First Episode Impression: "Double Decker! Doug & Kirill"

Synopsis

In the city state of Lisvalletta, crime and illegal drugs run rampant in its shadows. One of the most prominent of drugs is the dangerous and highly substance known as “Anthem.” for those who take this drug become beings that are barely human and cause destruction wherever they go. Sent to handle these beings is the SEVEN-O Special Crime Investigation Unit which operates in two-man “buddy” teams called the “Double Decker System” to tackle the problem. One of these teams is team newbie and seasoned investigator Doug Billingham along with the mysterious Kirill Vrubel.

The Good

Given the premise of the series, you would expect it to be a crime action show with some solid animation and an engaging story. it does give that on one hand, but on the other, the episode presented the series as a comedy cop show. This is something you don’t really see in anime so it was a pleasant surprise. With the plot, there was a strong introduction done by the episode while leaving enough mystery to entice the viewer. With the characters, Doug seems like the typical main character who aims to be more and yet at the same time his general personality has a difference to the norm. It was interesting to see how his dynamic was formed with Kirill. Basically, the idea is interesting and its backed up with some engaging action, distinct characters, and a good story flow.

The Bad

There are points throughout the episode where it seemed to try a little too hard to both establish the tone and story of the series while drawing in the viewer. This was clear in how it tried to portray other sides of Doug and how it tried to meld its comedy into the action scene in the second half of the episode. Personally, the episode has a lot of hit or miss points, mainly in the comedy and how wild it can get. Other than this, if you take away the whole comedy cop concept, this is a rather typical action/mystery/crime story.

Conclusion

It’s a different sort of series in that it makes use of a different comedy and presents an unexpected type of protagonist. While this writer had hit or miss thoughts with the episode, there is an appeal to be found with those who are into action comedies of this level. Besides this, the action is great, the designs of the people who took Anthem were distinct and overall it helps in balancing out the episode. For those who are looking for some good action mixed in with some comedy, this is it.

Rating: 7/10