The year is 1274. After conquering most of the known world, the Mongols turn their sights on Japan and their first step on the road to a full invasion of the mainland is taking Tsushima Island. Kuchii Jinzaburou and a group exiles are sent by the Kamakura Shogunate to the island at the request of Princess Teruhi. There they will face overwhelming odds and the fate of Tsushima will be decided!
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Stark700
Representing a historical fiction of war and cruelty, I decided to watch Angolmois with one goal in mind: to embrace a war story and accept exactly for what this show is. To my pleasant surprise, Angolmois not only succeeded in bringing a war story to life but also reminds me that we need more creative shows like this in our generation. I’m not going to lie, shows with a historical genre tag isn’t really my cup of tea. I’m more used to the traditional live action style of historical storytelling than those made into anime medium. Still, there’s something exceptionally intriguing about this series. Angolmois: GenkouKassenki (also known as Angolmois: Record of Mongol Invasion) sounds about as straightforward as it gets. Taking place during the 13th century, it deals with a war drama as the Mongolian Empire makes their presence in the world. Japan became a target of this almighty empire and thus begins the Mongolian Invasion.
Angolmois has confidence to be its own story. It takes a realistic approach at historical fiction with the war themes as the first episode introduces us to a variety of characters, the setting, and the plot. The show reveals a group of exiles on their way to Tsushima Island. We are introduced to Kuchii Jinzaburou, a swordsman and former trainer of the Kamakura Shogunate. As a former prisoner of Hakozaki, he also saves Chou Minpuku, another exile. My impression of just the first 10 minutes of the series made me realize that Jinzaburou is not ordinary man. He’s more of a daredevil hero who isn’t afraid of taking action or holding back. After arriving on the island, the exiles are given the task of defending it from Mongols. Joining them also include a former pirate named Onitakemaru, former noble Shirashi Kazuhisa, among others. Due to such a pilot episode, it felt like Angolmois may be taking the risk of jumping the gun too fast. However, I would also mention that by doing so, it had me intrigued at just how far these characters will be able to carry their roles.
At the centerpiece of the cast is Jinzaburou. I already mentioned that he isn’t a traditional protagonist but more of a thriller seeker. He enjoys the sheer thrill of the fight even though he’s not a malevolent person. Thanks to his samurai experience and swordsman skills, he is able to hold his own against powerful foes. What’s important is to realize that Jinzaburou also possesses leadership skills. This is a man that plays with calculated strategies, tricks, and gambling circumstances into his plans. While he’s not a master strategist, I came to realize that the show gave him a balance of brain and brawn. He has a somewhat creative mind and isn’t afraid to express his feelings. Thanks to some help with his allies, he is able to accomplish some near impossible feats including being able to defend against the Mongols. Other characters in the series vary a bit more such as Onitakemaru who acts more as the pure muscle with his large size and strength. The princess of Sou Clan, Teruhi also shows talent in archery as part of the group. At first glance, I wasn’t too impressed by her character as she played the role of a generic princess. However, my stance changed once I saw her courage. In one particular episode, she takes a bullet for the team and protects someone from an assassination. Not only did this impress me but it also established her as genuine heroine who puts others before herself. Still, the show puts her in an awkward position at times. It became obvious that she has a girly crush on Jinzaburou and the show doesn’t do a clever job at exploring their relationship. Needless to say but I’ll say it anyways, this anime does not work well with relationship building.
This is because war is essentially death. It’s simple as that really. People are going to die and there are even foreshadowing of this (for instance, the ED theme song). The anime doesn’t fool around with character deaths either and some are rather violent. This came to me as a positive in the show as it continues to demonstrate the reality of war. Blood is spilled, body parts are scattered, and even heads comes off from necks. If you’re not prepared, then be ready to turn back. I should also mention to not get overly attached to certain characters in the series because not everyone will make it. Or even, there are betrayals in this show. That’s right. The character cast are humans so everyone has their own will to commit sins. On the other hand, I wish the series committed more time to develop the antagonists. There’s much more emphasis on the main characters than the antagonists. While this makes sense, I would’ve appreciated if the anime made me care about the Mongols more than just their reputation. It seems at times, they look like fools who falls under obvious traps. On the other hand, I am satisfied by how this series makes me hate them as the villains. Some of their roles includes abducting families and committing atrocities just to prove their reputation. As such, I often rooted for Jinzaburou and his comrades. There are also some moments in the series where characters go down fighting to the last breath. And that really paints how far characters are motivated to defend their honor.
A show like Angolmois really has a distinctive style from its visual and production. The action scenes is bloody with realistic body movements. There’s an abundance of violence that convinced me this as a war story. Speaking of war, the character designs looked cruel but also dynamic. Most of the main cast are dressed like warriors while characters such as Teruhi gave me a strong action heroine impression. The one person that stands out most would still be Jinzaburou. His expressions during fighting is exceptionally real and some of his body features represents his character. (more evident being a visible scar on his face) The setting also gives a vivid look of these old times with the historical buildings and landscapes. Even during some static scenes, it paints the show like a work of art.
If you want a show like this to be realistic, you’d need a talented voice cast. Thankfully, characters like Jinzaburou represents a warrior with his masculinity when he speaks. The exiles in the series prove themselves as independent characters striving to be free. Their voice expresses their feelings when fighting and it’s definitely not an understatement. The theme songs in the series are also refreshingly beautiful. I don’t see people talking about it often but “Braver” by Starightener sounds so smoothing to the ears. It’s one of those theme songs that fits perfectly for this historical fiction. Likewise, I’m also more than impressed by the soundtrack being able to keep up with the fighting action at all times.
I said it before but I’ll say it again. I decided to watch Angolmois for exactly what it is and thankfully, that’s what I got. It’s a story that meets expectations of being realistic and showing the cruelty of war. Even as predictable as the plot gets at times, I felt that the anime was able to keep me at the edge of my seat. War has consequences and we got Angolmois to prove that. Against all odds, this is an anime that knew what it was doing and what the audience wanted.
Shingster
Please note this review is intended to be read by those that have finished watching Angolmois and while care has been taken to minimize story related spoilers there may still be spoilers within character analysis. You have been warned. Based off a popular manga of the same name Angolmois Genkou Kassenki is an action, military and historical anime that gives us the unique opportunity to go back in time and see the events that transpired during the standout moment that serves as the series main premise which was the first Mongol invasion of Japan which took place in the year 1274 and the attempts byits defenders to hold the line against impossible odds. While military and actioned themed anime are relatively common within the anime industry as shown in brilliant series like the Gate and Valkrie chronicles series that featured a true historical event as its main premise is something of a rarity and indeed this is the first time I seen an anime that made use of this. As a fan of not just the genre’s but also of the samurai as well I was drawn to the anime after reading through the summary of the anime’s plot and was impressed enough to add it to my watch list for this season. The first episode of the series made a pretty good impression on me as it not only introduced the unique characters that would later take center stage in the war but also the unique setting that existed in that time period both of which served to motivate me to watch the series to the very end a move that I felt was now worth it.
Taking place on the island of Tsushima in the year 1274 in a land far removed from the bloodshed and fierce battles that had taken place on the mainland. Here rather than match wits against each other and fight against each other on the fields of battle for things like honor, glory and wealth the people of Tsushima island exist in a simple peaceful society one where the people only worry about whether their next harvests and fishing fleets will be able to find enough food to survive another week and one where conflict is tightly controlled by its ruling clan the So clan. However unknown to the general population this peace is about to be shattered for a large threat that’s akin to an invasion from one of the sengoku’s periods greatest warlords was approaching in the form of a vast invasion fleet from the newly awakened Mongol empire that’s determined to make Tsushima the first step in its eventual invasion of Japan.
The overall story for the series using this setting as its canvas follows a group of samurai that thanks to the peace that now reigns within Japan was released from their imprisonment and sent to Tsushima island as exiles never to return from there. Among their number was Kuchii Jinzaburo a veteran samurai and a former retainer of the Kamakura shogunate who while accepting his fate still aspires to one day be able to return to his homeland and reunite with his family. But rather than being exiled to a remote location and to live out an existence far from people Kuchii and his fellow exiles soon find themselves placed once more on the frontlines as the Mongols begin their invasion of the island. As the armies of the island’s reigning Sol clan are decimated and as the Mongols advance into the heart of the island Kuchii reawakens within him a sense of determination that he had thought forgotten a determination to not just protect the innocents but also to fight against worthy foes. Taking up the signature samurai armour and katana that symbolises his old role once more Kuchii begins to once more become not just a samurai but a leader as well as he begins to orchestrate the desperate resistance of the island’s inhabitants and protect them from the Mongols by giving them their first taste of something that they have not encountered until now which is defeat.
Joining Kuchii in this desperate defence of the island is the island’s sole remaining representative the kind but determined Princess Teruhi that despite being a princess is a capable fighter that’s both brave and cunning and while not close to Kuchii’s fighting abilities more than makes up for it in her ability to inspire loyalty and determination within her people. Together these two along with their allies would fight hard to stop the Mongols and protect the island’s inhabitants and buy time for the mainland to ready their defenses.
Kuchii Jinzaburo
Kuchii Jinzaburo voiced by veteran voice actor Yuuki Ono of Food Wars and Strike the Blood fame is one of the main characters of the series and is the main protagonist of the series. A former retainer of the Kamakura shogunate that was exiled to the island as a result of the advent of peace on the mainland Kuchii from the onset was shown to be someone that was quiet, level-headed and calm and while his manner of speech was rather direct he was someone that was honorable and knew when to rein this nature in. An intelligent and rational person by nature Kuchii was someone that was noted to be quite perceptive able to both sense and see the subtle shifts of people’s behavior quite easily a trait that is no doubt born from his long career as a samurai. However while a quiet person Kuchii was someone that was noted to have a strong sense of duty and responsibility and while initially not interested in helping the Islanders in their defence soon changed as his mind as he began to realize that the Islanders just like the people back in homeland are innocents that were caught in the middle of a war that they didn’t want and as a result decided to do his best to protect them. While somewhat brooding and difficult to approach by many it can be seen that beneath this Kuchii is someone that’s not just kind and caring towards his friends and allies but also understanding, confident and inspirational traits that are bolstered by Kuchii’s natural sense of perception which enables him to easily notice and understand the key reasons that his men are fighting for and inspire them by using these very reasons. Unlike most other samurai who would prefer to take to the field at once and face the enemy on the field with all their might and skill Kuchii was someone that can be seen to something of a rarity in that he prefers to gather info on his enemies first and determine not just their tactics but also their ideology and motivations before making a decision on his actions which shows that while Kuchii was a capable samurai he was also a capable strategist as well that looks at the long view something that will be crucial for a sustained defensive war.
As the series goes on and as Kuchii’s personality is gradually expanded upon his personality starts to change as we get to see the effects that the war has on him. After the destruction of much of the Sol clan’s forces in the initial defense command of the defensive war was soon passed to Kuchii a role that while he excelled at was also one that placed a heavy burden on him. While possessing boundless amounts of confidence Kuchii was someone that respected the soldiers that served him a great deal seeing them as brothers in arms and as a result he is someone that will remember the deeds and names of each of them that died under his command and use this as a source of his courage something that I felt really matched the idea of a compassionate samurai that the character of Kuchii was modeled as. Unlike the islanders who have a valid reason to fight as they are fighting to protect their homes and also for justice for loved ones that were killed by the Mongols Kuchii, in the beginning, did not have a valid reason for taking up the katana once more a reason that some of his fellow exiles ridicule him over.
Indeed, while Kuchii does not fight for their homes or for justice as neither were things that he had to concern over when fighting in the bloody battles on the mainland he does, however, believe that one must not surrender to their fate and instead if you want to be able to live you must live your life your way and defy fate by standing up and fighting against it. It is this fierce sense of wanting to defy fate that Kuchii fights so hard and why he is able to inspire such loyalty among his fellow defenders something that I felt matched well with his inspirational nature. The character of Kuchii I felt was a character that was both well designed and developed with his evolution from a quiet, blunt and brooding ex-samurai to one that was kind, understanding and inspirational being particularly interesting. The evolution from an exile and a former samurai to becoming both the field commander and the savior of Tsushima island and its people was something that I really liked about the character of Kuchii. I felt that his voice actor Yuuki Ono really did an excellent job at portraying the character of Kuchii.
Teruhi
Teruhi voiced by veteran seiyuu Lynn of Fuuka and ElDLIVE fame is one of the main characters of the series and is one of Kuchii’s main allies within the series. A 17-year-old-year-old girl and the only daughter of the ruler of Tsushima island and patriarch of the Sol clan Sukekuni So Teruhi is one of the first people that receive and welcome the exiles and Kuchii to the island. From the onset, it can be seen that Teruhi despite being a princess and the sole daughter of the island’s reigning clan is someone that’s kind, compassionate and dutiful and was seen to have great pride as a member of that clan. Unlike most princesses, Teruhi was shown to be a caring and responsible person that treated all with humility and respect and as a result, had the loyalty and respect from much of the island’s inhabitants. However, while kind and compassionate Teruhi was also someone that was both intelligent, perceptive and cunning and was one of the first to realize that the upcoming Mongol invasion will be something that will be difficult to stop without help which resulted in her enlisting of the help of the exiles despite the risks that can be born from it. At the beginning of the series while shown as intelligent, calm, determined and cunning it can be seen that this is only what she projects on the surface for beneath this it can be seen that Teruhi is someone that’s emotionally fragile and is one that dislikes fighting and killing and as a result of the coming storm worries greatly about her home and her friends. A realization that unfortunately turned out to be true for her.
