Welcome to Anime Review #75. The anime this week is Arslan Senki
Aired:
Apr 5, 2015 to Sep 27, 201; Jul 3, 2016 to Aug 21, 2016
Synopsis:
The year is 320. Under the rule of the belligerent King Andragoras III, the Kingdom of Pars is at war with the neighboring empire, Lusitania. Though different from his father in many aspects, Arslan, the young prince, sets out to prove his valor on the battlefield for the very first time. However, when the king is betrayed by one of his most trusted officials, the Parsian army is decimated and the capital city of Ecbatana is sieged. With the army in shambles and the Lusitanians out for his head, Arslan is forced to go on the run. With a respected general by his side, Daryun, Arslan soon sets off on a journey in search of allies that will help him take back his home.
However, the enemies that the prince faces are far from limited to just those occupying his kingdom. Armies of other kingdoms stand ready to conquer Ecbatana. Moreover, the mastermind behind Lusitania’s victory, an enigmatic man hiding behind a silver mask, poses a dangerous threat to Arslan and his company as he possesses a secret that could jeopardize Arslan’s right to succession.
With the odds stacked against him, Arslan must find the strength and courage to overcome these obstacles, and allies who will help him fight in the journey that will help prepare him for the day he becomes king.
My Opinion:
Being someone who is a fan of fantasy, Arslan Senki was right up my alley and it did not disappoint me.
I wasn’t expecting to enjoy it as much as I did, to be honest. The first episode was kind of ‘meh’ for me, but I stuck with it, and by the second episode I needed more, more, more. I caught up on the show that day and watched weekly after that.
What I enjoyed most was the moral compass this series is guided by, or rather, Arslan is. He’s a just, fair young man with a very good head on his shoulders. His growth from a wimpy kid who only knows what he’s been taught to someone who sees the world without judgement in the sense that if he disagrees with it, it isn’t automatically seen as “the wrong thing”, he just doesn’t agree.
You can’t help but root for Arslan as he starts his journey with Daryun, Narcissus and the others to reclaim Pars after it has fallen to Lucetania, because you want to know what kind of leader Arslan has it in him to be.
Each character has the remarkable capacity for growth, and they do. Arslan’s company grows to the point where if you were to place the old them and the new them beside each other, the differences would be stark. I love that, and in a series like this, surrounded by war and politics and religion, it’s definitely necessary.
The art was phenomenal as well! Honestly, I think thats one of my favourite things, aside from the characters. The way everything was animated was simply gorgeous.
The music, also, was grand. It helps sweep you up into the moment. With each swell of the music, you’re left sitting on the edge of your seat. What’s going to happen? What’s going on?
I adore this anime and Im really sad theres no continuation..
Seasons & Episodes:
2 seasons ~ 33 episodes
Trailer:
