Above: Doppelgangers from Durarara! and Index – anyone spot them?
It’s been a while since a show like “K” aired, and it’s about time, too. With a lackluster summer season coming to a close, “K” and its intriguing plot and action are definitely welcome changes.
So what’s the show all about? In a nutshell, it revolves around the main character, Isana Yashiro, who gets involved in a supernatural fight between seven kings. Add in amazing visuals, smooth fight sequences, and a bouncing soundtrack and you’ve got yourself a recipe for success.
Above: I have a feeling that cat is going to be real appealing soon.
For the sake of brevity, I’m going to keep this particular post short. Rather than a thorough analysis of the episode and every little detail in it, these kinds of posts will just be quick recommendations and/or warnings about how good an episode is. Well then, is “K” good?
If you’ve been reading the post, you can probably gauge my reaction by now. The first episode of “K” is a great example of what expositions should be like – it sets up its futuristic vision of Tokyo, introduces us to its eclectic ensemble of characters, and mixes in a bit of mystery to keep us wondering about what’s going on. So while it doesn’t reveal a whole lot and leaves us with a lot of questions, it’s not a bad thing. In fact, at the start of an anime series, leaving us with questions is what it’s supposed to do. So in that regard, kudos to the director behind “K”.
The only downside to the whole episode was that I sensed the beginnings of a typical boy-love romance – much like what happened in the anime “No. 6″. And while I don’t despise same-sex relationships, I do cringe at the way they’re established in anime series, with one pretty boy going at the other. I hope “K” finds a way to break the mold, and finds a way to utilize various relationships as a story-telling tool rather than pandering fanservice.
The Verdict: It’s Worth a Watch
I didn’t particularly like the first episode. To me it felt like the flashy visuals were there to show off all the techniques the studio is capable of, rather than it being in service of the plot.
I’m not against flashy visuals by principle or anything, it’s just that I felt it was done at the cost of the story in this case, as I didn’t really get any sort of impression from any of the characters. I was even a bit unsure who the protagonist of the show was, until they just flat out told me in the next episode preview.
So overall I was a bit lukewarm about the episode, but it did interest me enough that I want to see the next one. Both to see what they do with the story, and what flashy visuals they have waiting for us.
I agree and disagree with you at the same time. It’s an opening episode, so things are just being set up. But yes, the flashy visuals were more eye-candy than story content. I still love it though. It has a To Aru Majutsu no Index feel to the story.