Tougen Anki - A review in a positive light

I am not a big fan of clichés but I do enjoy it every now and then if it is executed in a well proportioned way. In Tougen Anki, this leans into a classical dark fantasy shounen trope quite openly without having any subtle references just throwing things into randomness; the quirk about this anime is how comfortably structured it is for 24 episode. A complete arc. No more, no less. I didn't feel left out or empty finishing this anime. The beauty in Tougen Anki I saw expressed was - everything is how you expect it to be, with no guess work - all this and yet I didn't feel like dropping it, ofcourse the story premise is different for every anime and holds to its viewers tastes.

The rebellious Shiki Ichinose discovering hidden power which is bounds above others, the deceptively laid-back yet powerful Mudano sensei, an ensemble cast which prominently features different forms of moods and feelings one is bound to expect; are all recognizable archetypes. But rather than seeing this as a flaw, I see the familiarity makes the series easy to get into. Not overcomplicating its premise or not making the fans think there is something mysterious above all this- meaning, it knows what kind of story it wants to deliver and it is well put. Reminds me of "Scratches at level 6 and deeper grooves at level 7" - you came here knowing what to expect, nothing was a jumpscare.

The focus on Oni side more makes us want to think they're pitiful but I believe this is shattered by the stark contrasts of Momotaru's lives and how they live in the world. The school setting invites comparisons but still manages to carve its own darker themed lineage and inherited conflict along with the Oni vs. Momotaro dynamic. The revenge motivation and ancient rivalry ends up being the backbone for the action, effectively. There was someone who existed then, they had some conclusions and they fought, hence we carry their legacy and we must fulfil it. The problem with the generational battle dynamic is bringing out a scalable power system which doesn't cripple what we expect here. Balance it good and we are pleased.

The first part does what it should as a foundation- establishing the world, power system, character dynamics without too much "rubbering" and dragging out the story. I liked that even though it was trope-heavy they put up emotional narratives clearly out there for Shonen. (Yes, its a shonen anime, if you think otherwise then maybe you're not the age you claim to be). I didn't mind the second part investing more emotionally at all because I always believed in the "Power of friendship" no matter what genre the anime is. Tougen Anki is almost at the epi-center. Even if the friendship boat is sailing a bit faster through out, the dramatic intensity works because the series prioritized impact over slow-burn.

Where there is a hype moment and a power escalation, either mid battle or while minds are churning, there is a satisfying expectation right around the corner. Tougen Anki embraces this wholeheartedly without showing it as a typical fallacy, not reinventing any existing shounen conventions or trying to push people into a new unfamiliar perspective.

Tougen Anki, to me, feels like a series made for fans who enjoy a classic shonen battle fantasy structured and executed with a little flair and sparkles here and there. It may not radically subvert expectations from our "shonen" fans, but it didn't need to either. Delivering consistent action, strong visual energy, slight slapstick comedy, enough plot tension to keep you just an inch afoot and justified character drama for the momentum. (I was not a fan of Homare Byobugaura being overtly apologetic, but hey, its character development and its shonen)

A rather solid watch that grows on you over the episodes and holds you into the frames despite its reliance on common staples, manages to entertain me rather than being a tedious mess.

Thank you for taking the time to read my review, hope you find it worth watching as well! :)