Welcome to another art post here in the community.
I decided to bring a review of an anime that I finally managed to finish a few episodes of, called God Eater. Yes, that anime with the somewhat different graphics, an apocalyptic vibe, and weapons that look more like transformers with how much they change shape.
A bit funny at times, I admit it wasn't love at first sight, but in the end, I ended up enjoying it quite a lot.
I promise to keep it straightforward, nothing too technical, and no beating around the bush. Just some good, honest talk between us anime fans.
The first thing you’ll notice in God Eater is the visual style.
The studio behind it is Ufotable, the same one responsible for Demon Slayer. But here, they did something a bit different they mixed 3D animation with cel shading, and at first, it might feel a little weird (well, I thought it was very weird). It kind of feels like the anime is running on a PS3 game engine or something like that. But little by little, you get used to it and may even grow to enjoy it, especially during the fight scenes, which are very well choreographed.
The anime takes place in a chaotic future, in the year 2071, where humanity is on the verge of extinction because of the Aragami monsters that look like a cross between mythological beasts and badly drawn aliens. Totally unconventional. Humanity’s only hope is an organization called Fenrir, which creates soldiers known as God Eaters. These folks wield weapons called God Arcs, which are basically giant swords that also transform into firearms and literally eat Aragami.
The story's protagonist is Lenka Utsugi, a rookie who joins Fenrir full of rage, trauma, and the desire to change the world. The typical post-apocalyptic anime protagonist, you know? He’s got a sad backstory, acts on impulse, and wants to face the monsters on his own.
Spoiler: That doesn’t work out.
One thing that caught my attention was the supporting cast.
There’s Alisa Ilinichina Amiella (yeah, hard name), one of the most interesting characters. She’s Russian, powerful, but has a very heavy past that totally affects her behavior. At times, she acts in a way that makes you want to yell at the screen, but then you understand why. Another highlight is Lindow Amamiya, the veteran who kind of becomes the group’s mentor. There’s also Soma Schicksal, the quiet and mysterious guy, and Sakuya Tachibana, who keeps the team grounded.
But here comes a personal criticism.
The anime had the potential to explore the characters much more. They’re cool, have good backstories, but everything feels rushed. It’s like there wasn’t enough time to develop each of them as they deserved. If there had been more episodes, this could’ve easily been fixed.
God Eater has its stumbles…
The pacing is kind of messy and sometimes it speeds through moments that could’ve been important, while other parts drag unnecessarily. It feels like the creators weren’t sure how much time they had to tell the whole story. The plot can also be confusing, especially if you’ve never played the Bandai Namco games. Some things only make sense if you’re already familiar with the universe. And to make things worse, the ending is disappointing. It gives off that “to be continued…” vibe except that continuation never came.
Now, is it worth watching? It depends. If you enjoy that apocalyptic vibe, something like Attack on Titan or Black Bullet, and like action with giant monsters and stylish weapons, you’ll probably find it entertaining. Especially if you’ve played one of the God Eater games. But if you're more into deep storytelling, well-developed characters, and a neatly wrapped-up ending… it might be better to skip this one.
God Eater is an anime that seems to have been made with a lot of care in terms of visuals and action, but that stumbled due to its own haste. I liked it, especially because I already knew the game and enjoy this type of setting, but I admit it has flaws. If I had to give it a score, it’d be a 7/10. It has a lot of style, memorable scenes, and characters with potential, but falls short in execution and development. Still, if you're looking for something different and short (only 13 episodes), you can dive in without fear.
So, have you watched God Eater?
Check out the trailer below:
