Lycoris Recoil

When Lycoris Recoil was first announced, I’d admit, I was excited. I believe that it wouldn’t hurt anime creators to create more proper gun-oriented combat series like Black Lagoon and Jormungand, firearms can be just as cool as swords, y’know? And although Lycoris Recoil did deliver in some aspects, other aspects sort of dragged it down. In this anime, we’re introduce to this seemingly perfect world where crime rates are very low due to a secret government program that uses orphans as child soldiers in order to prevent such crimes from happening in the first place. And in this anime, we’re introduced with our protagonist, Takina Inoue, who was forced to transfer due to her actions after her last mission. In her new base, she’s introduced to her partner, Chisato Nishikigi, who is a rather eccentric girl with secrets of her own. And together, they take on odd jobs, ranging from delivering food for the mafia to teaching Japanese at a local school. Now this anime’s story if you can even call it one is quite frankly, confusing. There’s almost no sense of direction at all, it switches from episodic to plot oriented in a blink of an eye. I know there are cases of animes where seemingly episodic episodes actually all ties up together, but this anime didn’t take its time to properly tie all those points together to this giant plot scheme that’s happening. Granted you can only do so much with 13 episodes but if that was the case, the story should’ve just gotten right to the main point instead of showing some pointless side mission that has nothing to do with the plot at all. And on the topic of the main story itself, without going in depth about it to prevent any potential spoilers, is just, nonsensical. The story is all over the place especially towards the latter half of the anime and it seems like to me the creator’s attempt to present multiple plot points at once failed terribly. Asides from the messy story structure, the themes presented in this anime were also all over the place. Perhaps I’m looking too deep into this and the creator was just likely presenting a fun popcorn entertainment but if the was the creator’s intention to present something dark and mature, at best, it’s just surface level shit and at worst, the theme isn’t even presented at all and is just there and as a side thought. The characters in this anime is a mixed bag for me. Although our main stars shares some amazing character chemistry with each other, without going too in depth, they were either confusing to understand, like Chisato, or just forgettable like some of the side characters, such as Kurumi. With Chisato, not only are her actions and ideals somewhat illogical, it also just doesn’t make sense as she contradicts herself occasionally throughout the story. Without spoiling the story, her actions, especially later on in the story will definitely make you think “wait, what.” And as for the side characters who aren’t as developed as Chisato and Takina, they’re alright, nothing to really write home about although some of the characters like Robota was annoying to watch. As for the art, I believe this is easily the best aspect of the anime. The character designs were definitely memorable especially with the main cast, and I also liked how detailed some of the guns were drawn. And asides from the nice well drawn details found in this anime, the animation is really smooth and to whoever was in charge of directing the series, they knew what they were doing as some of the scenes actually managed to build up genuine suspense so good job. As for the music and sound, I can’t really say the same about the art as it was just there as mere background noise. It’s not a bad thing nor a good thing either, I just feel neutral about it. Overall, I felt like the story was what really dragged Lycoris Recoil down as a series, and it’s kind of shame because had the story been as good as the art, this anime would’ve been another nice addition to an otherwise almost niche market in the anime industry, which is gun-oriented combat without any fantasy and magic involved. But for what it was worth, I had fun with it, so if you’re just looking for something to unwind at the end of the day, this is for you. But for those who’s looking for something with more value in it, I suggest looking somewhere else.

