Shoutarou Futaba has always loved sports, but he never became more than a benchwarmer on his middle school baseball team. After noticing a group of gymnasts practicing in the park, he decides to watch a rhythmic gymnastics tournament on a whim. Although displaying an exhilarating performance at the competition, the Shoushukan High School's Rhythmic Gymnastics Club places second-to-last due to penalties acquired from not fielding a full six-man roster.
The demonstration of skill captivates Shoutarou, and he decides to enroll at Shoushukan in hopes of joining the team despite having no background in the sport. The club recruits him alongside Ryouya Misato, a prodigal gymnast who was the runner-up in a junior tournament.
Now with a full six-man roster, the team sets out to compete in the upcoming Inter-High tournament. As he strives to accomplish this ambitious endeavor, Shoutarou must learn and master the basics of rhythmic gymnastics all while working in tandem with his new teammates if Shoushukan wants to stand a chance at claiming the title.
[Written by MAL Rewrite]
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Luubie
When I looked up that Bakuten would be a rhythmic gymnastics anime, I confess I was suspicious. Actually, I was afraid. Last year we had Taisou Zamurai, a show that even with a budget and problems in getting made because of the work of the Mappa studio, was an anime that exceeded most general expectations, even though it was quite limited. But why would this cause me to be surprised to have a new anime that follows the same kind of sport? Well, it is the goal orientation that differentiates the two anime. Unlike Taisou Zamurai, Bakuten focuses on several characters actively connected to the show'ssport. This group interaction is a demanding quality of the very construction of each of the characters, since it is Rhythmic Gymnastics, a sport where athletes perform in groups, usually with 6 members. Not only is this formatting fully utilized in the show, but the anime also creates, verbalizes, and positions itself in other groups, from a rival school, to even with the College Club coach himself. Futaba, the protagonist, is an inexperienced kid who, like everyone else, creates a bond out of appreciation for the unfamiliar sport. It is not unusual to think about this. Often, out of prejudice, we imagine that a type of sport has a remarkable quality only in one of the sexes. For example, it is constantly noticeable that we see people saying that Soccer is a sport only for men, or that Volleyball and Handball is focused on women, but Bakuten acts in the opposite way to these social restrictions and creates a new atmosphere within the anime. The show subtly dispels these erroneous ways of thinking and produces a breakdown of expectation in the audience. Futaba, along with us, experiences this sense of integration within the anime without being expository or overdone.
If on one hand Bakuten presents a highlight in its accurate setting, the show creates a great process of immersion and interaction between the characters. In fact, much of what happens in the anime comes from the dormitory. Onagawa, Shichigahama, Tsukidate and Watari are the ones who live daily with Futaba within the locality, which at the same time is a process that creates a greater trust inside and outside of the tatami. Misato is the sixth character on the team and enters after the first regional championship, precisely because he feels blocked in the sport, as he has too much personal responsibility. And one cannot only talk about the current athletes. Kurikoma is the cutest character in the show, being the club assistant. Finally, Shida is the club manager and coach of the team. He was similar to Misato in many ways. In fact, the resemblance was so great that it was frightening. Shida was a brilliant gymnast. Maybe the best at that time. However, his self-centeredness did not allow him to trust and believe in the evolution of younger and unprepared people. Futaba is the essential channel for Shida's overcoming.
However, an anime like Bakuten needs movement and impact, doesn't it? That's right! The biggest problem in expecting quality from a show like Bakuten is the form and effect the anime causes during the climax of its actions and gestures. Zexcs studio is not really a safety when it comes to offering a quality in their shows. In fact, opening their anime page and coming across things like Diabolik Lovers is not a positive for Bakuten. Even with that, it was a studio that evolved dramatically and displayed incredible competence and skill in the overall ornaments and choreography of the characters. The use of computer graphics (CG) is great within the show and attention is also focused on the more superficial details. Within a gymnastics show, mistakes and penalties happen all the time. The anime bravely ensured this and made a great production in the very rich moments. The show brought with it an aspect of realism, which also allows it to show that even if the club has a great evolution with time, it is necessary to train more and more, to reach the National tournament, for example.
Going back to the characters, I have to applaud the author of this show. The formation of the main group was different at first sight, but a friendship formed over time. As the show expands the future of the characters, the past is recounted impressively. For example, Onagawa is one of the founding students of the club at the high school. He suited up to be the club's famous "number one" and put together a primitive team with Shichigahama and Tsukidate. However, his quality as an athlete is evidently not easy to achieve. His own process of transformation within the show is visible in the second half of the show. Since the entrance of Misato, the boy wonder, Onagawa has felt charged to evolve in order not to be "outdone." Even though he could try and train much harder, he reserved himself mentally and gave his activities a rest (with a fake injury), to rehabilitate himself and help the whole group. Misato, along with everyone else, was inspired by the sport through Shida, but at the same time that gymnastics has taken him to great places and awards, he has an internal frustration. Without his parents, he has lived with his aunt ever since, which has given him a sense of importance with people. However, the same responsibility he carries does not help him emotionally inside the tatami, because of an accident in the sport two years ago. This internal block did not lead to Misato's evolution. Even if he was a brilliant athlete, being second in the National tournament, being too resilient and thoughtful, and charging himself too much are aspects that formed his mind and created a self-defense. This hard and rigid shell was only really broken down from the moment Futaba encourages him and provides emotional support during the episodes. Even though this only materialized in episode 9, from the very beginning the two helped each other. The union of this duo with the rest of the team is not only a great choice, but it allowed for different themes and views on what the sport really means to each one.