As the series progressed and as the war began to slowly turn against the defenders Teruhi’s personality gradually began to change. At the beginning of the series though very determined to be of use to both her clan and the people of the island Teruhi due to her father’s wishes was prevented from taking to the field. However, after his death and Teruhi succeeding the role as clan leader this barrier was removed and Teruhi began to take to the field and fight on the frontlines in order to protect her people. At the beginning of the series, Teruhi due to her position as a princess was someone that was noted to have a strong sense of pride that also caused her to develop a degree of overconfidence in her traits that often caused Kuchii and the defensive effort more trouble than needed. However, as a result of successive tragedies that created a heavy emotional toll on Teruhi this side of her gradually vanishes as the series went on and is replaced by a sense of not just a determination to learn how to fight effectively but also instilled within her the realization that they cannot fight this threat alone any longer and that maybe its time to ask for help rather than being stubborn about it if she wants to be able to protect the people that she so values. This latter point is seen in the humility that she displays when seeking to ask for the assistance of the Toribarai.
At the beginning of the series, Teruhi and Kuchii had a rather tense first meeting due to her intention to make use of the exiles as soldiers in her desire to use them to protect the island from harm. As a result of this relations between the two were rather tense but as the series went on and Teruhi bore witness to not just Kuchii’s skills as a warrior but also his ability to not just inspire others but also come up with creative strategy and tactics that dealt with the Mongols in devastating ways this view gradually changed as Teruhi began to realize that he was exactly the type of person that they needed. Arguably one of the central reasons that caused Teruhi to change her opinion on Kuchii was that unlike what his usual gruff and brooding attitude would have suggested Kuchii was someone that was not just kind but also understanding of the plights of others a type of person that Teruhi had only seen rarely and contributed to her gradual bonding with him. At the same time, he was also one of the first people that defied her orders something that Teruhi paid him back within the series by insisting on joining him in battle and in the process not just keeping an eye on him but also gaining valuable insight into how battles are fought and how effective use of tactics can level the playing field even against overwhelming force skills that proved to be useful as the series progressed.
The character of Teruhi I felt was an interesting one that was both well designed and developed with her evolution from a prideful but surprisingly fragile princess to one that was not just brave and determined but also more humble being one of the best aspects of her character. Seeing Teruhi not just overcome her initial fear of killing and combat but also be willing to fight on the very frontlines and learn to use the tactics and teachings that she learned from Kuchii to protect those that she cares about was something that I thought was really well done. I thought that her seiyuu Lynn did an excellent job at portraying the character of Teruhi.
AMV
In terms of animation, I felt that the character designs for the series main characters were really well done and I felt that the outfits that were worn by the cast matched well with the time period that the series made use of. In particular, I felt that the outfits that were worn by both the nobles and retainers like Teruhi and her servants and the ones worn by the exiles and the peasants did a good job of defining the social class that they belonged too. In terms of combat armour that was worn by Kuchii and his men as well as the soldiers of the Toribarai I really loved the variation of the armor that is shown as these while also showing the different roles that they would play on the field also showed the kind of tactics that both factions use which within the series are polar opposites of each other. The armor that was passed on to Kuchii and one that he subsequently adapted as his main set I felt was both designed and showed well Kuchii’s advancement in role within the series as at that point Kuchii went from being an exile to one of the foremost defenders against the upcoming invasion. Location wise I thought that the island of Tsushima featured quite a variety of terrain that while pretty to look at also served to be effective terrain for the defenders as they continued their resistance against the Mongol armies. Of these locations, I thought that the castle that was used as the Toribarai was probably my favorite one as that castle while large and hard to defend was one that was both impressive visually but also as an effective defense.
As an anime focused on action and war it was important that Angolmois managed to get the combat animation right and at the same time make the battles that feature them easy to read and understand. In this, I felt that the series did relatively well. While the combat animations were relatively smooth I felt that the combat scenes were not just bloody but also brutally so and did a great job of showing just how well stepped the samurai actually were when they fought on the battlefield. Whether it was one vs one or one vs many I thought that the combat scenes within the anime were well done and did a great job of showing the desperate fights that the defenders had to fight in in order to protect their loved ones from the invaders which were helped greatly by the unique art style that was used for the series. In terms of enemy design while only seen a handful of times I thought that the designs for the Mongol commanders were interesting ones with the best examples being the Mongol spymaster and the Mongol vice marshal Liu Fuheng.
In terms of music, I felt that the series OST did a pretty good job at providing not just an excellent soundtrack to the many scenes within the series but also helped inject some tension into the many battle scenes that are within the series. The series made use of one opening and ending theme respectively which was Braver by Straightener and Upside Down by She’s both of which was strong songs that I felt complemented the series really well. In terms of voice acting, I felt that both Yuuki Ono and Lynn both did an excellent job portraying the characters of Kuchii and Teruhi. In addition, while I didn’t cover them within this review I also thought that Mikako Komatsu, Shun Horie, Natsuko Hara, Rikiya Koyama and Kensho Ono who portrayed the characters of Kano, Amushi, Sana, Onitakemaru and Hangan respectively all did an excellent job at portraying the supporting cast.
Overall conclusion
In overall Angolmois was an anime that I really enjoyed with its main strong points being its unique premise, interesting story, well designed and developed characters, well designed and developed battles, excellent voice acting and its inclusion of multiple themes that actually work well in the context of a war.
The overall premise of Angolmois which was the Mongol invasion of Japan and its invasion of Tsushima island as the first step in their master plan was an unusual one as historical events like this aren’t usually used as the premise for an anime but this is what makes the premise of Angolmois a strong one as the desperate situation that this entailed served as the ideal canvas for inserting the band of former samurai, thieves, pirates, and misfits into as no matter how unique their former lives were their skills are now more sorely needed than ever in perhaps the largest battles that any of them has fought in.
