Nanbaka

Quick disclaimer before I start this review. Is Nanbaka one full season, or is there two seasons. Because Crunchyroll advertised it as one season with 25 episodes while Myanimelist treated it as two separate seasons. Either way, as of this review I will be reviewing Nanbaka based on the 25 episodes that I watched. And by god, what a load of crap this was in the end. You know if I ever had to make a comparison to Nanbaka, I would compare it to the Sonic The Hedgehog franchise. It was praised at birth, went through a horrible phase at one point, became good again and then turned into absolute shit yet again. I got the impression that this was a comedy, however when you search for Nanbaka under the comedy section in Crunchyroll, it doesn't appear. So what is this anime? Is it actually a comedy? The show states multiple times that it is a comedy, but most episodes had more action than comedy inserted. Even then, I didn't particularly enjoy Nanabaka when it was an action adventure, it worked better as a comedy and thats the way it should've stayed! That's what Nanbaka shines at the most if you ask me, its the comedy. Around 75%, the jokes that were presented to me made laugh and giggle and it matched with the tone of the anime. For the most part. I love it when the characters break the fourth wall and when the art style changes to a more cutie approach. Something I haven't really seen from any anime that Ive watched at this moment. But Im sorry to say, this is all the good things I have to say about this anime. So here are my negatives. Whats the story of this anime again? I didn't even think there was a story in the first half of Nanbaka. It was more or less an insight as to what the inmates got up to in there daily lives at Nanba. The main prisoners get forced into a tournament with the Nanba guards, so for around five episodes the prisoners are trying to compete against each other. You may be asking yourself, why is a prison holding a tournament when they should be cleaning up the lavatories or at least mowing the lawns. You can ask yourself that, but Im afraid you won't get a definitive answer. There were times during this show where I legitimately asked myself "Hey is this even a prison?". It sure doesn't feel like one sometimes. After a certain point in the tournament, the main character Juyugo gets into a little fight with Musashi as they had some previous rivalry in the past. However this little fight turns into what I can only say feels like a Pokemon battle. Musashi becomes Charizard and starts shooting fire balls and Juygo evolves into Heracross and grows these giant swords from his arms. When this scene occurred, I was so bewildered. It nearly turned me off from watching any more episodes, because the show was trying to be something that it clearly was not meant to be in the first place. I get that the show is not meant to be taking itself seriously, but i thought this was a show about normal prisoners trying to escape prison. But no, they can perform hadokens and weird anime shit. The next few episodes after that are filler until the 13th episode where things start to get interesting which then ultimately leads onto the second half. So if you didn't like the first half, then I think your asking a lot of yourself to go ahead and watch the second half. Thankfully the second half is better, but not by that much. There is more of a story, not that its climatic or anything. But like the first half we get filler that adds nothing to the story and characters that get introduced and are never bought up again. Ontop of that the main villain in the second half does absolutely NOTHING!!! He more or less stands around saying that he's going to kill off Juyugo but does nothing about it. We get four episodes dedicated to fighting the same guard who can't seem to understand how to fucking die. Btw that Prison guard would make a great Kitana skin in Mortal Kombat X. These episodes are clearly filler and there is obviously no structure to the story whatsoever. The second arc doesn't even bloody finish, it leaves you on a cliffhanger hoping that you wait another year to watch the 3rd half. And i thought people complained about Mob Psycho 100s ending. I struggled to find any connection with the cast members. I don't know why I should care for Juygo, Uno, Rock and Nico at the end of the day because they are prisoners. Even so, they are nice prisoners which makes you wonder why they were put in prison in the first place. I was really looking forward to seeing the character interaction between the main prisoners, but they get split up most of the time in later episodes, so I was really disappointed in the end. Its really hard to actually understand there motivations and goals, because aside from Juyugo, the other prisoners have already met their goals despite how childish they may seem. Juyugo doesn't even know what he wants in life, so thats a massive problem which doesn't get expanded upon. Moving onto Haijme, he's the character I actually got the most enjoyment out of. Mainly because he's just a big bully that doesn't want his workload to increase, and along with supporting character Seitarou, I got the most laughs from both of these characters. There is more character interaction between the prison guards rather than the inmates. Lets move onto the art style! Now this anime is colorful and the crazy character designs are absolutely gorgeous. But Nanbaka is set in a prison after all and aside from Haijme and then four main prisoners, none of the cast members actually look like they belong in a prison let alone work for one. But the biggest offence that I found from the art style was the backgrounds. On more than a couple of occasions you'll be looking at backgrounds that look like they could've been made in Photoshop. Orange triangles, pink and white polka dots and blue and purple zigzags, and you see this more than the prisons architect itself. Which is a shame because the Prison Nanba is beautiful to look at. However when your not looking at these colourful backgrounds, your mainly limited to grey and boring prison cells. When you boil it down, it looks like to me that this was a budgeted decison. Did I also mention about how unimportant cast members just get turned into blue and lifeless stick figures? Whats up with that? The music wasn't really memorable either. Rin Rin Hi Hi was the only decent track that I got some enjoyment out of. However when you watch the second half of the show, the band who sings the song sound like they snorted a bag of cocaine and then sung the song again. Except this time, it sounds like utter shit. In short I refer to the quote that I made back at the very beginning. But Nanbaka is just like Sonic The Hedgehog at the end of the day. An anime that I was honestly interested to see left me with a feeling that I didn't get with other anime such as Mob Psycho 100 or Gurren Lagann. You know what, go watch that instead because its consistently funny and those shows establish itself as a action and a comedy from the beginning. Nanbaka starts off as a comedy then turns into an action midway. Like Twin Star Exorcists, the show has a hard time trying to understand what it wants to be. Don't watch this anime, if you want to go and watch a couple of episodes go ahead. But take my word for it, this is nothing special by any means.

