In the land of Terra, natural disasters of unknown causes have been occurring irregularly in many
areas. Therefore, the majority of the people, in order to escape those natural disasters, came to live
in mobile cities developed over the years. The Originium left behind at the site of such Catastrophes,
has led to the rapid progress of civilization due to their immense energy. But it also brought
something else with it — an incurable disease called Oripathy.
Because the bodies of those with Oripathy gradually crystalize and become a new source of infection at
the time of death, in many countries, the Infected are subject to persecution under regimes of
segregation and forced labor. Those who were oppressed by the governments are starting to rebel.
Rhodes Island, a pharmaceutical company researching a cure for Oripathy, takes up their arms and
starts a conquest trying to save all the people from the disease.
(Source: Official Site, translated, edited)
Game adaptations or game advertisement anime have always been a mixed bag. Whether it’s terrible plot writing, boring worlds, or obvious pandering, game adaptations always are met with skepticism. However, Arknights: Prelude to Dawn is an example of one done with passion and love for the source material. I haven’t played Arknights myself, but I would imagine many Arknights players would be satisfied with this adaptation and loved how their favourite characters came to life. Of course, that isn’t to say that the entire eight episode run was flawless, as I did find a few parts rather heavy on exposition and a bit boring, but overall, it was quite a treat to watch, and one of the better shows to come out this season, in my opinion. STORY: The story wasn’t particularly unique, as these types of dystopian stories with diseases ravaging the population isn’t anything new. We see these stories in Hollywood movies all the time. That said, the world in Arknights is decently built, with different organizations having different morals surrounding Oripathy, and the treatment of the Infected. It would have done even better with just a bit more exposition, but what we got was quite sufficient. Obviously, this part of the story was probably the weakest part of the game, if I was to venture a guess, and that makes me all the more excited for what’s to come, if there are future seasons in the works. ART: It has a very cinematic feel, especially at the start. It felt vastly different to the anime I was used to watching, but slowly eased its way back to a more “anime style”. I really enjoyed the backgrounds and some of the fight scenes, and I thought the overall production was quite solid. Props to Yostar Pictures for doing quite the phenomenal job here. MUSIC: The OP and ED are quite fitting for the show and its darker themes, and the soundtrack itself is decent, but the music doesn’t get overplayed that it covers the eerieness of some of the scenes. CHARACTERS: The overall setup of the characters and their respective organizations was good, and some of the characters do stand out quite a bit. Amiya is your typical protagonist that tries to keep peace between the organizations, the doctor is a very good leader in battle, not necessarily someone I’d see as a self-insert, especially with how he/she is portrayed. ENJOYMENT: My thoughts for this was pretty consistently positive, with just one episode that was a bit underwhelming. I enjoyed it for the most part for sure. The production was good, and the world building was quite intriguing to see. THEMATIC EXECUTION: The dark themes were actually done quite well, along with the whole idea of discriminating against the Infected, along with the moral ambiguity. You feel for each side to a certain extent, which was certainly the goal here. OVERALL: A solid job by Yostar Pictures, and an adaptation that inspires hope if there are indeed future seasons of this, which I would wholeheartedly want to see. It was a good starting point that has some interesting ideas going for it. I’d love to know how Arknights players thought of this, but even as someone who knew nothing about this game beforehand, I can definitely say that I’m intrigued now.
