It has been 800 years since the incredibly fast and powerful gods of battle known as the Idaten had
sealed away the demons after an intense battle. Now, that battle is just considered a myth or a
fairytale. While the current generation of Idaten who have never even had to fight are enjoying their
peaceful lives, someone awakened the demons once again! Armed forces, ingenuity. politics, and
intrigue. If you've got it, use everything you can! This three-way battle royale with no rules and no
limits is about to begin!!
(Source: Crunchyroll)
~~~__Hello Guys i hope you had a wonderful Monday ~~if that is possible~~__ Today i had to bring to discussion an anime that seemed great, but at the end became one of the worst anime i´ve seen... ___ __If you want to read my full opinion on the show spoiler / NSFW free, jump to the Conclusion at the end!__ ___ __As stipulated in the summary the review is kind of NSFW, so proceed with caution!__ ___ __Sooooo... What is The Idaten Deities Know Only Peace?__ __It was originally a [web comic](https://anilist.co/manga/113450/Heion-Sedai-no-Idatentachi/) created and drawn by [Amahara](https://anilist.co/staff/121428/Amahara). Creator of the infamous [Interspecies Reviewers](https://anilist.co/anime/110270/Interspecies-Reviewers/). img400(https://www.theotakuspot.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Interspecies-Reviewers-Anime-First-Impressions.jpg)__ A series about a trio of adventurers that went to sex establishments and reviewed their experiences there. In my opinion a fairly funny anime that explores interesting concepts like genderbending, being able to rent a girlfriend for a time and building your desired sex companion. __A show that i really enjoyed and that is surprisingly wholesome at times, even with all his weird themes.__ But leaving that aside this anime´s adaptation was directed by [Seimei Kidokoro](https://anilist.co/staff/124284/Seimei-Kidokoro) who has worked in other anime projects under different roles and made by [MAPPA Studios](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MAPPA). Well known studio from their controversies and universally praised anime adaptations like: [Jujutsu Kaisen](https://anilist.co/anime/113415/JUJUTSU-KAISEN/), [Dorohedoro](https://anilist.co/anime/105228/Dorohedoro/), [Banana Fish](https://anilist.co/anime/100388/BANANA-FISH/) and the upcoming adaptation of [Chainsaw Man](https://anilist.co/anime/127230/Chainsaw-Man/) from the [manga](https://anilist.co/manga/105778/Chainsaw-Man/). >_Ooh but whats the issue with the anime then? Why the Summary says that?_ img300(https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/original/4CMnVFUFhzZH6mty9Di0hzhgpBD.jpg) Ok thats an easy one... The main issue and obvious to anyone who has seen it is the constant fetish fest that the anime throws at the viewer at any given moment. You name it: rape, gore, sadomasochism, shotacon and oh boy a lot more! img300(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/527300352798883851/891782099923771462/tf55y6hh.png) _More details later..._ ___ __SPOILERS AHEAD!__ ___ __Story:__ __It centers itself around 4 characters: Rin, her aprentice Hayato, Isli and Paula__. They are from an species know as Idaten, gods that saved humanity centuries (800 years to be exact) ago from a demonic uncursion. Nowdays the Idaten are a myth for humanity and the ones who live at the moment live rather peaceful lives without knowing war. But thats different for humanity, because a powerful nation named Zoble brings war and deabuchery to the poor humans that stand on his way. The nation is ruled in secred by demons who are hiding from the Idaten and preparing to wage war once more with them. __the story goes back and fourth, and goes about the fights betwen the demons and Idaten, showcasing alongside it all the weird shit that i described previously...__ Adding to that it goes soo fast that it becomes annoying. We start and we know our main cast then they go to investigate a Zoble´s expedition site, where they discover a sleeping freezed demon. He gets awaken and they start fighting with it, Hayato defeats him and we get a glanse of how resiliant the Idaten are. img300(https://areajugones.sport.es/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/imagen-2021-07-23-162143.jpg) Then the scientist scapes and gets "killed", after we know that he´s the "Demon King" and ALL OF THE ZOBLE DEMONS GET REVEALED. Killing all the mistery in an instant. The story keeps the same rocket like passing. __To make matters worse, the story usses an excesive amount of time flash backs and flash fowards.__ >Oh we will have to wait 2 years for x, q and y. What happens? _What happens?_ >2 years later... And it goes on and on like that, to the point of becoming annoying... __The story at the start is interesting but the passing and the fetishes kill it really fast.__ ____ __The Characters:__ __Most of the characters are really meh, besides some of the demons like Pisara and the Demon King, Isli and Hayate. I will go fast with this one, so stay with me.