Clevatess: Majuu no Ou to Akago to Shikabane no Yuusha

Clevatess has been one of the biggest surprises I've watched recently. It doesn't rely on flashy action alone,it builds a dark fantasy world that feels ancient, cruel, and full of history. Every episode leaves you with more questions than answers, making it clear that the world has only scratched the surface of what it has to offer. The strongest aspect of the series is undoubtedly its worldbuilding. There are kingdoms, races, forgotten histories, mysterious powers that even the strong demon kings don't know about. Instead of handing the audience every answer, Clevatess trusts you to piece things together. That sense of mystery is what keeps the world feeling alive, and it makes you eager to uncover the secrets hidden beneath its brutal surface. The anime also doesn't shy away from showing how unforgiving its world truly is. The violence is raw, the gore is impactful, and every conflict carries real consequences. Death isn't used for shock value it reinforces that no one is truly safe. This constant tension gives every episode weight and makes victories feel earned rather than guaranteed. The characters are another major strength. Alicia and Neruru stand out as exceptionally well written characters whose struggles and emotions feel genuine. Their growth, relationships, and personal conflicts add heart to a story that could have easily focused only on action. They make the harsh world feel human, giving the audience reasons to care beyond the mysteries and battles. Watching Clevatess reminded me of experiencing Made in Abyss for the first time. It shares that same sense of exploring a beautiful yet horrifying world where danger lurks around every corner. At the same time, its emotional moments carry the heartfelt impact that To Your Eternity is known for. It strikes an impressive balance between brutal realism and emotional storytelling. If the anime continues to expand its lore, answer its mysteries in satisfying ways, and maintain this level of writing, I genuinely believe Clevatess has the potential to become one of the greatest modern seinen fantasy series. It's beautiful, haunting, emotionally engaging, and filled with limitless possibilities. A must watch for anyone who enjoys dark fantasy with rich world-building, compelling characters, and a story that respects its audience's curiosity.

It starts strong with a dark fantasy setting, even if the worldbuilding is somewhat general. However the main premise is quickly lost, and the story starts to focus on the less interesting parts of this world. The stakes of a dark fantasy world are also dampened by the powers of the protagonist. More annoyingly as the series go on the characters start to (literally) jump from one plot point to another., resulting in a lack of transition. This translates into long fights where the villains didn't have the needed time to be set up properly, solved by the cliché "tragic backstory" exposition dumps during fights to save the pacing of the story. There are some funny and even emotional moments in this show but overall it is nothing special.

Clevatess is a strange show. It starts with a really promising first episode with great style and animation and an intriguing premise. That is then almost completely abandoned for half of the show. Extremely boring and over the top villains and very little fleshing out of the characters nor overall story. Once all the side villains are out the way the show really starts to shine. This was clearly what the story was meant to be but anime need to be 12 episodes for some reason so we get a bunch of fluff. The animation is really stellar at parts in the final half which I would only expect from the largest main stream anime. The story at least its messaging and characters all actually start to make sense at this point. I did like what it was actually trying to say, which I feel is done pretty well for any piece of media. The characters actually have to struggle with the message, as opposed to them just supporting the writers message because that is what the writer wants. This makes it hit much harder than I was expecting. The show is not perfect even when you cut out the handful of really bad episodes which even they have some good points, but I am very glad I stuck through to the end. This is so close to being an extremely good anime it just needed to be fine breaking the norms even further and have some slightly better dialogue. All considered I would give the show a 7, but most episodes are either a 5 or a 8/9.

Clevatess was a pleasant surprise. I went in expecting a straightforward dark fantasy and instead got a story packed with rich world-building, compelling characters, and genuinely brutal action. The series leans into one of my favorite tropes, the hero’s journey, but adds a strong twist: the heroine travels alongside the very being who killed her for his own selfish purposes. This creates a fascinating dynamic between a human servant and a mystical, godlike beast, and it gives the narrative an edge that keeps it engaging. My main complaint comes near the end of season one. The final battle feels somewhat by-the-numbers, opting for a safe and predictable season finale instead of embracing the unpredictability the series had built up until that point. Even so, the show lays a strong foundation, and there’s a lot of potential in Clevatess. I’m very interested to see where the story goes next!

