Darwin's Game

This was my first 2020 anime! And I felt happy I watched this first. Story 9/10 The story was pretty logical and acceptable. The flow of the story was also great and the transition from episode was in an orderly manner. The pacing was all right but not perfect. The story could have been more detailed so -1 for pacing. Art 10/10 Art was excellent dope ass. The artist has made it realistic just like the anime required. The battle scenes were explosive and intense. Hats off to the artists. Each and every character got appearance that was meant for it. The design of Wang has added to vile nature and makes us hate him more Sound 8/10 The opening and ending are absolutely awesome. I loved the use of violin in the opening. However the BGMs during the episodes were not that much memorable and I had to revisit the episode to remember it. -2 for that Character 9/10 The protagonist, Kanamae's character was well built. At first his fear for the game dominates him. Later he seems to have accepted the reality and playing along. Finally, after an incident, his feelings are mature and dire. Hatred for D-game burns inside him. His respect for life also impresses us However, not all characters have been given enough screen time -1. Enjoyment 10/10 Most the episodes were thrilling and thoroughly enjoyable. This was a great anime 9/10

I think most people that gives review are bashing it for realism and plot holes but I think honestly it is not obvious and that actually things are much better than it is perceived. This anime is fueled by action and the pacing is fast. Everything happens very quickly and scenes are well drawn. Storytelling is good what you would expect from something as edgy as this. Honestly it is 11 episodes and I wouldn't think that it gives such a ending after what was a phenomenal amount of development and action. It is definitely a rather exhilarating anime to watch. I know that there are quite a lot of things undeveloped but that is the whole point of cliffhangers/ a second season. The ending of episode 11 basically is saying there is going to need a second season for more development. Story is truly great: 9/10 Art is great too, action scenes are well drawn and that it doesn't leave anything to the imagination. 9/10 Sound is truly average but I think the action scenes have some good use of music to set the tone or pace of the action. 7/10 Character:10/10 The main MC and the female MC is honestly one of the best couple, honestly better than some of those pairings in harem anime. Main MC deep psychological thinking of living people alive and dead just like Schrodinger's cat. But honestly i think most of them are already dead. Enjoyment:10/10 This is some of the better anime I have watched it a while. Really enjoyed the quick pace and action. That many might find it distasteful or making people feel anxious. Overall:9/10 Really interesting anime with a good tried and used formula of isekai and doing it much better than some of its compatriots and counterparts. I'm looking at you Fairy gone. Thank you for reading!

-ITALIAN REVIEW- Circa 2 anni fa, iniziai a leggere il manga di quest'opera, attratto dalla trama "battle royale" che mi affascina particolarmente. Alla fine, mi fermai al quinto volume, dato che per motivi personali non riuscii a proseguirlo, però mi rimase il pallino di continuarlo perchè ormai ero curioso di sapere come continuasse. Nel 2020, finalmente esce il primo (spero non unico) adattamento animato di Darwin's Game, e devo ammettere che ha soddisfatto le mie aspettative...ma andiamo con ordine: STORIA: La storia non è nulla di troppo originale, però rende e si sviluppa in maniera omogenea, seppur ci siano molte incognite e punti interrogativi che spero vengano colmati nelle prossime stagioni. In poche parole, è presente un'applicazione per smartphone, chiamata Darwin's Game, la quale permette agli utilizzatori di partecipare ad un gioco di sopravvivenza, in cui l'obiettivo principale è uccidere gli altri utilizzatori per ottenere punti, i quali possono essere convertiti in valuta reale. Inoltre, ai partecipanti, viene donato un potere chiamato "Sigillo", derivato da un desiderio di questi ultimi prima dell'ingresso nel gioco. Essi si differenziano molto per tipologia, ma sono anche molto sbilanciati, dato che variano da 'creare all'istante qualsiasi tipo di arma' a 'capire se uno mente o meno'. Tutto ciò avviene, inoltre, nel pieno della vita cittadina, e qui si arriva ad un punto dolente della serie, dato che nonostante vengano commessi omicidi di massa, e vengano distrutti interi palazzi, alla popolazione non sembra importare molto (spero venga spiegato in seguito la motivazione principe di questi "black out mentali"). PERSONAGGI: I personaggi sono ben caratterizzati, viene approfondita in maniera velata la storia di tutti i co-protagonisti, e riescono a rispettare le volontà del proprio personaggio. In particolar modo Kaname, il protagonista, il quale subirà un'evoluzione sorprendente ed inaspettata, che è stata molto gradita dal sottoscritto. GRAFICA: La grafica non è nulla di eccezionale, però è apprezzabile alla vista. Anche gli effetti visivi e le animazioni riescono a rispettare i canoni di questa generazione, con fluidità e colori davvero ben riusciti. SUONO: Il comparto audio, forse, è l'elemento dell'opera che spicca meno. Gli effetti sonori delle armi, e dei vari poteri è ben riuscito, ma le ost non riescono a sorprendere mai, e difficilmente rimangono in testa, seppur siano sempre azzeccate con le scene di cui fanno contorno. L'ending, "Alive", è davvero ben fatta, e molto spesso accompagnerà in maniera perfetta le scene finali degli episodi. Discorso a parte per l'Opening, la quale è già nel dimenticatoio. Nel complesso, Darwin's Game è un anime che ha saputo intrattenermi, con una storia avvincente, seppur poco originale, e con alcuni momenti di tensione davvero ben riusciti. Voto: 7.9