Short Review (Spoilers-free): At this point, if you even search the Youtube for opinions on Lycoris Recoil, all you can find are endless praises. Some even labelled it "one of the best original anime ever". That might be the case for you if what matters the most to you is moe girls acting out their puberty/girly stuff all the time. However, if you value plot coherence/tonal consistency the most, you are probably like me--not the core target audience for this anime. In that case, Lycoris Recoil might feel like someone throwing all their favorite ingredients into a blender without much thought to proportions of ingredients. Expectations/before I watch: according to the popular opinions, Lycoris Recoil is a "John Wick meets K-on". Well, since I like John Wick 1 and 2, plus I am okay with moe comedy, I wanted to give Lycoris Recoil a try. After watching all 13 episodes of Lycoris Recoil, I can safely guarantee you that this is most certainly not John Wick, even if all you want from it is just sleek protagonists mowing down 1000 goons in increasingly ridiculous fashions. Baseline Quality: 6.5-7 for me. Uneven quality across the different genres it tackled. If the moe comedy department of the show is a 9/10, then its mystery/suspense department only gets a 4-5/10 from me. Action/thriller elements are 6-8/10 fluctuating across the episodes. Drama in this show is a joke which gets a 3/10 from me. Recommended to: fans of moe comedy. Those who value anime graphics over everything else. Or if you are Hideo Kojima (whose game direction I have admired for decades by the way). Not recommended to: those who demand some authentic stake/tension in the story, or those who take themes/messages in anime more seriously. What worked for me: + When it gets moe, it really has some of the most effective moe/cutesy stuff in recent anime. Chisato and Takina kicking each other's butt as a homage to Stand By Me is a nice touch, and that's already iconic in a lot of anime fans' memory. You can feel the physicality of the main duo's bodies when they move stylistically. + Like the butt-kicking scene from OP, most of the motions/actions in the show are meticulously drawn, with character art being stable and smooth across the whole 13 episodes. + Some action sequences are gripping and tightly composed. These sequences are somewhat comparable to those chase/evade sequences from the Bourne movies, albeit with anime-ish outcomes. + Decent OP/ED songs. I like the ED song better than the OP, but taste in music can be very subjective, so your mileage might differ. + Its lighthearted overtone is sustained and handled with care. What did not work too well for me: - The show's single-minded commitment to moe comedy and relentless pace can be a double-edged sword. It tries to short-sell its moe elements a bit too hard that characters lose their believability in a high-stake underworld setting. I mentioned that the entire show feels like someone throwing all their favorite ingredients into a blender without much thought to proportions. Another metaphor is imagine yourself ordering a beef steak combo in a luxurious restaurant, and getting a very sweet and cute appetizer. However when the main course is served, you realize it's covered with gummy bears as if to conceal the burned steak. You still enjoy the gummy bears until the end, but you get a bad aftertaste in your mouth when you really think about it. To put it in plain words, the whole of the multiple genres Lycoris Recoil tackled is less than their sum. An example is a seemingly high-stake scenario in EP12 foreshadowed over previous episodes. Yet the crisis in the said scenario was averted so quickly and cleanly as if it's a joke. Same thing goes with Chisato's personal crisis. The melancholy/tragedy was hardly given time to sink in before over-the-top moe stuff hits your face every 3 seconds. Perhaps there is only a very subtle difference between lightheartedness and ignorance. Lycoris Recoil, in my opinion, leans towards the latter when it tries to tackle drama. "Shadow official organization training orphaned minors to be covert assassins" shouldn't be treated this lightly, but that's just my two cents. - The themes and conspiracies don't make much sense. For example, you only get a very vague sense that the illuminati-like powerful conspirators pulling strings behind the scene are playing multiple sides and are up to no good. However, there's not much depth beyond that. The same applies to the main antagonist/boss characters. I get what the writers intend them to be at the end, but I don't really feel them. - Personally, I found Chisato tiresome and annoying. Yes she is pretty and powerful. Yes there is a character twist explaining her reasons for always acting out with a hysterical and ultra-high-pitched voice (I need to express my respect for her VA though, it's not the VA's fault), but to quote the live-action Netflix series "Russian Doll", Chisato is literally "her own party", who does not need anyone else. I don't think the show would be that different even if they deleted most of the supporting characters. Also, a signature stunt she pulls (by this point it has become a popular meme) eliminated all the believable stakes or tensions in the anime for me. If your main character could just waltz casually in a blizzard of bullets, why even bother with CQC or any real-world techniques? - Very predictable. By episode 9 and 10, I was already conditioned by the show to assume everything will be resolved in a lighthearted way. "Everything will be OK when you sprinkle moe stuff on it". With that in mind, I told a fellow anime fan that I wouldn't buy into any "Holy crap they really did that" moments in the climax. And now with the ending out, unfortunately that is exactly the case. In the end, it boils down to this--if moe comedy is all your want, just ignore my review and go for the show. If you are a big fan of the show, please also take my words with a whole pack of salt. There's no shame for loving something that genuinely speaks to your heart.

This review may be shorter than I expected. If you're asking why, I don't know either. The series was good. No longer words are needed. I've been thinking for a long time where to start my criticism. But I couldn't find it. This is something that I personally rarely experience. So I guess I can only criticize you on certain main issues. As I mentioned in my expectation article, when A-1 was involved, I waited eagerly and with high expectations like every other person. My plan was to watch the series after the season finale. But one day, after a Lyoris Recoil post that a friend of mine sent me on Instagram, I gave up on this idea and started watching the weekly episodes regularly. It's not a good idea to talk about my feelings here, so I'm going to be very brief. I am an easily emotional person, but after watching countless anime due to being an otaku, this emotionality has decreased for me in the anime world. Although Lycoris Recoil did not make me cry, it became one of the anime that filled my eyes after a long time. Yes, I know, it's not that emotional in content, but I have my own reasons. The emotional part is here. Now let's get to the criticism. The character designs are meticulously crafted. If you look carefully, even our characters, who are not even supporting characters, have an emotional integrity. Background scenes and drawings, animated drawings and sound integrity are higher than I expected. Even if the episode designs increase the expectation, they are not very effective in terms of curiosity. A person who is familiar with anime can almost accurately predict what will happen in the next episode. Even if the variety of venues shown in the series is not large, the correct and skillful use of these venues prevents you from getting bored even though you see it all the time. I can't say anything bad for our main characters Chisato and Takina. If we look at it from a good point of view, the conflict between them throughout the series and the time they spend together can make people happy, as they benefit from the contrasts rather than the common aspects of each other and build their friendship on this. As someone who understood in the second episode that the series would be a great success, my score is nine out of ten. If you were to ask where did you break a score, it's a very good series...