Clevatess has an interesting idea — a mix of fantasy and darkness that could’ve been something really big — but the way it’s told feels a bit off sometimes. It reminds me of Tensura in some ways, just with a heavier and more tragic tone. The story tries to go deep, but sometimes it loses focus, and that makes the pacing feel uneven. The art style fits the theme pretty well, dark but not too heavy, though some parts look a bit rushed. The characters are decent, but not all of them stand out. I personally enjoyed the serious moments the most — when the story focused on conflict, war, or the emotional parts — rather than the lighter or romantic scenes that sometimes break the tension. Overall, Clevatess is good if you like fantasy stories that are slightly tragic and mysterious. It’s not perfect, but it has a unique world and mood that make it worth a try.

What an absolute banger of an anime. I loved the mystery. A cohesive story that's simultaneously full of mystery and things you're yet to understand always makes for some of the best anime. I find many anime have trouble with said cohesion, and make it too complicated to follow, or too far-fetched, with plot holes. This does not, though; this does everything perfectly and looks to be set up for amazing foreseeable seasons to come, I absolutely cannot wait for more. Every ep felt like it has more lore to share ....clevatees is terrific, I felt sad for the Nelluru during the backstory ...And I love Alicia cz she's a perfect example of how to make a really likeable, strong female MC that isn't an insufferable girl boss without implying wokke shiytt . Hollywood and some other anime studios should take notes. it deserves a solid 10/10

First of all, if you already watched "Dororo" or maybe "To Your Eternity"... This is another type of masterpiece like those two. No need further explanation. --- Okay first, I have to say, this is the type of anime that needs trigger warning at first. I feel like I mentally damaged by this, as bad as Dororo did to me. I can't even cry, because it hurts so bad. But trust me, it's all worth it. The very first episode is so compacted and blow my mind. Starts with a flashback, reason why the "Hero" exist and why everything will gonna happen. Then, slowly you will lose what you believe in typical "hero" anime. Throughout the journey, we will learn that the heroes are wrong but...also not entirely wrong. We will learn about humanity, just like Clevetes. How cruel, how weak, and how greedy human being can be. Every character here is so lively. I can clearly see development from each characters. The map in this world is easy to understand. The power system is also well prepared. Politics, magic, adventure, fantasy, we got everything perfectly balanced make it feels really like a reality show from a fantasy world. Nothing I can complain from this anime (except...It doesn't have trigger warning lol. Sorry. I'm just a soft-hearted person) Btw I rarely give a 10 out of 10 for anime except Dororo and similar anime with a mind blowing plot. For me, aside from a really good storyline, this anime has fine graphics, realistic sound effects, and everything it needed to get solid 10 score.

One of the rare cases that really stands out among the sea of mediocre modern anime. This title wins you over with its serious tone and grounded storytelling. Set in a familiar medieval fantasy world, the power balance is established right from the start — and that defines the entire narrative. Humanity lives on a single continent, surrounded by countless monsters, with four ancient beasts reigning in each of the cardinal directions. The clash of interests feels surprisingly authentic, without cheap dramatization. Considering the scale of events, it would’ve been easy to mess things up — but the execution is smooth. The author’s hand is barely noticeable, and the characters’ situational decisions feel natural. The cast is convincing too. While not all of them get in-depth exploration, their growth is coherent and believable. Most importantly, they say what matters. Combined with the intense battle scenes, some moments even give off a “battle royale” vibe. I’d go as far as to say this show is carving out a style of its own. We’re also introduced to a huge roster (over 35 characters). Most are side roles, of course, but this is definitely not a one-man show. The visuals and animation are solid. Static shots don’t dominate, and the direction makes good use of them. At the same time, the show doesn’t drown you in nonstop action either — the pacing is balanced and easy to follow, without feeling manipulative. Season 1 builds up steadily, wraps up its arc, and Season 2 has already been announced. Special shoutout to the voice cast and the OP — Mayu Maeshima absolutely nailed it. You’ve probably heard her in heavy hitters like Overlord IV, Re:Zero, The Eminence in Shadow, even Level 99 Villainess. Her voice sets the perfect tone for this series. Also, a fun surprise: the ending theme “Destiny” is performed by Ellie Goulding. Overall, this anime will click with fans of medieval fantasy and those who enjoy a moderate level of hardcore storytelling.

