Winter 2015 was being a blast since I got this series on my list to must-watch. Absolute Duo [アブソリュート・デュオ] is typically an anime series with genres that we-all-have-known, standing between action, supranatural, ecchi, harem, and romance. [The 1st impression review is here]
【Download the theme songs here ♪♩♫♬】
In this world, human's soul appears in form of weapon called Blaze. The Blaze itself won't do any good.
They need to train themselves martial arts to strengthen and use the Blaze on its maximum.
Therefore, Tooru Kokonoe—the protagonist—drags his butt off to a school specializes for this matter.
What's comes next are ferocious occurrences.
I've got myself to give 1st impression for this anime before. I can say I was captivated enough to prioritize downloading this anime newest eps every week, because it was cool as f*ck in the introduction (1st and 2nd eps). Despite it gets its popularity in the start line, Absolute Duo series started to feel kinda off and somehow only made us wait the bombastic event which mostly came at the end after Lilith, a minor character in the main characters circle showed up and made her debut a lot. However since the Lilith debut in their circle, by being side by side with Lilith, one by one their strengths level-up and also can strengthen the bonds of friendship between them. Not too bad for the battle scenes because we can get a lot from it.
The characters development was exploring more than before, I thought it is because this Lilith brings the core of problem to the front line for main characters. Her emergence paves the way for us to get bunch of informations of the problem awaits. And of course this problem makes turmoil in their friendship that lead them to make decision maturely (developing). The fact that every characters are often involved in every involving cases makes their development growing up steady. Altho' Miyabi is being a nuisance to overcome her weaknesses mentally, she also develops up-and-down.
[somewhat spoiler] The show is getting its hits on 8th eps. Not only because it was summer training and camp time—including beach and hot springs time—but also the start of God's Destruction Corps / Libers action and the Exceed to meet the "Selection" among Blaze user.
This eps is marked too, because of the change of my perception to Miyabi Hotaka who is so fragile and pessimistic and seems like a bother for me. Her courage to tell out her feelings straight to Tooru and the instant flashback Tooru got at that time are thrilling. Then..suddenly it disappears, the whole new perception after watched 9th eps, Miyabi is the target of Libers association to be special soldier to make Tooru and friends fall off to beat their own friend. and Miyabi itself turns into an annoying being in my sight, because she is so easy to get depressed by her own weakness and she is dancing in enemy's hand.
From the 10th eps, we are served by more battles, more intense battles which is darker than before but losses its cool. The hidden truth behind all of the problem is not shocking enough and it feels somehow plain than the earlier eps. The meaning of Avenger mentioned about and the truth between the school main purpose and enemy's will, in fact its blast just for entertaining. Only to entertain and less meaning there. [For the theme song aspect, guessed I already speech my impression on the previous post, the post of Absolute Duo's 1st impression]
I'm sure this show can be more promising later, if it gets its 2nd season by being more complicated in the problems and bluntly tells viewers exactly what's going on. By giving clear informations with outstanding way will help to boost the interest for keep rooting for the show. Let's vote this show 7 as its already entertain me on my summer break.
Pros:
- The time its (characters) on battle. Their movements are awesome, it's beautifully firm looks like so fine martial arts
- Nice visualization, especially some sceneries
Cons:
- Still remains, the exact meaning of "avenger", the explanation of scars from Kokonoe and Julie's past, and another association that haunted those Blaze. Not too much explored
増原 紀花