I’m going to start this with a quick shout-out to A1 pictures for doing a really good job with this anime original. Lycoris Recoil seemed to be the surprise of the season for many as it quickly shot up in popularity. I must say that at first I was skeptical but with a really solid second half of the season I have to agree. The anime did a great job with just developing a story and getting us attached to the characters while still delivering those deep heartfelt moments. Now It's not perfect, but it was a really enjoyable watch. Art: 10 The art in this anime was phenomenal, the character's designs were really creative and enjoyable, the animation was smooth with its movements and fight scenes, and the music would always deliver. All backed up by really good voice acting too. Just watching the anime was a pleasure to my eyes. Characters: 9 So I can't lie I almost gave this a 10. As I think most of the characters were developed really well in a short time, and there is so much much good chemistry behind each one. I think the protagonist duo is excellent and was always enjoyable well they shared the screen, but I also think characters like Kurumi and Mika were also done really well(Mika my personal favorite). But the one minor flaw that I have is that I personally thought the main antagonist Majima could have better motives for his actions and I thought he was okay at best in my personal opinion. Story: 8 Now this score may seem a little low but it's because I really think this anime thrives with the characters more than anything else. I didn’t think the story was really where my enjoyment came with this anime, and so with Majima being the main driving force of the story, I thought it was good but not great, however, the subplots that were intertwined were a lot better, especially the stuff surrounding Yoshi. Overall it's a good watch I’d recommend to anyone. 8/10

Lycoris Recoil Woah its been so long I rated an anime a 10 ! To begin with i would like to talk about the story the main problem with most anime are that either they start too slow or visa versa while " Lycoris Recoil " maintains the balance in such way one might not even notice the transition between the first half and the second half of the anime blending without having the thought " this is going way too slow/fast for me to put things together " the story might feel similar in concept yet it somehow stands out because the way the story is written maybe idk it just keeps you hooked to binge it ! Now the animations and visuals, the animations are top notch gun shots motion physics movements everything is done precisly the effort surly is visible ! the colours, lightings, scenes everything blends in with the story neither anything sticks out ( in a good way ) nor feels bland . Meanwhile detailings are so good the eyes,hair even the detailings on buildings, cars, broken glass everything is well made while keeping things eye pleasing . The Characters : Chisato & Takina both sure are main characters so its obvious they are the best but even the side characters make impact and add fun to the show, this is also a reason I would like to rate this show a 10 becuase alota of shows lack the importance of side charecters and either don't give them much of screen time or make them feel unwanted or useless while in this show everyone feels a complete part of it not sticking out . Now the final part of the review, 1. WHY SHOULD YOU WATCH THIS SHOW ? 2. SHOULD YOU WATCH THIS SHOW ? ANSWERS : 1. If you are want to watch somethings that won't make you question " why did I watch this " after finishing the show then this is the show for you the show is absolute cinema ! If you wanna enjoy something in one sitting then this sure is one great option ! 2. Definitely YES !!! Its like a personal recommendation to everyone out there reading this review as an anime watcher this one is a must watch ! If you like the concept of Spy and Assassins then just go for it this won't feel boring one bit . Well this is the end of the review here Its 3 years of the show rn when im writing the review no announcment of Season 2 yet the hopes are still there because something this amazing deserves a sequal more than anything !

Lycoris Recoil while having a very nice production is severely lacking in terms of pace and plot. They could've been done with this story in 11 episodes tops by increasing overall pace. It's too slow. Novelty of MC wears off rather fast and there really is no growth or change within her up until the very end, she is sadly static. Support cast while interesting don't have that much going on for them besides the main story line. Have they any goals for themselves, anything else to do besides been in the background? No, they only live for the plot even in the end where you might hope author finally found the courage to "let them go". I honestly have no issue with the concept of a highly trained gifted hitman not killing anyone, we had such concept before with Trigun and it was proven to work well when you fit this in an interesting story. Here, all the antagonist characters were rather plain and their motivation was questionable at best and primitive to be honest. When you try to focus on a sort of relationship between MC and the antagonist you should put more effort into it, which they don't. Did author engage in a children exploitation by the government topic deeply? Not really. It's all business as usual. And they had it right there, they only needed to push it just a little. Overall this show has decent action scenes which become somewhat bland by the end, some nice comedic moments and a what could've been a cool concept (again because of Trigun) but ends up been a Meh show. And it's sad.

The series that unexpectedly stole the show last season. Chances are you're planning to watch it for either: The waifus, the action or the animation or maybe you're one of those people with great music taste that decided to watch it because of the banger intro and outro. Is the show actually worth watching beyond those that I just mentioned? Probably not. I feel that the characters, action and animation are the strongest aspects of the series, if you only care about these three aspects then you will probably enjoy the show. However, I find that there is not much substance to its story and is more akin to a Slice of Life show than an Action anime. In fact, the Slice of Life scenes is an aspect of the show I like over the action scenes of it. I discourage those who plan to watch the show and expect a great story or an interesting plot, as you will find none of those. Though if you enjoy Slice of Life series or if you approach the show with the expectation that it is a Slice of Life show instead of an Action packed one then you may end up enjoying the series as a whole.