It's interesting, memorable, it has slow pace in a good way by that the story keep progressing with new interesting thing happening with just a few major plot thus it feels all more connected than jumping each plot. Also, though there's heroes in this Anime they aren't the chosen one that never lose a fight so it's kinda different albeit the important characters more powerful that average joes. It's enough to make you wanna know what gonna happend in the future, that because the whole show although it's a fantasy it's quite different with the general fantasy of Animes. The characters also more intellegent and believable than other Animes(tho it's personal take).

Ahhh.... I got intrested ever since i saw parts from the first longer episode.And after watching this entire show, im honestly very torn. I still enjoyed this show, but it had SO much more potential in my opinion . And a main reason is the atmosphere that was set up in the first few episodes just dissapears later on. That first sequence when the heroes get massacred must've spent half their budget ,because no other sequence approaches that level of quality, fluidity and animation. And not only is it a welcome spectacle, but it also establishes what it needs to very neatly. That the Beast Lords are just in another dimension entirely. And the fact the heroes aren't spared , not even the FMC, makes it an incredible performance. Of course ,she doesn't stay that long but still. The Raven bandit arc also keeps that atmosphere and that level of ... brutality mostly alive. But then... it falls off in that aspect. It's like the author got scared of making a more serious or darker story. Because outside of nameless soliders only 1 more character dies, and it feels more like a tease then an event. Not even the insect bastard gets chopped. And after you gave me that opening act you mellow out that much... Come on man.... Not to mention only Clevatess takes direct action when he is not even certain he wants to destroy humanity, but the Beast that actually wants does not? Not to mention, we are given solid reasons for the beasts to want to attack and destroy the humanoid races(except the one in the forest apparently). They've invaded their lands and slaughtered their minions and brethren for millennia now. All based on some fairy tale and so called legend.So basically for no good reason.They've started stealing their young for experiments for gods sake. They have absolutely zero obligations to even let us live in that one continent in the first place,especially when past humans kept butchering them. But they still allow us, as long as we don't tresspass, and they won't even retaliate when beasts wonder into our lands and we put them down. Because they understand. Honestly, if Clevatess would've went ahead and actually did what he had in mind at the end, i would've been shocked in a really positive way. The main issue these stories suffer from is even when the MC is a creature that lives for milennia,and we are supposed to watch the story from its perspective ,it's humans that take center stage to the detriment of the story. And this isn't just anime ..... In all forms of media. And something that feels ... a tad personal of a complaint? Too much focus on that stupid baby. And that whole mother stuff.... Honestly it's rare for me no not shed a single tear even when it's some isekai slop,but this time around those final episodes made me laugh more then anything. And after not even those villagers got put down, they try and make me believe that Clevatess is gonna let that stupid infant go up in flames.... Really? Maybe i'd let myself get fooled for even a second if i cared more about that baby. But i don't. All he did bring when he was on screen is annoyance. The only character i felt bad for is Nell. In the end, as much as i enjoyed this show,i simply can't fully recommend it,because the first episodes promised a very different story then what we got. And it feels like i've been cheated by this anime. And it pains me to not recommend it. The potential was there,without a shadow of a doubt. But alas...

