Tomodachi Game

Synopsis: Tomodachi game is about a group of 5 friends who are trapped in the game to clear a debt of whopping 20 million yen from someone in their group. The games put the friendship of the 5 to the test as well as their selflessness and trust in each other. Each have their own doubts and intentions coming into the game but can they overcome it and clear their debts?

In this review, I will be touching upon certain aspect of the anime with reference to the first season which recently ended

Plot
The concept of the show is pretty unique and given that it is psychological thriller, there is defiantly a wide range of characters who would go in conflict with each other due to differing purposes. This is exactly the case in this show where characters are placed in dilemma and are forced to make hard decisions and some sacrifices. The games are actually simple (not gory and violent like squid game) but the complicated group dynamics will prevent it from being straightforward and easy to win. The choices that they make may or may not surprise you. Mastermind Yuuichi's tricks and grand schemes are something to look forward to. In the first season, we are revealed a little about everyone's past but everything is not entirely clear.

Characters
The main 5 are definitely different in their own ways and have mysterious pasts unknown to each other. However, the supporting characters are entertaining as well, such as the admins. The role of the admins are to commentate the games and observe the players so they add to the suspense of the games through their predictions. The psychological aspect of the show is also highlighted as they try to speculate the thought process of the players. There will be characters which will annoy you but that's the beauty of the show. The show will take you on an emotional journey on who to sympathise and who to oppose.

Animation
The animation was a good too, with special effects to show different sides of the characters. The scenes which showed their thought process and their scheming was also very well done and made the show enjoyable to watch. Voice acting also brought the characters to life. However, in certain high stake situations I was hoping for the drama to be more intensified and expressions to be more dramatic as well. Special mention for the very catchy OP, I did not skip a single one.

Overall, the show was gripping and made me come back for every episode. The first seasons focused on the nature of the enigmatic game and gave a brief introduction to the characters. It left off on dramatic end and it left us with more questions than answers. Highly looking forward to season 2