__ __Rin:__ the master of Hayato and only survivor of the conflict with the demons 800 years ago. She is cold and careless, but at the start was all the contrary. img250(https://somoskudasai.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/portada_heion-sedai-no-idaten-5.jpg) __Hayato:__ one of the main cast. He´s the one who kept training with Rin and becomes stronger during the seson´s length. He prefers a direct combat style like Rin. He´s vulgar and follows the Shonen protagonist ideals of becoming a stronger version of himself, with training and effort. img250(https://akihabara.es/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/13935-el-anime-heion-sedai-no-idaten-tachi-revela-un-nuevo-avance.jpg) __Ilsi:__ one if not the most interesting character (not hard to achive though) and one of which maquinations kept me most intrigued. He rejects the combat training in favor of collecting as much knowledge as possible and always tries to be 3 steps in front of the demons. He studies the nature of Idaten and demons alike, he has the skill to brainwash the demons making them loyal and valuable allies. img250(http://img.youtube.com/vi/11QPxZ60GIo/maxresdefault.jpg) __Paula:__ she is the naive of the group. She has no combat skills and isnt soo smart. She does stuff for Isli and she is with him most of the time, cause she cant really do much... img250(https://somoskudasai.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/portada_heion-sedai-no-idaten-7.jpg) __Prontea:__ another Idaten and ex-disciple of Rin. He´s a really skilled fighter like Rin, but is more calm and comprenhesive. He helps Isli a lot during the last episodes. Oh and he likes racing with little remote control cars. img250(https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/original/n5nbvXBq3c5HbZ0GUdvKH5YQkQf.jpg) __Pisara:__ one of the most interesting demons, she used to serve as the captain of Zoble´s forces until she felt in Isli´s trap and got brainwashed. She can use her hair a weapon like a sharp lash able to cut almost everything. img250(https://animeanime.global/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/422347.jpg) __Demon King:__ he´s the one behind all the demons shenanigans. He´s able to project his conscience to machines that are able to receive his signal using them as vessels. He doesnt die when the machines gets destroyed. (i think). img250(https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/original/oD9gRUYYuWoV9Z0KPLw2XjFVOF3.jpg) __Overall the characters are really meh, besides few exceptions like Hayate, Isli, Pisara, Miku or the Demon King. the demons ironically are a lot more interesting than the Idaten and sometimes are given more screen time than the main cast. They get a minor development during the season (the demons specially) but the rest is very static and inconsequential.__ ___ __Animation, Style and Music:__ __Those are the only big redeeming factors about the anime.__ The animationg made by MAPPA is outstanding, is not a master piece but is really good and makes you feel the strenght of the fights. The movements are really decent most of the time the characters dont stand still and do little movements, making the world feel more alive. Another factor is how in the fights and certain points the colors change, increasing the impact in a really creative way. __Some examples:__ img250(https://c.tenor.com/ARLf6tgTpuUAAAAC/idaten-deities-in-the-peaceful-generation-heion-sedai-no-idaten-tachi.gif) img250(https://64.media.tumblr.com/0fc782b4bd5289254dbb421ac9665269/cee346af00fa97a7-d5/s540x810/0e19c5a0cf67b3121fa62287527a8a806d7a7657.gifv) img250(https://c.tenor.com/OtE45QlCaEAAAAAC/heion-sedai-no-idaten-tachi-idaten-deities-in-the-peaceful-generation.gif) img250(https://c.tenor.com/WksnHthkkIYAAAAC/idaten-deities-in-the-peaceful-generation-heion-sedai-no-idaten-tachi.gif) The minimalistic style is really good and unique looking, is paired with kind of rough scenery that contrasts with it. __Zoble Invasion / Isli & Hayate in the forest__ img250(https://www.anmosugoi.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Heion-Sedai-no-Idaten-tachi-Una-escena-donde-soldados-abusan-de-una-Joven-causa-controversia-e-indig-4-min.jpg) img250(https://randomc.net/image/Heion%20Sedai%20no%20Idaten-tachi/Heion%20Sedai%20no%20Idaten-tachi%20-%2001%20-%20Large%2013.jpg) The music is really great keeping the atmosphere for better or worse. The op is an absolute banger though __Opening:__ When The Weak Go Marching In / By Tatsuya Kitani youtube(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p05lg3ShOzg) __To resume the animation is really good and smooth. the characters have a minimalistic style that really distinguish the anime from others, adding the use of rough backgrounds that give an special touch differentiating from the smooth backgrounds normally used. The music is really decent and keeps the emotions of the fights and the uneasiness in the moments of suspense.__ ___ __Themes:__ -Church bad- -God dont care about us- -Humans are horny- -Gulty pleasure- -youtube(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ElKdZ4X8ZAA)- __Nothing more, really not worth covering besides the mentions....__ #Next! ___ __The Fetishes:__ img500(https://c.tenor.com/R1BNUEHVpgkAAAAC/my-time-has-come.gif) __Lord this is like descending [the spiral stairs](https://imgur.com/wRjBfod) in [Uzumaki](https://anilist.co/manga/30436/Uzumaki-Spiral-into-Horror/).....__ _Lets begin...._ __The series suffers from what i would call "over exposition of weird / disgusting sex fetishes".__ _What do i mean?_ For example, Zoble kidnaps the woman that survives all the shitshow that is one of their invasions and keeps them jailed. For what? to be basically breeders from future demon generations. I mean this is nothing too bad right? yeah more or less is nothing that isnt unheard of in other stories. But the series takes it a step futher and shows how Miku subdues them with pleasure and rape. BRUH, what do i win as an spectator with that? nothing tbh. And what do you think they do next? they show all the pregnant women who basically have demons inside them. Fr dude, WTF.... __The nun getting raped,__ ok this is not one that shocked me and is not the worst offender by any means. Woman used and are normally raped / abused in wars throughth history. They are like some sorts of part that´s in the spoils of war. Its absolutely inmoral and gross, yes totally. __But the issue with the show is that is displayed in the same fashion like the other fetishes and me as the spectator dont get anything of it, Its literally just there. Although it achives what it wants to be disgusting.__ img300(https://www.anmosugoi.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Heion-Sedai-no-Idaten-tachi-Una-escena-donde-soldados-abusan-de-una-Joven-causa-controversia-e-indig-1.jpg) __Oh guys this is the one. Literal Shotacon, yes we see kids having sex with adults.... Like fr whats the deal of showing it?!?!?!!? Couldnt it just happen behind scenes, idk??????__ img300(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/527300352798883851/892249102002290698/e3d3d3ed3.png) __Hear me out, i wouldnt have much of an issue with this if it was something that was alluded too and not shown. Miku´s plan was clever but i repeat it, do i need to see the kids in that situation??? Is this a hentai and i didnt know it???__ __Characters get raped, shopped, slaped, etc...__ img300(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/527300352798883851/892226786128175104/Heion-Sedai-no-Idaten-tachi-Episodio-05-1.png) __Gore is something that a lot of works have.__ Sometimes is decent and contributes to the story like in [Hellsing Ultimate](https://anilist.co/anime/777/Hellsing-Ultimate/), where it inmerses you in the madness that is The world where Alucard "lives". __but other times like in the show just feels cheap and unnecesary like:__ _Look that guy got shopped into pieces for no reason!! LOL._ Bruh fr... All this mess is constantly throw at the viewer with little to no concern and it literally doesnt contribute anything to the story and the experience. It feels like that they are there so a weirdo can jack the hell out of the scenes / the comentary. __The anime would be 100 times better if all of this was left as something implicit or totally removed. Is a literal battle shonen addicted to drugs and sex.__ ____ __The Humour:__ __Ok the humour is very simple, straightfoward and vulgar.__ it uses all the things i said previusly with some tacky / slapstick moments. Is as simple as that, plane and most of the time unfunny. With few exceptions: 2 examples: __Miku after nutting...__ img350(https://i1.wp.com/www.monstersandcritics.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/The-Idaten-Deities-Know-Only-Peace-Episode-6-Miku.jpg?resize=773.5%2C435&ssl=1) __Hayate roasts Rin and gets owned after__ img350(https://c.tenor.com/k9sr595denMAAAAC/idaten-deities-in-the-peaceful-generation-heion-sedai-no-idaten-tachi.gif) __to put it simply. Is basic, most of the time lame and tacky. Not for everyone and most of the time not for me either.__ ___ __Conclusions:__ __The Idaten Deities Know Only Peace is an excellent looking anime, with amazing and smooth animation that is a living example of the saying "do not judge a book by his cover". __ Is basically a pretty battle shonen that tries to deviate from the usual formula, but with the worse elements possible as his dissposal: constant and most of the time unnecesary sex references / scenes, showing weird sexual fetishes, trashy gore and lame critics / themes about the real world. __This is just a seinen in name cause there is no seinen qualities on it.__ __Is something that i can certentaly cant recomend to anyone in a unironical way.__ Recomending this anime to a "newbie" or even someone that has seen anime is more or less the same that recomending them to watch [Boku No Pico](https://anilist.co/anime/1639/Boku-no-Pico/). __A waste of MAPPA staff´s talent, time and effort and totally one if not the worst anime i´ve seen.