Cleavetess is a delightful surprise for anyone who enjoys anime that blends a classic atmosphere with modern touches. Right from the start, it captivates with its unique art style, reminiscent of 1990s and early 2000s anime: bold linework, a slightly muted color palette, and meticulous attention to backgrounds and lighting, giving the series a distinctive and memorable visual identity. The opening episode is impactful, featuring an intense battle that sets the tone for the entire story. The animation, while not consistently fluid, has a few moments that fall short, yet it shines with above-average sequences, especially during key fights where every movement is captured with precision and weight. The plot keeps viewers engaged with a narrative that blends fantasy elements and political intrigue. Although there’s a slower pace between certain arcs, the story regains momentum and concludes in a highly intriguing way, leaving questions unanswered and building anticipation for a potential continuation. Although Clevatess is the main protagonist, the series also draws the audience deeply into wondering about Luna’s future. Her journey is equally compelling, and the way Clevatess acts almost like a mentor and guardian, supervising her choices and challenges, adds a rich layer to their dynamic and opens many possibilities for what lies ahead. The character development is a standout: each figure has well-crafted motivations, and their growth provides genuine immersion, allowing viewers to connect emotionally with their paths. On top of that, the world-building is rich and intriguing, full of details that make you want to explore every culture and location presented. In summary, Cleavetess strikes a fine balance between nostalgia and freshness, offering distinctive art, electrifying battles, and a universe begging to be expanded. Even with a few ups and downs in the animation, it’s an easy recommendation for anyone seeking an engaging experience with plenty of potential for future seasons.

Clevatess is honestly quite difficult for me to rate because there are some very positive aspects, but also some fairly significant weaknesses. Starting with the positives, what I really liked is that the story is fairly well structured. It is not overly complicated, it is easy to get into, and most importantly, it is dynamic from the very beginning. You can get into the story quite easily without needing too much explanation. Another thing I really appreciated is the raw, direct and brutal side of the anime. If there needs to be a fight, there is a fight. If there are graphic or slightly gory moments, they are actually shown. If someone needs to die, they die. The anime does not constantly try to avoid showing the consequences of what is happening. If there is torture, there is torture. If there are deaths, there are deaths. Basically, the anime shows the actions and, more importantly, it shows their consequences. And I think that is particularly interesting because we are dealing with a world where wars and battles are part of everyday life. Naturally, that leads to destruction and deaths. And for once, the anime does not try to hide that side of things. I think it gives the series a lot of character and makes its world feel much more concrete. On the other hand, the aspect I like a little less is the depth of the story and its characters. Honestly, I sometimes struggled to really become immersed in the story. I feel like the anime stays a little too much on the surface when it comes to the different subjects it explores. Yes, the series does give us some background on important characters, and even on some less important ones. There are mysteries, antagonists who appear throughout the story, and different elements that gradually expand the world. But despite all of that, I never really felt the same depth of writing that you can find in other anime. I feel pretty much the same way about the animation. It is not bad at all. It is actually quite nice and well made, but it is not exceptional either. There are not necessarily many moments that really stood out to me visually. In the end, Clevatess is an anime that I would describe as good in almost every aspect, but without one truly exceptional quality. It has an accessible story, a dynamic pace, a fairly brutal world, and solid production. But in my opinion, it lacks that extra layer of depth that could have taken it to another level. So overall, I would consider it a pretty average anime, but definitely not a bad one. Rating: 5/10. Favorite character: Clevatess.