The overall story for the series I felt did a great job of taking advantage of this strong premise by not just introducing the island’s foremost clan but also introduce a number of characters that while openly dismissive of the exiles at first gradually grew to respect them as the war between the Islanders and the Mongols rapidly turned against them. As the story progresses and the war between the two factions gradually expands in scale this respect that exists between the Islanders and the exiles while still cold to some extent especially among the more senior retainers and the ones that have an arrogance about them gradually evolves as the exiles most prominently Kuchii begins to not just fight back against the invaders but surprisingly score victory after victory against them. While dealing a major blow to the invader's plans this act also served as an excellent foundation for both the Islanders and the exiles as while both have very different temperaments both factions believe that cooperating with each other would be the best path forward for both of them. Seeing not just Kuchii and the rest of the exiles but also Teruhi and her clanmates gradually learn to respect each other as they fight together was something that I felt was done well and illustrated the fact that even when faced by the cruelty of war the forging of bonds of friendship and comradeship would go a long way in helping them survive and fight another day. This is best shown in the many battles and tactics that were used by Kuchii and his comrades much of which relied upon the trust and respect that the Islanders and the exiles had for each other in order to succeed in them. I felt that the series made great use of a variety of tactics that really served to keep the Mongols guessing on their intentions. These included the use of ambushes, night assaults, explosives, firearms, and psych warfare all of which were devastating to both sides.
While the combat and the learning to unite against the common foe is the series main theme I thought that the series also did a great job of allowing us to look at the human side of a person whether that person is a trained soldier, an ex-samurai or simply a islander that while scared wants to be able to protect his friends and family from the invaders by allowing us to see the kind of motivations that they have for taking to the field, what serves as their main source of motivation and what their deepest fear is both on the field and off it. This latter point I felt was interesting as fear just as it can serve to incapacitate you if you let it control you can also be used as a great source of motivation if you are able to convert it into a source of your strength something that Kuchii within the series excelled at.
Overall Angolmois was a really enjoyable anime that made great use of its strong historical backdrop to give us an interesting tale of how a former samurai that was exiled to die a lonely death in a long forgotten island alongside his fellow exiles were to instead become one of the islands foremost defenders as they fought alongside their fellow islanders and turn what the Mongols thought to be an easy victory to one that will prove costly to the Mongols in terms of casualties and resources and showing them that when faced with the power of the samurai and determined islanders that are intent on defending their home even the Mongols famed numbers may not guarantee them victory. As a final score I would say that it deserves a final score of 9/10.
KANLen09
Angolmois: Genkou Kassenki, or the Record of Mongol Invasion, speaks entirely for itself: The samurai-ish historical action-drama about a ravaging war that broke out with the invasion of the Mongols in its time (when the Mongols were the most powerful army on the planet), or more specifically, the real-time events timeline of 1274 with the very first Battle pf Bun'ei: The battle for Tsushima Island (Spoiler: Mongol victory). The series starts off unorthodoxly similar-sounding to the events of the Mongolian Invasion with a twist: a group of exiles, banished from the mainland, and are headed the way to Tsushima Island to protect the people there fromthe upcoming invasion. Led by the brave Samurai and calm but composed strategist who goes by the name of Kuchii Jinzaburoh, and his band of exile mercenaries with unique characteristics and roles to play with, these exiles were given a death sentence to boot, and it's primarily their choice to either help or sabotage the entire operation.
Upon reaching Tsushima Island, they are confronted with the upheaval task ahead of giving their resources, be it brain or brawn to help educate the people about the war, equip them with war knowledge to fight back, all at the helm of Princess Teruhi, the woman with a kind heart but unrequited "love" for Jinzaburoh. Upon the many scenes of the Mongolian Invasion, one army after another, both the exiles and Princess Teruhi's men and villagers must somehow diverge the many loopholes they have regarding the foundation of Tsushima Island and its defenses in order to push back the Mongolians just enough to ensure everyone's safety.
For the story to work, the character cast VAs must be assigned to play the roles well, because the context of war is one that cannot be underestimated, and the sense of realism must be executed well. And with Angolmois, you won't be disappointed as every point, be it with the many hidden agendas or secrets it has, all portray the feelings of war with ruggedness, with scary emotions and whatnot to the point of believable-ness.
The art and animation is somewhat interesting. Studio NAZ incorporated a paper filter into the artwork, which explains why the historical art aspect is kept consistent and true to the real events past. The animation doesn't disappoint as many historical-action series does with all of the blood and gore of exterminating enemies and the such, and it all incorporates to give the realism of war, that when confronted, it is right at your face and you can do nothing about it, but just to adapt and fight your way out of this massacre (male army veterans can liaise with this).
The music, especially the OST, is more mellow but yet still holds out strong. Never have I expected anything from a war-ravaged anime OST to stand out, but yet this does with the gradual-eclipse of the OP and the all-purposes illustration of the ED about not just the main cast, but their silhouettes showcasing their efforts to stand together as one.
All in all, Angolmois is not a groundbreaking show, but yet it still manages to strike a chord all the way through from beginning to end. As is for a war-centric series, there is foreseen plot prediction, but with the kicker being the unexplained events of dire consequences of the dangerous war, it's always satisfying to learn as of such that war forces us, the viewers to learn to think twice and not just be strategic, for demise can come at an easy cost.
I enjoyed this series much, and you should too, so go catch up on this series, it's brutal yet entertaining.
Darkfiend47
This is my First Review. Its Spoiler Free and I'll try to keep it Short. "One does not judge an anime by its rating as mere numbers can not justify a show" - Sun Tzu lol This is basically of Ghost of Tsushima : the Anime, not even Joking. When I was searching I was very surprised to find an anime that also takes place in Tsushima around the same war. This Historical Fiction anime is underrated both in rating and in popularity. I honestly don't care about ratings but the score for this one is absolutely ridiculous. There are worse shows which are higher. I wasexpecting it to be bad but it actually turned out pretty good.
Story (8.5/10) : The story takes place in 1274, during the First Mongol invasion of Tsushima. A group of exiles land on the Island of Tsushima and join forces with the princess of the Island in the war against the Mongols. Every episode has a lot of action and didn't feel boring at any time. It's a small Japanese army against a Ton of mongols so they have to be smart on their approach. There are betrayals, alliances, tactics and people actually dying. It portrays the cruelties and the grievances of war. The Ending for this one was pretty good and kinda realistic if u think about it.
Characters (8/10): There are lots of characters in this anime yet somehow they fit them all in the span of 12 eps. The best character is undoubtedly the main character Jinzaburou Kuchii who was a former General for the shogunate (not a spoiler). He is smart, perceptive and a badass. It's fun watching him whether he's building a strategy or just slashing through a Horde! Then there's the Princess who invited them in who's also a Tsundere, The Exiles which include a Ronin, A Big ogrey man, A Sly Thief, A Tree climber etc. There are various other clans too.
I always like shows where the bad guys are NOT portrayed as Douchebags but as individuals who also have goals. This is one of them. For Eg, there's Uriyanedei a Fat Mongol General or smt who appears to be a cool guy who isn't exactly 'evil' but happens to be on the opposite side. Also shocked seeing a bad guy getting protected by plot armor twice (you don't get to see that often)
Visuals (7/10) : The biggest complaints are the visuals. While it's on par, it has this wierd filter that's on at all times. It gives a Medieval look but also looks wierd. Although u'll get used to it after a couple of eps. The artstyle is actually pretty good especially for the female characters. The animation is OK. It's evident that it's kinda low budget. But they tried something new with the filter and didn't use as much CG as u'd think in a show about wars so props for that.