To start with, I see a lot of flack given to this anime. I agree with some points and so we'll start with the cons: - Characters have the depth of a puddle, and only have one personality trait each - The animation is frequently lackluster, especially in comparison to some other similar anime - There's a lack of world-building, you don't get an introduction to his friends and he never really plays the game with any of them. - There seem to be a couple of time skips that aren't very obvious, and large holes in the plot, this could probably have used a second cour That being said. The pros: - The development of the main character was the primary reason I watched this to completion. Kaname changes drastically over the show, what kept me watching was wanting to see him get stronger - The world is interesting, while a lot of it is unexplained, the mystery keeps it interesting - A side plot involving romance, though it does go a bit harem-ish - The motivations for the main characters are each unique and interesting To summarize, if you don't mind not knowing everything that's going on, or a cast of one dimensional characters who are just there to show different sides of the main character, then I highly recommend Darwin's Game. It is an underdog story where the MC is put into an unpleasant situation and kicks butt.

It's fine, not terrible, but not particularly amazing either. I feel like I would have liked this show if I hadn't experienced much better death games. The show is at least enjoyable, in a fun and edgy way, there are actually interesting and amazing characters in this show, just not the main two. I have seen many plain and boring main characters in anime, and for once these two actually made me actively dislike them. This show is similar to Future Diary in many aspects, but at least I actually became interested in Yuno and Yukiteru as characters. These ones have all the soul sucked out of them, in this discount horrible mesh of who knows what personality they'll have, because even the creators don't know! Death games can be hit or miss. The problem is the psychological part, death games are meant to have twists that make you reel in surprise, and even if the twist is obvious, at least it will have a psychological effect in the story. This has neither twist nor psychology, and in the end, it is a decent death game show in the pile of good death games yet to be animated.

this is a good anime to watch ....it's not amazing but it's enjoyable ,you start watching it and can't stop , you get excited with it without even knowing why ,you start supporting the MC without even caring about him ..yeah it's enjoyable without that much amazing plot or flashy art style and even with mediocre animation but it still enjoy me and it will enjoy anyone who watch anime just to enjoy it ,but if you re searching for a piece of art not just temporary enjoyment ...no don't watch this bc there's nothing amazing about this other than wasting your free time on something enjoying and it does this job greatly

At the beginning of this season I was quite excited for this anime, it promised an interesting take on a battle royal type story line (which I'm a sucker for). The story did have some typical cliche's such as the overly strong main character (his sigil was not as impressive as some of the other characters) and had a little bit of a harem trope which seemed unnecessary for the plot. The cliche's were not a surprise but definitely took away from the anime's success. The concept was very interesting, and I really enjoyed learning about the different sigil's each character had and why they had joined the game. And to be honest I was pretty satisfied with this series until the very last episode. The last episode was very disappointing in my opinion. In this last episode Kaname totally ditches his ethics and morals that has been driving his motives and actions throughout the whole series. That moral code really set him apart from the other blood thirsty characters which I enjoyed. As a viewer we were not given any build up to this change of heart which left me confused and disappointed and made all of the struggles at the beginning of the series seem pointless. This was the biggest disappointment about this series. They did a decent job of setting up another season, which I will probably end up watching (guilty :/). I am curious and hopeful that they will add more conflict between the creator of the game and its players in the next season because that was not explored as much as I would have liked.