__ I could get why people would like the show, it has peak moments, great fights and the characters some times are genuinely engaging. But for me the constant sex related stuff killed my experience and before you question it i´ve have seen and enjoyed shows that relies heavily in sex jokes / themes like [Golden Boy](https://anilist.co/anime/268/Golden-Boy/), [How Not to summon a Demon Lord](https://anilist.co/anime/101004/How-NOT-to-Summon-a-Demon-Lord/), [Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt](https://anilist.co/anime/8795/Panty--Stocking-with-Garterbelt/) or [Combatants Will Be Dispatched](https://anilist.co/anime/116588/Combatants-Will-Be-Dispatched/). But This anime tries to lecture you all the time while kids have sex (on Screen), people get raped or cut into pieces. All of the nonsense combined starts to become absurd the more the season progresses, destroying the good aspects. Amaharu please... do more like Interspecies reviewers and not this.... img(https://areajugones.sport.es/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/imagen-2021-07-23-160758-1080x609.jpg) ___ __If you want to:__ -Give suggestions to improve my reviews or mini "reviews" -Point out stuff i missed -Express Thoughts __Leave me a comment i will gladly hear it out!!!__ __Any feedback is really appreciated!!__ __Consider dropping a follow if you liked this review and the things i talk about!__ ___ __Have a Great week everyone!__ ~~~
Speaking in very broad terms, film and television can be divided into two categories. On one end of the spectrum you have “art house” projects, which will typically focus on complex symbolism, themes and characters at the expense of broader appeal; contrasting that are the “blockbusters”, designed first and foremost to be straightforward, comprehendible and (most importantly) entertaining. With a manga illustrated by the creator of *Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid*, a story from the same mind who brought the world *Interspecies Reviewers*, and an anime produced by MAPPA, it’s no surprise that *The Idaten Deities Know Only Peace* falls more on the “popcorn-flick” side of things – almost to a comical extreme. There isn’t a unifying message or theme at the center of the story, the characters are one-note and undergo zero development, and everything is as straightforward as it gets, with no hidden “deeper meaning” anywhere. However, in spite of these factors (which would normally be major deficits) I think that *Idaten* is a blast from start to finish, exemplifying how to make a show that can’t be called anything but “dumb fun”. When demons threatened humanity, a race of metaphysical battle-gods were willed into existence to save the world (the Idaten). To end the fighting all but one of these gods, Rin, would sacrifice themselves to seal away the demon threat, bringing some peace to the world. Fast forward 800 years and humans may now be fighting one another, but Rin and the other gods – Hayato, Ysley, Paula and Prontea – aren’t interested in stopping anything less than an extinction level event. With no demons to worry about, the Idaten are able to spend all their time doing whatever they please, and life is generally good. That idyllic lifestyle is shattered, however, when a new strain of demons view this inaction as weakness, and preemptively try to wipe them out. On the surface this isn’t an awful plan, but it falls apart when the ridiculous gap in power between the gods and the demons becomes apparent; in the blink of an eye *Idaten* becomes the anime version of watching what happens when the schoolyard bully goes after a wasp nest with a baseball bat. ~~~img440(https://i.imgur.com/qSGIaZi.jpg)~~~ ~~~*The demons might not have thought this one through*~~~ In order to keep the plot engaging *Idaten* places a heavy emphasis on two factors: tone and pacing. The bright, poppy colors and cartoonish character design are very shounen-esque, but the show establishes the fact it is going to go to some really dark places right away. A story and visuals that belong in a shounen being intertwined with sex, degeneracy and stylized gore is a really engaging dichotomy, and creates a unique, over-the-top atmosphere that at times almost becomes a parody. This is also what allows *Idaten* to have near perfect pacing, as the show literally does things like fast forward through exposition heavy segments. On the surface this may seem like a strange, unjustifiable creative decision, but because of the very “tongue in cheek” tone of the show it feels so natural, serving as both a comedic bit while at the same time being a tool to prevent the show from dragging. ~~~img440(https://i.imgur.com/SNwLn43.jpg)~~~ ~~~*Concerned your worldbuilding is dry? Have you considered... telling it twice as fast?