Sound and Music (8/10) : This was a chance to use traditional music but instead they went to Orchestral-ish music which isn't bad. The Op and Ed are both Decent. The Voice acting is good. Especially on Jin. Also the Mongols speak Japanese lol.
Enjoyment (9/10): Like I said it wasn't boring at any time, each episode has an awesome ending and the actual ending while it was sad it was also kinda satisfying.
Overall: It's a fun watch. Even though it's a Historical Fiction, it has quite a lot of accuracy too like the Mongols have beefy blades and they use Tubular Hand Cannons. Both the Japanese and Mongol Armor look authentic for that era. Although Mongol Archers aren't portrayed as skilled Archers, they kinda do but not really lol. The show has its ups and downs but not as bad as the rating claims. If u liked Ghost Of Tsushima or even Drifters, u need to watch this. Wish there was more of it.
I was gonna give a 8 but I think I'll bump it up to 9/10 since it's very underrated.
nakib23
All's well, that ends well. The ending's really great. SPOILER ! ! ! First of all, this is an anime about war or battle. So, what happens in a war??? Many people die and that is war. Exactly that thing is brought up in this anime series. When the anime reaches its climax, you'll get an anguishing FEEL because people one by one is dying. But at the of the series, you'll get an understanding that what you watched was a glimpse of war. And it really touches your heart and leaves a mark. It's really really great. The story's awesome too, and characters as well. No complaintin that.
JulioRoronoa
The beginning of Angomois I thought it would be a good anime, in the middle of it I found a medium to bad anime, and in the end it certainly turned out to be one of the best anime of the year. HISTORY: The story of Angomois and simple, a boat with prisoners of war will stop on an island, the prisoners break free and soon after are made again of prisoners to protect the habitat of that village and defeat the Mongols. No matter how simple it is and well explored and can entertain enough, even if its half begins to become confused, it still worksand give a sense that we are reading a history book.
ANIMATION AND FLUENCY: Ame abuses static frames in some parts, however, in some scenes are very detailed and fast, such as the rain scene of the beginning or the hair of the protagonist.
The animation has a very interesting style,
using a dirtier image in sad and shocking moments,
also using a dirty image only less intense for serious moments of decisions and thoughts of defeat for example,
the image is intensely alive in moments of battle, and they refer to the adelalina that the characters are in that moment.
And getting normal and with some spots in less tense moments, in moments of passion or comedy.
A detail that held me and made me interested in anime.
CHARACTERS: Even with a large number of characters the anime manages to develop all, even if little.
The game of thrones style sensation that everyone can die at any time is very present in the plot.
the protagonist and incredible, you get excited and earn your respect in a short time, not the type of protagonist who always wins however he passes a sensation that victory can happen
SOUNDTRACK: Epic! The word that defines the ops and ends of this anime, the songs are well matched and help to increase the tension or even the emotion of the battle.
BAD POINTS: the story kind of becomes episodic in some eps, but specifically in the middle, however much I like episodic animes, this is not meant to be one.
The enemies represent little fear, of a medinho when they appear but taking into account that they are stupid not and so tense thus.
The princess is a pain in the ass, she participates in all the battles and more disrupts than help, even if she improves during the anime I still did not get to like her.
FINAL (SPOILERS): The ending was very good and thoughtful, all the characters sacrificing one by one for a greater good was sad and poetic at the same time.
No matter how much the end "they did not win the war?" be horrible to some people, I found it interesting, taking into account that many wars were lost, and even if they did not deserve it, they were all dead.
I do not know if there will be a second season but it does not have to, the final and open but closed if you think about it, I think you will not have a second.
A great anime
RauLeCreuset
Angolmois: Genkou Kassenki, certainly doesn't shy away from gore or action, it was absolutely amazing from start until finish. Samurai or Historical anime, is one of my favorite genres of anime, I have seen so many different types of historical and samurai anime. But, this particular anime had a lot of action packed into it from the very beginning, I am not going to give any spoilers, as I hate people who do so. But, the only thing I will say about this, is watch it for yourself, and see how absolutely gory, bloody, and amazingly action packed this historical piece actually is, I promise,you will definitely not be disappointed at all. Well, I wasn't, I do which however this anime was longer. That's one downside to anime like these, they are so good, but always end up being short, which sucks. But, I loved it so, at least there's that.
Boknoy_Buhisan
I waited to see the final episode to write this review. The potential that this series had was ultimately pulled back by some dumb editor that thought adding a dirt cloud filter would make the 'classic' look they're aiming for look more believable. With that said, it still did not dragged the overall enjoyment I had with the show. With a strong story arc and character designs for a grounded anime, I could say that this is my pick for underrated anime of the season. Again, ignoring that dumb filter, the art was good. It serves it's purpose and character designs was memorable enough to makeme wanna cosplay a few of the characters. Sword fights are short, but speaking under a realistic perspective, a sword fight really won't last long more than a few exchanges. I appreciate the lack of obvious CGI too. The lack of blood after chopping limbs off are a bit of a disappointment though.
I was not a fan of the opening and ending music at first but it eventually grew on me. Sound editing was great though. You can feel the tension specially in the later episodes when things got real, real quick.
Characters are developed enough for you to care when lives are in danger. Our main man Jinzaburou got some backstory in a few flashbacks. Exiles never got that luxury but the way they've been written made me care about them. Nagamine, Hitari, Amushi, Tatsu and hell even Shiraishi, all had moments however short they may be (like Tatsu).
I really enjoyed the show. Best episode was episode 11. I hope when they release this officially, they'll removed that damn filter. I could easily give this a 9 if not for that damn filter. Still recommend. 8/10
ktulu007
Angolmois is based off of a historical fiction manga by Takagi Nanahiko. It's based off of the events of the first Mongolian invasion of Japan from 1274. So, this was back when Kublai Khan was running things. But enough history, the anime adaptation was handled by NAZ. One of those rare anime studios that I haven't seen anything from. Let's see how strong of an introduction this is. Story: Our narrative is set on Tsushima Island. We follow a group of Japanese exiles who are being sent for the sole purpose of serving as troops against the incoming Mongolians. They soon find themselves as a small unit tryingto stay in hiding and avoid the larger, more powerful Mongolian force.
Now, it makes sense from a narrative perspective to follow a small, guerilla force since it's pretty well known that Tsushima fell very quickly during the first Mongolian invasion. The problem this has, as a narrative, is that there are literally a million characters and none of them are memorable. The tension in the story hinges on us, as the audience, caring about our small group of plucky survivors but even with a relatively small number, there are just too many characters and there's never time taken to flesh them out. It doesn't help that the climax of the story involves a huge ass pull with a certain character being underwater for a good twenty minutes and somehow surviving.