webm(https://www.sakugabooru.com/data/5e1f39d0795c2f76dc1b0aed79d729d9.mp4) *Arknights: Prelude to Dawn* is bleak, a series full of dead people walking. I don’t mean that only in terms of the world around them engaged in warfare, but also in regards to their bodies as living people. From our first long POV shot as the stasis-awakening Doctor, we are thrust immediately into the dreary atmosphere of unpleasant colors, sounds, and implications. The lack of warmth is aided by disorientation as though we ourselves have awoken from stasis and have entered a place that seems to leech the life out of everything around it. But there is one smiling figure to give greetings – the cheerful Amiya, expressing her gratefulness at The Doctor awakening at last. But plagued with amnesia, they do not recognize her nor recognize him/herself, effectively a stranger in a foreign land. The problems have only just begun, however. As the grounding beneath our feet gradually reasserts itself, we learn more about this world and how longstanding its problems have been. The world has turned thanks to Originium, a precious mineral that unfortunately leads to Oripathy, a disease with a 100% mortality rate. Though there is no correlation between physical contact with a person who has contracted the disease, called “the Infected,” the Infected are nevertheless ostracized and oppressed for fear or Oripathy’s spread. It is a cultural stigma that even those who know better cannot divorce themselves from, as the governments and populace have spent so much time oppressing that changing the system or the culture is too cumbersome. From the Infected come two main groups: Reunion, which seeks to overthrow the world governments for their mistreatment of the Infected, and Rhodes Island, who seek to develop a cure for Oripathy, which The Doctor was researching. At both a literal and metaphorical glance, there is no reason to hope for anything in this series. Among the earliest flashes of the story proper we see are gunshots and battling in expansive, empty corridors and spaces. Rhodes Island, both here and recurringly throughout the story, constantly find themselves running or on the move from Reunion. Although the factions each fight on behalf of the oppressed Infected, they do not meet eye-to-eye on how to do so. On the immediate level, Reunion is to blame – how could global justice be attained through such apparent violence when they drew first blood? But *Arknights: Prelude to Dawn* spends less time trying to convince the viewer which is “more correct” and instead encourages them to appreciate the sheer tragedy of it all, that presumably decades (if not longer) of not heeding the cries of dying people has led to the dying people not be able to agree amongst themselves. When resigned to such a life, what other option is there to believe in? So, the split naturally arises among the people: the more militant option that might get attention more quickly, or the more peaceful option which requires patience and time? As we spend that time observing both Rhodes Island and Reunion’s methods for getting the Infected people to follow their cause, it becomes clear that Rhodes Island is horribly outmatched. Both groups know that the Infected are dying, and their support not only increases their numbers, but also the morale of their respective goals. Rhodes Island only has a gentle hand and the vague promise of a cure that may never come. In a dark time, the hand of sincerity can seem like a mockery, especially when that hand is, much like you, only given a short window of time left to live. Reunion’s battling prowess is not merely demonstrated in skirmishes, but also in rhetoric. Horrible as their methods might be, their message is loud and clear – we are strong, we will fight, and we will win. They’ve produced results which have gotten attention, and the Infected who debate which side to consider more worthwhile are thus posed a question: take the short returns now in the hope that they rest of your life-ticking-away days are more comfortable, or take the word and leap of faith that everything will be okay? Even if all of the promises made turn out to be lies, or if civilians die as collateral, most would, I imagine, be hard-pressed to argue that delaying any chance of a better life is the better choice. In the eyes of *Arknights: Prelude to Dawn’s* Infected, they’ll all be dead anyway from Oripathy eventually, so what more do they have to lose by joining the more-militant Reunion? It’s easier to rationalize away the cost of life when your own life has been treated as subhuman, and any notion of life having salvation, even a microscopic amount, has likewise been relentlessly crushed. (And that’s not even considering Talulah, a mistress of death who seems only too eager to see any violent action through to the end). Like the overhanging misery of the show’s dilemma, the sun bathes the world in the murkiest tones possible, filling abandoned desolate buildings in white light that only serves to draw more attention to the crumbling walls, discarded syringes on the floor, and signs of the world’s decline. It’s as though the world itself physically is gradually giving up. Why would anyone want to live here? Would it in fact not just be easier to roll over and fade away instead? Such a question is no doubt pessimistic, but given the treatment of the Infected people, the thought doesn’t sound nearly so unpleasant given the active hellscape alternative. *Arknights: Prelude to Dawn* imbues pessimism into nearly all of its facets to paint the most-visceral picture possible. And from that pessimistic state of mind thus presents the main hook that makes