BNA

BNA was a show that I had minimal expectations of going into. This was my first Trigger show, and although I had heard mixed reviews about many of its shows, I had never actually seen one.

The first thing that stood out to me was the art and tone of the show. Although set in a modern day-near future setting, I felt like I was watching some 80's vapor-wave aesthetic take up my screen. The bright colors and contrasts were a delight to watch and the setting was something I fell in love with. I will say that the art style definitely detracted from some of the more somber tones in the show and de-escalated some of the more tense scenes, however, a small detail I enjoyed was how at the end of episode 11 the ending animation was converted to grayscale, matching the tone of how the episode ended.

BNA is a 12 episode straight shot show and I think one if it's biggest flaws was creating such a unique world that needed a lot of time and exposition to flesh out. Beastmen add an entire history to the world that we are unaware of and only learn small snippets of throughout the show. There are obviously very heated political overtones and problems that we only know the surface of. We know that Animacity was created 10 years before our story takes place and that it was groundbreaking in terms of beastmen rights but other than that we have very little info on what came before. With a world this deep it is important that we are able to learn a lot to better immerse ourselves in what the characters might be experiencing but the sheer length of the show prevents that. That being said, there is a silver lining...

Michiru Kagemori is our protagonist, a human who suddenly transformed into a beastman and escaped to Animacity so she could live without fear of persecution. One of the reasons I like our protagonist so much is because she, like the viewer, is very new to the world of beastman. She has no idea about the culture or what her role is but she keeps throwing herself in like the human she is. Her curiosity and recklessness are the few things that stayed the same after her transformation and is what affects many of the characters throughout the story. Now I’m not going to lie and say she is perfect. Her personality does drag on in some parts and becomes annoying and her ability to control her "powers" without much effort is a little much although I don't really think the power or strength of these characters really matters in the long run. Michiru, like the viewer, is just trying to figure out what’s going on and what she can do in this strange world. It's the reason I like her as the focus instead of our silver knight, Shirou Oogami. Shirou is probably one of the more intriguing parts of this show as his development is the most stubborn. I loved the chemistry between Michiru and Shirou; it felt like a father and daughter who kept constantly bickering and that seemed to really get to Shirou in the end. Their chemistry is what drove the plot forward and kept the story engaging as you never knew what was going to happen with those two. Despite this, there are still some things that can't be overlooked.

As previously stated, this is a 12 episode show and that being said the pacing for this world was not and is not perfect. The first 6 episodes serve as an introduction to the show’s world and sets up many of the major plot points and mysteries. The back half of the series is a rundown of the major stuff in a fast pace 4 episode marathon that keeps you glued to the screen. Is it perfect? No. I found myself lost trying to remember certain people at times and some details were lost but damn did I enjoy it. In defense of this, however, I will say that the series was released in two segments, the first 6 episodes and then the last. This is where it stands out to me. Vinland Saga did something similar, releasing the first three episodes at once as they serve as an introduction for the world and sets up the story. I really like this decision as I found myself itching to learn what would happen in that month I couldn't watch it. The excitement when I got the notification that the last half of the series was out was electric. This show knows how to keep you engaged, in more ways than one.

The animation was consistent and well polished and many of the dynamic action shots were polished. Looking at the animation cast, it's only to be expected of these hard hitters. I loved the uniqueness of the shots and how they were able to use the animation to showcase the strength that was being displayed in every fight. More than the animation, though, I loved the music. The soundtrack for this show is already amazing, but the opening number by the voice actress of Michiru and the Ending song by Shin Sakiura and AAAMYYY were songs that resonated throughout the series and matched the vibe of the show.

As some final thoughts, I don't think this show is a masterpiece or is perfect. I do think that it really fits itself. Our main character is a kid and so there is a lot of mischief thrown around and having the finale revolve around a live show did seem a little odd considering the stakes. However, it's these unique factors that make the show enjoyable and fun to watch. Sure it isn't the most practical but this show has never been that. It's over the top and doesn't need to lie about it.

"Hey! Are You. Ready to Go?”