Characters:
Herein lies the big flaw to the series. The huge cast of characters. We've got big, shark teeth guy, bullseye head, the short merchant, the barely adolescent scout, the doctor, the grizzled dude, the sleazy one and the main samurai. That's just the exiles who play major roles too. That's not even going into the named native islanders, the Toi Barai or the Mongolians.
A more important character in this series might get close to being two dimensional, but the vast majority of these characters are just stock tropes. Which makes it really difficult if not impossible to give a shit when things start going badly and characters start dying.
Even our two major characters, Jinzaburou & Teruhi, aren't all that interesting. He's got a vague honourable warrior shtick going and she's pretty much a highly emotional action girl who's attracted to him for no adequately explored reason. Will they get together? I really could not care less.
Art:
The art is a bit unusual. Everything has a weird texture to it. It's like they want to visually marry the idea of an old sepia toned samurai drama to modern animation techniques. So, the colours are a bit muted and the whole series just looks a bit off, visually. And I'm not sure it's for the best. I'd hesitate to say it looks bad, since there are some nice details and the action scenes generally flow pretty smoothly. I also could not say it looks good.
Sound:
The acting is decent enough. You won't get highly skilled, emotionally deep performances. Even though there are some amazing actors like Ishida Akira & Koyasu Takehito. There are also plenty of good actors we've heard give strong performances before. But this is one of those cases where the lack of character complexity really hampers the actors' abilities to give strong performances. The music is fine. It's not Katayama Shuji's best, for certain. But it's okay.
Ho-yay:
There is not any.
Areas of Improvement:
Flesh out your characters. This is probably the biggest thing. This premise needed strong characterisation for the tension and investment. And we simply don't get it.
Humans can not breathe underwater. I get what they were going for with this. They were trying to build the tension by showing a character tossed underwater and then cutting to other stuff while occasionally going back to that character. The problem is that they leave him down there so long his survival comes across as absurd.
Lose the filter. Again, I get what they were going for with this. They wanted the call back to old period dramas. But the series would, quite honestly, look a lot better without it.
Final Thoughts:
Angolmois: Genkou Kassenki isn't a bad series. It has a premise that could easily work, some of the action sequences are nicely handled and it just doesn't have anything it does all that badly. Unfortunately, the characters are dull and stock. The muted artwork does not do the series any favours and it's just not compelling. So, I'm going to give it a 5/10. If you really love historic samurai dramas, you might be able to forgive the nothing characters but I can't recommend it for most.
JiangHaoyi1979
When there is something that has historical, one can be sure that it ain't that accurate if we're talking about being in an anime or manga, cu'z the historical accuracy doesn't make it at all, it has to have something that can be entertaining and as usual plot has to have a character that is seemingly terrifying that by just a glaze the whole army would froze. Also we talk about something that has a historical genre meant that it isn't the whole story though such thing did happen in October 5 1275, where it was set in some island of Tsushima where itwas rule by a lord named Sou Sukekuni and his clan and somewhere along the way some unexpected visitors came by via prison ship where it was transporting a group of prisoners that includes a disgrace shogun name Kuchii, Jinzaburou who would lead a last ditch effort to defend the island from invading Mongols, which by the way won in the end, but in a small island where they used it in a practice run before going to the mainland of Japan...Being an anime this was just some fictional part of what really happened when Japan was invaded by them Mongols that only lasted a day where the villages hardly put up a fight and yes them Mongols did pillage and raped women so how do I rate this anime????Here's how:
Story-Good 7: It did have some historical facts in it but the accuracy isn't that whole thing since the invasion only lasted a day in reality at the island of Tsushima Island.
Art-Decent 4: Since this is an anime whose setting was in the middle ages in Japan don't be expecting a lotta fanservices around , though a certain character Kano spots the quintessential Zettai Ryoki as Teruhi-hime Bodyguard / Shinobi, dang I would have wanted to see her uncensored rape scene.
Sound- Very Good 8: since the VA don;t have to mask their voices as being teenboppers, they can speak an act according to their mature voices.
Character-Very Good 8: Cu'z the Mongols won in reality where the battle only lasted a day, and quite frankly I just have lots of love for them being the bad guys. Thought I wish them Mongols should have finished off Kuchii, Jinzaburou.
Enjoyment - Good 7: It may be a good Historical anime, but I kinda hate the fact that they have to do some exaggeration of the real battle of Tsushima, and I kinda hate that Jonzaburou is alive after being near the explosion where the shock waves could really kill and the presence of JAWS who wa supposed to eat him turn out to be the one who save him, now that is shit cu'z he was SUPPOSED TO BE DEAD!!!!!!!
Overall-Poor 3: Cu'z it was just too exaggerated as to how the battle of Tsushima did occurred, and this wasn't much about the battle rather it was about a man Kuchii Jinzaburou. So, basically this don't need to have a season 2.
LightIsKirai
I just finished and I REALLY want a sequel. This show was such a smooth ride throughout, always filled with action and really nice art thanks to this nice special effect that's on throughout the entire show that's akin to slight chalk covering the screen. The main character is also a badass throughout the show and is someone you can really get behind because his motivation to do battle isn't too convoluted and develops throughout the show without losing its essence. The other characters are also mostly good and all of them become likeable to some extent by the end of their arcs/lives. It's abit unrealistic the way that our MC just mows throughout people but it's also satisfying like playing Dynasty Warriors. There are very few instances, if at all, of anything like "powers" and is usually just swordplay or strategy.
This anime keeps things simple with little in pondering of trauma of killing someone or atrocities war, which makes for portraying a very specific incident in a highly satisfying and fulfilling way. Highly recommend. Would binge again/10.
Raquityn
An overall descent historical anime focused on a previously unexplored setting of the island of Tsushima during the mongol invasion drawing both from actual historical events and the feel of the era. It could serve as a great introduction to the upcoming Ghost of Tsushima that's coming out later this year. The charaters are honestly not very interesting. Apart from Kuchii, you'll forget their names instantly. But eventhough they are very stereotypical (the archer, the brute, the greedy merchant, the Shaolin monk etc.) they look cool and you will root for them. The animation itself is good but for some reason, they decided to draw everything ona background of old parchment (or something like that). You will get used to it in time but it is distracting during scenes where the camera moves. (I know there's no camera but you get it).
It commits a lot of the typical historical anime follies (overusage of archers, plot armor, unrealistic in-battle movement) but nothing too over the top. It also manages at times to show how formidable the Mongols were and doesn't portray them as mindless zombies (for the most part)
One thing to praise here is the dialogue which is really good and enhances the overall enjoyment and score. It is through the dialogue the story and characters keep you engaged eventhough it is in itself not as strong.