Rhodes Island, and the ensuing drama, worth following. In the midst of all this sadness, these are the Infected who choose not to give up to despair and take up the sword of salvation instead of blood. Theirs is a mission not only against the Reunion that actively seeks to kill them, but against the world that would sooner see them out of sight and out of the way. They’re struggling, but not helpless. They know that the dream they cling to is fragile, and that it may be a fantasy they’re chasing after all. I referred before to how their extended hand of sincerity can seem like a mockery, but buried under that assumption is genuineness. Amiya believes in her conviction, and seeks to act upon it by leading her friends and fellow soldiers into the fray. Their combative style (and the animation by extension) may not be the flashiest thing ever seen, but it and the cause keep moving forward, bolstered by a good, sometimes-bass-heavy soundtrack. I would be remiss if I did not remark that *Arknights: Prelude to Dawn* stems from the *Arknights* video game, and that this adaptation is clearly meant to be more table-setting for future installments as opposed to rounding out a fully-complete story. In that sense, it does stumble in the execution of some of its expository elements and elsewhere. The Doctor is more a setpiece instead of an active player due to his amnesia (though his involvement does improve as the show goes on), some of the introduced characters are given brief moments and then vanish for most of the season—if not the rest of it—and the intrusion of the PRTS is an obvious allusion to an in-game mechanic that the anime replicates when it’s not necessary to do so. It’s an unfortunate circumstance of source material retention that works in a game format and less-well in an anime. Overriding all of this though was that the immersion ultimately did pan out, that the resigned, crushing tone succeeded. Most of what I described could be labeled as “necessary evils” since the season is meant to be expository, relying on the “Infected Civil War” and the complexities of the overall scenario. The show does not relent for one minute, as even the quiet moments are tinged with melancholic smiles and reminiscence. It has no time for comedy (except for Ezusiai, which never sat well with me both in the moment and in the aftermath), choosing instead to indulge in morose, soul-draining affect. Perhaps for that reason, this series is a bit of a hard sell. In regards to how it stands as an adaptation, I cannot say since I have not played the original *Arknights.* *Arknights: Prelude to Dawn* insists on knocking its characters and their hopes down every chance it gets. Each fumbled operation, each person who dies, and each time that Reunion and Rhodes Island either ideologically or violently clash reads like another page in a Sisyphean tragedy. No matter how many clashes occur or how many gambles take place, everyone is racing against their own personal clock. Whether it be due to Oripathy slowly killing someone over time, getting The Doctor to safety, or whatever scheme Reunion has cooked up, time is everyone’s greatest enemy. With the overarching dilemmas and quandaries, the show coils itself around its characters tighter and tighter. Yet, the promise that relief awaits still persists. And even if the promise turns out to be nothing more than a pipe dream, it’s a promise worth clinging to. But then again, in a world like this, promises may be easily broken… webm(https://www.sakugabooru.com/data/8dbf38a8aca72c7d976bba072fa6d591.mp4)
Arknights: Prelude to Dawn is an anime made for people who are already familiar with the series and the franchise, to begin with. It should be noted that the anime is an adaptation of the same game by the same name: Arknights. And as the rest of the anime title implies, the anime is a prologue to what the fans often allude to as an introduction to a much grander narrative filled with plentiful world-building, complex characterizations, and profound mythology. It goes without saying that people who are fans of Arknights and have played the game will have an ecstatic time with Arknights: Prelude to Dawn because of their immense knowledge of the game’s narrative and events. Moreover, seeing it all play out in a well-produced animation format will surely satisfy most of the fans. However, speaking for myself, a person who never played the game and couldn’t care less to dive into a gacha game for that matter, don’t have many positives to say about the anime in itself. I don’t believe this anime adaptation is bad, nor do I believe the anime does anything exceptional or marvelous. It’s a prologue after all. And as a prologue, it’s an introduction to the world of Arknights. One thing to be noted is that the pacing is rather slow this time around. Which, I believe it does works in the series' favor somewhat. The slow introduction to the world of Arknights allows the anime to present the intricacies of its setting and firmly establish the tone and atmosphere of the narrative. And this really is the main appeal of the prologue: the bleakness and hopelessness of Terra—at least on the surface level. Set in the land of Terra, the world of Arknights has been plunged into conflicts and terror since the occurrence of natural disasters known as “Catastrophy”. The regular occurrence of these catastrophic events brings down hellfire and destruction to humanity and its civilization. However, it doesn’t stop there. Its leftover remnants also radiate an incurable disease known as Oripathy upon the populations, which is the main cause of human conflict in Terra. The central focus of the entire narrative