I should also point out the comedy of the anime. Bakuten is not entirely focused on training and competitions. Many striking moments come from a joke, an entertainment or a joke. Even during intensive training with the Shiro High School team, our beloved group keeps its jovial essence and creates a gentle and liberating atmosphere. The hide-and-seek episode for example was one of the funniest in the show for me. All the pressure level created because of the championships is softened and ironized in a single episode dedicated especially for this moment. (I still want to know who is the scary character that appeared to the boys, it gave me a fright, Lol).
Finally, many moments make for a great show like Bakuten. The staff's work is a great proof of artistic evolution and allows us to broaden our attention and our gaze on animes with different themes than the common ones. Remember Mashiro no Oto? Then, Bakuten is another show that knew what to do from the very first episode, created sublime moments, and surprised in numerous aspects, from the formation of the characters, to even the apexes, which demanded of the studios. Shin-Ei was a studio that improved its own reputation with Mashiro no Oto. For Bakuten, Zexcs was most responsible for this great technical execution of an original anime. It's really a pleasure to have followed 12 episodes with quality. I look forward to the movie of the show, which can offer us much more! And long live sports!
Best_of_the_3
Bakuten!! is a solid 7/10. A good watch covering a niche sport. It's not very deep and follows a lot of common tropes and stereotypes, but it follows them well and overall this anime is enjoyable to watch. For more detail, please keep reading and see my recommendations at the end. When starting Bakuten I was expecting very little but ended up pleasantly surprised. The overall level of this anime ranges from average to good with very little in the way of any major negative points. At most a few personal nitpicks which I will cover. For me the biggest draw is the overall enjoyment.Call me a bit of a sucker, but I do like the stereotypical sports anime. MC is your average (usually teen) Joe Blogs, he sees or encounters a sport that he has never seen before and is blown away by the experience, and the anime follows his journey in learning about and developing his skills for said sport. The story itself is interspersed with supporting characters, a rival character / team and some small personal side stories for said side characters. Bakutenn!! doesn't deviate far if at all from this. Again, I am a bit of a sucker for this formula. The MC being brand new means you get to learn alongside them as they do, so you do not feel completely left out when they start talking about sports terminologies. As a badminton player I can relate as I've had similar experiences and met people with similar experiences within the sport. Some people may not enjoy it as much due to how generic the formula can be, but that is completely understandable.
The characters themselves are enjoyable but generic. The MC being a blank slate, so you get to insert yourself into their situation. On the team there's the muscle jock, the calm and quiet guy, the nerdy happy-go-lucky guy, the brooding guy, the aloof guy etc. It doesn't push the boat out and if you've watched other sports anime you'll see the similarities (and also recognize the voice actors), but as mentioned earlier while it does not push the boat out in both story or characters it uses them well, and they are enjoyable to watch. It's because the story is a bit generic that I feel safe in writing an early review, as I don't think it will hinge on the story.
A major plus for me was just how positive this anime was. The overall level of positivity was refreshing. Maybe it's been other recent anime I've seen, or maybe lockdown is finally getting to me, but the positivity in this anime was infectious. I liked seeing the characters help each other through their situations, and their enjoyment rubbed off on me as I was watching them. There's no major dramatics or dark twists. It kept things nice, simple and upbeat. A good change of pace for myself.
The only negatives I could mention, and I'd say they are more personal, would be the sound and art. The sound in terms of the OP and ED and BGM is good, if a bit forgettable. I won't remember it down the line, but I didn't mind hearing it. I will say the sounds of the gymnastics floors and crash mats is rather well done in this anime. The art is the only thing I have a gripe and it comes down to the use of 3D. I don't hate 3D but I like consistency. For the big gymnastic performances it will switch to 3D to show them off. It makes the movement more fluid with longer, continuous scenes, which makes a lot of sense, but I found the change from 2D to 3D a little off-putting myself. Not a major negative and one I was happy to overlook, but just something to keep in mind.
In summary; I gave Bakutenn!! A solid 7/10. It's not genre defining, but I think it fits within the genre of niche sports anime very well. An overall enjoying watch and time sink.
For a further recommendation if you liked Bakutenn!! I have to point you in the direction of Ballroom e Youkoso. Another niche sports anime following ballroom dancing. Following a similar formula as the one I mentioned above but with 24 episodes allowing the characters and story to be a bit more fleshed out. Personally one I prefer more to Bakuten!! in terms of overall quality.
