First posted on MyAnimeList at May 8, 2020; edited for AniList

First off, I want to mention that BNA is my first Trigger show, and I intend to share my thoughts on the show based on its own merits without this infamous studio’s work in mind. That being said, I’m definitely looking forward to exploring Trigger’s catalog further. One more thing, this first bit is going be spoiler-free, but I’ll include some specific details in my "STRAY RAMBLINGS" section, so read at your own risk.

Brand New Animal (BNA) brought up plenty of discussion among the community when the project first got announced.

An anime-original story, backed with a Netflix release? That’s just unheard of!^ Jokes aside, news about the show and its premise did pique my interest. "Anime Original" and "Trigger" are two terms that are bound to get people talking. Was I pumped for the show? Yes. Did I have a good time? Sure did. Was the hype warranted in the end? …Not quite, IMO.

Let’s get this out of the way: BNA absolutely nails its presentation.

The art mixes overall vibrance with moments highlighting individual colors, keeping the backgrounds looking anything but mundane. Animation here is free-flowing and complemented with careful shot composition. As a result action and pivotal confrontations convey a kinetic and sometimes playful energy that goes hand-in-hand with the tone of the show. The sound design is great, and the score is really well implemented. The OP slaps, and I can never bring myself to skip the ED. Overall, these elements are executed incredibly well, making for a fun show that I can easily recommend.

With all that being said, I have a few problems with BNA regarding its writing and series structure.

BNA’s premise is a big draw for the series, but unfortunately I never got the feeling that the show fully delivered on its potential. Our protagonist Michiru meets the indestructible badass Shirou and spend the initial episodes exploring the crime syndicate known as The Family. Through these experiences, Michiru comes to gain a grasp of the nature of Beastmen, while discovering strange new abilities and uncovering the truth behind her past. Sounds perfectly fine on the surface, but the show’s overarching plot feels too thin and stretched-out. Let's talk about The Family, for instance. It's a great backdrop for some mild social commentary, and that thread alone could have serviced an entire cour of the show. BNA could then hone that buddy-cop chemistry between Michiru and Shirou, deliver some goofy gags, and take its time with giving our female lead moments of character introspection. That was the show I was expecting, but then the show just leaves that mafia thread hanging.

Instead, the show chooses to shoehorn in new characters, giving the show a looser feel and lessening the impact of potentially strong material.

BNA leaves little room for tension and only a couple of compelling story beats in the series are noteworthy. While that in itself is not an issue, I feel that BNA is a bit of a tease for only briefly hinting at these ideas without committing to them. This certainly isn’t helped by the show’s unusual release schedule. BNA is essentially split in two and premiered the first 6 episodes back in March. I watched the show in-line with the Netflix broadcast, and it had this disjointing effect, with mostly inconsequential “filler” episodes frontloaded and more exposition-heavy material in the latter half. Note I say “filler” loosely (there’s only one egregious case)^^, in the sense that the show raised some interesting ideas that didn’t really mean anything or arrive at a meaningful conclusion in the end. This lack of narrative focus may be less of problem if you’re binging the show and is mostly dealt with two-thirds into its run, so make of this mini-rant what you will.

Now, to quickly address a few specific problems, mostly having to do with the points mentioned above. The worldbuilding within Anima City varies quite a bit. Good ideas can get tossed in one episode while the next may see Beastmen doing human things the exact same way humans would. As such, BNA's juxtaposition of these often-feral creatures with the "primal" side of humans isn't as effective as it could have been. Conflict within the characters in the show seem inconsequential unless fangs are bared, with one exception coming at the end of episode 6. The characters themselves are fine and serviceable, not exactly bland but not interesting either.

Tl;Dr:

What do I think of BNA? Although I’ve attempted to give this show a good bashing, that’s only because of what I thought it could have been. And I believe I’m not alone in thinking that BNA could have been so much more. Story threads that weren’t given enough room to grow, themes that weren’t comprehensively explored, and a world not fully realized hold BNA back from making much of an impact. That being said, solid production from a renowned studio and genuinely fun moments keep things engaging. BNA might not be a beast in contention for AOTY or anything, but it’s certainly fine for what it is. Trigger could have done a lot worse here, and there is always a place in the anime landscape for this level of creativity. BNA, for what it’s worth, is a fun ride, and I think in these times we could all use a little light in our lives. 5/10~

STRAY RAMBLINGS (SPOILERS):

• ^that is, unheard of for roughly two seasons. The comparisons between this show and Carole and Tuesday run deeper than Netflix and the release schedule; C&T also has the pattern of episodic romps in the first half and a more plot-oriented second. However, with C&T the tone shift was more nonsensical, and it tried to go from Folk Tik Tok songs to… a discussion on immigration? Still trying to wrap my head around that one.
• ^^my GOD I hate the baseball episode, why does it exist
• I want to punt Jackie across a room, why does it exist

• Said it once and I’ll say it again, NIGHT RUNNING deserves to be put on loop. So glad it came out on Spotify!
• The Nirvasyl flashback sequence in Episode 8 was really good. Great idea to switch up the art style, there was a frame or two in there reminiscent of Genndy Tartakovsky’s best work.

• BEST GIRL: If I had to choose, probably Nazuna. Her interpreting being the face of a cult to her aspirations of becoming an idol is probably the most interesting idea in the show.

• In A Nutshell: Zootopia meets the Powerpuff Girls (with a dash of Major 2nd^^)
• Greetings Internet! Just a small-time anime fan here, I’m trying out some stuff in this community and sharing my ill-informed opinions. This is my first review and at the moment I’m satisfied with it, although I have a feeling I’ll regret this whole idea a week from now. Looking forward to doing more of these reviews here and there, I don’t watch a ton of shows seasonally though. In any case I hope you enjoyed this piece and that it gave you something to chew on. I do want to get better at this, so if you have any feedback feel free to let me know, peace! (NOTE: Had to leave this in for sentimental reasons, laugh at me all you want~)