The Age of Phantoms Introduction I haven't been keeping up with anime thanks to school. The last time I tried to pick up seasonal anime (surprisingly Summer 2015), I ended up only being able to finish a few shows. I decided to slow things down and pick up 3 shows from Winter 2016. Of course, one of them had to be Kyoto Animation's first show of the year. Musaigen no Phantom World takes everything cliche but makes things look pretty and feel fresh.Story The premise is quite interesting. Due to an accident at a certain laboratory, a virus has escaped and now everyone can see these random ghosts/monsters called Phantoms. It's not that this virus created these monsters but now human brain chemistry was altered so we can perceive them. Occasionally, the intro to each show actually dives into the psychology behind certain events in the show. I thought this was pretty cool, especially with that real world link.

But what would a show about monsters be without superpowers? Children born after the incident are born with specific powers that help combat these Phantoms. The main story focuses around our hero, Haruhiko Ichijou, and the girls he fights with. While this is a commonly used formula in anime, I enjoyed Musaigen's take on this. Normally, shows like to introduce some corny plot where the MC gains some OP superpower and there are too many waifu wars each episode. However, Musaigen keeps a weekly pattern of fighting a new Phantom each time. It kept things pretty fresh actually.

There's a hot spring episode (by far my favorite) and one where the characters visit an imaginary world created by one of them. One episode has a Haruhiko who has reverted back to his childhood form so the girls have to babysit him (it was really cute, I won't lie). Because you don't have to digest a silly plot with silly development, you can really just sit back and enjoy what's happening in the moment.

Characters Probably the part about the show that screams cliche is its characters. Haruhiko is as cookie-cutter as it gets. The girls (Mai, Reina, Koito) have varying personalities from Mai's boldness to Koito's cool-girl attitude. There's a girl for everyone as they pretty much fit common female character types. And if you don't like any of them, there are plenty of other well designed characters too (honestly, best girl could be anyone of the random side girls in the class).

Some characters stick to their traditional molds but their interactions were still fun to watch. I can understand why it might be a turn off to some but I've seen my fair share of the harem genre. This isn't a harem and the characters are very tolerable. Getting to know them through each episode was a rewarding experience for me.

Animation and Sound Oh. My. Word. If you've read my other reviews, you'd know that I'm a KyoAni fanboy. But Musaigen no Phantom world killed it in terms of animation and sound. Especially the sound.
First off, the animation. Very smooth battle sequences. They were very pleasing to the eye. Also, the costumes that some characters wore completely changed their looks and it was cool to see how different KyoAni could make them appear. And of course, backgrounds and other locations look vibrant and alive. My favorite girl KyoAni wins Just look at the design of these girls! (The girl on the far left accurately depicts me during this episode)

There is a bit of fanservice in the first few episodes (especially the first) so be warned. The first few times in the first episode didn't sit well with me and I even contemplated dropping the show. However, it doesn't last forever (at least the in-your-face boobs/panty shots). The swimsuit episode is definitely fanservice, but it's nowhere near as extreme.

As a musician, I have high standards for soundtracks. Usually shows like this don't really have OST's worth mentioning but this one definitely is. It was jaw dropping at how well it was composed. Mad props to Effy. My favorite song is definitely the main theme: Phantom.

When this song begins to play, things definitely get really hype. And I mean HYPE. I was really surprised to hear such a great song in a show like this. There are many other tracks worth mentioning too but I'll let you listen to them in the show. Overall, very impressed in the music section.

Personal Enjoyment I was a bit worried at first after the first episode once I saw the fanservice. It was very in your face. I personally can't stand that kind of fanservice and I've seen enough fanservice that I can tolerate it most of the time. I had wondered if KyoAni, my favorite studio, had become a sellout. Was this in order to earn more views? But I stuck with the show because I had faith in them and they didn't disappoint. The studio surprised me as it made me enjoy elements of shows I had first watched when getting into anime. Even though things were predictable at times, I had a lot of fun during the journey.Conclusion I don't regret picking up this show. I expected hype and KyoAni delivered. If you can get over some silly anime tropes and fanservice, this show will be very enjoyable. Musaigen no Phantom World is the kind of show you'd pick up after watching something heavy. It allows you to not have to worry about plot and just enjoy the ride. I found myself enjoying common anime tropes once again. If you like KyoAni's style, definitely watch this. It's as well animated as their past works.