For a slightly different second recommendation, I will go with Kono Oto Tomare! While this anime is a music focused anime, I find sports anime and music anime hit a lot of the same notes (hah) with their formula. With Kono having 2 seasons, and a similar number of episodes to Ballroom, it's a bit more fleshed out. Similar to Bakutenn I enjoyed its positive approach and it was also very fun to watch.
Thanks for reading my review.
weebish_uvu
THIS ANIME IS SOOOOO GOOD 10/10 recommend. To the storyline and to the friendships this anime is amazing. the storyline of the anime is amazing and its also enjoyable and wholesome. It kinda gives my haikyuu vibes. At first I wasn't a big fan of the 3d animation, but honesty has grown on me. The soundtrack is good aswell.One thing that I really liked about Bakuten was the character development and just the characters in general. Each character has their own unique personality. And its funny how they all have conflicting personalities yet their bond is so strong. Overall I would give this anime a1000000000000000000/10
makotoplz
Having heard the show was about rhythmic gymnastics, I was a bit sceptical on how it would go. I didn't have any expectations entering the show and was left feeling pretty light hearted. I hate to admit it, but Bakuten is just a ball of sport anime tropes and stereotypes. It has everything you can imagine, from the situations right down to the typical characters. That's not to say it's not enjoyable, just that it's not anything new. The only difference is that it tackles a totally different sport. A "fruity" one as some would say. The animation is really nice, solid 8, maybe even9. I didn't notice anything weird about the movements when they're performing, but maybe that's just because I'm not good at spotting things like that. The soundtrack is also an 8, I love the OP and ED. The story itself is pretty generic, but still heart-warming. Filled with inspiring moments, competition that have mirror-like personalities to the main cast, injuries etc. it's what you'd expect of a sports anime.
The MC is also quite generic compared to most MC's of sports animes. He's really nothing special, and pretty average, actually. Then you have the genius best friend, who's obviously been doing this his whole life. An aggressive/scary teammate, one who's calm and keeps the captain in check, a competitive captain and another member obsessed with a particular idol(?). No one really sticks out. (Though pretty interesting that some of these personality types were interested in gymnastics, I never would've guessed. They're what you'd expect of other sports teams though)
But I still enjoyed it. It's nothing special, hence the 6. I wouldn't watch it again, but if you're a fan of the sports genre, I'd recommend this after listing off other sports animes. It's a change of pace from other sports, that's for sure. The animation is insane sometimes, and I love the theme of "soaring" and "flying" that they associate with gymnastics. Bakuten definitely has its moments, and for a rhythmic gymnastics anime, it's not too bad. Overall, I didn't find this a waste of time and I found myself thoroughly enjoying some parts :)
Laralin
More of the same, that's how i would classifie this anime. The premisse is the same for almost every sports anime out there, a guy found about some sport he never saw, and become obsessed with the thing. I didn't hate the anime, but the only thing good about it were the characters, they're carismatic, and have a decent amount of development. The senpais have distinct personalaties, but the two kouhais are just the same story, genius aloof guy, and entusiastic guy. If you're a fan of gymnastics take a look, but don't go in think will be another yuri on ice.
mozyri
Overall: 6 I really enjoyed this show, but it's nothing special. If you're looking for a nice 'lie down and mindlessly watch' kinda anime, I'd really recommend this one. It's visually appealing and not hard to follow. The reason for my average score is because that's what it is, average. Let me explain. Story: 4 The story is exactly what the synopsis says, and the same overused trope in anime. Student stumbles upon a club, becomes fascinated in it, and joins the club to try to do what they do. They don't really add much to that basic plot, which makes it repetitive. It's not inherently bad, butit does nothing special, nor tries to. At least not in the story.
Art: 8
The art style itself is also very average. However, it is nicely animated, bringing life into the movement. Typically, the shots show the main group talking to each other, but they're not animated with one movement. They're all animated separately with their own seperate actions, which I find nice. The animation really shines when they're performing. 3D programs are used for the wider shots, but it's split with 2D animation when character expressions are important. When animated, It's very fluid for the budget it was probably given as a seasonal anime.
Sound: 8
I am a huge fan of the op and ed of this show. The op was made by the same band who made much of Given's music, and I love all of their music. This is no exception. The music perfectly shows the audience how the characters feel when they're performing. The ed is also very calm and reminds you that this is just a simple, relaxing show.
Character: 3
They introduce too many characters. The main 6 characters are necessary, even though some of them have little personality. the coach and manager are nice background characters with enough individuality to make you like them. The characters in their rival team are mostly completely unnecessary, with the exception of Mashiro, who has a connection with another character. The entire rival team is just reflections of the main cast, and it's hard to keep track of everyone. The only characters who are really expanded upon are Futaba and Misato, who have a sweet relationship. The four others in the main team all have one thing (object or activity) that is their personality. It's extremely flat and unoriginal.
Enjoyment: 7
Regardless of the criticism, I enjoyed watching this anime every week. It was a nice way to just lie down and mindlessly watch.