This was one of those weird anime. The first episode did a really good job of grabbing you into the show, and I say is probably one of it's better episodes. Is it a masterpiece? No. Can it be entertaining? Yes. Is this a comedy anime? Yes, but it gets turned into an action comedy anime in it's out of place tournament arc. Also, be sure to take a shower, as fter watching this, you might have some glitter on you, because EVERYONE'S SPARKLING! Side note, if there is no sparkles, it's no longer a comedy anime F.Y.I. Give it a shot, it might tickle your fancy.

Warning possible Spoilers The only other prison anime I have seen is Prison School and we all know how that went so seeing this was a action/comedy it certainly caught my eye and I was definitely surprised by this. The story focuses on the hilarious everyday lives of the Inmates and Guards of Nanba Prison, but not everyday is full of laughs and enjoyment. I thought this was just going to be another anime that is just full of random comedy with hints of action which it was at first, but by the halfway point the story turned into a dark thriller and this surprised me because you find out more about some of the inmates who have their own secrets. It was also fun seeing the attics that the inmates get up to so they can annoy the guards who also have their own problems with each other. There was a few sections that really stood out for me like the new year tournament and pretty much the second half where the situation goes from comedy and action to dark thriller which was a unexpected twist of events. I thought the characters were very likeable and usually I don't watch a lot of anime's that mainly focus on male characters since pretty much all the Inmates and Guards are dudes apart from one character. The main Inmates are Juugo, Uno, Nico and Rock who for a band of prisoners work so well together they have good chemistry and are really funny plus they care for each other too since all they have is each other. Juugo is pretty much the most interesting character since he has a dark backstory and has a secret ability that is shown later in the series, but is someone you will fell sorry for since he didn't have a choice in the matter. The other inmates Uno, Nico and Rock are also fun characters since each of them have specific feature that makes them stand out like for example Uno is a womaniser, Nico is a huge anime/manga fan and Rock just loves to eat food now even though these are pretty big cliches in the anime world these characters fit those personas really well and it keeps the show going for me. The Guard characters are also fun too because even though they are OP when fighting the prisoners and each other they actually do get some development and you go from seeing them as just adversaries for the prisoners to well rounded characters. I also have to say there is a lot of trap characters like as of the end of the series there is probably 3 or 4 of them and that would catch a lot of guys off guard. One thing I can definitely say about the Artstyle is that it is very colourful and sparkly yet for some reason it fits mainly because of the fun nature of the show and it's characters and it still somehow works when there is a serious moment going on I mean there is probably every colour of the Rainbow throughout the show. The same can be said for the characters because almost everyone has a very elaborate hair style or colour and it can be pretty distracting at times. Now the show does start off with Comedy and it really starts off strong because most of the stuff that happened during the first 3 episodes was pretty damn funny and then it turns into action at the halfway point which was the New Year Tournament and for a tournament or challenge type episode (or episodes) it was seeing how powerful the characters were and made you think that messing around with them is not the best idea. Overall I think this was a fun and colourful show if you're looking for funny characters and a surprising story then you might actually enjoy this anime.

