own identity and own plot that strays away from being a clone of NGE quite quickly.
In terms of mystery, there are several, like who Kennosuke really is, who are the invading alien robots and what does it have to do with the United Nations Kurobe Research Institute, what link does Yukina have with the Black Relic?. These questions for the majority are ALL answered thankfully the the end of the anime. This intrigue really was what kept LA from watching it to the end. These mysteries more or less justifiable as the plot progresses and it makes the world building of what the Black Relic and the invading aliens "Efidolg" motivations *cough* world domination *cough* typical *cough* and the plot twists do get explained MOST of the time.
In terms of characters, we do have our stereotypical mecha pilots from again the "kill all demons" Kennosuke to the reluctant "don't wanna kill" Yukina, to the deadpanned "do your job" Sophie Noelle voiced by Reina Ueda and her butler Toshiyuki "Sebastian" Mozumi voiced by Taiten Kusunoki and finally the foul-mouthed "RECKT YOUR SHIT" Tom Borden voiced by Ryouhei Kimura as well as all the bridge bunnies and commanders of the mech fleet of Kurobe Dam. On the school side of things is where things get rather tame, from the love interest of Yukina, Ryouto Akagi voiced by Kaito Ishikawa to Yukina's best friend cosplayer Mika Ogino voiced by Asami Seto, the butt monkey José Carlos Takasuka voiced by Shuusuke Takeuchi and of course the weirdest character Jundai Kayahara voiced by Yuusuke Kobayashi who always have a camera with him and records EVERYTHING, just LA or is Jundai the manifestation of the modern age considering his "record all AND NOTHING BUT THAT" mentality. Really due to this wide and expansive cast, you'll think the development is slim, well actually it's not, for the majority of the character development, it's really touches upon most of the character motivations for the future and how something like the alien invasion can put a stop to all that, really be it Ryouto wanting to tell his feelings to Yukina, to Kennosuke's fate and then after to what Yukina wants to do (before or after she was linked with the Black Relic), Kuromukuro's characters really develops this huge cast quite nicely. LA's favourite character?...Sophie Noelle, why?...she's one of the more intellectual characters in the anime as well as one of the professional mecha pilots and her moment in the spotlight arrives MANY times outside or in battle. She really is the ACE IN THE HOLE of the anime. LA also had the soft spot for the shy ditzy teacher Marina Unami voiced by Manami Sugihira during the early episodes when Kennosuke and Yukina were a bit more grating together than usual.
Yes on speaking of which, Kuromukuro does go into a rather vague romantic subplot, with a sorta love triangle formed with Kennosuke, Ryouta and Yukina and if you want to know LA's opinion of the romance, LA was pretty much sticking to Kennosuke x Yukina it was kinda obvious where this was gonna lead to. As for how LA actually thought about the romance, well that love triangle was predictable to say the least, but LA was more or less worried about Muetta voiced by Aki Toyosaki (Spoilers on this character so won't say much), Kennosuke and Yukina due to the complicated circumstance of this "romance" it was hard to pinpoint as well as erratic considering the situation this love triangle was in at the time. The romance is a more of an after thought as there are more pressing issues such as the invading mech army and their motivations, but LA can see why the romance element was there.
There are a few pacing issues here and there, but considering the various of genres it's under of sci-fi, action, mecha and later on mystery and romance, it's pacing is rather inconsistent, it's not until the halfway point, it really changes focus on it's main storyline and that's where it really starts getting into the nitty gritty, however because of this, the pacing is STILL inconsistent but in a good way (as in it finally gets into the details and focuses on the main storyline and it takes it's time with it with it's add slice of life "character developments" but yeah that goes around being "inconsistent" most of the time)
In terms of animation, expected of PA. Works to have the great detail in backgrounding once again, the character designs can get janky at times but that was really rare most of the times. Yes, LA needs to point out that the CGI on the robots are blatant most of the time, but NOT all the mech's are like this and more or less integrated them quite well on occasion. Really due to the varying and unique mech designs it also constituted the mech battles to be even more action-packed and fluid battles due to how PA Works integrated the CGI and traditional animation together and add in Yukina's tactical strategies and you have some very nice mech battles. CGI was used modestly to say the best and they just didn't put CGI whenever they could. Overall PA Works did great on the animation...which was expected.
In terms of voice acting, it was decent for the most part, keeping most of the characters personalities in check. Youhei Azakami was great as the boisterous Kennosuke as well as Ryohei Kimura as the foul-mouthed Tom Borden. LA's favourite voice actor?...Mao Ichimichi, yes Mao certainly got grating in the early episodes (what with her whining and her butting heads with Kennosuke), but further down the plot, her focus and development both as a character and relationship-wise really gave Mao A LOT more material. Second would go to Reina Ueda for Sophie, because Sophie was a badass through and through.
The plot twists given to Kuromukuro were rather unexpected to say the least and Kuromukuro really didn't give much hints to most of the mysteries LA said and the plot really likes to keep tightlipped about it. The plot twists does make Kuromukuro really ramp it up the tension especially during the latter half however one plot twist does feel like it went rather into an anti-climax which led it down the finale with some of the cliches to go with went to. Now for LA, LA kinda got the reasoning why, but LA still kinda saw the cliches bumping into LA distracting LA at the same time. On speaking of the ending...
The ending was left rather open ended with no definitive ending and LA was expecting this as considering the circumstances, LA can see why it was left open ended. The ending did have a rather good "final battle" in a ways and once again really holds onto the "future" themes that was lingering around through the meat and buildup to the finale of this ending. The "epilogue" with it's timeskip was also a great addition to it and seeing these characters somewhat grownup and seeing what happened to them was pretty good. Whatever reasoning as to this open ended ending...LA was still satisfied, not only because LA saw that this ending couldn't push all these loose plot threads all into the finale, but the ambiguity really hones in the "look to the future" theme and it was still a good ending nonetheless.