Overall: 6
This anime, as I have stated before, is very average and unoriginal. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, and I am excited to see how the newly announced movie turns out.
blucas
Bakuten!! What a ride, a pleasant one. For something so simplistic as its plot focused on rhythmic gymnastics, this show truly conveys a lot of emotions and experiences that are hella enjoyable, and that makes it one of the greatest shows of the season imo. The story, as I said, it's very simplistic yet effective: the rhythmic gymnastics club and their journey to the junior tournament. For the introduction of the club members to their coach and manager- hell, even their rivals; each of our main characters had their own little backstory that added a spark to the story. Certainly, the show focused a loton those details, like the interactions between characters, their growth, and how to relate to each dynamic. The friendship between the team members and their struggles seemed pretty real, it made me feel the lightness the show's aesthetic and storytelling had conveyed. I really appreciate how the show was more focused on their character's development rather than solely just the sport. Also, the show's sense of humor is very amusing haha I just love the way they carried the whole Mysterious Coach's Wife and the hide and seek episode.
There are still some unanswered questions like Misato's parents or details for the Shiro Highschool Team members but I'm pretty sure that they will eventually have their own lil arc once the movie comes out or even future seasons.
The art is one of the main reasons why I enjoyed it so much! When I found out that Zexcs was the studio in charge, I couldn't help but hesitate. They are known for Diabolik Lovers, and I'm pretty sure that is something very overwhelming if you know about the show lol. However, there is undoubtedly a major improvement from DL saga and Bakuten: the character designs, the artstyle, the aesthetic, in general, was a total upgrade and how they decided to implement CGI was pretty satisfying. I guess everyone worries a lot about CGI but in this show is well used.
I'm still amazed about the panoramics and visual effects for certain moments. From Shotaro's first impression of his current team to his sensations while doing the handstand with Mashiro, the visuals were almost magical and made me feel chills every time Shotaro discovered something. That also applies to the show's more sad moments! The setting created for those moments was so well done... I'm still thinking about his conversation with Misato, Misato's struggle with a certain part of the choreo or Shichigahama's determination scenes.
I would like to also give major props to the choreography team! The show couldn't have been possible without the amazing choreos shown here. Each choreo seemed to fit perfectly with the vibes of each team and that's a fantastic aspect to remark along with the music. Surely Shiro HS Team had a very spicy performance, one of my favorite routines in my very vast one of anime performances.
Now, bringing back the characters, I felt really engaged with every single one of them, and it may be due to how each character had a special characteristic in their personalities. Surely, our MC, Shotaro, is an emotional little bean, discovering a whole new world in the field or getting to know his teammates and rivals. How he acted in certain situations and interacted with the cast was so charming... Same for Misato! I'm used to your typical character with a stoic personality or resting bitch face but, somehow, with how cold-minded was Misato, seeing him flustered or nervous about something was very amusing~ I may be biased but the whole show made me appreciate the way characters behaved.
I would talk about the rest of the characters- For real! Each one of them is special- for a long time but I want to mention two things regarding characters: Mashiro was such a good character, his range from being this cute fluffy boy to a serious and passionate athlete amused me. And lastly... The confrontation in the tournament between both captains... That was so damn attractive and that says a lot. It's the way each character embraces the positiveness of competition, how their rivalry is healthy, and share the same goals that make these tense moments so good. Not gonna lie, the confrontation made me a big Takase fan, since my boy Shichigahama was already best boy lol
So, in the end, Bakuten was amazing. I'm pretty sure this show can be considered a comfort one, with how fluffy, funny and relatable it was. I would totally do a rewatch of this show on a very bad day just because of those facts. And you, people, should watch it too! That's an overall 9 out of 10 and I will probably rate it a perfect 10 if I rewatch this show enough times to convince me that it's a masterpiece lol
katty2468000
Honestly, this show never caught my eye because it involves a sport I wasn't interested in. I only watched it because I was recommended it. Turns out it wasn't a bad experience at all. Like most sports anime stories the goal for the team is to make it to nationals. Pretty standard story formula. However, this anime focuses more on the characters rather than the plot itself. It explores the reasons why each character is doing artistic gymnastics and their motivations for working so hard. It focuses more on Shoutarou and the ace prodigy, Misato than the rest of the team. The scope of the plot isrelatively small considering Shoutarou is literally a beginner in rhythmic gymnastics. I had concerns about how the anime was going to pace itself when the main character was a complete beginner but to my surprise, the show manages to do a lot with 12 episodes. Part of the reason why it was able to work with the concept of having a beginner was because it focuses on the characters. The rival team that was introduced definitely was able to flesh out the dynamic of the characters and add different interactions for the characters. Unfortunately, most of the characters on the other team are only slightly developed and don’t add too much to the story. The important ones being the captain of the other team and more importantly the ace, Mashiro serving stronger roles.
The atmosphere of the story can be described as lighthearted yet perfectly captures important moments where characters can really feel the weight that they carry.