The creators of Nanbaka looked like they didn't know where they wanted the show wanted to go, the story line went from lighthearted to serious and back to light-hearted before you even know it. Art: I absolutely loved the bright colors throughout the show. My only concern is the sparkles that float around throughout the show. These sparkles added a fun touch but when the series got more serious, these sparkles were out of place and took a toll on the dramatic effect. Sound: I'm not a huge critic on voice acting but I can say that it sounded pretty good to me :3 I LOVED the opening and ending songs, both are catchy and memorable. I never skipped the opening/ending when it came up like I do for most other shows. Character: Each character is memorable and has a unique personality. You can really see the connection between characters and their development throughout the show. Story: Basic plot, just the whole revenge cliche. I could have gone without the filler episodes after a cliff hanger on the previous episode. It really takes a toll on the tone of the scene. Although I enjoyed the filler episodes, they could have easily been placed in another part of the show and not smack in the middle of two dramatic episodes. Overall: The show is definitely a mess, but what made it enjoyable was the characters and art. I loved seeing the main characters interact with the guards and the other inmates. And the flamboyant colors, only when they are justified, however, added a special touch. I would not consider this a show to binge watch, but one or two episodes every now and then is just the right amount. The show gets an 8/10 for me :)

Nanbaka started off as a comedy but then it slaps us in the face a whole bunch of angst and a mystery plot. I wish they stuck with one or the other. The characters were pretty bland and didn't have much depth. Some of them were insanely annoying. The premise of "escaping the prison" didn't stick to the end. And tbh, i don't think they could've written a story solely based on that anyways. It starts to lose its way and amounts to being confusing and not being good at either genre they were trying to do. There were some nice moments, but they immediately get ruined by the pacing, storytelling, etc. When there was some interesting development happening, they don't *go* for it. And it ends up being a crappy job. The mystery plot was really interesting, but it seemed like they ran out of jokes and decided to do a 180 from its original genre. Despite all this Nanbaka was promising. Some major tweaks are needed, but the characters can be endearing, wholesome, and lovable. Either stick with the prison mates gag comedy, not just focusing on them escaping the prison, but also on their daily lives. Or stick with the mystery plot and make it more serious and believable, while still keeping the characters with some of their traits and characteristics that make them unique and lovable, and adding depth to them. Also, pls don't make the main character so oblivious to what's going on. The 'imma save them by myself, and not tell them they are in danger" is a frustrating cliché that results in many problems that could've been solved by communication. Overall, could've been better.

(SPOILER-FREE Review) Nanbaka is an anime that is, from start to end, in search of identity and purpose. Since it lacks a single identity, purpose and any focus at all, it adopts multiple ones arbitrarily. I am all for multi-genre anime as long as the mix of genres is done gracefully, it serves a purpose and the plot is largely coherent. Neither applies in the case of Nanbaka; the sudden change of pace and genre is even lampshaded by some characters a few times, presumably because even the writers thought it was excessive and wanted to alleviate the problems by pointing them out. Lampshading often helps but in this case it didn't. From the 4th episode onward, starting with that ridiculous prison tournament, the anime abruptly changed from a gag comedy anime to a mix of shounen, drama, character driven story, action, you name it, as was also pointed out by the main lead Juugo. The first 1/4 of the anime is *radically* different from the rest of the episodes and this abrupt change serves no purpose. The (sporadic) comedy is OK, but unfortunately it often relies on milking fun out of preposterous situations rather than genuinely funny ones. Comedic anime, even gag comedies, do not need to abandon every semblance of common sense and reality to be funny; good comedies (such as Konosuba, Eizouken, Hinamatsuri, Kobayashi-san Chi no Maid Dragon etc) can still make sense. Mediocre ones like Nanbaka do not, since they sadly equate "ridiculous" with "funny", which are not the same thing. The entire prison system of Nanba is basically set up like a huge farce, apparently by design; Looney Toones make much more sense than this, and its characters have a smaller hammerspace. Nanbaka's characters are worse than average, not relatable and very forgettable. Its music is fine but not very memorable. Basically the entire anime runs not on its story or characters but on its *fabulous* art. The art is truly something to behold. Everything sparkles, glitters and twinkles, literally. The characters, both guards and prisoners, are all dressed for the gay parade rather than a prison, which also sparkles. The prison, due to its design and structure, would be perfectly suited to host a massive gay parade event as well. Their hair jobs alone have more colors than an entire dully colored anime. If this anime had poor art it would have found itself at the bottom of the bargain bin, with zero hopes of a second cour. Its rating here would not have been a (very generous) 7.34 but something like 4.5, at best. If you love anime with just very good art, with a "plot" that is all over the place, starting from nowhere and ending nowhere (even the ending was abrupt, and I don't mean "cliffhanger abrupt", just abrupt..), you will probably love this anime. The rest of you are not going to. I never thought that a "rule of cool" anime with an even finer (and gayer) art and even more ridiculous "plot" than the JoJo series existed. Then I watched Nanbaka. At least JoJo is self-consistent in its preposterousness. I also never thought that my first review here would be for an anime like Nanbaka. My overall rating of this anime would have been "3" if I ignored the art. The truly gorgeous art added another 2 whole points.

