After the First: Juuni Taisen

Synopsis

All over the world, the 12 strongest warriors are called to participate in a battle royale and are dubbed with the 12 zodiac names. In the name of pride they battle to death and all to grant one wish.

First Impression

With the premise of the series, a degree of psychological work and gore scenes were to be expected. The main highlights that presented themselves in the first episode mainly lie in the very concept of the series as a battle royale featuring the Chinese Zodiac and the mechanics behind it. It was a surprise that it didn’t start off with the full cast but rather with one character as the focus. The way the story laid out some rather predictable character moments and tropes only to shift it towards the end was rather commendable.

As for the characters, while there wasn’t much given on them, what was given was an interesting introduction for the most part. The action scenes were well established but a bit too much on the pacing at times. The art brought rather creative character designs but for the most part is rather standard in modern anime. The monologuing that went on can be a bit of a hassle to go through but it did give an interesting look into the character’s mentality. Outside of the action scene execution and dialogue work though, there is much promise to be found.

General Impression

When you realize that the deaths of the characters are in the reverse order, you can’t help but predict that the following episodes would be following the pattern. But like with the first episode, the series managed to lay out a certain framework of predictability only to shift things when you least expect it. And like the first episode presented, each episode presents an interesting dive into the stories and mentalities of the different characters. Watching as they all come up with their own plans though, can get a little dragged out in certain parts.

Still the little twists that the series manages to pull off with its characters is highly fascinating. In addition to this we also get sneak peeks on how the competition actually works. It s all the little details and buildup that the series brings that makes it so interesting. The problem however is that there are moments when things seem a little dragged out and somewhat anticlimactic. In a series that involves a fight to the death, you would expect more battle scenes or all out brawls, still, the strategic work is fine as well though a little more excitement would be nice as well.

Conclusion

Outside of the dialogue work, anticlimactic moments and dragging scenes, the series brings a highly fascinating character exploration, strategic insight and overall interesting development. While the series could have used a little more excitement in terms of action, the stories it bring with each character makes up for most of it. If you’re looking for a series that takes on a completely different type of battle royale theme, this is it.

Rating: 7.5/10