Characters
This is where the story really shines, it manages to explore and flesh out each character from the team. We learn about their goals and motivation for doing rhythmic gymnastics. We find out that most characters were inspired by other people doing rhythmic gymnastics, making them want to start the sport. While the characters are likable, they don’t differ too much from characters we have already seen before like a dense simple-minded captain, a quiet nerd that is good at studying, a guy that just goes with the flow, and a loud guy. Not to mention that they also have their own individual interests to flesh them out as well. I really liked the dynamic of the character interactions between Shoutarou, Misato, and Mashiro. With Shoutarou and Mashiro being total opposites in terms of experience and Shoutarou and Misato being the opposite in terms of personality.
I also want to say that food definitely played a big part in this story. The idea of food bringing people together isn’t adding anything new, but it just adds to the sense of bonding as a team and spending time together. Not only can we see them spending time together in practice, but they also spend time outside of practice getting to know each other. This is able to bring them closer as a team and be more realistic.
The art and animation are nothing special and at times the art can be a bit subpar especially if the characters are further back in a scene. CGI is used for rhythmic gymnastic dance routines because otherwise, that would be too costly to draw by hand. Honestly, I don’t dislike it when the routines were done with CGI. I had to admit that I was drawn in when there was a dance routine on the screen. The CGI does stand out slightly meaning that you can definitely tell that it’s CGI that breaks the immersion of watching the anime.
The sound doesn’t really stand out in any way and I’m also not the type of person to pay too much attention to soundtracks or opening and endings. The opening was average and nothing too memorable and the same thing could be said about the ending. One thing about the sound that I did notice was when they were doing a dance routine, each time that they landed or tumbled it did add to the experience of watching them dance.
I also appreciated that the show didn’t rush the story to be a stand-alone series because that would have been a mess. Glad that they're creating a movie to wrap up the ending of the story.
A big part of enjoying sports anime is having an interest in the sport that it focuses on. I personally wasn’t going to watch this and I was going to drop it after 3 episodes, but I’m glad I gave it a chance and finished it. It turned out to be a very enjoyable watch that didn't try to achieve too much. Solid 7/10.
ssourcandy
I had my problems about beggins bakuten!! and I regret it. I'm happy about how this anime wasn't popular enough to have a fanbase as annoying as SK8 that took down my experience every time I got on twitter. With this theme, I was prepared for something full of queerbaiting and shallow sport (which is no demerit to me), however only the second part happened. Of course, no one wanted a anime video lecture about male gymnastics, but it was always a subject that I was interested and followed. That's why disappointed me how easy it was for the protagonist, who was not a genius and hadnever practiced the sport before, dominated everything so fast to the point that 12 episodes have already been competing with the boys who have been doing it for years. My thinking is that a baby steps mode would be best for this case, after all it's not as simple a thing as "tag you're It". The short number of episodes ordered gives the need for urgency, but i didn't buy so well.
The generic dramas they are inserted are sometimes nebulous and shallow, but they are quick to explain why they are that way. For me the most interesting thing was the teacher who was a talented star thay after an injury finds himself lost in a world where he must live as a normal and almost hopeless person. Just the kind of person he disliked so much, brutal.
It implies to me how much the boys who make up the team are not even close to having that impact. The bespectacled boy who just nods and talks well about the hot red-haired captain (Free! Mood) is completely forgettable even though he's been there from the beginning. The green haired boy is a total waste, his mob personality is very funny and I hope he will be exploited in the future. Shotaro is what we call a dreamy protagonist who doesn't have that much talent, but tries very hard to be excellent, so he can inspire new kids to get into the sport. He's satisfying. Unlike the team star, he is shallow and predictable like a transparent door. The direction can't even explain how he is so above average as they say, the only trick used is that horrid white-haired character who appears to be annoying and talented, as we've seen in other animes of the genre.
I don't like to judge with so few episodes, I know that in the future new characters will be developed, but I hope they will be treated in a more intelligent way. I also doesn't like the animation style they used at the time of the presentations, but it's very acceptable. The final performance is one of the most beautiful things of the year, with the brawny, sweaty boys glowing in the gym lights after so much battle. Here was managed to convey the feeling of reward for having seen all the episodes, cheering for them fly.
Keep flying boys, and bringing artistic gymnastics to more boys who might be interested in something so beautiful.
issa_labshat
First of all, I'd like to give my thanks to the creators and staff of this show because I have enjoyed every second of it! What really stood out for me is the direction or how they (staff) handled it. They carefully thought out what's best for every scene. When it calls for a dramatic scene, the atmosphere changes, and they do it well showcasing that. The music (sound) was perfect! I fell in love with the overall soundtrack, including the OP and ED. It captured the atmosphere really well! Especially the opponent's performance. (I forgot the name of the school tho lmao) Itwas fiery and I got goosebumps watching it. The art is also great here. I know some people think that CGI is a minus for an anime show. But this show handled it really well! The way they blend CGI with 2D animation during the performances wasn't that bad at all! It was fluid. I caught myself mesmerized and dizzy because of the angle shots BUT I STILL LOVED IT! HAHA
To be honest, I didn't expect much of this show. I saw Skate-Leading Stars and that show kind of sucked for me especially when it comes to the performances. But I decided to give it a shot because of the sport; Gymnastics. The other gymnastics anime that I loved was Taisou Samurai. The obvious difference is that Taisou Samurai showcases a solo routine while Bakuten!! required a group or a team. I loved Taisou Samurai and I thought it was one of the hidden gems last Fall 2020. So is Bakuten!!