in Arknights: Prelude to Dawn can be pinned down to this internal conflict. Every plot point and event that occur within the anime happens as the result of this continuous phenomenon. Nonetheless, the issue lies in that despite the captivating establishment of its conflict, the factions involved in this conflict are left with a lot to be desired. In the prologue, there are two main factions within this conflict. And that they exist simply because of their ideological differences. One, the Reunion side, which the series sets up as the main antagonist force of the two, strongly believes in the superiority of the infected people. Their belief, although vaguely presented thus far, stems from their suffering at the hands of oppression and annihilation from governments and their opposing force: Rhode Island. Rhode Island, contrary to Reunion, is a much more coordinated force that heavily serves the role of extension to the supposed existence of governments within the land of Terra in the series. But because many elements in Arknights: Prelude to Dawn is so ambiguous and up in the air, the conflicts that do happen feels dry and devoid of urgency in the narrative. The post-apocalyptical societal commentary that the show intends to portray is lost in the ever distractions of one-off antagonist forces that don’t get fully fleshed out; sub-plots and side missions that don’t contribute much to the narrative other than to serve as some superficial drama and dull action sequences on screen that’s also plagued with conventional anime dialogues that get your eyes rolling over at its corniness, and tire-some ways of conveying to the viewers. The conflicts that happen in the show feel dry because of the show’s ideological and literal conflicts that are embodied by the Reunion and Rhode Island is plagued with bland characterizations. Throughout the entire run, there’s nothing profound to be revealed about the Reunion’s idealogy and their psychotic devotion to the cause. On the surface, whenever they're on screen, they illuminate the aura of sophisticated groups with personalities. That despite their divided sub-factions, they seem to have the same ideological connections. But when they actually speak and talk, they embody the typical one-off villains that are never to be seen again with corny dialogue and obnoxious voice acting. The anime never once attempted to explore that side of the conflict. Which, by a long shot, is the most interesting of the two main factions. Instead, the time spent on the Reunion side has gotten nothing but vagueness for the entire duration. Furthermore, with the introduction of a “doctor” who’s all but lost their memories of themselves, the show relies on the supporting cast to remind the “doctor” and by extension, the viewers, that there’s a reason for all the chaos, destruction and rescues without saying much at the same time. It’s the usage of ambiguousness in the introduction of the series that holds back the overall appeal and attention that the show at the same time demands of us. Much of the show is in a state of multiple concurrent moving pieces despite its slower pacing, which prompts itself to never settle down and take a breather to present its ideas through the characters and actually show the viewers of its world’s societal complexities and complications that the series emphasizes. Because of this, over the course of its runtime, there’s nothing to be taken away from this installment. Even if Arknights: Prelude to Dawn is a prologue, there should have been a clear objective of what it wants to achieve, which the show seemingly doesn’t have outside of its visual compartment. The next section of this review is more of a personal grudge that I have for the series as a whole rather than a universal problem that it has. And I’m well aware that the consensus of likability on this specific aspect of the show obviously varies from person to person. But what I find particularly distracting about Arknights: Prelude to Dawn is the semi-animal-humanoid character designs. For a series that reiterates again and again about its bleakness, a hopeless world where everything is either collapsing or on the brink of collapse, certain characters with cute slim bunny ears or tiny rabbit ears and tails really take me out of the immersion. It’s one thing if, from the onset, there were only these semi-animal-humanoid species on Terra that resembles human-like attributes and they have populated and ingrained themselves into the world. That way, everything would feel organic. But that’s clearly not the case: there are regular humans inhabiting Terra too. Having semi-animal-humanoid characters in a series is not the problem, the issue lies in the series' deliberate design to make them cute and adorable in contrast to a much dreary tone that constantly overshadows the series. Personally, I’ve historically got a problem with the clash of tones in shows and films—especially the ones like Arknights. Where having the moe, ‘kawaii’ or straight-up fanservice moments ruin the immersion for me. And I see it as nothing but an attempt to be more than what it actually is. As I have aforementioned, the fans of Arknights will probably be more than thrilled to see an adaptation of this prologue. The expectations and hype surrounding the release were already evident. But no matter how much hype and positivity the fans generate for a show like this, however, the flaws will always seep through in the end. Arknights: Prelude to Dawn is a popcorn flick with flashy visuals and an initial intriguing narrative and themes. With it, the show managed to grab an audience but never did anything with the initial appeal.
--- ~~~__Arknights: Reimei Zensou__~~~ ~~~img(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/987964140096200754/1054038366141816893/bx140660-iJAS9omOJdzU.png?width=388&height=548)~~~ --- ~~~__Storytelling __~~~ The first episode of Arknights starts with a character we don't know yet, referring to our unknown protagonist. But given a few seconds after its beginning, your appreciation for him is notorious, which can cause us a feeling of comfort and tranquility in front of those unknown characters, knowing that they are not there to hurt you. But this feeling is soon altered when we see the change in behavior of the characters at the mention of the name Reunion, which quickly generates dislike for the group, even not knowing the background, its essence. img(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/987964140096200754/1054022560523751454/image.png?width=1059&height=535) This is the core of these moments, first we are quickly introduced to a familiar group of the protagonist's characters who are antagonized by yet another mysterious force. It is in this way that we are introduced to the world of Arknights during the anime, not much different from what we see in the game, despite the fact that even in this first episode, it does not raise hooks for the presentation of future characters, such as Kal'tsit who is already mentioned at the beginning. of the game at that time. img(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/987964140096200754/1054033473834328114/FhSzYfkX0AIQJHJ.png?width=904&height=548) >I must even say that all this initial rescue of the Doctor was much more busy within the game, full of battle, while in the anime it is something more rushed, but of course, unlike the game, he does not have time to waste showing occasional conflicts between Rhodes and the Reunion. In this initial scene sequence, we see Amiya's group consciously avoiding this antagonistic group that is Reunion, the sequence is excellent, because at no point is it said that they are the antagonists, although the characterization of the group's design can bring us even more of that feeling, you know just by the way the characters behave and act towards them. The so famous "Show, Don't Tell" inside Arknights, and I don't just mean the anime, but also inside the game, the original work, is one of the strongest elements that the writing of both mediums dominate. The work knows very well how to soften its exposure and distribute information. It is always within the first few pages of a script, or minutes of screen time, that a reader judges a writer's skill simply by noting how he handles exposition. Of course, a well-done exposition does not guarantee a great story, just as a poorly done exposition does not guarantee a terrible story, but it does tell us whether the writer knows the art of screenwriting. Skill in exposure means making it invisible. As the story progresses, the audience absorbs everything they need to know effortlessly, even subconsciously. img(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/987964140096200754/1054022916989268158/image.png?width=1059&height=542) See how the scenes between Amiya and the Doctor are honest and natural scenes in which human beings talk and behave honestly and naturally within each other's life situation, and at the same time that this occurs, it indirectly conveys the necessary facts to we follow the story. Information about Reunion, Ursus, Oripatia, Originum, Chernoborg. Even the off-screen moments, where advertisements are cut, there are descriptions that provide even more information for those who are more attentive. The anime uses the most subtle means for its information, it obviously requires the viewers' attention to what is being told. img(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/987964140096200754/1054019453190418472/image.png?width=1055&height=548) Exposure is not something you leave out of a script or want to avoid altogether, exposure is necessary for the audience to place themselves in the world in which the work takes place and gain information as well as the characters. Whether an exhibition is demerit or merit depends on the subtlety with which it is worked. Again the famous saying “Show, Don't Tell” is the key. Never force words into the characters' mouths to tell the audience about the world, history, or people. It is very important to observe the entire scene in order to evaluate an exhibition. No matter what the work is, it will always have several exhibitions in its composition, those who observe the exhibition and criticize it for existing are those who don't understand anything they are claiming to know, you can ignore them. img(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/987964140096200754/1054041497751785492/1280.png?width=974&height=548) Our protagonist, Doctor, who refers to our character within the mobile game, suffers from amnesia. And with that quick notion and realizing that the game is about a fantasy world, many could see this as just a cliché plot device so that the writer can do his worldbuilding more naturally. This plot device is not uncommon and closely resembles the plot device Isekai use. But that's what I usually say in all my reviews, there are no inherently bad elements in writing, it all depends on how these elements will be worked on. And