NOTE: if you’re watching nanbaka on crunchyroll you’ll find out that nanbaka has more than 13 seasons for it’s first season. That’s just because crunchyroll decided to continue the season, the season was still meant to end at the 13th episode though. Story: 8 out of 10. I rated it this because the overall story is pretty good. Nanbaka's plot had me hooked from the moment I saw those four idiots try to escape nanbaka prison. Nanbaka had a lot of action and I laughed at least three times during every episode. Though the plot was sometimes very random and I had trouble following it, I found the story very endearing and good. I expected it to be a comedy anime (which it was) but it’s also a slice of life and action anime, in my opinion. I liked that all of the characters (most of them) were able to have backstories. Backstories made them all feel less randomly dropped in the story and explained why they were there. Still, as I already mentioned, there were still some parts where I had to go back to the previous chapter because I couldn't understand what was happening. I did eventually get what was happening enough to continue watching the anime but me being confused with what was happening temporarily is why I couldn't rate it a 10. It was still a good, creative story. Art (8/10): The art was okay. It wasn't outstanding but it was fine and I could watch the anime without cringing at it. The characters all looked very different and I liked how many colors they used on each character. I didn't understand why all of the characters were glowing but I didn't mind. They're fabulous so they deserve to glow... Sound 9/10: I can't judge sound very well because I don't usually listen to anime openings or anything like that but I enjoyed the songs in nanbaka. I thought they were really fun and were not at all boring to listen to. As for the english dub... I actually didn't mind it. People complain about it but it's actually one of the better anime concerning english dub. I could do without the warden’s high-pitched voice, though. character (9/10): I really loved the characters in nanbaka. The main characters and some of the side characters have really well character development and backstories. I can also relate to most of them, so that's a bonus. I didn't really get to see much of the prisoner’s in building 13’s background, only snippets, in the first season but I think/hope I'll learn more about them in the second season. They all seemed like a family and I loved that they were able to have that bond. Jyugo: Jyugo is practically my child, I love him so much. I wasn't very attached to him in the beginning of the series but, after hearing his backstory, I got very attached to him and now I just want the best for him. I love his character development and he reminds me a bit about myself. He's a character you can relate to in a way or another. He deserves to be the main character and it is shown how he unites all of his friends in the later episodes in the season. Uno: the classic gambler. I mostly paid attention to him because I ship him with Jyugo but now I just love him for him. I liked his cheery attitude and 'pretty boy' face haha. Actually, every main character but Jyugo had a very cheery attitude (something I love, ironic cause they're prisoners). He's kind of a 'tough love' guy and I love that. He pretends he doesn't care about others (*cough* Jyugo) but he really does and it's cute. Rock: I love Rock, alright? He’s really kind-hearted and upbeat. His love for food is definitely very relatable. It's nice to see an anime character appreciate how nice anime food is. He's one of my favorite characters but I also love all of the other inmates to death. He’s also really kind-hearted and an overall great character. Nico: I loved Nico from the start. Who couldn't? Nico is just soooo lovable. I used to think he was a girl but it was made very clear that he was a male a BOY and not not not a girl. I wish he was a real person so I could give him a big hug and rant to him about anime and manga. He is the best otaku (ironic but great) and his english voice actor totally fits how I imagined he'd sound so that's also great. He's so precious and I hope he never grows up. Hajime: He definitely is a top notch guard. I have a kind of biased grudge on him because of a SPOILER but he isn't heartless. Momoko: To be honest, I found her really annoying. She must be the only character I kinda really hate. All she did was fawn over Hajime in this really high pitched voice. She is one of the only female characters in nanbaka and I thought she could’ve had so much more potential then how she was used. Whenever she comes to the screen I kind of cringe... Enjoyment (10/10): Nanbaka is an amazing anime and I will most likely watch and like the second season. It made me laugh a LOT, at least three times each episode, and it surprised me by making me nearly cry. It’s a really touching show and I love nearly everything about it. Overall (9/10): Season one was really good and it had a great finale. Nanbaka is a really GOOD anime show and I highly recommend it to whoever. GO WATCH IT!!!

Sho Futamata's story NANBAKA tells the tale of Nanba Prison, considered the most unbreakable facility in the world. This prison is populated by a host of colorful characters, both the prisoners that have been contained there and the warders who are employed to contain them. Each of these residents have their own distinct history, The animation is beautiful to see, and the characters are pretty and interesting with enough character depth to gain interest. Also, there are some numerical jokes in the story (for instance, Nanba means "number") that give the story a clever touch. However, one major problem the series suffers from is too slow writing. The first season had decent pacing and was enjoyable, but the second season drags on for too long. The manga comic has already moved on beyond what the show brings up, and if a third season will ever be made it's going to need major effort to be brought up to date with the events of the manga. It'd be a fascinating tale with an equally fascinating cast, if it wasn't imprisoned by too slow writing.