Overall, I love it. Give it a try.
BabyGirl06301
I don't know if anyone else got the vibe that Bakuten!! was a mix of Haikyuu!! and Prince of Stride, but that's certainly how I felt. It felt like that tone of Prince of Stride and the character relationships and major plot points of a kind of knock-off Haikyuu!! Even so, there was, for me, a lot of originality in this series. I'm gonna start off with the demerits this anime gets because I very much liked this anime despite those, so it seems fitting to start with the few things I didn't like. For one, the characters were absolutely not as developed as I wouldhave liked them to have been, but given that this anime has a 12 episode run, that's not surprising. Actually, I felt like the major points of these characters' personalities more or less filled the gaps. Still, I would have liked to see more done with the character relationships. That's equally the case because Bakuten!! isn't quite the same as other sports anime. There aren't tournaments for this team to participate in where they're doing performance after performance, and the performances are simply improvements on what's already been shown. But that's the nature of rhythmic gymnastics--it's not like baseball or volleyball. That being said, with all the extra space in this anime between performances, taking a more concentrated look at the characters would have helped it when it felt slow.
I'd like to say that I disliked the super CGI animation of the performances, but actually, the very first performance shown in this anime is what convinced me to watch the whole thing. It blew me away because of the choreography, and so I didn't really mind the style of animation.
My gripe with this anime is actually the reason I love it so much: the characters. Even though their relationships didn't get highlighted as much as they might have with a longer run, I still felt drawn in. I think that's because this isn't really a main character kind of anime. Certainly there are parts where Misato or Shoutarou take center stage, but for the most part, it's an ensemble cast. That makes it easy to want to come back to these characters and see how their struggle to make it to InterHigh is going. I also felt like the high-stakes emotional aspects of this anime were done fairly well for it being such a simple plot. There are a couple places it falls flat, but there are a few moments that actually made me quite emotional or nervous or happy, and I didn't expect that from an anime like this.
Everything else around Bakuten!! is your typical sports anime. The goals are the same, the team development is the same, and I don't think anyone will be surprised by the ending. However, Bakuten!! still draws on emotion well and creates a set of characters that are worth the time to follow and love. I look forward to the movie because getting to see this group again excites me.
Hivoldep42
I mean this is another sports anime for many people, but isn't this very near perfection. I started this anime as I was coming into this season after finishing Taisou Zamurai by Mappa, about gymnastics which I liked a lot lot, that is when I added this to my PTW. Incredibly happy that I did. Beauty in terms of animation. Soundtrack is just as beautiful and fitting as the animation. But the thing that will stick with me are the characters, the variety, the motivation, the situation and all of it coming together to form one team. The coach's character was the most fascinating of allof them, and loved him throughout the run. The monologues at different stages were so good. I do not care for so called "tropes", until the story is strong enough to include them but not rely on them. This show may have used some tropes, but the execution of the voice acting, animation and soundtrack, char design was excellent. A strong 9/10 for me, as it personally relaxed each time I watched it, made me emotional, but in the end the words from the coach also gave us a moral to include in our life or think about.
"THE FUTURE IS IMPORTANT, AND YOU SHOULD NOT DO ANYTHING TO COMPROMISE YOURS, RE-EVALUATE YOUR PATH AT TIMES TO SEE IF YOU ARE HEADED IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. STILL IT IS NOT OKAY TO WORRY(KEEP WORRYING) ABOUT THE FUTURE AT THE EXPENSE OF HOW YOU ARE FEELING RIGHT NOW"
aries418
If I were to describe Bakuten!! in a sentence, it would be wholesome but generic. I thoroughly enjoyed it, but I admittedly have a bias towards sports anime. The story isn't something we haven't seen before sans the sport of rhythmic gymnastics. The premise is very reminiscent of Haikyuu. However, because of the small team there aren't as many characters, and the show goes a bit more in depth about their hobbies and personalities as a result. The coach also gets a bit of backstory. Lots of team bonding also ensues. Overall it's a very refreshing change of pace from the usual formula and strikes agood balance of seeing the sport as well as the characters personal lives. It's not all that "shippy" either. Instead, it feels like a love letter to men's rhythmic gymnastics.
Interestingly, the characters are not defined by their personalities so much as by their backstories and the things they do in their free time. There's a wota, a guy obsessed with yakuza movies, a dude who experiments with new recipes for his family business and another who enjoys arranging greenery. These interests are all played up for laughs on more than one occasion. But they're all similar to one another in a way: incredibly earnest, hardworking and competitive. No tsunderes or resident smart asses here folks. They're also all bound together by their love of the sport. Are they very deep? No. But I'd argue that they don't really need to be.
The art is where things get a bit dicey. The standard 2d animation and action sequences are great. Then there's the CGI used during their routines, which is... rough. It's an odd choice that I personally takes away from the complicated jump sequences and dance moves involved in each performance. Maybe it was due to time or budget constraints? Who knows. It's a small niggle, but I don't think it's a huge detriment to the overall show.
I don't usually focus all that much on sound, but the music here is fantastic. I don't know much about the composer, but they seem to understand gymnastics and what is appropriate for each situation. The same music is not reused over and over for different routines, which is a common gripe I have with more artistic sports anime(dance, gymnastics, ice skating, etc.). I must give kudos for the effort and consideration shown here. Bravo.
Overall, I enjoyed this very much. However, as I stated previously, I do love a good sports anime. If that also applies to you, I'd say that this is worth a watch. If you enjoy the camaraderie that comes with shows like this, I'd likewise recommend this. For everyone else... give it a chance. It's not a bad show by any stretch of the word.
AozoraAi
Bakuten is a sports anime about a less explored artistic sports which is rythm gymnastics. The concept itself is very fascinating as gymnastics itself is a very endearing and beautiful athletic sport. I was expecting a deeper voyage about it just like Yuri on ice. The first episode was really catchy leaving you wondering how a our MC Futaba, who never did gymnastics before would try to make it into the sport and become great in it. Before telling the most obvious issues with the show let me first talk about the positives which is the VA is pretty good, which is no surprise seeing thetalented line up of seiiyus.
The animation is neat, and story is just ok without any serious drama.
But that's all the good things I can list.
To be very honest, Bakuten has some very huge pacing and editing issues. The comedy while at some parts were good, most of the time it falls flat. The scenes cut randomly which looked quite odd. It's the same with BGM, there was an overall blending issue. I'm not sure if it's the direction but the viewing experience was very boring. There are some drama but most of it is shallow and gets resolved pretty quickly. I feel like there wasn't anything stimulating about the characters to connect with them. Insert many stereotypical tropes, you get a very mediocre experience. The lack of a good script coupled with a poor direction tales away from any potential the show had.
If you like sports anime you might want to give it a try, you will enjoy Bakuten the most if you go with the least expectations.
Nero_18
The whole show was stereotypical as it can be, the story was the same as many other sports anime, the characters were the same as many other sports anime, the way of putting the plot was the same as well, This anime was filled with the same plot, story, characters. The MC didn't have any character and personality in him until the last three episodes, But still, the show was decent and enjoyable was the most part of it, the art and camera angles during their competition were really good and CGI was also decent enough. In the end, I look forward to its season2 if it gets one.
audreyonquack
Bakuten, or Backflip!! (we musn't forget the exclamation marks) was initially just the seasonal sports anime that caught my eye. As a casual sports anime enjoyer, of course I wanted to go check it out. Initially, I didn't have very high expectations for the anime itself, since gymnastics and such don't have a very good record, but I still wanted to give it a shot anyway. It actually did pass my expectations, and turned out to be a lot better than I first imagined. Story: 7 Bakuten's storyline isn't really anything special in my opinion, boy wants to join a club after seeing one of theirperformances, the club had limited members, boy joins said club once he transfers to high school and learns the sport. At first, I felt quite bored actually since it was kind of like a template formula sports anime use, especially with the cliche metaphor of the birds "soaring". However, what makes me give this show a 7 in story was that it was unique in a way where the plot didn't need a mysterious or sad backstory for the protagonist/s to keep the audience going. It was refreshing to see just the protagonist, Shotaro Futaba, genuinely have a loving and supporting family. He wasn't this flashy character that had a unique skillset or distinguishing features, and Bakuten handled that type of protagonist well. The show felt down to earth (apart from the extremely fast learning from the protagonist, but that can be ignored) and genuinely felt relaxing to watch. It wasn't too intense, and that's what I like about it.
Art: 9
The art and animation just felt great. It felt great to finally see this type of anime be animated well, where the choreography could be captured in an apleasing manner for the audience. The art uses bright colours and simplicity which matches the positive tones in the show. The CGI performances for the gymnastics choreography was great, I felt some of the choreography felt limited for each performance therefore not making any of them stand out especially, but that is a minor issue that is outshined by the smooth CGI.
Sound: 6
The sound and music was fair, nothing really stood out to me however it wasn't bad either. I would have liked to see a variety of genres of music for each team that performed, but it's acceptable.