Clevatess tries a fresh approach on the action fantasy adventure, instead of seeking out the demonlord, the demonlord is essentially the main character. He is basically an anti hero, and is curious about people. Fantasy stories are usually great at world building, and Clevatess is no exception. I will say one thing this show excels at are displaying the stakes in the most grandiose ways possible. Overall, it's relatively simple, but checked all the boxes and a few extras for it's novelty and hype. From beginning to end, Clevatess is a concise, complete, and entertaining story that really stood out in Summer 2025 for me. Highly recommend, would rewatch for sure

Astonishing start, emotional ending. I don't regret watching it, and I wasn't disappointed with how the story turned out. The first fight was amazing, and the final fight was even better. Looking at where the story begins and where it ends, Clevatess is genuinely impressive. Unfortunately, the middle part isn't quite on the same level. The more anime you watch, the easier it becomes to notice inconsistencies in storytelling, animation, and pacing. It feels like most of the animation budget went into the introduction and finale. While that can be a smart decision, especially for a smaller production, the drop in quality during several fights in the middle is noticeable for a series that only has 12 episodes. The story also feels somewhat uncertain during its middle sections. The author clearly had multiple possible directions available and experimented with several ideas before finally committing to one. To the series' credit, the final direction wasn't the obvious choice and helped make the ending memorable. Despite these flaws, I'd still easily recommend Clevatess to casual viewers who simply want to enjoy a fantasy adventure without focusing on every technical detail. The art style is beautiful, and it features one of the best all-around characters I've seen in anime. The journey isn't perfect, but its strong beginning and satisfying ending make it worth watching.

This anime is fantastic. I unfortunately stopped watching it for a long while, picking it back up finally and going strong to finish it. I don't like doing that because it invites not remembering previous context, which can easily ruin your entire experience. Thankfully, the plot and story of Clevatess is forgiving enough for most normie audiences. Surprisingly, the animation is quite impressive. It's not really noticeable at first, but when the action peaks, the animation gets clever and impressive. This might sound like blasphemy, but you know how JJK's animation is quirky and unique but hard to follow? This is like that, but easy to follow. The art style is simple, but it's quite effective when it matters. This isn't the next big anime in the same way JJK is, but it's something to bookmark and to remember in the future. I've always watched anime off and on, but it took a discord user years ago recommending me Gabriel DropOut that got me really into the weeds with anime. I eventually made an account on MyAnimeList as well, probably because of the same discord user. Anyway, Clevatess, in my opinion, has the potential to be that Gabriel DropOut experience for future generations. Sure, it's not going to be a household name, but it's an undeniably impressive anime that really pays off at the end of it all.

Holy moly. This show blow me away from the very first episode! Definitely one of the best medieval fantasy anime I’ve ever seen. The pacing, the story telling, the world building and every character with name or without have such an impact to the story that makes it feel very natural. And sometimes betray your expectations when you think you can predict what gonna happen next. Definitely looking forward to the next season this year! PS.I don’t write reviews much, but you know mainstream is suck when this gem is at a lower rating than Frieren. Which is why I only watch what I want not what others want to watch.

[JP, subtitles are supreme trash that do not keep the personality of the speaker in order. This is most apparent when bugman makes his debut. Don't worry it's not a spoiler and you will know who he is. Other times the wording spells things out when the meaning is supposed to be vague or an allusion to something.] It got tears out of me. That scene itself did not move me or bring rise to any emotion or anything. I'm not being tsundere about it. I will use that disconnect to describe why I scored this so low and would not watch it again. Objectively the animation is high quality, the plot is steadily moving, the story pieced together is interesting, but in execution I was not impressed. Don't care for the characters. Don't like them visually. The visuals of especial note are at odds with animation being as good as it is. It does not invoke the emotions. In spite of that I do recommend watching.