So, Kuromukuro...was it a bad or good anime?, well with what LA talked about with it's technicals, LA thinks the devil is in the details as just talking about technicals isn't enough to see how good Kuromukuro turned out to be, sure it had problems in it's early episodes but by the end of this anime as well as it's inconsistent pacing and for an original anime done by PA.Works and this anime being it's 15th Anniversary production, Kuromukuro did itself justice from it's intriguing mysteries, unique wacky characters and PA Works typically beautiful animation. LA really couldn't pin down if Kuromukuro was good or bad not until Episode TWENTY, there is a reason LA said it was LA's most indecisive anime of Spring & Summer 2016 but overall on LA's verdict, Kuromukuro did good, not great but still you did good nonetheless.
chighsour
Seems like your typical futuristic-samurai-romance-high-school-mecha-alien-science-y anime, but I'd argue they take everything you expect from this particular genre and up it a few notches. It's actually funny, can be a bit ridiculous, and there are good fight scenes if you can ignore the CGI. The plot is good, too; just when you think you've got it all figured out, there's a plot twist. I even shed tears at the end of the second season, it was so sweet. All the characters are well-rounded and encounter their own difficulties. Loved the character depth and development. This anime has a really funny clash of genres but it'sinteresting and really entertaining. Highly recommend.
Zaku88
P.A. Works has tried a lot of genres in the past, but I really didn't expect them to celebrate their 15 year anniversary with a mech-action based show, an original work too! Kuromukuro is a show about saving humanity as we know it from alien invaders in overwhelmingly powerful mechs, extremely similar in theme and plot progression to the early part of Aldnoah Zero. However, the P.A. Works character-centric touch is here in its full glory. If you're looking for a show with a bit of mech and action but is, at its core, about its characters, look no further. Kuromukuro is a fun, enjoyableride and I'm glad to report that this is another outstanding success under P.A. Works' belt.
Animation:
Though the show has good coloring and decent shading, it's a step back from previous P.A. Works titles. The setting takes place in Tateyama, only a stone's throw away from P.A. Works's real-life headquarters. Given the proximity to lush mountains and serene waters, I'd expected there to be more of a focus on the backgrounds like in Nagi no Asukara. Unfortunately, there just isn't; perhaps bowing to general industry trends, you can definitely tell that more of the backgrounds are CGI generated. Likewise, the fairly diverse group of CGI mechs isn't what I'd call pretty; someone on the team was clearly obsessed with having lots of limbs. The actual characters fare much better. I see a lot of similarity in the drawing style between this and Nagi no Asukara; the girls definitely have a touch of moe. Facial expressions are a touch above your standard show- this is pretty important considering the complex nature of our heroine.
There is a large amount of action in this show. A vast majority of it consists of mech to mech battles, luckily there isn't any particle spamming here- just melee combat with what look like gigantic, shiny vibroblades. The choreography is not bad and our protagonist's mech performs admirably in one versus many situations. Unfortunately, you can only impress so much when all the action is in 3D CGI; even the "bleeding" nanoparticles upon damage looks really fake. As with typical mech shows, expect a fair amount of blood and mass slaughtering of hapless regular soldiers. Though there is your typical bath scene, I wouldn't consider this an ecchi show.
Sound:
I likewise think that the sound package here isn't category leading. The show has two OPs and two EDs. Both OPs are by the same artist and share rock-based instrumentation and a playful feel. I don't particularly like either melody though the second one perhaps is a tad better. The first ED feels more fitting for the show, with an electro-inspired instrumentation and a decent melody. The second ED has a good melody and is rock based like the OPs. The BGM is supportive and lends well to tension at times, but doesn't have any core, repeating themes. There's just a single melody that I would consider memorable.
The VA cast, on the other hand, is very strong; there's so much power in this cast that I don't even really know where to start. Our heroine Yukina is voiced by Mao, who does a great job and at an octave higher than her roles in Bahamut and Netoge. I think Asami Seto has come a long way from her earlier roles, and her performance here as Mika definitely shows it; honestly, her acting is what made Mika the second most interesting character in the show. Obviously, our out-of-place samurai, voiced by Youhei Azakami, is the most interesting, and is well voiced despite the VA's relative inexperience. Aki Toyosaki also lends her expertise in the latter half of the show to great effect as well.
Story:
In a parallel modern world Japan, the UN has set up a research facility to study mysterious artifacts, which happens to include a mech. Our heroine, Yukina, is a rather unmotivated teen who happens to be the daughter of the UN facility chair. While on a routine visit to the facility, the world suddenly comes under attack from an unknown force. Seeing one of the artifacts glow, Yukina touches it and out pops an ancient, 18-year-old samurai (Ken) who instantly greets her as "princess". The story follows this, rather quarrelsome pair as they are forced to work together, as Ken happens to be the pilot of the artifact mech, which he calls kuromukuro.
The story follows a central plot that is told at a brisk, action-packed pace; for that reason, it feels a lot faster than Nagi no Asukara. The early part of the show reminds me of a synergy between the character elements in Inuyasha and the battle patterns in Aldnoah Zero. It's extremely enjoyable for me because Ken has to quickly adapt to modern society, and his reactions remind me of Inuyasha in the present time and Sagara Sousuke from FMP. The battles early on are rather predictable and, like A/Z, have antagonists showing up one at a time. Half way through the season, a pivotal event occurs that knocks the plot onto a different trajectory. This then builds to a very predictable climax and a rather interesting, open ended conclusion.