*~~~ This tone also is what saves the characters. Earlier I described them as one-note, and they are. Every time Rin and Hayato are onscreen I know they’re going to want to fight something, and every time Ysley and Prontea are onscreen I know there’s going to be more in the way of dialogue and worldbuilding. Even the demons, as comically evil and fun to watch as they are, fall victim to this. Their standout is without a doubt Miku, a genius when it comes to planning who, like the Idaten, is focused solely on one thing – in her case that just happens to be having sex. Yes, the characters are shallow, crass, amoral and genuinely awful. The thing is though, everything about this show is wildly over-the-top, and in that setting having incredibly powerful characters with awful personalities hyperfixate on just one trait is a recipe for hilarity, even if it’s not deep whatsoever. ~~~img440(https://i.imgur.com/R63C2QJ.jpg)~~~ ~~~*What on earth could she be taking that pixelated object into the bathroom for?*~~~ *Idaten* may be a seinen, however that’s clearly not so it can explore more complex, adult themes. The reality is that this show is a seinen for the same reason *Deadpool’s* target demographic is adults. Sex, blood and gore are all mainstays of the show, with drugs, war crimes and general degeneracy occasionally rearing their heads as well. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing – honestly an R-rated version of a battle shounen (a battle seinen?) will be a breath of fresh air for many. But there are moments where being an exercise in excess may get a little too… excessive. I do feel a need to touch briefly on how the tone of *Idaten* is established: at the end of the first episode there’s a rape. Sexual assault is an incredibly sensitive topic, and I know for a lot of people this alone will be enough to turn them off of a show completely. As weird as it sounds, however, I don’t actually know how this scene could have been done in a better way. From a creative standpoint this has purpose regarding the narrative and in establishing tone, and there isn’t another way to easily do both in such a memorable fashion. It’s also portrayed in a deliberately grotesque, very eerie style that is profoundly uncomfortable for the viewer (fitting given the subject material), and it’s not glamorized whatsoever. It’s not gratuitous, however people should be aware of the fact that it is waiting at the end of episode one – and really of the heavy focus the show has on sex in general. ~~~img440(https://i.imgur.com/hzcyzqR.jpg)~~~ On a brighter note, I would be remiss if I didn’t also talk about the insanely good production values behind *Idaten*. MAPPA is a top notch studio (even if working conditions there might not be), but I was still blown away by the OST and animation of the show. The ending is done by Nanawo Akari, and it’s a pretty fun jpop/rap song. Accompany that with some fast paced, fun insert music for the fights and you’ve got the foundation of a pretty good soundtrack. The opening, however, was a real jaw dropper. Done by Tatsuya Kitani, as a song being judged on its own merits it’s great, definitely leaning into more of a rock anthem kind of sound and earning a spot on my playlist. But this opening has one of the best animated sequences of any opening I’ve seen – it’s honestly so good I could watch it with the sound muted and still be impressed, and I never skipped it once in eleven episodes. ~~~img440(https://i.imgur.com/2xGzHJ8.jpg)~~~ ~~~*Fever Dream: The Opening*~~~ The visuals of *Idaten* are consistently that good. The most striking thing about them is the very atypical palette, as the focus is on incredibly bright colors that provide a lot of pop. It definitely feels strange initially, but after an episode or two of adjusting all of the ways that the show utilizes the cartoonish visuals begins to become apparent. If you look past the colors and at the action, you’ll find that it’s hectic but very well choreographed, The emphasis here is definitely on hand to hand fighting with ridiculous speed and power, but since the fights are always just between a couple of characters and tend to be over quickly they’re very easy to follow. While there were a few times when I felt like the visuals were “busy”, and that there was no way for me to take in everything on screen, I do think it’s safe to say that the uniqueness of the art style is a pretty big draw for the show. ~~~img440(https://i.imgur.com/Pz1zK9w.jpg)~~~ Members of various fandoms have a tendency to read too deeply into something they’re passionate about. To many, “quality” and “depth” have been conflated to the point where they are inseparable. In spite of its issues, such as a general irreverence for sensitive topics and ending on a cliffhanger so massive even Alex Honnold would get nervous, *The Idaten Deities Know Only Peace* is a refutation of that thesis, as viewers can't even pretend it's deep. Shallow, stupid, offensive, crass and a plethora of other adjectives I’m too lazy to write out could easily describe this show – but that doesn’t mean it isn't fun, and it certainly doesn't mean it can't be one of my favorite shows in recent memory.