``Minor Spoilers`` Darwin's game in first time remind me of "King's Game: The Animation" by concept. That was totally fine for me. Anime show us the good plot where we get a school boy with good goals and accidentally was drag in D-game. We have a yandere girl "Shuka" and a smart girl "Rein" and a lot of background characters who have skills "Sigil". Art: Not the best and not the worst 6.5 ~. Sound was really great It was enjoyable in fights, OP and ED. The last episode remind me of Guilty Crown one of my first anime because our hero is invincible and can't loose instead of his friends. Good battle royal. That was enjoyable show due to interesting setting and supporting cast. This anime should have more episodes (2 season please ). My score after all is 8.

Darwins game takes an interesting approach in terms of genre, I would almost call it an Isekai-lite, considering, they're in their regular world, but, a mobile app opens up a dark sinister side of it, in the form of a "game" in which they're all playing. The only thing is, it's far from a game, as death equates to the person actually losing their life, leaving behind digital, square type divots in the ground where they died. Our MC Kaname, is thrust into this game world, more or less accidentally, when he stumbles upon the application, and starts it up, not knowing what that would mean for himself, or the people around him. The first episode, an hour long one at that, set the pace for the entire series, and showed off the type of world that D-Game is, and rounds the episode off nicely, with an introduction to what is one of the best waifus of the season. The show follows a lot of the normal shounen type troupes, and there generally speaking, wasn't a whole lot of surprise or twist with the direction that the story went. At the same time, they did a nice job of keeping the story interesting, without diverging from the path that makes these types of shows consistently solid. The combat is interesting, and the method in which their powers are granted, sigils assigned by the game itself, is also something different. The cast of characters is likeable enough, but, outside of Shuka, they don't stand out a ton, which, in my opinion, they make up for through their personalities, and abilities, as well as what they bring to the table, in terms of impacting the main group. The voice acting was nicely done, no real qualms with anything feeling out of place, although, I must admit, that I can't really nit-pick foreign voice acting, considering, it all sounds nice to me. I thought the art and animation was also a big plus. The character models are solid, if not very basic. I love the way the eyes of the characters are drawn, as it isn't a very typical anime-esq type of eye. Personally, this gets a high 8 from me. ~8.8 or so.

No-Spoilers: Darwin's Game follows the story of another overpowered and dimwitted boy named Kaname. He is sucked into a mobile game which forces people to fight each-other. Story/7 Many people have come out saying that the story is confusing, however it is the complete opposite. I do not think the story is confusing however it is a bit shallow on its explanations on how the game works Art/6 Average. Did not feel like 2020 felt more like school days had an hd remaster. Sound/7 Sound design was in some ways inaccurate however, it never took away any immersion when I was. The intro and outro are absolute bops. Characters/8 People say the characters are shallow and have no substance however some of them don't need it. This is Kaname's story not anyone else's. Kaname may be another edgy boi however, he does have growth as a character as the show progresses. Enjoyment/9 I never finish shows unless i'm enjoying myself. My only interest was with how the game worked and how Kaname would evolve. The game was explained enough to understand it, and Kaname definitely grows as a character. Overall/8 Was going to give the show a 7, but I enjoyed the ending enough that I wanted more. I wrote this review after seeing all of the lower ones and thought this show deserved a little more than it is getting Watch if you like playing games on your mommy's IPad.

Story: It's a relatively basic supernatural battle royale setup, with a little bit of RPG and a little bit of ARG using the character's phone cameras and map apps. What elevates this above the general seasonal fodder from 'offensively okay' to 'hey, that's pretty good' is the shadowy cabaret of affluent gamblers and socialites watching the bloodsport like a flock of wealthy romans watching arena gladiators, and betting on the outcomes. Also, as is becoming fairly rote in the genre, every player gets their own Jojo-stand-like unique ability (called a sigil), whose finer details I won't spoil here, but if you start the show and go 'these are NOTHING like stands!'... give it a bit. Art: The relatively new Studio Nexus makes their 5th major showing with this anime since their founding just this past decade, and while it's still clear they're getting their feet under them, the show doesn't look bad by ANY stretch, and you can even wring some sakuga out of a few of the episodes if you've a keen eye for animation. It's not amazing, but it has my hopes up for what Nexus may publish in the future Sound: Good stuff here - the environmental sound design was really immersive when chains were taking chunks out of concrete while bullets pinged off of psychic forcefields and all that jazz. No slouches in the seiyuu department either - the character of Wang in particular is a standout performance by Yoshitsugu Matsuoka of recent Inosuke (Kimetsu no Yaiba) fame. Characters: I'm gonna put this up on something of a pedestal it may not deserve, here, specifically because of how much I see people ragging on this show's characters - specifically, its MC, Sudo Kaname. Let me tell you folks, I have SEEN bland protagonists. I have seen cardboard and mayonnaise sandwich characters on the middle of an anime's launch poster. Even when the show STARTS, Sudo has at least enough personality to be something a little more flavorful than that - call him, Idunno... miracle whip, or something. Either you embryos have never seen some of the crap that we had to deal with back before anime went mainstream, or my fellow old fogies are starting to show their failing memories regarding all of the wallpaper-flavored dross that 80's and 90's anime could come up with. Moreover, that's just Sudo at the -start- of the show. This character undergoes something over the course of the story that's practically unheard of in niche anime like this... an arc. Like... an actual character arc. He changes, as a person, due to the events of the show. I know the absolute deluge of good anime in recent years has made that seem less special, with all your Re: Creators and your Tokyo Ghouls - but take a helpful eyeful of perspective-bleach by looking at something ACTUALLY bad, like Masters of Ragnarok, and you'll quickly remember that decent writing is not the universal feature it might seem in these enlightened times. Beyond that, here are a few brief descriptions of the supporting cast- A CS:GO character. A future-predicting computer. The anime Wondertwins, if both of their powers were water. Goth-loli Kratos. Yeah it's not the MOST original scooby gang I've seen in one of these, but it's damn well up there - it sure as hell couldn't see the worst ones through a glass-bottomed boat, if you catch my meaning. Overall: This was fun. It was a fun ride, through an interesting setting, following cool people through a well-told story. Will it blow your socks off? No. That's why this is an 8 from me and not a 9. But it does enough well, and consistently, that just giving it a 'good' seemed downright unfair to it. If semi-cerebral unique-power smash ups with a dollop of edge are your thing, Darwin's Game should not disappoint. If that's not your bag... that's fine too - it's not a show for everyone. Now, all that said... if I have to see one more innane comment about how this show relates to some kind of 'evolution' of its characters, or is the 'survival of the fittest', I swear I am getting loli Kratos to carve them up like rare Who roast beast. Pay more attention in high school. Be better.

this is the best anime for this season though, although there are a few stories that are forced, overall good. And the ending is very good because it is closed with great fanfare coupled with back sound that makes my soul tremble, hopefully this anime will continue in the next season. Ahh~ almost forgot, for the romance to add a little, I want to see Shuka dating Kaname, in the anime the Shuka is like a family, ok that's just masuka from me, all the more developing, until we meet Kaname and Shuka-chan... ini adalah anime terbaik untuk musim ini, meskipun ada beberapa cerita yang dipaksakan, secara keseluruhan bagus. Dan endingnya sangat bagus karena ditutup dengan keriuhan yang luar biasa ditambah dengan back sound yang membuat jiwaku bergetar, semoga anime ini akan berlanjut di musim berikutnya. Ahh ~ hampir lupa, untuk menambahkan romansa sedikit, saya ingin melihat Shuka berkencan dengan Kaname, di anime Shuka seperti keluarga, ok itu hanya masuka dari saya, semakin berkembang, sampai kita bertemu Kaname dan Shuka- chan ...

The true king has risen to his rightful place. Pretty good show here with Darwin's Game. Had tons of badass moments throughout. I've never really watched a death anime before like Mirai Nikki or Kings Game, never seen those. But thought I'd try this one for something different on Fridays. Concept looked cool and I liked the idea of it. Happy to say I wasn't really disappointed. Other than the aesthetics some of the time it was as great show. Kaname as a main character is someone I can very much relate to and empathize with as soon as we meet him. Being thrust into this crazy battle totals style irl game where people are legit dying would be insanity. Takes a special kind of crazy to deal with that. Kaname went up to the task handling himself at every turn no matter what. Supporting cast was great too. Shuka, Rein, Ryuji, Sui/Sota, even Kyudai and the Florist had solid character moments. Shuka of course being the babe of the show but being very much her own independent character and especially fighter. Loved her instant infatuation with Kaname, very cute. Ryuji and Rein being Kaname lieutenants makes perfect sense both brining a great deal to the group and being badass. Villains with Wang and the Eighth Clan did well to freak me out all the time. Great unsettling nature about Wang since he was such a loose cannon. The final battle against Sunset Ravens kicked so much ass. Very satisfying. Action in the show while not looking the best and kinda dark too much of the time, still had to be the best part of it all. Every episode kept me on the edge of my seat since so much of D Game was off the rails. Felt like anything could happen. Lots of death around. the big treasure hunt event and facing Eighth Clan got me excited to see what was coming next. Kaname always thinking about how to handle this madness with the least about of bullshit. I respect that a lot. Overall a very enjoyable action thriller. Story maybe slogged a bit during the event and the animation not as good as should've been in spots but all minor complaints. The lore and machinations of D Game itself are very interesting with the Sigil and how it works with their cellphones. A great show for any one looking to get excited each episode. Cast is fun, story keeps you wanting more. 8/10

We're already three months into the year and I would be surprised if any show can beat it for the worst anime of the year. I mean, at least with something like Infinite Dendrogram, I can see what people find entertainment in it and it can keep you entertained. Plus, it's got an interesting fantasy world to back itself upon. This? Not really. Darwin's Game is basically when you have a death game anime and you just make it boring which is pretty impressive, I must say. I honestly didn't have high expectations for it. I expected some fun action, quippy lines, some romance thrown in and an ending that left on a cliffhanger or some shit. Sadly, that is not the case. What we got was a death game anime that was basically begging itself to be taken super seriously with generic characters, a super straightforward plot that doesn't even try to throw out a plot twist or reveal and is just straight-up boring. Let's talk about those characters for a second because I hate all of them and it's not because of their personalities but the lack thereof. I mean, I wished any of these NPCs were likable or hell, hatable because at least there would be something to latch onto but instead all of the characters come off as Tofu mixed with cinderblocks. They are all basic canvases to throw ourselves at them but it just doesn't work like that. There's nothing to latch onto with these characters and even when they try, it isn't told in an interesting way or creatively. Let's take Kaname for example. He is obviously the audience stand-in. I mean, the guy wears a white jacket most of the time and has the fact that you forgot looking at 5 seconds after staring at him. He's your average high schooler and yet, every single person after the first episode calls him special because of his sigil or whatever. The problem becomes while people see him as special but he's just an average so we don't see him as anything special. It works in Isekai because that's a VR game and you gain powers there. With an AR game, he's still just the same guy that's as blank as paper. The same goes for the other characters too. Shuka could've been interesting if she was more of a wildcard or didn't trust any of the others but Kaname or even is she was jealous of Rein or something but nope, she's totally fine with all of them and is just horny for Kaname. She starts interesting but just never gets any development because of getting stupid fanservice. Rein is a boring analyst/mary sue who's also a blank sheet. Ryuuji who's nothing and Sui/Souta is also a wasted opportunity because you have twins within one body and you don't even have one of them go crazy and try to betray the team! Wasted! It also doesn't help that she/he only interact with Kaname...once? Twice? It's weird. And if even if we get rid of this shit as a game, the anime still isn't very good. The plot has no forward momentum. There are no big twists to keep the viewer on its toes, there's no reveal to make you surprised and there are no interesting angles this anime brings to the death game genre. It's straightforward as if we following a line and we just want to get it over with. You're probably saying "but you don't need that to keep the story interesting, you need good writing" and you're right so that's why the writing for this isn't very good either. There will be so much voiceover that it feels like you're reading an audiobook. The exposition is obnoxious, there's no real fun to the show or any humor to bring some levity to situations. Yeah, it's a death game but there's so little fun to watch any of this show. In terms of production, it's pretty weak. the music is pretty forgettable, with the only exception(s) being the OP which sounds like something out of SAO and there's also this random track that had death metal in the back which I thought was hilarious. The direction lifeless, the editing is horrendous with some awful cuts and just random moments where the show skips a beat at some points especially towards the end. The animation is alright but it does feel too glossy at points and inconsistent especially with the character's noses. The only real thing that kept me going and I would even consider it a positive is the fight scenes which are animated pretty well and it's got some good locations use out of the places they are in. Besides that nothing else. Darwin's Game is like an edgy but instead of making the whole thing edgy, it just makes the concept edgy. Sounds weird but when you make any show and you want it to be an edgy hardcore gruesome anime, you have to make everything around that edgy concept on the same level. That is not what happens here. The show ends up feeling like an edgeless slog that keeps testing your patience for you to pause and stop watching. This show felt like an endurance test. Besides some good fights, there is really nothing to show even worth remembering which is impressive. Story: 2/10 Art:3/10 Sound:3/10 Character: 1/10 Enjoyment: 2/10 Overall: 2/10

Darwin's Game is a survival thriller that blends urban mystery, high-stakes battles, and social strategy into a modern, action-driven narrative. The story centers on a seemingly ordinary mobile game that secretly grants players supernatural abilities, known as “Sigils,” in deadly competitions where losing often means death. At its core, the series examines human instincts, trust, betrayal, and the moral compromises people make when survival is on the line. The plot follows Kaname Sudou, a high school student drawn into the game after receiving an invitation from a mysterious app. Initially naive and unprepared, Kaname is forced to quickly adapt, learning to navigate life-or-death battles while discovering allies and enemies hidden among seemingly ordinary people. Shuka Karino, a skilled and enigmatic player, becomes both a mentor and a partner, guiding Kaname through tactical challenges while revealing the personal stakes that drive participants in Darwin’s Game. The narrative expands into complex social dynamics. Player alliances shift constantly, loyalty is tested, and betrayal becomes a recurring theme. Strategy and ingenuity often determine survival as much as combat skill. The game’s organizers and the shadowy factions controlling its rules gradually emerge, adding layers of conspiracy and intrigue. Each match escalates the stakes, moving from small-scale urban encounters to large-scale confrontations where entire districts can become battlegrounds. Action sequences are the series’ highlight. Sigil abilities are imaginative and visually distinct, allowing for dynamic fights that combine strategy, improvisation, and spectacle. The choreography often balances speed and impact, whilst the stakes lend tension and urgency to even brief skirmishes. Humor occasionally surfaces in character interactions, especially during lighter moments between Kaname and his allies, preventing the series from becoming unrelentingly grim. Despite its strengths, the story has notable limitations. Pacing fluctuates between high-octane battles and slower expositional arcs, which can feel uneven. Some side characters receive minimal development, serving primarily as plot devices or casualties, reducing emotional investment in their fates. Certain Sigils and game mechanics are introduced with little explanation, creating confusion about the rules governing the battles. Plot twists occasionally strain credibility, particularly in later arcs where multiple powerful Sigil users converge, leading to improbable survival scenarios or abrupt power scaling. Worldbuilding establishes a dark, contemporary urban setting that contrasts ordinary city life with the deadly clandestine game. However the series sometimes prioritizes action over exploration of the underlying societal implications of a city-wide life-or-death competition. Emotional beats, such as Kaname grappling with loss or ethical dilemmas, are compelling but occasionally rushed in favor of advancing to the next match. Visually, the anime maintains a sharp, colorful style during battles, emphasizing movement and Sigil effects, though some scenes occasionally feel static. Soundtrack supports tension effectively, with voice acting conveying urgency and personality, particularly Kaname’s growth from fear to determination. By the end, Darwin's Game succeeds as an intense survival thriller with creative combat and a layered exploration of strategy and human psychology. Its weaknesses include inconsistent pacing, underdeveloped secondary characters, occasional narrative leaps, and uneven attention to worldbuilding. The series captivates through high-stakes action and moral tension, yet the story’s occasional gaps and rushed resolutions remind everyone that even survival games have their narrative blind spots. Anyway, keep in mind that no opinion is ever purely objective, and every perspective remains open to discussion. Even so, each viewpoint still holds its own value. If you happen to see things differently, simple mutual respect is more than enough. That same respect is the spirit behind this reflection as well. Wishing everyone a peaceful day ahead, and thank you for taking the time to read.

Death games are a dime a dozen in anime. In a lot of ways it does little to differentiate itself. Protagonist suddenly thrown into a life or death game? Check. Heavy emphasis on phones? Check. Entirely too young kids with death glares? Check. But the big thing that sets Darwin's Game apart is its protagonist. He doesn't voluntarily opt into the game. He doesn't even know what it's about. This is where the cookie cutter anime script would demand the weak character, overwhelmed by the whole thing. Every possible avenue for personal growth gets stunted by a "noble" refusal to see his reality (ie, you need to play to survive). Not so with Darwin's Game's protagonist. Sure, he starts off that way a bit (although not as annoyingly so as some characters), but he does a good job of grasping the situation and starting to play along. And sure, he's got a bit of a "nobility" streak to him—both in how he plays the game and what his goal ends up being—but not enough to stunt his growth. When bad things happen because of decisions he makes, he doesn't use that as an excuse to stagnate, but rather to get better. I hope a second season is on the horizon; I'd enjoy spending more time in this death game.

Reluctant, good, tall (not short) high schooler although naïve (at first) MC forced into an unfortunate situation. After finally finding his resolve, he exhibits excellent skills and leadership abilities to benefit of many. Add a cute and almost OP protagonist who initially took a curious liking to him but was actually heroically rescued by him later on, thus a welcome romance angle. I really like this type of story. Interesting variety of powers, interesting auxiliary characters. Nice clean art. Smooth narrative progression. I hope they produce another anime season. In sum, this anime is definitely a recommended watch! Both thumbs up! So, that's all folks

Darwin's Game Anime Review By: Shu Miyama Dated: April 29, 2020 Plot: Living a peaceful life, the protagonist "Kaname" was dragged into the game by one of his friends. At first sight, this series will make you wonder if you're going to watch another version of Mirai Nikki, a cell phone game application which will make people fight each other to death. Though unlike the said anime, this series have created a foundation and an acceptable explanation to back up what's currently happening. In exchange for a big amount of money, risking one's life will make the case possible. Not only did this anime widen the plot by adding events to the games, and not only focuses on match battles, it also creates a reason for characters to do what they do. It shows how people can change, be it because of the power they achieve, or the circumstances they've gone through. Though it is still unknown how the application runs and how it made the impossible possible, it will most likely be explained at the later episodes. Characters: If given a hurtful experience, change will be inevitable. Kaname is your typical kind boy who doesn't have any shred of malice in his eyes. But unlike most of the main characters who fight and escape death by just frantically swinging anything or by depending on someone or the author made them too OP, if you know what I mean, he has that hidden potential that comes up if needed. He has that reflex and sharp mind to think things through, he has plans and instinct that are needed to survive. The way he changed through the circumstances he gone through is such a gem. Other characters are also interesting and I really love that intelligent girl. But the series mainly focused on the development of Kaname's character. Sound and Animation: In a genre like this, animation is a critical one. How the action scenes will be exciting and not a boring one, how the expressions match up the scenarios they're in. It must all presented well. The fights are damn good. Every movement of the character and the strategy used is lit. It was not forced and limited. Adding up the cruelty of the other characters makes it more interesting. Shuka's action scenes are what I love the most. However, the voice of Shuka really is creepy. I think normal girl's voice will be better. Well, that's for me. Great action animations are hard to find nowadays. Glad to find one. Enjoyment: The first episode made me anxious whether I'll continue watching it or not. I'm not in the mood for a survival game genre with no other concept at all. I'm grateful this series is different. I love the action scenes, yes. But what really made me going is the strategy they'll show, the actions taken by them to move forward, and how they use their brain to get ahead of their enemies. Ending: The ending is just the beginning? That's what anime most of the times are. It's like introducing characters, or polishing characters before fighting seriously. They are ready for battle, the pieces are complete, preparations is on the way. The ending fight is great and unexpected for me. I did predict him changing but not that kind of change. That makes the story more interesting, I guess.

Wow, I can't believe the manga is 8 years old already! I've been waiting for so long for an anime adaptation of Darwin's Game, and here we are. And I was not disappointed at all, the anime lived up to my expectations. STORY Darwin's Game is a modern survival game like many others, but it succeeds where most anime of this genre fails: it uses EVERY ASPECT of survival. It's not just battles to death: the characters must survive BY ANY MEANS, be it through alliances, betrayals, sacrifices, bargaining, or flight. The main character, Sudo Kaname, gets sucked into this death game and does everything he needs to survive. He gets powerful allies, begs for his life when needed, or straight kills his opponents. This first season focuses on the formation of Kaname's clan, the Sunset Ravens. It's mainly character introduction, and it doesn't go much further than that... but frankly, it doesn't need to. As an introduction to this world, it is perfect. Each character gets enough screen time, the D-game is explained clearly and the story is set up, as the goal of the main character is not only to survive, but to destroy the D-Game. As a first season, it is perfect. My only complaint is this season is too short. Eleven episodes (although the first one is 40 minutes long), that's just not enough. If they ever make the second season, I hope it will be longer. Ah, I've got another complaint: I HATE it when post-generic scenes are key scenes. They're easy to miss if you have the reflex to skip the ending. I'm lucky I read the manga, so I quickly realized it when I missed a scene, but an average watcher will just feel lost and clueless. I'll say it here: DON'T FORGET TO CHECK IF THERE'S A SCENE AFTER THE ENDING. It makes the transition from one episode to the other, you will miss KEY SCENES if you skip it. Darwin's Game is not the first anime to use this idea, and it is just retarded. The fact that it's after the ending doesn't bring anything relevant, and just makes these scenes easy to miss. ART The anime was surprisingly good. I wasn't convinced by the trailers, but the animation is much better than I expected. The fights are cool, although not ground-breaking. The shaders are great, those really make it beautiful to watch. SOUND I love the ending, and the OST works during the episode. But it's nothing outstanding either. It just works. The seiyuus are great, but that one is obvious, lol. CHARACTER This point is where Darwin's Game both shines and fails in my opinion. I love those characters. They are charismatic, memorable, have some clever powers and strong personalities. But this manga introduces WAY TOO MANY of them. This issue didn't occur in the anime for now, since it only had time to introduce the main characters. But it will happen later. The story will keep introducing characters without really developing the current ones, which is a huge waste. For now though, there's nothing to complain about. ENJOYMENT I really liked this first season. It's nothing ground-breaking, but it sets up the story perfectly. It introduces the main characters, sets the direction the story will take, and it is really polished. I really recommend this anime, and if you liked it, I definitely recommend the manga, which is phenomenal when it's at its best!