I first watched Nanbaka due to having been nagged into doing so by my younger sister, who loved the series. After finishing it and reading a good portion of the manga, I can say with confidence that I am very glad I finished it - in fact, it's by far one of my favourite anime. So why only a six? I do try to be honest with my reviews so, despite how much I enjoyed the show, I am well aware of its flaws and I can understand why they might ruin the viewer's enjoyment slightly. With that being said, I'll try my best to write a spoiler-free review with as little bias as possible. STORY "Colourful, sparkly inmates have fun trying to escape from an equally colourful, sparkly prison. Shenanigans ensue"; - Thomas Sanders, Real or Fake Anime? Set in a prison, I went in to Nanbaka expecting to find an emotional and thought-provoking story detailing the inmates' journey to rehabilitation and redemption. I quickly realised that I was wrong, though I should probably have known better given that the genre is "action comedy". The story features four particular inmates in their day-to-day life in a particularly high-security prison, where their antics make for, in my own opinion, some excellent comedy. In many episodes I was laughing the whole way through, so I can safely say they succeeded in the comedy element. However, the plot switched from comedic and lighthearted to morbid and intense back to lighthearted again very quickly to the point where the self-aware narrator has to remind the audience that they're watching a comedy. While this didn't bother me too much, I can see why it would others and make the plot difficult to follow. (The manga in particular got rather confusing for me - I had to keep going back and re-reading sections.) While comedy seems to be the main focus there is a small theme of redemption running throughout the show. STORY - 7/10 ART Remember the adjectives "colourful" and "sparkly"? Yeah, that's about it. Each character is designed with extravagant hairstyles and colour palettes, and the backgrounds are particularly bright and somewhat eye-bleeding. While this can enhance the comedy acts, the sparkles can take away from the seriousness of certain fight scenes and the bright backgrounds and colourful characters are somewhat inappropriate for the setting of a formidable prison. However, it's certainly fun to draw if nothing else. ART: 6/10 SOUND First of all, I loved the opening theme. I preferred the one in the first season to the second due to them being performed by different artists, but both where satisfyingly catchy which made it hard to skip. Another aspect of sound I noticed was the way it changed in the mid-point screen depending on how intense the episode was, which certainly had the right effect. In terms of soundtrack, while I wouldn't listen to it independently it did enhance certain fight scenes and drama, even if it wasn't particularity memorable. SOUND: 7/10 CHARACTER Colourful sparkliness aside, I loved the characters. Many reviewers have commented on them being two-dimensional at times and I do get that (like I said, I'm really not biased), but I love them nonetheless. They all have prominent, unique traits that caused them to be comedic and memorable to me - the phrase "precious cinnamon roll" comes to mind when describing a good 90% of them, though in various different ways. Small amounts of character development is present, though the manga goes into a lot more depth with them. An important thing to note is that they are all morally grey, with convicted criminals who show kindness and friendliness and professional guards who commit questionable acts at times. (Course, it could just be me as a character development lover overthinking things but let's not go there.) Character development potential is visible, but not explored as well as it could be which mildly frustrates me. There's also diversity among the cast, with characters from various nations such as the protagonist Jyguo's British and American cellmates, though their nationalities don't come across in their voice acting. CHARACTER: 7/10 ENJOYMENT This is where I'm gonna stop being non-biased. There wasn't a single bit of the anime I didn't enjoy, so this section is getting a solid ten regardless of the show's evident shortcomings and other people's opinions. ENJOYMENT: 10/10 TL;DR STORY + Good comedy & interesting themes - Switches between funny and dark very frequently, sometimes resulting in a hard-to-follow plot ART + Colourful and sparkly; enhanced comedic situations - Colourful and sparkly; distracted from dramatic situations SOUND + Catchy opening theme and appropriate soundtrack - I honestly didn't find the soundtrack all that memorable, with the exception of ONE PIECE THAT I CAN'T FIND ANYWHERE CHARACTER + Interesting, individual traits that make them memorable - Could easily be considered underdeveloped to an untrained mind

This review encompasses season 1 and 2. I want like Nanbaka a lot. The biggest positive is without a doubt the style of the show. The "content" itself is just ok. I love the way everything looks in this show. All of the character designs are super distinct. This makes a huge difference for me, as theres nothing more I hate then trying to figure out which high school girl is which by the color of their hair alone. These guys are vastly different heights and sizes, with transitional hair, different teeth styles, uniforms, eyes, number placements, accessories, etc. Its undoubtedly the best part of the show. So if youre interested, just google search the characters and if you think they look cool, then watch it. The comedy part of Nanbaka is fine. I was never rolling on the ground, but some of the jokes were pretty good. The show unfortunately falls into a typical, shounen plot line by the end of season 2, which it leaves on a massive fucking cliffhanger. I enjoyed my time watching Nanbaka, but past the style and a few jokes, its just alright.