What's unique about this interpretation of the mech genre is the character-centric focus. Rather than focusing on the political overtones in war or exploring why we fight, it focuses instead on the relationships between the students and researchers caught in the middle of it all. It's a refreshing twist that works rather well as the character development fits well in-between the many battles. Overall, it's not nearly as deep of a story as Nagi no Asukara, but definitely feels more contiguous than the painful trek through Valvrave.
There are qualms with most shows, and this show is no exception. I definitely question some of the decision-making by protagonists and antagonists alike, and really feel like the studio has serious issues against the UN for some reason. It also doesn't help that there are some pretty strong plot shields on particular characters (think like the pilots in Valvrave) and that a fair amount of plot questions remain unanswered. However, I felt the strengths in this category far outweigh the faults.
Character:
The main cast in this show is superb. Our hero, Ken, is a brash, impulsive warrior who definitely stands out from your standard nice guy; given his historic background though he is still completely inexperienced at dealing with girls. His interactions with the initially reluctant and honestly petrified Yukina are extremely fun to watch, and their behaviors and feelings toward each other change through the show. Pay close attention to Yukina's career choices at the beginning of the show, I really liked how the show tied this to the ending.
The show has a fairly large supporting cast consisting of a group of students at Yukina's school and a subset of the research workers and pilots at the UN facility. Though there is relatively little exposition on these characters, they still contribute meaningfully to either the plot or the main characters' development. I also appreciated how many of these supporting characters had a good deal of depth in personality; Mika and Yukina's sister Koharu are great examples. However, I do feel that a few of the other supporting characters were a bit on the superfluous side, such as the fearless student who was obsessed with streaming everything that was happening. The antagonists were also mostly unexplored, pretty similar overall to those early on in Aldnoah Zero.
Overall, I found this show to have a great amount of character development, good balance of character chemistry, and just enough of a hint of romance to keep me happy, especially considering the amount of screen time dedicated to action sequences.
Value:
Dynamic characters and good character designs/animation aren't usually the main selling points of a mech show. However, these P.A. Works hallmarks shine through in this show. Kuromukuro combines these with an original, contiguous story that is well-executed albeit still partially unexplored. There is some re-watch value as well as there are some foreshadows that could easily have been overlooked in an initial viewing. If you enjoyed previous P.A. titles or liked shows like FMP or Inuyasha, this should be an entertaining watch. If you're looking for a more traditional mech show with politics or inspiration for your next model kit, look elsewhere. While I won't consider this an absolute masterpiece, it was a greatly enjoyable watch and definitely worthy of the P.A. Works name.
yadatome
When I first saw this show on Netflix, I avoided it because, even though I'm a giant anime fan, I've never watched a mecha anime before because it seemed boring. When I first started it, it was a little slow and I didn't know how good the story would be, but as I continued watching, the better it became. This was the first mecha anime I watched and really enjoyed. I definitely recommend watching this. The only thing that annoyed me was the ending, I mean it was sweet but didn't meet my expectations (but that's just my opinion, I'm sure others really lovedit.).
Jersie
Hello everyone, since you're reading this, you wanna hear my opinion and review of this, so let's just get right into it! The Story, (6/10) You can read it for yourself in the summary, but I personally think that it was a bit clichè when you have aliens trying to take over the world and fighting with mecha, but there are a few points where it did have me quite interested. The Art, (8/10) Since this was from the studios of P.A, I expected alot, and I was not disappointed art wise. If you haven't heard of P.A Works, you've probably heard of anime they have made.I'm sure you have heard of Angel Beats! And Another, Charlotte, Nagi no Asukara.
And well, I personally thing Nagi no Asukara has the best art like, ever.
I have watched, out of their works, Angel Beats! Nagi no Asukara, Kuromukuro and HaruChika.
And Art-wise, Kuromukuro does not fall short.
The Sound, (8/10)
I personally enjoyed the songs, which were produced by Glay. And other songs of the anime by MICHI and Ami Wajima. For some reason the second ED makes me sad, but in a good way, (It was done by Ami Wajima) So I thoroughly enjoy them, and they are in my Itunes list.
The Characters, (5/10)
If you're like me, and you have watched the anime, you know you hate Kaya the camera dude and the school trio, they really are a downfall of the anime. And when the protaganist Yukina is not being saved from being kidnapped, she's whining. And the only people in the anime that have balls are Kennosuke, Sebastian, Borden, and Sophie, and the aliens.
The characters (I'm looking at you school trio) get in the way and become really annoying. They try to add slice of life in the anime when it does NOT belong.
MY OFFICIAL OPINION:
The Good,
I definitely liked the art, and music, and action, especially the action because unlike most mecha anime, most of the battle was done melee, which I really liked.
The BAD,
The story often got sidetracked, from the stupid school trio, and the ending, if there is not a another season, could be considered a crap ending.
So, why should YOU watch it?
Well, if you're a fan of P.A you can watch it, or if you actually want a mecha anime where they don't just fight with beams and blasts. If you are looking for an exceptional story with good plot development, this is not for you. Kuromukuro doesn't bring much into the "genre" of "Saving the world from aliens" if that is a genre.
So anyway, thank you for reading my review!
BanjoTheBear
(This review has been adapted from my blog/reddit thread. Spoilers ahead!) In Kuromukuro, Yukina’s mother forgets about her phone which ends up being the catalyst for the entire anime. I did something similar once. I used to own one of those dinky push-up cell phones that exposed a keyboard. I barely ever used it since I rarely reached out to anybody of my own volition, and it had no capacity for apps let alone the Internet. One day, I plugged it into the charger I kept in my bathroom (for whatever reason), and, in my infinite wisdom, I left it there – for three whole days. When Ifinally remembered to get it, I had more messages in my inbox than I had ever seen. Texts of the “Where are you?” variety from my cousins, siblings, and grandmother, and multiple missed calls from my parents wondering why I wasn’t picking up.