In conclusion, this anime is a very good bingeworthy experience with great dialogue, action and worldbuilding. The thing that keeps it from becoming great overall is the fact, that all it's other aspects are falling behind.
Injenss
I primarily enjoyed this anime because of Kuchii Jinzaburou. He was an excellent MC and I wish there were more MC's like him. He was savage, yet intelligent. He was charismatic, yet fierce. A wolf of war finding his humanity in the midst of a dire situation. He pretty much carried this entire anime and it would have been utter trash without him. The other strong point of the anime was the story. It's not as though a Japanese War-Time story is new or groundbreaking, but this one was told well. (Up until the end, anyway). But,it didn't falter until the very, very end when it got kind of mystical and flash-backy and the final battle between Jinzaburou and one of the Mongol generals was the very definition of pointless and "meh". But, the story was a strong point of the anime, overall.
Everything else though? Kind of garbage. I have no idea whose idea it was to overlay some kind of papery film over the entire animation, but it was a bad idea that made the anime look cheap and it wasn't exactly on the level of a Land of the Lustrous when it came to animation to begin with.
The cast was completely and totally forgettable other than the Princess and Onitakemaru. I could barely even remember their names. The whole island was filled with "Japanese Warrior A", "Japanese Warrior B" casting. Interchangeable personalities, basic dialog, with only the motivation to survive (Which makes sense considering they're under invasion) but still, the cast was completely forgettable outside of those three.
Still, in spite of its flaws, an anime really just needs two things to be enjoyable: A good lead and a good story and this anime had both. So, while there's a lot of other better animes out there to watch, I think those who like Samurai animes will enjoy this one. Though, if you like Samurai animes, you probably are the type to already know what happened on Tsushima during the Mongol Invasion, so the ending will be predictable.
Story: 9
Art: 3
Sound: 5
Character: 5
Enjoyment: 7
Overall: 7
ST63LTH
Angolmois: Record of Mongol Invasion, a concise recollection of the Mongolian effort to conquer Japan (Genkou) during the late 13th century began with a conquest to purge Tsushima island in between the Tsushima strait and Korea Strait. The story wonderfully portrays a realistic combat environment as expected of the eastern front and a record of exemplar gunpowder warfare against a small island on the outskirts of mainland Japan. The Series contains a large wealth of content in a short 12 episodes including romance, betrayal, abandonment etc. which was much more than I expected. However, the immediate downfall is how unforgiving and true-to-life during the Heianand Kamakura period Japan - Witnessing a large amount of character deaths was inevitable but doesn't make for a memorable ending, especially when there wasn't much effort regarding supporting character development in the beginning. A battle spanning 7 days (and 12 episodes) was more rewarding but left a lot to be sought after)
Story: 7/10
The story follows former samurai gone Exile Kuchii, Jinzaburou as he and his fellow exiles are sent to a small island off the coast of mainland Japan to serve the princess in fending from the initial stages of Genkou (or Mongolian Invasion of Japan). The story had many large similarities to the structure of Kingdom (Anime adaptation 2012) because of the native islanders intervening to help, the Magistrate of the natives having similar personal qualities to Piao or the young King of the Qin Empire etc. Overall, the story managed to maintain my attention 90% of the time but I still have the major question of whether the reinforcements really did arrive in time to remedy the losses on Tsushima island.
Art & Sound: 6/10
For a series released within the last 2 years, I would have expected better art and animation management. I Suppose the budget to produce this adaptation wasn't as large as the more popular source material and as such there were large drops in quality. Luckily they did not entirely focus on using poor CGI to replace their conventional methods. If I were to compare the quality to a series such as Kingdom (2012) it'd be on par despite the heavy use of CGI on a series made 8 years ago VS. 2 years ago. Sound was fairly exceptional ~~~
Character: 6/10
Poor Character development can sully a great story, in Angolmois character development is heavily emphasized that enemies talk to each other while fighting effortlessly. Half the character palette died for foolish reasons, e.g the Magistrate and his female equivalent died in vain at the Southern gate because they failed to grasp their disadvantageous situation and used the moment to loiter RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE GATE... The entire character palette of Tushima island including the exiles largely underestimated the power of the mongols and thus were purged because of their vain self-sacrifices to add more unnecessary emotional appeal to the story. And now, at the end of the short series we're left with a random shark shot swimming away 2 frames per second. Character development was the major weakness in making a dramatic appeal because every supporting character apart from the kids and the Princess died more-or-less the same miserable way. (Apart from the greedy betrayer who died in vain and exposed the hideout)
Enjoyment: 7/10
Apart from the vain self-sacrifices, the story and art were very tolerable. It was entertaining to see a touch of romance and psychological elements in a series with only 12 episodes. One thing I absolutely despise is not seeing the reinforcements aiding the Tsushima residents like one of the guards claimed that would have arrived in the span of the series (7 days.)
clurrtheblurr
If you have seen the classic movie seven samurai then you know exactly how this series is gonna go, minus the fact that they are exiles and not ronin. Overall, I thought this was going to be a hit or miss, I selected random and this is what I got. Mind you, the animation is straight garbage, so much so it makes studio pierrot look good. BUT the story draws you in, yes it's cliche and one we've heard multiple times, yet here I am writing a review because I just binge watched it all in one sitting. The thing that kept me watching wasthe character development and pacing, honestly, they drew me in and every cliff hanger had me clicking for next episode. The characters were by far the best part.
It's definitely worth the 4 hours wasted if you have nothing better to do. The history isn't 100% accurate (is it ever?) but we're not here for that. Honestly I don't know why I like this but I do. Overall a 6, maybe a 7 if I'm feeling generous. No top 10 but worth a try.
KINGOFALLHAREM
War... Cruelty... Rape (Not a spoiler) but only implied at the end for a character I barely knew yet still had heart string's pulled at miserably as I felt agony for her. FUN! great show let's get right into it. Story. Fucking intense for one thing, there isn't a moment where the characters are not either dying or running for their lives. The main character is likable for his voracious let's say "War habit" Which honestly makes me enjoy him more. He's quiet and realistic but well-spoken and he is not laconic at all. The other characters were fun to watch...well to watch die atleast most of the time (Not spoiling who) And while still not spoiling it, the main "Heroine" the princess is rather odd in her habit's toward the main character. 8/10
The art is weird but refreshing. All while being a pain to look at. The "lens?" I don't know I'm not a fucking artist. I know more about film than animation. Maybe "lens" is not appropriate. but it's weird. Then the character designs are rather neat in that they are kept to a medium. 6.5/10 for the weird "Lens?"
