
a review by KobeReekon

a review by KobeReekon
So I watched Prison School thoughts? (Dubbed specifically, which I highly recommend for this one)
Absolutely batshit insane, but so good.
This shit genuinely achieves better tension than some shonen which try their utmost hardest and I love it for that. Almost every episode leaves you on an insane hook that I'm not ashamed to say made me genuinely crave to see the next one as soon as possible.
The main 5 prison boys are really good leads to follow, they all get their own arcs and also have really good gags (usually running gags in anime can be a bit overused and unfunny but it was kinda perfect here). Ontop of them as well, I just think the rest of the cast is also good and all serves a purpose like the trio of girls which run the prison school (mari gets the least easily but still weirdly fun villain), the principal whose PEAK and while I wish he got more scenes also think his screentime was perfectly balanced. And the two love interest type girls Chiyo and Anzu who are pretty simple but that's legit the point.
If the boys aren't getting roped into some dumbshit that's prolly funny asf they're setting up for the most insane spy level missions. I think the first arc does this so insanely well as the planning between kiyoshi and gakuto both has an interesting motive but also just this perfect situation where you really do wonder how the fuck they'll pull it off. The fact they give you a shit ton of information to keep track of all while never sacrificing the pacing or humour in the show is also really great.
And while I'm talking bout them. Kiyoshi and Gakuto are def the best characters but Gakuto bruh...this is the ULTIMATE MVP. This guy takes more selfless sacrifices in this show than I have seen some big mcs do in shows, its fuckin INSANE the levels he'll go it's like genuinely so peak
When the figurine he risked everything on is on the line and he does that decision, dude I was actually a little floored and I'm so glad I was. From beginning to end this guy just got good scene after good scene.
Animation/artstyle is very appropriate for the show's tone and what it usually does, I also really like the pretty frequent change in artstyles like lego, manga and avatar (the show) type style if that makes sense. It also does that shit very similiar to anime like Jojo and Baki where you get the most high fidelity ass frame and it's always funny asf.
And also quick point imma glance over, the nudity and "fanservice" I can bet could be an easy make or break with this series for people, but genuinely I don't think I'll ever see another series again where it genuinely does serve a purpose to being there without sounding pretentious. Not only is it usually just a gag from the sheer absurdity of how it's presented, but it also makes sense since the boys are in the prison for literally being pervy little shits. Pervertedness is legit one of the bigger gags in the series and all of this honestly gets you quickly desensitised to it all and really makes it NOT feel like actual fanservice, as opposed to other anime where it just doesn't fit the tone at all when used.
One of my only issues with this show is I honestly wish the season just had more of a sense of finality to it instead of teasing a s2 which will likely never happen (since the manga apparently flopped hard past this segment).
It's not hard to imagine it with what we have anyway, but it's very clear they were setting something up with the girls at the end.
Besides that though, this is a really good watch that's made even better with some friends, those 12 episodes will go by quick, trust me.
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