SUPER CROOKS REVIEWDate Started: 2021-12-04 ------------- Date Finished: 2021-12-13
SUMMARY OF REVIEWSuper Crooks, a show produced by Netflix and animated by Bones, is a charming story about a group of supervillains trying to leave their mark on the world. With a charming cast, upbeat intro/outro, a decent -though predictable- plot, and an outstanding visual style, Super Crooks definitely does not disappoint. While I would not rewatch it, I would definitely be enthusiastic about watching a second season, special, or feature film. While it won’t win any Oscars anytime soon, you could definitely find a worse way to spend your time. SCORE: 8.8/10
STORY
Super Crooks, produced by Netflix and animated by
Bones), is a reversed superhero story. Rather than a typical story of heroes saving the day and fighting crime, we are shown the story of a ragtag group of supervillains led by Johnny Bolt (ジョニー・ボルト). To summarize, the first season covers various crimes, ranging from a simple prisoner breakout to a full-scale robbery of a casino on an island made of granite. The story is pleasant, and the pacing is solid throughout, though there is maybe one or two episodes where I began to question “ok so what is the point??? How is this contributing to the story????” which is a little weird for a 13-episode series. That being said, there is plenty of plot development and the story is nicely compact and does not drag on too much. I appreciate the novelty of a story about supervillains rather than superheroes, so I gave the story an improved rating for ditching the archetypical story.
SCORE: 8/10CHARACTERS
The character roster is quite good. Individually, many of the supporting characters and members of Johnny Bolt’s team are uninteresting, though they shine as a group. Each character brings a different personality and quality to the table, which leads to fresh, interesting connections and authentic interactions that left me laughing and smiling several times throughout. I appreciate that Netflix manages to craft a story where the superheroes suck and we root for the villains. Character development is somewhat nonexistent, as the characters in episode 13 are mostly the exact same as the characters in episode 1, with a few exceptions. That being said, I didn’t mind the lack of character development because the majority of the characters are very well-written. Of the entire series, the standout character is Kasey (ケイシー). Kasey is Johnny’s girlfriend, and over the course of the first season she moves from annoying nagging girlfriend to a very formidable villain possessing incredible powers. Very cool.
SCORE: 9/10VISUALS
The visual presentation of Super Crooks is easily its strongest selling point. At first, I was unsure how I felt about the animation style, as the slow-animated characters mixed with 3D-modelled set-pieces felt slightly mismatched to me, and I am not a fan of the use of 3D-models or cel-shaded styles. That being said, I thought the character designs were great. The superhero/supervillain costumes are familiar yet fresh. Another standout feature of the visual style is the use of colour. There is lots of colour, ranging from pastel colours to muted colours, and I found the palette to be pleasing to the eye and not distracting at all. I have very little to complain about when it comes to the visual aspect of the show. Other than a personal preference against 3D Models, the characters are animated beautifully.
SCORE: 9/10INTRO/OUTRO SONG(S)
The intro for Super Crooks threw me for quite a loop when I heard it during the first episode. With a superhero/villain story, I was expecting a typical power-metal or rock song, or something else with very high energy. The intro song (Alpha – Towa Tei) is some sort of funk song, which honestly gave the show a very bright and funky vibe. I dig it. The outro song is, again, pretty upbeat and jazzy and quite casual, which gave the show a very laidback feel. I dig it.
SCORE: 9/10ENJOYMENT
Subjectively speaking, the story was well-paced, the characters well-animated and written, the music was fun, and the fight sequences were well-animated. I enjoyed the show, and it was definitely above average, though I would say that there wasn’t anything that really stood out and made me sit back and say “wow.” I think that if you watch the preview trailer for the show you can basically get a really good feel, and if by the end of episode 2 you aren’t feeling the vibe then it doesn’t really change at all so you can put it down. However, I enjoyed it. I don’t think I would watch it again, but I would definitely watch a season 2. It’s not going in my hall of fame, nor will it win any Oscars (or whatever the anime equivalent to Oscars is? Who gives a shit about award shows fr fr), but I liked it.
SCORE: 8/10MAIN CHARACTER CRINGE
Johnny Bolt wasn’t cringe at all. Quite charming, well-animated, well-scripted, well-dressed. Honestly you can’t ask for much more. As far as main characters go, he’s great!
SCORE: 10/10 NOT CRINGE AT ALL.TL;DR: Decent show. Won't win any oscars. I wouldn't rewatch it, but I would enthusiastically watch a second season or feature film, and I definitely recommend it.
WEIGHTED SCORE: 8.8/10 