On the next topic, the Opening was nice with the animation but not enough for me to not skip it simply because the story was that good I didn't need to be hyped by an opening. also, it's slower compared to the speed of the story so less hype is more likely. 6/10 it's fair.
Character's
While I will focus on the main character I have some points for the others.
The legendary MC himself is actually rather fair in the sense there is a lot of character type's like him, He's smart and strong so typical Anime protagonist. (I'm considering this a cliche, for
For more similar ones check out Drifter's.)
Mini-score 6-7/10 Couldn't decide he was good as the main character and I rooted for him to live and to keep fighting he's cliched.
The "Princess" is used with quotations because she doesn't act like one. While she focused on "The people" Mindset she was really...Normal? also! she had a weird "Obsession" with the MC constantly doing "That" at night. (Not erotic you'll see when you watch it.) and constant inner dialogue filled with wanting him to be there to help. Like you're a princess, LEAD ALONE FOR ONCE!
Mini score 5/10 Yandere in the making?!
The other's
While not given many details about why we should care some of them died and I just had a plain expression. There was that little to care for them. Though some I still felt for especially the girl at the end.
Score 4/10.
Enjoyment. easily 7/10 it was good not enough for a second re-watch though maybe in a few years? enough said
All in all, I give it a 7/10 Why? Does the story need a season two or better closure maybe an After Story? But the historical setting, The Mongols literally never shown in any war anime I have ever seen. Sign me up!
Millennion17
IGNORE THE SYNOPSIS. If you got as far as the reviews, it means you're prepared to do just that. Please do. The synopsis makes this anime sound like it was churned out of a mill, with no real character, heart, or anything intriguing to make it stand out. But that is very far from the truth. Not only does it exceed the impression made by the synopsis, but it also exceeds the expectations of a "historical" anime. It stands on its own quite firmly. Has a 7 Samurai feel to it. If 7 Samurai meets Suicide Squad meets Rambo sounds like something you would like,it's definitely worth a watch.
Vluddipijjun
Angolmois is probably best described as an action show with historical elements, rather than a historical show in its own right. Other than the setting and the main conflict, history really rides in the back seat whilst flashy fight scenes and the 'rule of cool' drive and work the radio. That's not to say I learned nothing from Angolmois or it did a bad job at portraying the period; early gunpowder is on display to the bamboozlement of the Japanese defenders, the multi-racial nature of the Mongol invading force was front and center, and there's even a bit of alt-history at work in one episode thatcaught me by surprise. Sure, there was also scenes where the martial men of Tsushima marveled at a bamboo spear like it was space magic, but that lay more as a problem with the writers trying to emphasize the tactical brilliance of Kuchii.
On this point, the writing was rather trite. At best, it would work to make the exile group a kind of A-team where everyone boiled down to a specialization they added to a war party whose fight against the odds and small, interpersonal nature would give it a Spartacus or Braveheart vibe. When it wasn't at its best, which was most of the time, characters were either bland and unbelieveable, short sighted or prideful to the point of absurdity, or killed off when they begin to be useful or likeable. Just to name a few examples of this, the Sou clan spends most of the show ostracizing the exiles who are saving them, one of the exiles insists on producing penis humorisms to the point of obsession, enemy officers who look like Fire Emblem baddies make grand appearances and then disappear for most of the series, Kuchii is given constant screentime towards how virtuous and powerful until he's become a Mary Sue, the princess vacillates between Damsel and Anti-Damsel and is obnoxious as both, and romance interactions are more like what you'd see in a highschool sitcom than a samurai flick.
The art and sound design were pretty bog standard; sappy score, drawn sections having a few hiccups but otherwise being quite serviceable, 3d being used as a time-saver on things with lots of movement like blood sprays, flags, and ships. They even took the time to model the completely-doesn't-disfigure-our-chiseled-handsome-hero face scars to be persistent through the series, which was a nice touch. The main critique levelled for the show's art tends to be the papyrus-esque filter they overlaid. It can vary from being glaring to not being really noticeable, though I think it's more sad that it indicates the studio either lacked the heart or the resources to render the show in a more historical art style and thus tried to literally plaster 'old timeyness' over what is otherwise a run of the mill action title.
If you really go for works in the time period or action shows in general, you might get something more out of Angolmois than I did. For my part, however, I'll file this as a misadventure and seek my historical treasures elsewhere.
SgtSalamander
Angolmois is a pretty typical historical action series, and while it does some things well, it really struggles to stand out from the crowd. Beginning with the story, it is this show's strongest aspect, though that's not necessarily high praise. The viewer is presented with a fictionalized account of the Mongol invasion of Japan in 1271, focusing specifically on the isle of Tsushima, and the struggle that a group of former prisoners go through in order to resist them and grow not only as warriors, but people. Beginning with the good, the battle strategy is interesting, the setting is cool,the dialogue is fairly well-written, and the foundational event is an example of humanity at both its best and worst, with an underlying message that is inspiring and life-affirming. However, the pacing is rushed, it gets carried away with fictional elements while attempting to cling to a veneer of historicity to the point of inventing a whole class of secret mountain warriors called the Toi Barai, and it uses cheap shock value as a crutch for mediocre storytelling, especially towards the second half of the show. In light of these factors, the story amounts to nothing special, only just managing to provide enough material off of which the rest of the show can subsist. Having said all that about the story, I do want to reiterate that it isn't strictly bad, it's just not anything special. In fact, for most of the show it remains somewhat entertaining, weighed down as a whole by some worse episodes later on.
The art is fair, meeting most basic standards of quality, with exciting and well-choreographed fight scenes that grab the viewer's attention. However, it occasionally suffers from the 'dreaded mask', a phenomenon in anime where facial animation is seriously lacking. Though, its worst artistic sin is the static overlay of crumpled paper throughout, intended to provide an air of antiquity to the work and improve its aesthetic character. Here, all it manages to do is diminish the visual impact and overall clarity of most scenes. Indeed, it's sometimes even distracting, especially when the eyes latch on to one feature of the paper overlay in one way or another and fixate on it, as though your screen is dirty or has a dead pixel.
The sound, like everything else, meets all the basic standards of quality, with good music and sounds of life, which excel in battle scenes to accentuate the clanging of metal and the cracking of bone.
The characters are broadly okay, if a little one-dimensional, and I don't really have any complaints. Among them, the best characters are Kuchii and Amushi. Kuchii, as the main character, is the major driving force of this show, fulfilling his predictable yet regardless entertaining role as the resident snarky badass with a tragic past. Amushi, however, is a supporting character that doesn't get a lot of development until the middle of the show. While he is significant through his duties as a scout, he is compelling for his motivations and personality, which are more interesting and realistic than most other characters in the anime. Overall, Angolmois is just okay, with good and bad throughout. If you take anything away from this review, remember that this anime is not bad, it's just not anything more than what it is- unremarkable.