the case of the protagonist's amnesia is an important element for the character and for the plot, it contains an important dramatization for the whole course of the story, far from being just another lazy artifice of writers to build the world. Although this drama is present, it is more observable later in the game. img(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/1038552376740696145/1051102141944705106/image.png?width=970&height=548) >Much of this dramatization made up of the Doctor's memoirs is thanks to characters who knew him in the past, such as Kal'tsit, W, etc. I like the introduction to the world that Arknights: Prelude of Dawn provides. Initially we already have a whole suspense / mystery in relation to the protagonist himself, Amiya and her group, a possible antagonistic force known as Reunion. What most entices you into the world of Arknights, in the first few minutes, is easily the mystery of basically "WHAT THE HELL IS HAPPENING??" Mystery means gaining interest through curiosity alone. We are caught by the mystery of wanting to understand the situation and therefore we are filled with curiosity about it, and because of this we are anxious for more and more information to understand all that complex world. But the work does the job of continuing to instigate us by giving us little information in a subtle way several times. img(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/987964140096200754/1054022986421768272/image.png?width=1059&height=546) The issue of the Doctor's amnesia at the beginning is not even used to expose the other characters and the world, it is used to leverage the character and try to bring him some identity, which will later be dramatized within the story. Of course it is also an information control device, it is thanks to this element that Amiya and Dobermaan from the beginning inform us about the most diverse possible issues, with the most obvious exposition being at the end of the first episode, which ends with it. closing a gap of several open ones, wanting us to look forward to the next episode. img(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/987964140096200754/1054023184778805269/image.png?width=1059&height=514) Including this is the first facet we see of _McGuffin_ in the work, who is just a plot device that appears in the form of some goal, desired object, or other motivator that the protagonist pursues. In this case, helping to cure the infected, but this is just the tip of the iceberg, since Rhodes' real objective is to end the root of any and all conflicts, that is, to end the spiral of hatred in the world.. img(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/987964140096200754/1054023324759494776/image.png?width=1059&height=528) The world that Arknights is certainly a sad, dark, incurable, and hate-filled world, not unlike our world in hindsight. Immediately when we wake up in the Doctor's point of view, we are immediately thrown into the dark and colorless atmosphere. The anime has an excellent setting, and as we are dealing with audio visual material, this setting must be taken into account, because it also provides us, the viewers, with information. And in this world, those who, by chance in life, were infected by a disease become targets of various organizations, governments and others. Their lives were taken not by the disease, but by the way the world sees it, the lie this world believes is that everyone infected is a mistake, and because of this lie, conflicts, wars and monsters are created. img(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/892129315330850836/1054939056892563496/image.png?width=1059&height=519) Those we once judged as antagonists are those who previously had their voices silenced and were oppressed, and from the fire of hatred they cultivated through their suffering, they came together for a cause. The oppressed have a reason to fight, and that moves them forward, what was given to them will be returned, this is the beginning of a war, and only one question remains, is it possible to change those who have already entered this fight head on ? Or rather, is it possible to change this world? This is the question the story wants to answer, its central theme. --- ~~~__Mystery and Suspense __~~~ Remember I said Mystery means gaining interest through curiosity alone. Suspense, on the other hand, combines curiosity and concern. During a suspense, the characters and we, the audience, move together throughout the narrative, sharing the same knowledge. Seeing as the characters question the strange actions of the Ursus government, prompting them not to move to help the city of Chernoborg is odd. The work gives a good emphasis on these issues that only increase until the big reveal, but that will only happen in future arcs. Here the work only does the job of presenting these questions and trying to make the viewer think and feel curious about the answer. img(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/987964140096200754/1054030068948668477/image.png?width=1059&height=528) In addition to observing how the Ursus media makes a point of lying about the events that are taking place in the city of Chernoborg, in addition to the questions about the infected, we can observe even more of the alienation present in that population and how it is constantly controlled