# ~~~__THE PERFECT COMBINATION BETWEEN THE ODDITY OF MAPPA AND THE DARK ATMOSPHERE OF AN ALMOST UNKNOWN WORK__~~~ ~~~~~~ Each season brings its revelation and I personally found the summer one in Idaten Deities (I will refer to the show this way throughout the review, to distinguish it from the characters called Idaten), the latest adaptation of the MAPPA studio that we have come to know in all its features, both positive and negative. ______________ __PLOT__: Idaten Deities has its roots in a plot that is not particularly original, but not boring and predictable. Idaten Deities tells of how the eternal feud between gods and demons has been carried up to a more modern age and how this war has even affected humanity itself that populates this world, helpless in the face of the enormous power of the two factions. 800 years after the "final" defeat of the demons, a remnant of that faction tries to regain its place in the world, triggering the prompt reaction of the Idatens who for all those years have guarded the seal that kept the enemy clan imprisoned. A peculiarity of the anime is certainly the dark atmosphere of the work accompanied by a large amount of exaggerations and situations to the limit in order to bring out even more the excessive power of the characters. This feature is certainly the main factor that has led many people to drop the series , so I recommend seeing it only to those who actually don't have big problems with rape, splatter scenes and "ethically incorrect" situations. ~~~img1000(https://imgur.com/PZlt7Gr.png)~~~ ____________________ __CHARACTERS__: The series is characterized by the most varied characters that it is possible to conceive: Hayato, the classic protagonist who wants to become stronger, Ysley, the strategist of the Idatens, the tender and naive Paula, the sensei Rin who has survived from the times of the seal, her pupil with clown shoes Prontea. To these are added a series of characters excellently characterized by the demon faction: the short-lived Nickel, the general Piscalat, the child fetishist Miku, the emperors Brandy and Takeshita and the cryptic Over-M, center of the mysteries that characterize the world of Idaten Deities. And of course not to forget the only human point of view of the matter, Sister Guiltina. You will notice a somewhat poor description of the characters because in fact there is little to say beyond this, but their strong point is the fact that they all have a fundamental role in the story and in the dark atmosphere that distinguishes it. ~~~img1000(https://imgur.com/m8Xy7c2.png)~~~ _______________________ __ART/ANIMATIONS__: Absolute strength (although not the only one) of the series is certainly the great work completed by MAPPA which has succeeded in the titanic enterprise of censoring the crudest scenes by adding "original material" that manages to maintain the same level of anguish of the scene. In addition to this, the anime is characterized by a unique graphic style, in which even drawings that look like scribbles have a specific function. ~~~webm(https://imgur.com/M9q6eom.mp4)~~~ Graphic style also characterized by a splendid choice of colors. It is undeniable how Idaten Deities and MAPPA have come together to perfection: the series has gained fame thanks to the splendid work of animations and MAPPA has managed to prove once again the great graphic and adaptation skills for which it has distinguished itself so far. ~~~img1000(https://imgur.com/w7nyZYE.png)~~~ ______________________ __MUSIC__: Very catchy Ending and stellar Opening (my favorite of the season) both in terms of visual and song. Perfect OSTs in any situation, they maintain a very high level of tension throughout the series. _____________________ __CONCLUSION__: I conclude by once again congratulating the anime and the animation studio for the great work that has been done to delight us with this excellent work, which without MAPPA would probably have remained hidden in the depths of mediocre shows. ~~~img1000(https://imgur.com/UiiAHXw.png)~~~ _P.S. I'm not a native English speaker so I apologize for all the grammar mistakes :)_
Perhaps it's time to play Devil's Advocate. Idaten Deities is certainly an oddball among the Summer 2021 line-up. By far one of the most lavishly animated, stylistically interesting, and well-produced shows of the year has been largely ignored, and similarly written off as nothing more than incomprehensible edgy garbage that's "style over substance". What a silly pain in the ass this buzzterm is. It's nothing more than an excuse for people to dismiss a well-animated work they don't like because the writing isn't trying to be the 10/10 kino that the visuals