I later learned that my mother was ready to phone both my apartment complex and even the police to make sure I was safe since I was responding to literally nobody who contacted me. I apologized for my stupidity, and I promised never to do something so careless with my phone ever again.
Kuromukuro doesn’t get to make any more promises since it has officially finished, but its mistakes were more and grander than mine ever was.
STORY
Kuromukuro begins with Yukina, a high-school girl utterly unsure of what she wants to do or who she wants to be. Her teacher berates her, and her mother doesn’t provide much guidance, so she only wonders what the future has in store for her. However, when aliens invade Earth, a samurai named Kennosuke (Ken for short) reawakens, and she finds herself fighting them alongside him, Yukina must stop wondering and start pushing forward.
On a narrative level, Kuromukuro contains a plethora of problems that bog down almost anything it tries to do.
To be fair, it’s not all bad. In the first half or so, Ken is a newborn baby, shocked at the strange era he has been thrust into. He criticizes the girls for wearing “unbecoming” bathing suits (while occasionally, and understandably, sneaking a peek), and he almost believes that Yukina’s mother is a woman trapped inside a small “box.” Kuromukuro uses his ignorance mostly for comedic effect, but the bewilderment he brings rounds out the experience.
The anime also showcases a lot of robot fights. Thanks to Ken’s kuromukuro’s penchant for swords, many of the mech battles involve close-quarters combat that give the fights more immediacy than guns or projectiles ever could. Later, when multi-robot skirmishes, flying enemies, and giant behemoths enter the stage, the fights gain variety to prevent too much stagnation.
Kuromukuro even tackles a theme on freedom during its story. How the Efidolgs brainwash their enemies to use their bodies as puppets. Ken’s kuromukuro requiring two pilots. The space motif and the idea of being bound by one’s past.
Sadly, these three traits are not nearly enough to stop its numerous other problems from swamping itself.
One of the more apparent issues is where everything happens. Despite the entire Earth falling prey to the aliens and their invasion, the show rarely (if ever) depicts events happening elsewhere. Worse still, almost the whole story takes place in or around the research facility, preventing variance in its setting and amplifying the feeling of isolation even more.
Retrieving Ken’s kuromukuro, the existence of the important pivot stone beneath the building, and the fact that no other country has the technology to face the aliens are the show’s reasons as to why everything keeps happening within the same general area. Meaning, this isolation is excused somewhat.
Still, this story isn’t about a group of friends in school or a person trying to make it big in a city. Static settings in those scenarios make sense. Here, where the plot’s conflict is global (arguably galactic) in scale, the anime only serves to prevent its own conflict from growing to a level that befits the plight.
The conflict itself also has issues in that it never seems to really build towards anything. Ken doesn’t seem to know what he wants to do after he defeats all the ogres, and Yukina floats along as the second wheel that is barely turning.
In fact, the anime’s biggest conflict – ending the Efidolg once and for all – happens far and away, after the anime is done, and without ever being shown. It’s nice that Ken found a higher calling and that Yukina gained a more definitive path in life, even going full-circle with her “Mars” answer to her career prospects. But the whole situation reeks of too-little-too-late syndrome.
From here, Kuromukuro finds itself in even rougher territory – no matter where it turns.
Much of the science magic does not get explained. While perhaps unnecessary, the Artifacts, the weapons, and the alien technology are not given backing beyond the small snippets provided at the end of each episode which describe the machinery therein.
The huge reveals are too anticlimactic. The nature of Yukina’s father’s death fails to work because he never had any prominent scenes. The conclusion to the big bad guy that led the attack on Earth doesn’t matter because he sat on his throne for twenty episodes straight. And the outcome of Princess Yuki’s demise lacks weight because her head being used for cloning purposes gets oddly forgotten.
The show also tries to push a romance angle. Romance is the logical progression between Ken and Yukina given how the two ride the kuromukuro together and given how much time they spend around one another (at school, at home).
Unfortunately, it’s only a half-bloom since these two don’t have enough special, private moments together. They bicker, he drags her away from some pestering paparazzi, and he saves her life a couple of times, but their relationship never definitively takes that next step forward, making their final dramatic scene together in the sky less emotional than wanted. His offhand “confession,” that he will make her his wife, should be evidence enough.
The overt sexual scenes also have no place. Mika’s cosplays and Marina’s chest are technically not extreme in their lewdness. But, when the world is in danger of complete decimation, Shenmei massaging Yukina as she yelps in pain and pleasure fails to fit within the context of the story (no matter how titillating their girl-on-girl action may be).
Even how most of the facility turn on Ken, Zell, and Muetta when they literally saved the entire world was lame. After everything that had happened up to this point, it comes off as unnecessary drama in the lead up to the finale. A murky problem, like all the others, that the anime cannot escape from.
ANIMATION
Kuromukuro does not do anything too fancy with its visuals. P.A. Works’ typical style for its character designs persists. The forced static setting prevents variation in the background art. Lighting and cinematography do nothing noteworthy. Actual animation remains consistent with the occasional extra spark.
However, where the anime deserves praise is in its CG visuals. The robots never feel out of place within the environment, movements are not janky, and the CG elements appear much more frequently than what the average anime would include.
In fact, the CG art and animation were so strong at times that it felt as though this anime was the guinea pig to test, practice, or otherwise flex P.A. Works’ graphical skills and capabilities. If nothing else, the CG work is arguably the best trait of the entire show and stands as a good example of how to do it successfully.
CHARACTERS
Kuromukuro is, in some sense, a story about Ken and Yukina. The former finds himself in a weird world that wasn’t meant for him, the latter does not like this world she is in, and both struggle to discover their place within it.