by the government. img(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/987964140096200754/1054030031602589837/image.png?width=1042&height=548) --- ~~~__Adaptation pros and cons __~~~ ~~~__Pros:__~~~ Seeing the Doctor being more proactive is a good move within the story, since there is a big media difference between an anime and a Gacha, where the gacha is much more expository because of the format itself, but here we see the Doctor interesting and showing interest in the subjects that make the characters ends up giving us the information. This makes the exposure more subtle. img(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/987964140096200754/1054032502509015090/FhTcagFX0AU7NHk.png?width=1022&height=548) The expressionism in the features of the characters. Arknights never lacked an excellent story or a good narrative to drive it, in the original, what it lacks most is a visual problem. The characters have almost no expressions, the visual effects are also non-existent. So everything becomes very empty and emotionless, which just detracts from the whole script effort. An example would be the character saying: "STOP THAT REUNION, HATE WON'T GET ANYTHING!!" The character screaming trying to convince the other, but his face is like this: '-' >And just to be clear, I'm only referring to this initial arc of the Arknights game, later the game started to invest more in sprites and effects. Having said all that, it's great to see the characters' expressions and see how they are everything we imagined reading the game's dialogues. img(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/987964140096200754/1054031223783161856/image.png?width=1059&height=522) ~~~__Cons:__~~~ img(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/987964140096200754/1054031064529649724/image.png?width=1048&height=548) It's obvious why Dobermann has this line, she herself calls Talulah a tyrant within the game, but there's a lot more dialogue than just that. This is unfortunately one of the problems I see within the adaptation, I don't think it gets in the way of the main story line, but it makes it less profound than it should be. img(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/1038552376740696145/1038869889449996328/image.png?width=882&height=548) img(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/1038552376740696145/1038869891039625407/image.png?width=995&height=548) That is, cutting some dialogues for me slightly reduced the whole weight of the plot and this in several moments of the anime. Honestly, the series lacked much more seriousness to work on everything that the gacha itself proposes to present, I found the rest of the episode's dialogues very shallow and there was a lack of other important dynamics for the characters See how Misha insists here that Amiya hears the cries of the Reunion infected, something that unfortunately did not happen in the anime. img(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/1038552376740696145/1040327162248577095/image.png?width=974&height=548) We didn't get any tension with Skullshatter's appearance, let alone hear an impact of his presence in the scene, at least you'd think he's set apart by his clothes, but nothing major. Which is even funny, because Talulah's presentation in the anime makes you jump out of your chair and tremble in fear of her. img(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/987964140096200754/1054031975587004528/FicmLtXXEAAB-Bp.png?width=1055&height=548) It's sad because even the opening chapters of Arknights aren't the best things, but they manage to convey the tension of the antagonist's presence. Unfortunately, we didn't even have the visual parallel of the character meeting Misha. img(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/987964140096200754/1054031976039993424/FicmjYZXgAcvzHo.png?width=977&height=548) I'm comparing the pros and cons of the adaptation, but I see that what I'm scoring is not just the media differences of each one, but their successes and mistakes within the script itself. For me, the most serious problem in the series was the outsourcing of some episodes, after episode 3, we can see an inconsistency in the characters' traits, this can be mainly seen in episode 4, where this is even more obvious. img(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/787028202086334464/1054049561661947904/image.png?width=1059&height=512) --- ~~~__Conclusion __~~~ img(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/787028202086334464/1054052336747675669/FkICtvgXEAAwvM0.png?width=1059&height=454) Despite the problems I mentioned, Arknights: Prelude Of Dawn manages to be an adaptation made with a lot of love and care for the fans. All elements of the Arknights story, to whatever degree they are, manage to be present there. Since the first EP, the anime has chosen to maintain the setting and reality that is present in the story of the original, a tragic, cold and incurable world. They kept alive the vision of this world and how people live in it, making it clear that neither Reunion nor Rhodes can be defined as good or evil, after all both have the same goals. The name of the work has two meanings, in its native language, Chinese, the translation of the name of the game would be something like "ark of tomorrow", while the overall title would be at