Now...How the dickens did I find out about this anime called Nanbaka? Well, let me explain. A Mimimi AMV on youtube. I really liked the art style, but I only watched about 30 seconds of it, because I didn't want to look at that many spoilers. It looked like quite the enjoyable comedy anime, which it was for about...6 episodes or so? 8? I don't know. But at one point in the series it went from this: :O To this: :/ That was because of the (to me) cliche dialogues which hardcore roleplayers would die for, and the lack of comedy. There was a gag here and there, but that was it. I litteraly no other comments about this anime, because the first half were worth an 8 or even a 9.

TLDR: Nanbaka really shines in its art and its characters, the story is alright and the sound design is forgetable First off, the art. The bright and vibrant colours used for the show really emphasise the lighthearted fun nature of the show, the fact that everything sparkles is immensely comical and I still find great amusement in that simple fact at the end I never think it gets old. Secondly the art contrasts with the setting to allows the shows tonal shifts to not feel jarring. Characters. The Characters a the single best thing about the show, I believe that all of the supporting cast in this show can stand toe to toe with a most protagonists in other anime. Each person has such a large amount of personality and nuance makes it truly interesting to watch their reactions play out. The Story is... passable. It's interesting don't get me wrong, but it doesn't have a large presence, ultimately while it does not take anything away from the show, if you are looking for an in depth story with lots of nuance and originality, you won't find it here. One thing the story does do, is it allows the show the ability to feel it is continuing to move Overall, I think this is a very solid show that lets you have a fun time, its comedy segments are all well done and amusing, and the story with the more serious elements serves its purpose in continuing to evolve the setting and have the characters change in meaningful ways

I thought this show was fine. The character designs are colorful and diverse (don't know why everyone and everything is so sparkly, though), the comradery between the leads is pretty well realized (with Jugo as the one who brought them all together), and when this series leans into the humor and spectacle, I think it works decently well. The short tournament they had in the middle is this series at its best. However, it doesn't really handle the balance of serious to funny very well, leaning mainly into the latter before pulling a hard right turn into some of the heavier content. It doesn't quite give me whiplash because at least it telegraphs that it's taking that direction eventually, but it still feels out of place in what otherwise behaves as a rather lighthearted and low stakes story. Couple that with the fact that lot of the story turns feel pretty tropey, including a few short idiot plots in here where no one talks until they're near the point of dying or killing one another, and while there are some real dangers, they don't get enough of a spotlight to feel well-realized. Maybe part 2 will expand on this in a more balanced and more effective way, but so far, it hasn't been working for me.

If you're in need of something that is funny and light-hearted then this is perfect. The show is pure comedy with those few moments of seriousness and fights. I loved the character's vibrant designs and colour. The fights in it were great. It isn't like some comedy animes where it's just a random day every episode. This anime actually has a storyline and has some character development. The only one that actually gets good character development (or any development) is the main character Jyugo. Overall its great if you just want to enjoy something that's funny but if your looking for something that has exciting fights and a really good storyline then Nanbaka isn't it

This anime had so much potential, but ended up falling flat as nothing goes anywhere during the "plot", but isn't funny enough to carry itself with it's lackluster comedy STORY: 5/10. Had a lot of potential, but not enough action. I though the plot would focus more on how these characters ended up in jail, their crimes or motives, or anything really, but it doesn't, choosing to leave watchers hanging by a thread. ART: 7/10. Surprisingly good, but could be a bit much at times. Each of the characters is unique... but everyone is too unique all the time, not to mention all the glitter in every single frame. It kind of hurts to look at. The backgrounds aren't too interesting at all, and the animation is relatively smooth. SOUND: 5/10. Nothing special or even memorable, but nothing atrocious either. CHARACTER: 4/10. It hurts just how little these characters have going for them. Other than the main-est character, they could all be interchanged with very little effect on the story. It doesn't help that main and side characters aren't too different. ENJOYMENT:5/10. Its an anime I watched because I thought it was interesting, but it eventually became more and more lackluster as the episodes dragged on. I only finished it in the hopes of seeing the cool plot go somewhere, but it didn't. OVERALL:5/10. Nothing kept me watching aside from my own completionist desires.