Unfortunately, the anime includes too many extra characters for its own good. The male students and the teachers from the school. The doctor, engineers, and radar people from the facility. The other GAUS pilots. The handful of aliens invading the planet. Yukina’s family members.
Having a lot of cast members is not automatically a negative. What makes it a problem in Kuromukuro’s case is that the large number of extra characters simultaneously get in the way of Ken and Yukina’s own individual development and have very little given about them.
For example, Muetta, the Princess Yuki lookalike, is an enemy of Earth until she gets captured by the humans and has revealed to her the true nature of her origins as a clone of the princess. She acts as a mental block for Ken, and she has a personable moment where she feels that she “shouldn’t be here” (i.e., Earth) when speaking with Yukina in a wooden shed. But her involvement steals time away from Yukina and, come the end of the season, Muetta’s role and purpose was little more than helping to pilot the kuromukuro units.
Many of the side characters either fulfill a singular role or do so little that it’s a wonder why they were there in the first place. Paula and Giro are the main technicians for Ken’s kuromukuro. Jundai live streams everything on the Internet to let the rest of the world know what’s going on. Marina acts as an “adviser” for the students when necessary.
Some of the side characters are even worse off, holding relative importance but never quite fulfilling their duty. Hiormi, Yukina’s mother, maintains this insincere-but-actually-sincere relationship with her daughter that doesn’t receive a clean resolution. The Efidolgs have weak personalities and even weaker backgrounds, turning them into narratively worthless enemies. And Princess Yuki, despite how much she has (directly and indirectly) influenced Ken, does not get the proper flashback treatment she deserves.
Yet the worst offender is a side character whose “role” and “importance” are poorly planned: Zell. In essence, Zell is just a giant plot convenience, often used to provide swathing segments of exposition to explain the secrets of the enemy and the past whenever and wherever the anime feels like it. The anime attempts to write off why he never approached anybody for the previous 450 years by saying people, on sight, were either afraid of him or wanted to kill him. But that’s quite the flimsy excuse – especially when total world destruction is on the line.
Sophie is arguably the only side character that receives extra attention that ends up meaningful. In the first half of the season, Sophie is the ace pilot whose calm demeanor highlights her maturity. In the second half, though, the surrounding threats cause her (never-shown) parents to ask for her removal from the GAUS program, fearing for her safety. She feels conflicted over whether she should obey the orders of her parents and high command, but, eventually, she steels herself thanks to Ken’s words and reaffirming her samurai code.
Even in this dissection, Ken and Yukina have been sidelined thanks to the side characters. Nevertheless, these two have their challenges that they must overcome as the main protagonists.
Ken, once a samurai of a time long gone, arrives in the modern era through coincidental fashion. Upon his reawakening, he believes Yukina to be his long-lost princess and vows to eliminate any and all ogres before him. While he soon realizes that Yukina is not the woman he originally swore loyalty to, he upholds his second promise, destroying the “ogres” with strength and ease.
Much of his character revolves around his endgame. That is, when he accomplishes his goal, what does he plan to do? Initially, he simply wanted to meet his princess in the afterlife. However, after Yukina’s refusal to play along with Ken’s suicidal wish, he shifts his mindset, promising now instead to fight and live rather than fight until nothing remained.
All the while, he becomes accustomed to the oddities of this period, like new foods and cars (or “horses” to him). He appears to be acclimating, but he still ponders what occurred to make his current situation happen. Fusunani, the captured Efidolg that Ken cuts down, reminds him of someone from his past, but Muetta’s arrival shakes his core. Her stark resemblance to Princess Yuki messes with Ken, conflicting his sense of loyalty as he tries to protect both Yukina and Muetta.
Thankfully, Ken never fully wavers. He saves Yukina from abduction, defeats the Efidolg menace on Earth, and chases after their main fleet to stop them once and for all.
As for Yukina, she followed a somewhat similar path to Ken. In the beginning, she does not know what she wants to do later in life. She’s not the best at school, she doesn’t pursue any interesting hobbies (besides aqueducts), and those around her aren’t giving her the clearest of guidance.
When Ken arrives and puts her on his kuromukuro, though, she finds herself contributing towards something she knows she definitely wants no part of. Riding his kuromukuro not only scares her but also forces her to see death and destruction on a level that she cannot handle.
But what gets to her the most is how nobody, not even her mother (who slaps her), seems to understand where she is coming from. All she wants is less ordering and more gratefulness. Ken complies, asking rather than demanding for her help, so she musters her courage to fight alongside him.
Thus, she starts to gain more confidence. She trains hard during their summer vacation (both mentally and physically). She does what she can to save herself while abducted. And she even goes so far as to latch onto Ken’s kuromukuro to go with him across the galaxy. While this last action fails, it proves that she has finally discovered what she wants to do: be by Ken’s side. (And, in a kind move, the epilogue depicts Yukina getting just that chance.)
Looking at Ken and Yukina more closely, they aren’t the strongest of characters. Ken remains mostly the same for the entire twenty-six-episode run, and Yukina doesn’t play as big of a part in the second half as Muetta, the other side characters, and the action-filled plot in general take over.
Nonetheless, they and the rest of the cast do manage to explore the same theme as its narrative: freedom.
Freedom plays a big role in the arcs of Ken, Yukina, and Muetta. Ken has devout loyalty to the princess, so his freedom is somewhat limited. Yukina had the freedom to do whatever she wanted, but was unsure of what to choose. Muetta had no freedom whatsoever, making her a (unknown to her) slave to the group she followed.
As the anime progresses, their freedom gets explored. Ken realizes that it’s not about doing it for the princess but whether he himself wants to. Yukina doesn’t seem to have the freedom to choose if she wants to take part in the fights or not, and, by the end of the series, she freely chooses to chase after Ken. Muetta gains her freedom, doesn’t see a spot for her on Earth, and goes instead to fight the Efidolgs with Ken of her own accord.