It’s a good fantasy. Pros The animation starts off strong, then gradually diminishes as the series goes on. Still, the opening stretch leaves a strong impression. The story is decent, solid enough to carry all 12 episodes. What really stands out is how the series treats drama, struggle and combat. While the characters are frequently pushed to the edge, this is not shounen-style adversity. The MC isn’t surviving through the Power of Friendship or by squeezing out a Miraculous Last Burst of Will. Instead, the fights are dry, deadly, and cynical. Power and survival feel conditional, not guaranteed. The worldbuilding is where the series truly shines. It feels like a world that owns its place in genuine high fantasy. The atmosphere is rich and grounded, with a strong medieval sensibility. Props, clothing, backgrounds, and especially mob characters give the world texture and weight. Purely in terms of worldbuilding, I’d place it among my very best fantasy anime of the last decade, possibly even the last 20 years. It doesn’t feel like a genre imitation. It feels like a world with its own identity, a place where people actually live, not just a stage built to serve the story. Overall, I’d group it alongside fantasy titles like Black Clover, The Seven Deadly Sins, Sword and Staff of Wistoria, Ragna Crimson while also sitting near isekai 'siblings' like Mushoku Tensei, Silent Witch, and Re:Zero. The difference is that this series leans more toward a mature, restrained, and unforgiving tone, with original ideas, designs, and battle logic that elevate it above the average. (While I will NOT place it by Berserk or Vinland Saga though) On a production note, the OP is a banger. The visuals sync tightly with the music, and the animation and timing do a great job setting the tone of the series. It’s one of those openings that actually elevates the show rather than just decorating it. Cons Despite all that, it still carries some isekai tropiness, which remains my biggest complaint. The second issue is emotional grip. While I respect the craft, the story never fully hooks me on an emotional level. Watching it feels less like sharing the characters’ emotions and more like observing events through Clevatess’s eyes, as a detached, almost clinical witness to an unfolding experiment. 　 About the Title and Main Character It’s natural to question this title at first glance: why name the series after Clevatess if he's goofing around and not taking actions? Japanese anime titles often work differently than western audiences expect. They can be abstract, Superlongplotexplanation or even an outright lie, due to artistic choice, other times marketing strategy. In this case, Clevatess serves as the conceptual center of the story, the pivotal axis around which events unfold. He is essential to the Clevatess world and the narrative structure, even if he isn’t the active agent we usually expect from a main character. The story is primarily experienced through Alicia, whose perspective and actions function as the lens for the audience. Summary It’s a medieval high fantasy with exceptional worldbuilding, a strong early run, and a mature, unsentimental approach to conflict. The animation regresses later, and the story doesn’t fully grab my heart, but its balance of power, struggle, and tone sets it apart from typical shounen and isekai.

Objectively this anime is only a 5/10 which is a bad average, but because of the potential alone i rate it 7/10. This rating could change for the better or the worse if the sequel can fulfill or exceed my expectations. The art is clean, it didn’t took the new gen type of animation style, which is nice because its been boring seeing fantasy anime with the same type of generic style. Although i’ve read the first chapter of the manga before i watch the anime, the plot has made me interested hence why i watch it till the end on the first place. The reason with even the bad delivery to not make me stay to rate it so low is just because every character has quite good writing in the first place, world building was quite nice for a 12 episode that has planned a sequel even though it felt too short. The character and the Seiyuu are compatible. Mostly the main problem for this anime is its main structure, the plot & story delivery. A certain person recommended it for me to watch and rate, but it failed to meet my expectation. I skipped a lot of the anime because its too predictable. predictability should’t be why i skip a lot, the reason i skip a lot is because the plot & story delivery is really bad. Yet, the character and the world of this anime has its soul and life even though everything felt shallow and simple. To end this review, i’ll say that this series are not for everyone to enjoy but has its own potential to be great in the upcoming sequel to justify its 1st season.

Clevatess is a reminder why i love fantasy anime. Nowadays it is quite difficult to find a new fantasy anime without any Iseaki, OP MC slop or harem trope. The fact that none of these mentioned aspects are in Clevatess are a win. Now that being said Clevatess is a fantasy anime that is fun to watch but wiill not stick with you for a long time. The strongest aspect of Clevatess is how fun it is to watch. An interesting setup, fantastic character design, decent animation and a good worldbuilding all add to the fun. While not groundbreaking in any aspects it does offer a lot to enjoy. High recommendation for every fantasy anime fan who is tired of iseaki.