I'm quite the fan of death game genre's. Mock me as you will. "They're edgy, just wish fulfillment, and usually don't have depth." Well, whatever. I enjoy the genre regardless. And clearly, the survival game genre isn't exactly something that hasn't been done to death already in anime, manga, LN, etc. Ever since Mirai Nikki popularized it (or if you really wanna dig deep, battle royale), the death game genre has been around to stay. But amongst the gauntlet of the numerous amounts of death game titles out there, few have ever stood out. To me, of the numerous media I have consumed, only 6 have stood to actually be anything good. Danganronpa(The game series), Battle Royale, Gantz, Mirai Nikki, Fate Zero, and Alice in Borderland(manga). So, is this show any different than the numerous other media that try to attempt the death game genre? Well, not really, but it certainly is one of the most well executed orthodox death game shows. Almost all death game genre's don't get very far because of one of these reasons: too much death that it becomes kind of annoying, plot holes in the story, terrible pacing, cliches, bad characterization, etc etc. I could go on, but this seems like a basic list. Well, Darwin's Game certainly has some of these mistakes, but for the most part, performs well enough to give me a pass. Another thing that you look for in a death game genre is also the key moments: the pilot episodes. How good is the actual beginning? How does the MC transition from an "everyday" school life to a "brutal death game? What are the MC's motivations to keep on surviving? What's the circumstances surrounding his "first kill?" What kind of personality is he? And well, again, for the basic plot that Darwin's game provides, it's executed almost perfectly. I'd say that his transition into the game is one of the best. It may be vanilla, but the fighting, dialogue, and chain of events that we are walked through is well paced, well thought out, and animated well. I wish this show kept this consistency throughout the story, but well, it doesn't. Pacing is nonexistent. While having a character go through the crazy transition from "everyday life" to "death game" every 10 minutes is terrible, so is just having the characters get involved in a "death game" over and over and over again. The plot progresses at a lightning fast pace, yet it isn't blown out of proportion that it doesn't make sense, but the pacing definitely needs some work. Characters in the show, for the most part, is pretty good. You don't just have "good guys and friends of MC," and "bad guys MC kills." Rather, you have a wider variety of neutral, evil, and good spectrum that you don't usually get to see in other death games. Plus, the characters that end up being in the MC's party are quite well made. Basic as they may be, they function their purpose, and are fun to watch. They aren't just baggage picked up on the side of the road, or just "wow, you're strong, let me join you please," like many companions end up being in this type of show. However, let's not get into the romance, Everything relating to the romance of the show is extremely subpar, and I wouldn't even quantify it as "romance." Yikes. Lastly, the thing that Darwin's Game loves to do is their liberal use of cliche's. The MC's "first kill" is a clear cliche ( I won't say which, it's a spoiler), his romance is quite cliche, and of course, his plot armor is pretty thick. Characters that are convenient for him are thrown at him, and of course, he gets OP powers and whatnot. Well, what do you expect? At least characters don't seem to be sparing him, or that completely implausible situations become true because the MC needs to survive. So overall? Darwin's game is not bad. It's not in the "good" category, and certainly won't be on my top list. If you like the genre, you certainly will find Darwin's Game to be fine/good. If you don't, this show certainly won't revolutionize your views on the genre. It's your good old, cup of Joe. Executed fine, but doesn't fire on all cylinders. Despite it's shortcomings, it's not bad.