A couple of the side characters explore freedom, too. Sophie’s freedom gets constricted by her parents and the facility as she fights to fight. And Ryouto, the teenage boy who is smitten with Yukina, doesn’t let his limitations keep him down, fighting to keep Yukina’s freedom intact as he does what he can to be a better person.
While nothing extensive, this theme on freedom at least holds ties to the story at large. Plus, it helps to make up for a lot of shortcomings in Ken and Yukina’s characters as well as the other cast members doing little else besides getting in the way.
SOUND
Although the anime does not provide any notable voice-acting performances, it does include a few interesting musical selections.
For instance, the first opening track, near its beginning, sees the guitar striking clear notes and fast playing as the vocalist sings quietly in the background and loudly at the forefront. Unfortunately, the second half becomes a bit too docile due to the inclusion of a piano, hurting the more battle-hardened tone that the first half setup.
In comparison, the second opening track may sound quite similar to the first, but it changes its tune enough to be distinguishable. Especially in the middle of the piece where the short guitar riff combines with the background choir to introduce a sense of foreboding that fits the second half of the season nicely enough. Afterwards, the “battling” vocalists and the final pairing of guitar and singing end the piece strongly, giving it the distinction as the better of the two OPs offered.
On the opposite side of the episodes, the first ending track does not root itself in guitar but rather techno effects and beats to match the futuristic motif of Kuromukuro itself. Orchestral instruments, like piano and violin, also help to give it a softer feel.
The second ending track starts off soft and slow but quickly gets into its pop-rock structure. Yet the piece is so bland that it is hard to even remember what it sounded like let alone which anime it came from. In short, it’s easily the worst among the other openers and closers.
As for the original soundtrack, it switches it up where it can. A samurai-inspired tune is used when Ken shows off his new “underwear.” A mystery-laced piece with plucked strings plus otherworldly sounds follows Yukina as she leads Ken to a “castle.” And a brooding, ambient track accompanies those tense moments like when the UN members interrogate the “captured” Fusunani.
Yet it’s the battle music that stands out. Trumpets, male choirs, and flourishes make the fights more engaging, adding emotional weight through its more involved composition.
ENJOYMENT
This anime didn’t do it for me.
The romance is the only aspect that I found consistently fun. For, while it may have been sloppily put together, Ken and Yukina’s bickering and their shyness was still entertaining due to how much I adore anything romantic.
The occasional cute reactions from Yukina, Marina’s heartfelt attempts at helping her students, and Ken trying to cope with technology each had me smiling. But these scenes weren’t exactly major or even that memorable.
However, I must give credit where credit is due. Ken provides one of the best replies possible to a mean dude on the Yahoo-answers-esque forum: “Tomiko, commit seppuku and die.” I laughed quite loudly at Ken’s nonchalant response and how fitting it was given his samurai self.
If I had to choose a favorite character, I would pick Kojo. He had almost zero scenes, but that white-furred ferret can ride a Roomba like no other.
Otherwise, I was never at all invested. The fights were okay yet never enthralling (but they at least weren’t just shootouts). The drama and the crying and the tension didn’t get me worked up. And, when all was said and done, I didn’t feel as though I got anything out of it. A boring outing for most of its run.
Kuromukuro survives the invasion but at too much of a cost. While the CG art stands tall, and the opening tracks provide a solid listen, the problematic story and the unimportant characters make this an anime worth forgetting about for more than just three days straight.
SUMMARY
Story: Terrible, a strangely isolated setting, an uninteresting central conflict, unexplained science, anticlimactic moments, weak romance, overt sexuality, and unnecessary drama bog down the familiarity contrast, the action, and the theme on freedom
Animation: Fine, while much of the artistry does not do anything fancy, the strong CG work arguably stands as a definitive highlight
Characters: Bad, too many pointless side characters impede Ken and Yukina’s individual development, but the continued theme on freedom keeps them from being a total loss
Sound: Fine, okay first OP, good second OP, okay first ED, bad second ED, okay OST, and average VA performances
Enjoyment: Bad, bickering, seppuku, and ferrets made for most of the entertainment
Final Score: 3/10
gcsao
This is my first review but i'll try my best. I first heard of kuromukuro from a friend of mine and he described it to me this way "A samurai dude comes from the past and kills these mecha called Ogres while piloting another mecha". Hearing this i didnt expect much but when i started it i really liked the first 2 episodes and had really high expectations, and maybe because of that there were things that i didnt like after watching all of it. The story even if there's the whole alien mecha cliche had some original plot like the mc being samurai from thesengoku era that was sleeping inside an "Artifact".
The sound and art were really good and was way better than most anime out there.
Now comes the part i really hated, the characters, some of them were really annoying and pretty dull. One that i really hated was Ryoto Akagi, the writing for him was really lacking and that made him the stereotyipical "i love the mc but will never get together with her" and this was seen since the beggining.He tries to act tough or say that he'll defend her without any apparent reason shown in the anime, the only reason that we see is that he "likes" her.Another one is the female mc Shirahane, what i didnt like about her is that the anime makes it seem that she's important to be kennosuke's navigator but that's not really true, and we can see this in the 9th episode (i think?) where kennosuke tells her that he can pilot even without her (and, this is what i think, couldnt there be another navigator because first there was the hime and now shirahane, so why not another?), so why write her as being scared and not wanting to pilot and then instantly 1 episode later make her change idea even if she didnt have to?
This was just a try to make the character seem more deep then it really is.
Oh, almost forgot, she explicitly says, by her mouth, that she didn't want to be born from her father, just because some elementary or middle school (i dont remember specifically) called her a liar.Well, so much for family bonds.
Kennosuke was alright, a loyal samurai that after finishing his mission wanted to commit seppuku for his master (at least at the beggining).
Ill just finish with this last one, Jundai. Boy oh boy now this is a pretty dumb one. This guy loves to stream and videotape stuff, and now that these aliens came to earth he literally kamikaze's his way through military area to film the Ogres fighting, and the military does literally NOTHING TO STOP MILITARY INFORMATION FROM LEAKING.
Well overall a good anime and people may find it better than i did, since characters are mostly about opinions, but i would give it a 7.
Could have been better with a little bit of tweaking.
(If you find any info missing or wrong pls pm me,Its been a while since i saw this anime and i couldn't find some info on the net.)
Panda1919
This anime was very entertaining, and the character development was relatively well done. I found about one-third of the characters to be interesting, but I found myself really disappointed with the story and plot. So many things were left answered, and several events in the story seemed far too convenient to be believable; it was just random at times, and I got lost partway through it all due to the lack of explanation and good story-telling. Don't get me wrong. Kuromukuro was not awful by any stretch of the imagination; it simply lacked a well-written and detailed story, in my personal opinion.
CodeCypheur
GIVE ME SEASON 2!!!!!!!!! Now that I've shouted that into the void - Kuromukuro is a rarity in the mecha genre. It's a simple show about humans in mechs fighting aliens in mechs. It quite literally doesn't get more complicated than that? It doesn't try to be anything else; it knows it's story and sticks with it, it doesn't get itself lost in trying to be a pretentious Eva knock off. Starting with my favourite aspect of the show - the characters. Ken is the star - he struggles with his identity and purpose, a theme which is echoed from many of the characters. His circumstances change rapidlythroughout the series and each time it forces him to reevaluate his goals and values.
Yukina is meant to be the star alongside Ken but let's be real - she's an audience self-insert. She's your typical timid, clumsy female mc, but it would be a diservice to say she doesn't have her own arc. She struggles with her own purpose in life, starting very much as a lost character with little guidance. But when Ken is introduced, she truly begins to shine.
Ken stands on his own as a character, Yukina helps to bring out his development - challenge his values and force him to rethink his goals. Their dynamic is genuinely so adorable, I don't know what other words to use to describe it but it's one of those that had me giggling n kicking my feet pretty much everytime they were on screen together. They compliment each other so well.
Almost every side character was fleshed out, and had their own struggles which were given enough time to flesh out through their own mini-arcs. Considering how big the cast was, it's a feat the studio successfully accomplished in making each character convey the themes of the show.
I'm now going to dedicate an entire paragraph to quite literally the only reason why I capped my rating at 7. Marina. This character could have been removed and the show would instantly be better...AND THE STORY WOULD BE EXACTLY THE SAME! She serves literally 0 purpose other than being an of-age fanservice pony. I have such a deep hatred for her it genuinely makes me so viscerally angry to think she was literally only included for that???? I hate her character, I need an option to add most hated characters onto my profile so she can be right there, she's literally the only character that has made me feel this way, she was just a completely unnecessary add-on that ruined every single scene she was in.
Anyway back to reviewing, continuing with the negatives: The facilities security.
**SLIGHT SPOILERS FOR THE FACILITY SETTING AND TREATMENT OF CHARACTERS**
This has been mentioned in many reviews so I won't say that much, but you really have to rely on suspension of disbelief when watching a lot of the scenes in the facility regarding how the 'prisoners' are treated. They're escorted from place to place with only two guards and their hands bound? In what world would that be acceptable security measures? Obviously they have to dumb it down so the plot can progress but it gets a bit tiring when the security measures fail again and again, and are so lackluster in what is meant to be a state-of-the-art facility that holds such magnanimously important objects. It makes it feel like it was run by children, makes the leaders seem stupid and dumbs down any feeling of it being an important location.
A more personal gripe I have is with the tone. It never goes down a dark path - despite having everything it needs to do so. It stays safe the entire time. I believe this is to the shows detriment as it holds it back from ever really saying something. This whole point does pretty much contradict my entire first point, but it's still something I wanted to mention in case anyone was expecting something along the lines of Eva, Terror in Resonance or Erased in terms of a deep or serious tone/messaging.
Back to positives as my reviews have to get at least one confusing vote or else I'll feel I would have failed to touch all bases:
Quick firing the generics:
- CG was good, not amazing but definitely very good for 2016 and probably the best I've seen in comparison to all I've watched previously
- Art was fine, standard style synonymous with anime
- Music was great, not amazing but enough for me to add it to my spotify list of songs in animes - both OP's AND ED's, which is a feat as I rarely deem ED's memorable
Overall I recommend people to give this a try, it's an easy watch - 26 episodes long so not too much of a commitment, even if it's on in the background it's easy to digest. I class it as a romance because the MC's chemistry beats MC's from actual romance anime's I've watch, the fighting was great so it's got a bit of something for everyone. It made me stare at my TV at a loss when it finished because it's 8 years old with no sign of another season and now I have no idea what to watch that's going to live up to the mc's dynamic. Did I mention I love the MC's dynamic???
Give us a season 3. Thank you.
txkaneki
At first, I was reluctant on watching a show with samurai and robots.... However, the conjunction of these polar themes make Kuromukuro worthwhile. The plot is original and is perfectly paced. The main characters aren't the recyclable mainstream anime characters and the show doesn't force the idea of romance between the two. The show also doesn't start off at the discouraging, slow pace found in many anime shows. I didn't believe that the show would be as good as it was. I can't even describe what is so great about it. Kuromukuro is just a show you have to take a chance on.
tennyson119
Kuromukuro, aside from being a really solid mecha showing, is fascinating for how it takes up a lot of the tropes thrown down by Neon Genesis Evangelion and Vision of Escaflowne, and totally makes them its own. In the first episodes it seems like it will be a cliché storm, but by the halfway mark it really comes into its own. This is a giant robot show for our times. There is a lot to like in this show, starting with production values. There’s a lot of great design here, from the mechas, which come in all shapes and sizes; to the characters, who do too.There’s a lot of CG, but it’s pretty well integrated with the regular animation, and there are both exciting robot-to-robot throwdowns as well as a couple of swordfights.
The story was complex, with a lot of moving parts and evolving revelations, some of which are never definitively concluded. This seems to be a theme in this series: You can’t know everything for sure; you can only take the information you have and act in good faith. Pacing is sometimes a little off, but never totally debilitates the show. Salient variables in the plot include ancient legends, a disappeared dad, Kennosuke’s loyalty to a 450-years-dead princess, aliens, and loss of innocence. And despite the more fantastical elements, when it comes down to it our protagonists are just two young people trying to figure out how to survive in a turbulent world where pretty much anything can be lost.
Characterization is where Kuromukuro most reminds me of Escaflowne. We have the brash warrior boy and the timid schoolgirl as our main protagonists. But this familiar dynamic is cleverly tweaked. Kennosuke is a young samurai who falls out of suspended animation completely naked (which is the opposite of what generally happens in anime: usually it’s the girl who comes in with no clothes on) right in front of Yukina, a hapless everygirl whose mother happens to be director of the paramilitary Kurobe Lab and whose father disappeared in a plot-related event eight years prior. Kennosuke is a great fighter and a seasoned soldier, but Yukina is the one who understands how the modern world works as well as being more emotionally mature. So while he definitely gets more action sequences than she does, she is openly confrontational with him in a way that serves to dovetail their character development. They have actual conversations instead of pretty-sounding exchanges. It is clear that they have a sense of companionship before they ever have a sense of romance, which really works to the series’ benefit. (And she does toughen up, in a realistic but gratifying way.)
The supporting cast is well-realized: some are more flat as characters than others, but their thoughts and actions work to theme and in some cases become compelling in their own right. There is definitely a flavor of NGE in regards to Yukina and Kennosuke’s classmates, but it’s not a bad thing. They do here what I wish Saji Crossroad had been used for in Gundam 00: their simpler concerns act as a foil and a sounding board to the protagonists’ more violent conflict. It’s a great emotional storytelling device. (Also, I really really liked the bombastic and foul-mouthed asshole American Marine who, in combat, repeatedly threatens to “shove this .50 mm right up your ass!”)
There is some fanservice, notably when one female character gives another a massage. But there’s no male gaze and the female mecha pilots’ uniforms are respectably formfitting instead of painted on. I should note, for the ladies, that Kennosuke's physique is glorious throughout.
In conclusion, I say if you like some realistic character drama with your mecha, then this is the show for you. If Escaflowne flicked your Bic, odds are good that Kuromukuro will too. Both leads are complex and relatable, and the story has a lot of twists and turns. At the very least it’s worth the three-episode test.
P.S. PA Works had Man at Arms forge Kennosuke’s katana here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q598DP27tGA. It’s worth a watch even if you don’t pick up the show, because they use traditional Japanese swordsmithing methods to make a truly beautiful blade.
flyinggumm
the main characters i think started out a bit cliche-y and they still felt a bit cliche-y by the end. just their relationship had improved from arguing a lot to implied romantic interests. everyone else though…not so much. the characters are a bit boring and the ones that seem interesting don’t get as much development as i thought they would get. still better than nothing. this series was interesting enough to make me keep questioning things but still able to predict how things would go. overall, it is a bit predictable and trope-y and normally i would give this kind of average anime a 7 rating,but the animation was incredibly beautiful and constant. there was cgi use but it was only for the robot fights, which i think helps. and it’s only the robots so it’s not too jarring like say, berserk, which was all cgi.
so i would recommend this if you like 1) action animes with mechas, 2) have a netflix account and want to see non-cgi netflix original anime (looking at you aijin and sidonia), and 3) if you have time to kill. don’t watch it and expect a masterpiece or a complete ending, as it’s a cliffhanger. despite its average-ness, i’m still interested enough to ask when the next season comes out.
MarcusB
I gotta say, Kuromukuro surprised me a little bit, especially in the last episodes. I really enjoyed the conclusion they gave to the story, which, normally, it's one of the most difficult things to make. So, in general, I think it's an OK anime. There are several things that make me have the feeling of watching an "imitation" of Neon Genesis Evangelion. I'm not a big fan NGE fan, but one of the things I really like about it, is the psychological genre. And that's exactly one of the NGE characteristics that aren't present on Kuromukuro. The comedy side also felt forced and unnecessary in manyepisodes.
The story is just more of the same. Not bad, alright, but also it ain't innovative. Aliens coming out of nowhere fighting humans controlling giant robots, basically, that's it, in the first episodes, at least. Later it's added to the story the existence of a nation that's trying to control the universe, also a concept that ain't new in the pop culture. Maybe the most innovative and bizarre element is the fact that one of the main characters is a samurai that had been "sleeping" for a long time.
Also, there wasn't a character that I really enjoyed to see. And I couldn't stop thinking about some similarities, again, with NGE, like the main character being daughter of the director and the initial refuse to pilot the robot. There's also the fanatic one about technologies and robots that doesn't care about putting his life in danger, whether he can see or record the battles.
The technical aspects, like the soundtrack and the art aren't great, but also don't disappoint. In fact, in some episodes, like 24, there are some really good action scenes.
So, it's an OK anime that fails in some aspects, but people who like mecha animes, like myself, involving aliens, samurais, etc, will probably enjoy watching it!
Story (6); Art (8); Sound (7); Character (5); Enjoyment (7);
Overall (7).