When Lycoris Recoil begins, Takina wants nothing more than to get back to the DA and return to the position that she once had there. Her disobedience in the field has led to her expulsion, and she is unceremoniously dumped into a new setting with a partner, all of which she never asked for. As far as Takina is concerned, everything that happens over the next several weeks is meant to serve the purpose of getting her back to the DA, and she makes that stance rather clear. So, imagine her surprise to see that supposedly one of the best Lycoris that the DA ever produced is the happy-go-lucky Chisato, who acts without a care in the world and seems to spend more of her time having fun than taking her role as a Lycoris more seriously. As time moves forward with Chisato and Takina spending more time together, we learn some rather fascinating things about Chisato – she’s not only extremely good at what she does (dodging bullets as though they were barely moving at all), but she also doesn’t adopt the traditional Lycoris method of killing her targets. She subdues them, defeating them non-fatally regardless of the wrongs that they committed. She gives triage to one lackey, asking if he has any plans for later that evening. Takina is indignant at this merciful approach, especially given that the lackey didn’t care whether she or Chisato lived or died. As far as Chisato is concerned, the lackey lost and his job is done. She doesn’t say it aloud or in this exact way, but it’s time for him to move on with his life. The idea of “moving on,” of continuing to march forward anyway regardless of what life has in store for you, is central to what makes Lycoris Recoil work as a narrative. Nearly every character in the show is, in some way, shape, or form, dealing with a past or a past event that has colored them personality-wise, professionally, or perhaps at an even-more-fundamental level. It doesn’t matter whether the root of the cause was through disobeying orders, clinging to a fleeting reputation, or a relationship that, for one reason or another, simply did not work out for the best. Lycoris Recoil takes the numerous frameworks of past-as-influence and demonstrates how they impact a character or larger social structure’s thinking, and how one’s ability to go with the flow or obstinacy impacts their ability to navigate the present. Depending on who is it, the evidence of this is rather apparent. The notion that a life for Takina exists outside the DA, or that she might never return to the DA building proper (despite still technically working for them as a Lycoris) and has to adapt to this new life against her will, is a gnawing thought. Chisato’s very existence and manner-of-being seems antithetical to the Lycoris calling or lifestyle, and the idea that Takina has to work with her naturally creates a source of tension between the two. Takina was already rather brusque and blunt beforehand, but her circumstances have, interestingly enough, caused her to act even more brusque, which puts her chances at getting back to the DA even further away. It was that very attitude and manner of thinking that caused her to be kicked out, so indulging that attitude and manner under the assumption that it will get her what she wants, rather ironically, doesn’t do her any favors of getting what she wants. Moving on for Takina is not something that she wants to do, but rather is something that she has to do, because the door back to the DA is seemingly closed forever. Chisato clashing with Takina does not merely manifest in terms of everything Takina wants to be, but also in how readily she accepted her life’s position. The DA makes it clear that Chisato is special, if not occasionally aggravating in more ways than one. But she doesn’t pay that thought any mind; if anything, it’s just something she lives with by shrugging her shoulders and readily wanting to scarf down some sweets. Chisato evidently learned a long time ago that you don’t always have control over the things in your life, and that as a result, some things are just not worth stressing about or worrying about. The bleakness that being a Lycoris entails, the demands of the job’s less-glamorous aspects, makes her cheery personality absolutely magnetic. If Takina’s experience getting kicked out of the DA is any indication, Chisato long-since knew that it was not a place for her. Why go back to the DA building when she’s enjoying herself and her work, having fun and playing video games, fraternizing with patrons, and the like? Why go back to an organization that gives carte blanche to kill their targets when Chisato lives her life to the fullest every day? Lycoris Recoil uses its two main characters to reflect two possible outcomes of being thrown into a similar situation. Both are out of the DA’s picture for the most part and had to move on, yet each approaches the matter by entirely-differently means. The juxtaposition between Chisato and Takina’s attitudes is what ultimately keeps the show’s focus tethered; at times, they butt heads. At other times, they act like old friends or sisters. Through its two main characters as the main vehicle, the show’s tone allows many of its moments to work in either the dramatic or comedic sense, if not both at the same time. They learn to move on with their lives together. And as they grow together as individuals and as a pair, each of them possesses qualities that makes either doing their jobs easier or running Café LycoReco more reliable and stable. For the DA, the idea of “moving on” is essentially their motto – keep life moving on ordinarily, and don’t let the public know of anything unpleasant going on behind the scenes. As is often the case with science-fiction (action-oriented or otherwise), the future does not promise that there will be no more crime or no more problems. Various agendas, groups, and people will still crop up to cause trouble, either at seemingly-random moments or through calculated planning and execution. The Lycoris as the secret police of their world themselves have an ordinary appearance, dressed like schoolgirls to casually hide in plain sight, making them effective assassins / escorts. After all, who would suspect a cute girl to have a gun in her pocket, keeping the city safe as life moves on? The city itself also embodies this overarching ideology – the ruined tower stands as the final monument to a terrible event from the past, standing out like an eyesore against the far-more clean, pristine cityscape foreground that surrounds it. Its existence acts as a symbol that the supposed tragedies of the past will not be repeated because they, as a city and as a citizenry, have moved on. But for every character or every system in place that tries to just move on, there is someone or something operating in the background that cannot do so, or at least not in the same way as others. The indignation at seeing the world around them, or being stuck in a place or memory that consumes their very thoughts seemingly day-in and day-out, fuels their desires to seize the present for their own purposes. Lycoris Recoil uses the collisions between the society and characters that have moved on versus those that have not to set up its overarching mystery. The result is a roster of characters that is equally as colorful as they are varied in motivation and appearance. While the series flirts rather dangerously with oversaturation, it never crosses the boundary since everyone’s personality and actions command attention, even if the “why” doesn’t unveil itself until later in the run. It’s because we understand why these characters are doing what they do, or are intrigued by the mystery that gradually unearths itself, that make many of the action sequences themselves so compelling to see. Director and series composer Adachi Shingo’s previous efforts as chief animation director for numerous Sword Art Online installments reveals that he has a keen eye for an action scene’s s…

A goddam masterpiece. That's what it is. Lycoris Recoil isn't just cute anime girls using guns. It's a deep political action thriller and I love it for that. It isn't afraid to go dark, to the very depths of ethics and humanity to look itself in the mirror and ask the hard questions. There's no such thing as peace without evil, and a balance is always required. Peace without Evil is just Delusion. There's Lycoris, cute lil school girls clearing out "evil" without anyone knowing for the greater good. Lycoris flower, or Red Spider Lily as it's more commonly known, is a symbol usually associated with death, so poetic af. Then there's the DA, the organization that handles all the dirty work with Lycoris. Let me say, Companies, no matter doing how noble of a work, getting their workers in trouble who actually do all the work, to save their own ass in name of "Greater good" is absolute bullshit. You're taking cute lil orphan girls and making them killers, which many times results in them dying before they even become physically or emotionally mature. Don't tell me they're mature, they're brainwashed. All of them. They don't know the world they're trying to protect. Chisato is my favourite character here, a ray of sunshine in this abyss. She's the one who chooses rubber bullets in a world of Nuclear Missiles, and still wins. Then there's Yoshi and the mysterious Alan Institute, grooming geniuses in various fields. Yoshi is one of the better villains I've seen in recent times, but alas he was outshined but someone from the same series. Majima the MAN. Not just an evil incarnate. I mean he does kill innocent people. He's obviously evil. But the way he's after Alan Institute and DA? Bro knows what he's doing. He isn't just sake for evil. An ideology for change. That's what he has. Real peace can never come from covering up evil and making people believe it doesn't exist. Ignorance is NEVER a bliss. It's hell. Real peace comes from understanding evil and empathizing with it, not trying to eradicate every time it shows itself. Coz that's impossible.

The best thing about this anime is the interaction between Chisato and Takina, the story almost takes a backseat, believe me Chisato is going to steal your hearts, he has a magical smile. Great anime highly recommended if you want to see something unique and funny at times. And the best thing is that it is original, which is a huge plus.Believe me, the anime will be too short for you hahaha, it is extremely addictive in the last part, so I look forward to a second season.and chisato hahaha never stop smiling In short, for me 10 out of 10 and recommended for new anime viewers.

The plot description that came out before it aired did nothing but set the wrong kind of expectations, and for that I am glad. The opening 5 minutes of the first episode with high school aged girls in uniform taking people out with silenced pistols as if it was no big deal is what really drew me in, and I was stuck for 13 episodes. This anime was a masterpiece and I loved every second. Chisato was infectiously, the best girl of the season imho. This anime had everything, great characters, music and animation, the comedy never took away anything from the serious tones it would sometimes get, they clearly left it open for more, and I truly, TRULY hope we get it.

A-1 Pictures have always been inconsistent when it comes to the quality of their original shows, for every unbridled beauty like Anohana, there has been unmitigated disaster like Aldnoah.Zero (more specifically, part two) and there is no better example of this like this season where we have two new original shows where they are both on different ends of the spectrum in terms of their quality. Those being Engage Kiss and the anime I am reviewing today, Lycoris Recoil. An anime that pretty much blind sided us as to how good it was. Not to the same level as Paripi Koumei was in the spring season this year, but I think general consensus see this as the surprise show of the season. So yeah, cats out of the bag, I think this is a really good show and I’m here to tell you why. So let’s begin the review of this new original anime by A-1 Pictures, Lycoris Recoil. Shall we? Story: 8/10 Japan’s crime rate and terrorist attacks at an all time low thanks to the actions of Direct Attack, or DA for short. An organisation that uses orphan girls as assassins to eliminate any threats. Takina is one such girl who gets into trouble for performing one very questionable action that causes her to be penalized with insubordination and reassigned to a subsidiary of DA, LycoReco, a cafe in disguise. There she meets Chisato, an amazingly skilled fighter who refuses to take a life. From there, Takina must learn to get use to her new life and also learn that there is more to life than just being the one to end them. The show is essentially split into two different kinds of shows that try to congeal into one another. One half is pulse pounding action where being hesitant for one second could lead to your death, whereas the other half is Slice of Life yuri bait (And they REALLY want us to take the bait) and the budding relationship between our two main leads Takina and Chisato. Two genres that shouldn’t work together but have proven before that they can. It’s always about the execution after all. Here it’s executed well because both genres don’t treat each other like foreign objects. They are both integral to the show’s character development and also helps with the show’s pacing. Sure, going all action, action, action is fun but that requires that the foot is never left off the pedal and Lycoris Recoil doesn’t want to do that because it wants to savour those character moments outside of all the action. The first episode is a great example of this, it starts out all action to get an idea of how DA operates, but then it slows down to reflect on what just happened and when it does, the action ramps up again but in a more different light this time because you have a different perspective on things now. This is reflected across the entire show because there is one central theme across this show and that is, “There is more to life than just taking it.” The message is reflected in both the story and how our characters grow as the story develops through both how DA operates and Chisato’s more free spirited nature and outlook on life. Chisato has broken out of the of the more narrow minded nature of the other girls of DA so her outlook on the value of life reflects on someone like Takina and the story as a whole. It’s also where the two genres work well together because now you have two clearer viewpoints on the value of life. But the best part is that it doesn’t constantly beat you over the head with it. It’s done more subdued and it’s something you can pick up on as the show goes on. Is it perfect? No. A couple of times, the transitions between the two tones is rough and it’s message is on the nose about it in the first couple of episodes but that is, more or less, to help set the message so I can excuse that. One thing you can criticize though is how the show tends to wonder about in the Slice of Life moments of the show as it can feel like it’s trying to fill up space before the next major plot development happens. But they provide some very needed character moments that honestly help make show better and showing the growing relationship between our two main leads. Characters: 8.5/10 Chisato and Takina are very much Yin and Yang as they both have different personalities. When we first meet them, Chisato is very much a free-spirited, sometimes carefree person who sees more to life than just being an assassin, whereas Takina is more of a straight-laced, to the point person who sees little, other than what she was raised for, killing dangerous people. Two different people taking different life choices but what makes this work is how their relationship is portrayed. Takina doesn’t know what to do outside of DA so Chisato sort of guides her the glories of being more than just an assassin and being more like an average, teenage girl. This is where the Slice of Life elements kick in because now we have a vessel for the show explaining its message and show it off through great character moments. The crucial element in this is their chemistry with one another which is this show’s greatest strength. Chisato and Takina’s chemistry with one another is really good and is the highlight of the show for me. Not just how they interact with one another, but also how they grow with one another, mainly Takina. To see her come out of her narrow minded shell and open up more and more to be a more lively person is an aspect in the narrative that I liked more and more and its kind of subtly done because they don’t tell you she’s changed, you just easily pick it up as the show goes on. It does help that Chisato’s personality is very infectious as she just oozes charisma with her lively attitude and outlook on life. When the majority of the cast is very straight-laced and more mature, having someone who is just carefree makes her a very obvious bright spot for the people around her to have their lives change and seeing Takina change throughout the show from being around Chisato makes her personality stand out more and make us care about her more. That’s not to say she can’t handle herself in a fight, if anything, it’s the opposite. She’s a very skilled shooter that can somehow dodge bullets by reading muscle movements and fire non lethal bullets that don’t pierce skin but can pierce through metal. Is it stupid? Yes. But is it cool? Also yes and gives her that excuse for her cocky attitude because we know that she can back up her talk. So with a character with loads of charisma and charm; combined with the combat skills of Jason Bourne (because everyone else has used the John Wick comparison) and can dodge bullets like she’s in the Matrix, is there any wonder why she’s general consensus best girl this season? What also helps is the strong supporting cast of LycoReco to lift them up, with Mika acting as the father figure for Chisato, Mizuki being the responsible older sister and Kurumi being the know it all, little sister. Putting Chisato and Takina into the mix and they act like one big happy family that you end up caring about and they each play a good role to flesh out LycoReco and care about the Slice of Life aspect more. That being said, the members of DA we know about are a bit lacking in the personality department besides the standard ones. Like, there seems to be beef between Chisato and her former partner Fuki, but it doesn’t goes as far as I would’ve liked, with Sakura, Fuki’s new partner, being along for the ride for the most part. The Antagonists are interesting. I couldn’t care less for Robota as he mainly just whines and brags his way through the show, but Majima is more interesting. Besides being of the aggressive type, he’s interesting because of the one connection with Chisato, their ties to the Alan Institute, an organisation that helps people but also gives them a new, secret purpose in life that they don’t know about and at times, you ask what is his game? What does he want out of this? And it makes for an interesting foil for DA and our two main leads. He’s resourceful, …

I think the show has some potential. Sadly, the story needs a bit of work. I like the main character, she has a cheerful outlook on life. Most supporting characters are just there to create some mess so that the main character can save the day. And near the end, some of the plot development isn't that sensible. At the very end, there is a poorly constructed tense moment that maybe was meant to make it look like someone didn't make it, but to the keen observer, you can see it a mile away. It was a bizarre moment for me ngl. I don't mind if the studio goes for another season. I think the main character and the major support character work but I hope they find a different writer for the storyboard because that's one thing that doesn't work for me. TL;DR: If you're one of those people who get hung up on a good story then this is a skip. but if you don't care about any of that the animation, soundtrack, and the fight scene are pretty good. It's just the story that's a mess.

Lycoris Recoil is an anime that asks an important question: What if instead the reason why Japan is so safe were because of an anime girl defense force that kills targets in secret before they do anything wrong. It then turns into a buddy-cop story line between Takina, a hard boiled Lycoris agent who does not play by the rules, and Chisato a seemingly carefree agent who refuses to kill her targets. I wanted to like this show a lot more than I actually did. I really like shows with Cute Anime Girls doing pretty much anything, and Chisato and Takina's opposites attract friendship is really the only thing I liked about the show aside from the animation quality, which was superb. The other characters were pretty dull, at least until the end, the action scenes were generic and uninteresting. The opening was also really good. It always made me feel light and fluffy inside, but I don't really count that.

Upbeat dystopian Japan setting. Cute Girls Doing Killer Things. It is amazing in a morbid way how you can depict such inhumane things this way. Somehow it feels that no one in this anime have any shred of compassion(well, except for two). People who use underage girls to kill everyone who is being payed for. Girls who have no remorse in taking lives and watch their comrades impending death and do nothing. Whole society shown to have no concern for people being killed off in plain sight without even chance for trial. For protagonist role we have "deviant" who still have some kind of compassion for comrades and "psycho" who thinks that killing anyone is not okay and she have remorse for taking life. After couple episodes when you get used to the setting, there is not much of interest is left. Watching internal politics of Killer Organization, observe life of girls or watch them do some random missions. In second half of the season, overarching plot, that tied to the past of "psycho" girl, picks up and we have a conclusion at the end. With one of lamest cop out imaginable. It is kinda amazing how stupid it looks when you consider how characters provoke people with power or money in this setting. Without any plan to kill them off before they can do same thing with you for overstepping bounds and endangering their position. As the mass murder is normalized here, it looks like a wonder that this country/government works at all. By all means that story should be a horrifying bloodfest when you consider that capturing someone and torturing information out of them should be theoretically a lesser evil than taking life. Story which gaslight normal human interactions and helps in normalizing worst of human qualities. When normal is portrayed as being conformist to cannibalistic habits, and to be a decent human being is something out of the ordinary, dangerous and straight up a characteristic of a terrorist. Despicable story about despicable people controlled by despicable people. This work is great anti-Japan propaganda.

Lycoris Recoil was a banger through and through. Coming out as a surprise hit given the fact that there was another original Engage Kiss by A1 Pictures in the same season, which definitely had more people intrigued before the start of the season. Lycoris Recoil has a really good visual complemented by equally superb audio. The fights scenes were really fluid, and although the skill of our MC seems too much, it is not much of a concern when the fights start as you get sucked into the scene. All that aside, the absolute best thing about Lycoris Recoil is definitely its 2 MC Nishikigi Chisato and Taking Inoue and the dynamic between them. On one hand there is the playful Chisato and other we have by the books Takina, how both of them influence each other is the most fun and joyful element of the show. And of course the Theme songs by Sayuri and Claris fit perfectly and are definitely top songs of the year, period. Although I didn't watch the last 4 episodes right when it was airing , and saving it for a fine day to watch it in peace , the end was really nice and didn't disappoint at all and made me regret why I dint complete it on time.

At the time of writing this review, I have a lot of mixed feelings. On one hand, I am sad that Lycoris Recoil has finally come to an end, but on the other, truly grateful for the opportunity to have enjoyed one of the best anime originals I’ve seen in a long time. For anyone who has yet to watch the show and is contemplating whether to give it a shot, I personally think the decision is quite simple; stop reading this review and go on ahead and start streaming it! However, if you’re still hesitant to plunge right in, let's talk a little about it. And as for those who have already watched LycoReco, I welcome you back from what I’d like to think has been an amazing journey. This year’s summer anime season could be summed up into two categories: The Season of the Sequels, and The Season of Streamer Jail. When you have such a great stack of anime to watch from, whether it be the sequels (The Devil is a Part-Timer, Overlord, Made in Abyss), new must-watch anime ruined by streaming services (Uncle From Another World, Summertime Rendering, etc), or even gems like Call of the Night, it is natural to glance over what might seem like a generic shoujo anime. This summer season has been a little strange in that the culmination of production delays and streamer jail lockups has made the community ready to leave the summer behind and welcome an objectively blockbuster Fall Anime season. Despite these external forces weighing down the enjoyment of the summer season, LycoReco was strangely immune to the negativity surrounding it. It was one of the few exceptions of summer anime that the community actually looked forward to week-in and week-out. But why? Admittedly, the synopsis for the anime is obscure and generic, but if you look past this you will find that it does not do the show justice. LycoReco is simply much more than what it seems, for the show’s source material is firstly original, which not only provides the viewers a breath of fresh air but also adds suspense and excitement. The motivations of some villains can be a little convoluted at times, but it does not diminish the fact that we are kept on the edge of our seats with this level of anticipation. If anything, it is because of this and rightfully so that we often see the show trending on social media on a weekly basis. The visuals and animation are simply stunning, with the action sequences all throughout this anime impeccably choreographed. At least… that’s my opinion. Regarding this aspect of the anime, you simply have to experience it yourself and determine whether or not it is to your liking as art is understandably subjective. Despite everything that has been discussed so far, it is the characters where the show’s strength really lies. It's been a while since an anime has captured my full attention every episode, and LycoReco seems to continuously push the envelope in terms of engagement and entertainment due to its relationship-building between characters. It's not only the way the show creates a natural chemistry between the cast, but the way it makes you as the viewer actually connect with them on a personal level that adds to the overall experience. There is something about our main characters Chisato and Takina (ignoring the fact that they are teen assassins), that is something authentic and real about them. The trials and tribulations they go through are gripping, and the development especially for the latter is truly remarkable. Over the course of this show, you can’t help but find them endearing and want to root for them all of the way. Credit has to go to the entire staff at A-1 Pictures for creating such a lovely piece of work. This anime was just short of a masterpiece from beginning to end and I hope more studios continue to explore the idea of using original material. The potential is there for the taking and LycoReco is a prime example of how such a story, even in an environment where the odds seem stacked against it, can thrive with the right execution.

I really thought I was going to love Lycoris Recoil. I mean, right from the first episode, it looks incredible. The character designs are appealing, the animation is smooth, and the action scenes are exciting to watch. The gunfights had style, the expressions are lively, and everything just feels polished. Production wise, it’s hard to complain. It’s one of those shows where you can tell the staff really cared about how it looked. But man, actually watching it started to feel like work. The story just didn’t grab me the way I expected. It throws in big concepts such as secret government programs, terrorism, and moral gray areas, but never really digs into them in a satisfying way. A lot of plot developments feel convenient, like things happen because the script needs them to happen, not because they naturally build up to that point. There’s quite a bit of plot armor too, which makes the stakes feel kind of fake. When intense scenes don’t have real consequences, it’s hard to stay invested. Also, it started to feel like the show was leaning heavily on the “cute girls with guns” vibe to carry everything. The chemistry between the main girls is fun, and their personalities are charming, no doubt about that. The cafe slice of life moments are cute and sometimes wholesome. But at some point, it felt like that charm was doing most of the heavy lifting while the actual narrative just kind of drifted along in the background. The tonal shifts between lighthearted hangouts and serious thriller drama don’t always blend smoothly either. By the middle of the series, I was bored. I could only watch a few episodes a day because I just didn’t feel that urge to binge. It’s frustrating because everything around the story, such as the visuals, the designs, and the action, is top notch. I just wish I could say the same thing about the writing. In the end, it’s a beautiful show that I respected more than I actually enjoyed.

I’m throwing away all the objectivity of this review. I needed this anime. It’s just very solid. The characters are wonderful and the voice acting has so much personality. The only thing keeping this show from a 10 is that the plot could have been a little stronger between the DA, the Allen Institute, and the morality of a secret police force in society. You heard that last one. This show is about cute girls who Minority Report terrorist attacks. Except I would say that is the least interesting part of the show even though it is mildly interesting especially when he does provide some philosophy to the major themes. But what is the best part of this show is Chisato and Takina. The bond they form is so strong that everything else in the show orbits around it. This is just further shown how Chisato could be the deadliest assassin but has her own Batman-esque moral code to not take a life. I really resonate with Chisato’s outlook on the world in that do what you want to do and help everyone around you along the way. Of course that doesn’t solve marco-societal or political issues, but those aren’t one person jobs to solve nor should they be. I really love this show and I think a lot of people will too.

I want to explain why I should make you watch this anime and why I shouldn't make you watch this anime. Let's talk about the "backbone" of this anime, what the outline of its themes is and how the story itself comes to life. So, it should be noted that this anime is very good at showing action scenes, with one drawback, namely the logic in the story itself. But before I reveal everything, I want to give my personal assessment of two categories from Visuals, and Story. [Visual] If I had to rate it on a scale of 1 to 10, I would give it a 7.50/10. Maybe you feel that the score is too average, and indeed, the visuals of this anime itself are not much different from the visuals of other anime. But if I have to compare it with other anime, I myself choose Lycoris Recoil as the winner. [Story] John Wick, I say in one name. Why? It's because of the main character herself. For those of you who don't know who John Wick is, in short, he is the typical person who is able to ruin an entire enemy base alone with just a pistol, a book, or even a pencil. However, our main character here is a girl, which makes no sense when compared to John Wick, a man. Incidentally, and this is just my feeling, the story contains elements that are similar to the John Wick film itself. Like our MC who is able to take down many enemies alone with only a gun, very good at acrobatics, and is not too overpowered with her abilities. Let's imagine a special security organization funded by Japan. With only one goal, it is national security. Their daily activities involve thwarting acts of terrorism, bombs, organized crime, or acts that disturb society. But, this is what I don't like, cause that their organization only consists of girl dressed like High School Student. Of course, that way they can disguise themselves and are able to clean up targets without being noticed. For me personally, it really doesn't make sense considering a woman's limitations, especially if she has to deal with a man face to face. [Conclusion] I like the main theme of this anime in showing its Action. But how this anime shows its own world, I'm quite doubtful. So if you like a bunch of girls who can shoot guns, and defeat bad guys, this anime will be perfect and I recommend it. But if you are someone who is quite sensitive to the logic in a story, this anime will be quite annoying.