its beginnings "Arch Knights", but for a better phonetic sense was changed to "Arknights". The ark mentioned in both titles refers to Rhodes Island, a giant vessel that accepts all types of people and seeks to solve the problems of this world in a permanent way, this being an analogy to Noah's ark, a hope in this devastated world of that one day they will be able to recreate it as a better place. After all, that's what the story is about above all, about the hope that can be found in such a dark and sordid world, a story about idealism. img(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/892129315330850836/1054944914741411940/image.png?width=1059&height=547) I'm not here to say what the work says or doesn't say, after all, if you haven't noticed, or haven't paid attention, that's not my business. My objective here was just to summarize the execution of the narrative and demonstrate that it has content and more. But if for some reason you really don't get it, just read the anime's opening lyrics. Reona did an excellent job there, where she is a fan of the game herself. I can't afford to give this adaptation a higher rating, not just because of its problems, but because this is the lowest and weakest point of the Arknights story. So although I found the adaptation excellent, I'm afraid I'll have to wait for the continuation of the anime, where the whole Arknights scenario will finally show up. img(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/787028202086334464/1054052273640185907/FkIY79cWYAACMRY.png?width=1059&height=523) --- I am not used to reviewing or analyzing within AniList, for those who want to see more of what I analyze, I have my card on my profile, where you can access my other social networks and enter my Medium, where I wrote a text analyzing Ch'en and Talulah's character arc. But be warned that the texts will be in Portuguese, after all it is my native language, but it is still possible to use the translator to read and so I recommend it. Until the next day. --- ~~~___"You cannot fall. The road is still long. Because we still have things we need to do. It will be so, until the day we are done." - Ch'en_ __~~~ --- ~~~[Card.co](https://feripe.carrd.co)~~~
__This review contains spoilers for this anime (no spoilers about the game beyond what the anime adapted)__ Prelude of Dawn is certainly an adaptation of passion. Yuuki Watanabe is one of the most passionate people on earth when it comes to Arknights, and Yostar made sure to assemble a very solid cast of in-house staff dedicated to adapting their mobile game in very high quality. webm(https://www.sakugabooru.com/data/5e1f39d0795c2f76dc1b0aed79d729d9.mp4) And if Watanabe and Nishikawa (assistant director) are devoting their full attention to the series in its peaks it not only looks good, but it also hits the emotional tone better than the game did for me - I think that's an accomplishment. I also applaud the effort to tackle the source material with a serious and grim approach and to focus much more on somber character moments than flashy action or cute waifus. It shows that Watanabe is serious about adapting Arknights as a story. In fact, for me the show worked the most when it's just still moments and a lot of emotion is conveyed through the behavior and expressions of the characters alone. img(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FuoXt7iX0AANQoQ?format=jpg&name=900x900) However, it also needs to be said that there are issues with this adaptation, namely the script and, when Watanabe and Nishikawa are not there, the poor direction. I think while the script does take some freedom (and often for the better) with the source material, it's still too faithful to the source material. The game has a rather rigid storytelling by separating the story into small chunks with levels to clear in-between, and sometimes it felt like the anime hesitated to break this structure, as some scenes just feel stiff and staged, and sometimes battles would take place without a clear purpose. It's just filler content and is detrimental to the pacing, which also was too slow, especially in the middle of the show. This show would've been better served with 6 episodes or less. img(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FuaoJ2eWIAkVbDv?format=jpg&name=900x900) I hope for the next season they will try to put the script together more with the idea of how to tell the story best than trying to remain faithful to the game. With the anime, they have much more options for audio-visual storytelling and sometimes it was very frustrating to see the anime take so little advantage of it. The action direction also leaves much to be desired, and except few instances is just very awkward. img(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FulGRd2XoAAo3vj?format=jpg&name=900x900) To be fair, the arc this anime adapted was not all that exciting in the game either, and for the most important stuff the anime is still the superior experience to me, even if it's a mixed bag overall. Which is why it will be interesting how the next season will turn out and I do hope that the staff behind it will be courageous enough to take more advantage of the medium because there is some actual potential here. img(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FulGOlhX0AA8s5w?format=jpg&name=900x900)