Sci-fi and futuristic animes don't usually picque my interest that much. I don't know, but my brain seemed to find their concept too complicated or it's just the fact that sci-fi anime usually kills a lot of characters and subconsciously I avoid those kinds of heartaches. But anyway, since this genre and concept is part of the quest this month, I'm compelled to try some of it. Honestly, I struggled to find sci-fi and futuristic anime that would suit my taste or at least pique my interest, yet thank goodness I found one, and this Wednesday I started watching it. I thought it would bore the hell out of me, but I was wrong—totally wrong!
Yesterday I almost couldn't sleep because I was really overthinking about the anime I was following at that time. I was almost at its last episode when I reached my curfew time, so even if it's hard to do, I have to let it wait for a few hours. I woke up just before 5:00 AM and all my sleepiness dissipated when I remembered the part where I left it. For the next hours, I sat at the edge of my seat as I watched its thrilling action scenes and of 'course at some point, I bawled my eyes out. I know you're curious why if not you're unlucky because you're really gonna miss something, so enough with the intro, join me as we take a peek at what it is to be a God Eater.
About the Anime
God Eater is an anime that premiered last summer of 2015. It aired from July 12, 2015, to March 26, 2016, and was animated by Ufotable. This 13-episode anime series is based on its game, whose genres mainly revolve around action, fantasy and sci-fi. It is said that this anime is made to promote the source material which is the game, and if you watch it and pay attention to the title of each episode you'll find that evident. So the story started in the year 2071—a dystopian future where humanity is almost wiped out by the vicious life forms that suddenly emerged years before that—and those life forms are called Aragami.
Aragami—are the beasts that devour everything, material or immaterial, they kill everything that comes in its way. They say those creatures are created by god to weed out humanity and reset everything. They are literally almost indestructible for they can't be killed with the usual and even high-powered weapons, but humanity never ceases to find ways even if it compels them to be one with the devil itself. If you can't slay the devil on your own, then be the devil that slays it—and with that, the existence of God Eaters came to light.
Fenrir, an organization dedicated to exterminating Aragami founded God Eaters—a group of special individuals who wield God Arc, a living weapon infused with an Aragami and it's the only weapon that can kill them. One of the users of God Arc is Lenka Utsugi, a new type of user whose God Arc can take the form of both a blade and a gun. Lenka grew up outside the walls of Fenrir, and the years he spent outside were a constant battle with death and dejection. He thought that passing the examination would let him protect the people who needed him, but Fenrir is far from the haven he had imagined, for even inside its walls, there's still danger lurking in.
An internal strife is brewing—one that they can't avoid. But after being repeatedly pushed back, the God Eaters will not back down and they'll still fight with it head-on. They will blast and cut their way towards anything that will come and they will not stop until the hope is passed to the future.
I was quite lost when it started and so was when it ended. I really searched for what happened next in the plot of its game, and thankfully spoilers are there to relieve what I felt. I know you're probably curious why I felt lost, but the plot progressed a little bit slowly in the earlier episodes. Also, I found it quite confusing for a while because I had no clue what those creatures were fighting. All I know is that those dinosaur-like creatures are terrifying and hard to kill even with their cool and heavy-looking weapons. But anyway thanks to its flashbacks, I somehow understood how the story goes.
The plot was not that unique, but the way they executed it made me to be really invested in it. The way they gradually set the intensity of its story up was brilliant. The backstories were the usual heartbreaking ones, but still, they managed to make me cry to the point my nose was clogged up lol. I even stopped for a while because my emotions were running high and I couldn't focus if my mind was still stuck on its previous episode. Also, it's surprising how I was able to connect and feel the psychological torment that the characters experienced—especially the one who suffered PTSD.
Aside from how it emotionally affected me, my view of its visuals was quite divided. At first, I found it weird, maybe because I'm not used to its art style and also the transitions caught me off guard. It was confusing and the static effect somehow didn't immediately sit well with me. However, later on, I got used to it and soon I find their art style cool. And as for animation, you can't really expect less with Ufotable and indeed they slayed it! Their action scenes were enthralling and they're really entertaining to watch. The way they animated those beasts was so terrifying and just imagining them prowling in the modern world was fear-inducing. Further, they also didn't shy out in showing gore which added to the thrill I felt while watching it.
Moving on from its visuals, what also caught my interest is their VAs. When I first heard Lindow's voice, I thought it was Yami's VA but it turns out my guess was wrong because he was voiced by Sanji's VA. However, I finally got it right when I heard the second VA that I find familiar because Soma's VA undeniably sounds like Zapp Renfro from BBB (and also their character designs look eerily similar). The characters were voiced well, and it's definitely one of the reasons why I find it emotionally affecting. And as for its soundtrack, the opening song was really a banger! The raspy voice there sounds really cool and when combined with its visuals, it's hard to skip it.
On the other hand, its ending song—even though it is exactly the opposite of its upbeat opening—definitely matches the mood that each end part should have. It may sound melancholic, but that's something that you'll feel once you end an episode. Also, the details there would mean something—I thought they were just there for aesthetics and also to match the song's vibe, but it turns out they have deeper meanings. So much for all of those I have mentioned, this anime is really a must-watch if you're into a futuristic future set in a dystopian world. The plot may be generic but the execution made up for it, and overall I rate this anime 8.9/10. So if you're interested then don't hesitate and try watching the God Eater.
And before I end this review, I'll share with you its opening song, so—
Have you seen this anime before? Or was this your first time encountering it? Well, if you have something to share, then feel free to comment it/them below. That's all for now, minna-san! I hope you enjoyed reading my review.
Arigatou and tanoshinde ne~
The pictures that didn't have source were screenshots from the anime while the last picture was edited in Canva.