Man, what a colorful and beautiful anime. That was, no joke, my first reaction when I started Nanbaka. The anime is incredibly colorful, packed with characters sporting eye-catching designs, over-the-top settings, and a visual identity that definitely doesn't go unnoticed. In fact, the visuals were exactly what made me want to watch it. I caught a glimpse of some images and thought, "Wow, this looks really beautiful and unique." So, I tuned in out of curiosity to see if that whole style actually worked in practice. Right off the bat, the plot managed to surprise me a bit, mainly because I don't recall seeing many anime use a prison as the main setting in such a laid-back way. The premise is pretty simple: a group of totally wacky inmates living in an extremely peculiar prison, trying to escape while getting into all sorts of absurd situations. It’s not a story trying to be overly complex or full of constant plot twists, and I think that’s exactly why it works so well for what the anime sets out to do. The plot is simple but really fun. The main goal here isn't necessarily solving a huge mystery or following a super elaborate narrative; it’s about watching these characters interact and cause chaos. The prison ends up serving almost like a massive stage for comedic situations, and each character contributes in their own way to turning a normal scenario into something completely absurd. Speaking of comedy, I think that’s one of Nanbaka's most important elements. The humor carries a huge chunk of the show. The anime features a very sharp, exaggerated sense of humor and plays a lot with the characters' personalities. Some jokes obviously land better than others, but overall, I felt the comedy fit really well. It’s the kind of anime where you just accept that things are going to get increasingly absurd and keep watching to see just how far the characters will go. And the characters themselves are a huge part of why it works so well. The cast is incredibly charismatic, and each character has a distinct personality, making their interactions naturally funny. Instead of relying solely on isolated gags, the anime derives a lot of humor from the contrast between the characters. I have to talk about Hajime because he got a few unexpected laughs out of me. The guy is basically a prison-guard version of Saitama, lol. It’s impossible not to make the comparison. His facial expressions, his reactions to situations, and, above all, his completely indifferent attitude toward that bunch of lunatics make him seem like a version of Saitama who decided to work in a prison. While everyone around him is acting crazy, Hajime is just there with that "here we go again" energy. For me, he was easily one of the funniest characters in the show. Now, regarding the visuals: this is where *Nanbaka* really stands out. The art direction is incredibly stylish, and the character designs are easily one of the best things about the anime. Everything is vibrant, full of unique shapes, and possesses a very distinct identity. You can easily recognize each character just by their look, which is something I really value. It doesn't feel like one of those generic anime where you look at the cast and think you've seen those designs dozens of times before. However, there is a significant gap between the quality of the art and the quality of the animation. Visually, I find *Nanbaka* stunning, but the situation is much more complicated when it comes to fluidity. At times, the show fails to live up to the standard set by its own character designs. Some scenes could have been far more impactful with smoother animation and more consistent technical production. This means the anime relies heavily on two elements: visuals and comedy. Fortunately, that combination worked for me. I really enjoyed the aesthetic and found the comedic moments engaging enough to keep me interested. That said, I can totally understand why others might not have the same experience. If the humor doesn't appeal to you or the art style doesn't impress you, you're left with a relatively simple story and animation that has its limitations. Even so, I find it interesting how Nanbaka fully embraces its own identity. It doesn't seem ashamed of being over-the-top. The colors are exaggerated, the characters are exaggerated, the situations are exaggerated, and even the prison itself seems built with the intention of being the most absurd place possible. And, honestly, I think that really works in the show's favor. It knows that its greatest selling point is precisely that personality. Ultimately, Nanbaka is a wacky, extremely colorful, and visually unique anime. It is a series that proves it will likely catch your eye with its style before you even know exactly what it’s about. The comedy works well, the characters are entertaining, and the prison setting offers a unique premise for the anime. On the other hand, I don't think it’s a spectacular work. The story is simple, the animation could be much better, and a large part of the experience depends on whether you buy into the show's visual style and brand of humor. For me, it worked well enough to be an entertaining experience, but not to the point where I’d consider Nanbaka truly remarkable in terms of storytelling. It’s a good, unique, and highly charismatic anime, but nothing more than that. Its greatest merit is having a distinct identity, one that makes it memorable precisely because of that uniqueness. It’s hard to forget Nanbaka visually, as few anime possess such a distinctive aesthetic. Ultimately, it was a fun experience that managed to get a few good laughs out of me, but it didn't quite live up to the level of impressiveness its visuals initially promised. Raiting: 6/10. =================================================================================================================Versão em Português===================================== Oh anime colorido e bonito, viu. Essa foi, sem brincadeira, a minha primeira reação quando comecei Nanbaka. O anime é extremamente colorido, cheio de personagens com designs chamativos, cenários exagerados e uma identidade visual que definitivamente não passa despercebida. Na verdade, foi justamente o visual que me fez ter vontade de assistir. Eu bati o olho em algumas imagens da obra e pensei: "caramba, isso aqui parece muito bonito e diferente". Então fui assistir mais pela curiosidade de descobrir se aquele estilo todo também funcionava na prática. E logo de cara a trama conseguiu me surpreender um pouco, principalmente porque não lembro de ter visto muitos animes utilizando uma prisão como principal cenário de uma maneira tão descontraída. A premissa é bem simples: temos um grupo de presos completamente malucos vivendo dentro de uma prisão extremamente peculiar, enquanto tentam escapar e se metem em todo tipo de situação absurda. Não é uma história que busca ser extremamente complexa ou cheia de reviravoltas a todo momento, e acho que é justamente por isso que ela funciona dentro da proposta do anime. A trama é simples, mas bastante divertida. O grande objetivo aqui não é necessariamente descobrir um grande mistério ou acompanhar uma narrativa super elaborada, mas sim ver esses personagens interagindo e causando confusão. A prisão acaba funcionando quase como um enorme palco para as situações cômicas, e cada personagem contribui de alguma maneira para transformar uma situação normal em alguma coisa completamente absurda. E falando de comédia, acho que esse é um dos elementos mais importantes de Nanbaka. O humor carrega uma parte gigantesca da obra nas costas KKKKK. O anime possui um humor bem ácido e exagerado, além de brincar bastante com as personalidades dos personagens. Algumas piadas obviamente funcionam mais do que outras, mas no geral eu achei a comédia muito bem encaixada. É aquele tipo de anime em que você simplesmente aceita que as coisas vão ficar cada vez mais absurdas e continua assistindo para ver até on…