Character: 7
The characters in the show don't get too much development, but the one that I felt got a good amount of attention was the coach. (I'll be going into minor spoilers in this section of the review). The coach was definitely one of my favourite characters in the show, I found the joke behind his wife pretty funny and his backstory was definitely interesting. I really like how down to earth the coach is, the message being spread that people can 100% change. It feels like this sort of concept isn't used too often, of course we have Kageyama from Haikyuu, however his character was more focused on changING. The Coach we see in Bakuten has already moved on, and has suffered consequences from his past mistakes. I absolutely love that he then uses his knowledge to teach others and he does care for each of his students. In my opinion, the coach felt like an incredible character, someone who I can say "Yeah, I wish I had a teacher like that". There were other characters that got some development, however I won't go through each one. I do wish the two "main characters" got more development, though there will be more content of Bakuten so I hope to see development there. I can see that Bakuten does attempt to develop some characters, and so far they've done a good job in making them relatable and realistic. Again, I do want to see the main characters have more gradual development.
Enjoyment: 8
Overall enjoyment is the key to Bakuten. The anime was so refreshing to watch, was down to earth, and conveyed positivity in a sensible, non-dramatic manner. The overall dynamic made me happy to continue watching the show every week. However I'm not quite sure if it would be a bingeworthy show since I watched it weekly, but I did look forward to watching each episode and making me feel happy walking out of it.
Overall:
Bakuten probably won't leave a huge impression on me considering the setup of the storyline and the limited focus on the main characters, however I felt good watching it and is worth watching if you enjoy a peaceful yet entertaining watching experience.
animeshitha
Finally, after a long time, a sports anime actually focused on the sport. I love sports anime. It' one of my favorite genres. but i felt like he sports anime these days are less sports and more drama. What with Skate Leading Stars, Wave Surfing Yappe, and so many others who just conveniently skipped the sport part, it was refreshing. The anime hitches you from the very beginning, so there's no doubt that you want to watch it from the very first episode. The boys are adorable, and they truly feel like high school kids. Too often, for the sake of drama, the characters are soooooo emotionallymature that it doesn't suit their age, but these guys are the goofy kids they're meant to be.
The coach and the manager are honestly the greatest parts of the anime. The coach is actually seen as someone struggling with himself and his regrets. I like how they took the time to drive home the point that nobody's perfect, from the coach's dilemmas to Onagawa's shenanigans, everyone has demons.
THE ROUTINE. i loved that they gave us the entire choreography without any long monologues or cutaways. Sports anime focused on the sport - just how I like it!
If you love sports anime, give it a go. It's just a story about a bunch of goofy high school boys doing something they love, but it's surprisingly endearing and overall very enjoyable. 100% recommend.
kilolumi
i'm always attracted to sports animes, but this one particularly stood out. i was interested because of its name, Bakuten, and for some reason the title was stuck in my brain, and so that's what made me watch this anime. story: 8.3/10. in only 12 eps, everyone got solid development, and they didn't include unecessary episodes or anything. they followed the story all the way until the end, and it had a satisfying conclusion. there's even a movie after this, so i appreciate how the original story is being followed and adapted until the very end. the pacing is just right, and nothing was rushed imo.i guess the right word would be fluid? because it didn't seem stiff at all, which is ironic since this is a story about gymnastics.
art: 9/10. i love how they used 3D properly and it didn't ruin the mood at all. it wasn't crappy or blocky, it was real smooth how they coordinated the moves and the routine. the opening also matched the mood of the anime, so i can say that the op was splendidly made.
sound: 8.6/10. coming from a former gymnast, i like how they include the specific types of moves with their names, and the sound of them bouncing off the mattress sounds nostalgic. it sure did bring back memories. all the emotional scenes were carried by the va's as well, great job for them.
character: 8.2/10. maybe speaking from my experience, as i didn't really have a talent for gymnastics, i found it a bit hard to believe that the mc could do a decent backflip after the 1st ep. it took me **cough** around a year to properly do a backflip, but maybe it's because i don't have a thing for gymnastics. maybe shotaro also had a talent for gymnastics, which is why he could do a backflip by the end of the day. the anime made the moves look so easy but in reality it's really hard to do and it takes months of practice.
another great thing was that the other characters actually helped mc (shotaro) and misato's development; that was spot on. i could really feel the support from them, and gave them like an actual distinct personality. it was really fun to watch their interactions.
enjoyment: 8.7/10. solid 8 for this because i enjoyed the music a lot. both the ost, and the music they used to perform their routines. not to mention the op and the ed did not miss at all.
overall: 8.6/10. great sports anime, and it portrayed gymnastics quite realistically, especially concerning injuries. it's not exactly a must watch, but it was definitely a great watch.
SINNABEAN
I mean who doesn't love a good sports anime. I personally really enjoy sports animes so I wasn't very surprised to have enjoyed this as much as I did. However I was thoroughly impressed by how well they managed to animate the gymnastics itself since it isn't the easiest thing to animate I would imagine. Honestly if you like sports animes you'll probably get a good kick out of watching this, definitely recommend it. I'm surprised it didn't garner more attention like Sk8 or Haikyuu, I'm still passive aggressively trying to get my friends to watch it though... Oh, and of course the characters were allfun and loveable which I find is absolutely crucial for a good sports anime!