(ENGLISH/PORTUGUESE REVIEW / FREE OF SPOILERS/LIVRE DE SPOILERS.) PT; A sensação de assistir esse anime é que nem a de assistir shitpost, não faz o menor sentido mas é bastante engraçado. Em Nanbaka, acompanhamos prisioneiros que, teoricamente, estão na prisão mais ‘protegida’ do mundo, nessa prisão, eles embarcam em algumas aventures em prol da fuga da mesma, torneios, e de dramas que acontecem entre os personagens. E diga-se de passagem, o mundo que esse anime se passa é o do tipo que beira o absurdo, não só visualmente (por conta do visual da prisão e dos personagens) mas sim por conta da maneira que ele funciona. O Protagonista é um hacker, Nico é um alívio cômico, Uno é um bom líder, e Rock que é um cara forte que gosta muito de comida; todos esses personagens, incluindo alguns outros, possuem back story simples, mas eu achei relativamente todos bem diferenciados, o que já é bom o bastante. Todos os personagens desse anime sabem lutar, e tem seu próprio estilo de luta, já que a prisão Nanbaka gira em torno disso. Ademais, é um ótimo anime se você gosta de algo leve para descontrair, não tem nenhum plot twist ultra gigatonico mas tenho certeza que vai lhe tirar boas risadas. Há de se falar em como Nanbaka possui um estilo de visual e animação muito belos, como se os personagens e o mundo estivessem sempre com glittler, e isso é muito engraçado em algumas cenas pois combina muito bem com o humor de Nanbaka, já que, suponho eu, que isso seria uma sátira à alguns animes que possuem brilhos exagerados... Nanbaka consegue tirar proveito de zoar isso e mais algumas outras coisas muito bem. ENGLISH; Watching this anime feels a lot like watching a shitpost, it makes absolutely no sense, yet it’s hilarious. In Nanbaka, we follow prisoners held in what is theoretically the 'world's most secure prison', they embark on adventures involving escape attempts, tournaments, and interpersonal characters drama. It’s worth noting that the world of the anime borders on the absurd, not just visually (thanks to the design of the prison and the characters themselves), but also in the way the world actually functions. The protagonist is a hacker, Nico provides comic relief, Uno is a capable leader, and Rock is a strong guy who loves food. While these characters (and others) have simple backstories, I found them all quite distinct and unique in comparison to other animes, which is a plus in itself. Every character knows how to fight and has a unique fighting style, which makes sense given that life in Nanbaka Prison revolves around combat. Overall, it’s a great anime if you’re looking for something lighthearted to unwind with. There aren't any earth-shattering plot twists, but it’s sure to give you a good laugh. I also have to mention the beautiful visual style and animation, it’s as if the characters and the world are constantly covered in glitter. This creates a funny effect in certain scenes because it complements the show's humor so well. I assume it’s meant to satirize others animes that overuse sparkly effects. Nanbaka does a great job of poking fun at that type of anime and various other things.

I really like this fresh new aesthetic with sparkles and comedy! ☆*:.｡.o(≧▽≦)o.｡.:*☆ Although when it started getting way too serious for my liking, it had me like (ᵕ—ᴗ—) Cuz it kinda ruined the vibe with all this scifi stuff. It could've worked if there was a proper build up to it and not the main character suddenly trauma dumping on his supervisor's little brother. It was just off-putting. It also bothers me that the main protagonist is 16. I thought everyone was at least in their 20s-30s, but now that I know there's teenagers in there, it further takes me away from the serious vibes that it tries to balance with the comedy. I know 16 year olds can be tried as an adult, but his reason to be in jail is kinda dumb when you don't have all the facts until later. I feel the same for all the other characters that are below the age of 20. One of them is already looking for a disciple and I'm like, "Little Baby Man, you're only 16!" My brain just won't accept it, so to cope, I aged them 4 more years. So Jyuugo and Nico are both 20, Uno is 22 and Rock is 23. It just feels right.