are. It's not because the writing actually gets in the way of all the spectacle like the overly serious and painful melodrama in Bubblegum Crisis and Symphogear. It's because a work that's entertaining and well-presented first and foremost tends to be looked down upon. It neglects the idea that perhaps the style is the substance like in Redline. It also forsakes the idea that while the writing can’t quite compete with the visuals, it can still do enough to not only avoid getting in the way too much, but make the show more interesting in its own right, like with this series. This isn't to say Idaten Deities doesn't have issues worthy of criticizing. It most certainly does. It's crass and juvenile to a fault. The character designs by Amahara (not actually Cool-Kyou Shinja, this is based more on the OG web manga than the serialized one) may work when the female characters are just doing their thing or casually flaunting it around with their mannerisms or outfits without drawing too much attention for a (somehow) non-ecchi title. The show can even highlight that with its camera angles if it wants, since it knows how crass, sexy, and debaucherous it wants to be. However, whenever it shoves rape and sexual assault into the mix, the results are as gaudy and annoying. No matter how much the show tries to spice up the scenes with weird visuals or anything, these scenes are just needlessly unpleasant to watch. If anything, it shows why they don’t work, as the show tries to be super casual about these issues. The demons are generally vile and debaucherous enough without this element coming into play more than once to sour the mood. The fact that one character is introduced by getting raped and her second scene involves her getting fingered against her will while neither of these scenes have that much gravitas to them, makes it understandable why someone would be turned off by this show. It’s a stain on an otherwise fun and interesting ride you won’t get anywhere else. However, barring that one particular blemish, what exactly is so wrong with this show? Why is it that something like Idaten, which has higher production values than even some popular anime that have come out as of late, deserves to be buried or dismissed? The other issues people seem to have involve the show's constant color changing and its characters not being particularly sympathetic, both of which seem to miss the point entirely and feel a bit restrictive and taste-based, respectively. Let's address the show's visuals. Despite being overshadowed by Maid Dragon S2 this year, Idaten is still a highlight of the year in terms of style. The colors are vibrant and the outlines are distinct, often a noticeable reddish purple as opposed to the more understated thin black outlines in most modern anime. Despite how they stick out, the characters still fit the vibrant backgrounds. The colors, both regarding the fun and expressive character designs and the art direction, are similarly vivid. The environments and colors are the closest thing anime is gonna come to looking like Cruelty Squad or ULTRAKILL, as much of a reach as those comparisons are. One can certainly take issue with the admittedly somewhat garish color choices, especially when the show completely and constantly shifts them, but it’s nonetheless really cool and fun that they did this without making the colors eye-bleedingly oversaturated. Fun really is the right word for the show’s visuals. Is it not fun for the show to constantly shake up the colors depending on the environment they travel to, what situation they’re in, or even what attacks some of the demons bust out if the situation calls for it? Should it really be constrained to only busting out these changes in the big beefy flashy moments like in Chivalry of a Failed Knight, especially when the show does this consistently to the point where it never feels aimless or haphazard? It would be one thing if it were truly random and silly, or if the colors were absolute death, but here, it’s a refreshing treat. Outside of the color changes, the actual character animation is wonderful. There are all sorts of amusing facial expressions, and the action scenes are very fluid, punchy, and easy to follow. They’re generally pretty dynamic and even the cuts that don’t seem as visually impressive and do employ some animation shorthands do, such as characters having multiple limbs to show how fast they’re punching, look way better than examples you’d find in Akame ga Kill, Slime, or any number of shows. Good luck counting the number of shorthand speed lines or stock backgrounds in place of actual backgrounds on more than one hand! Even the episode title cards have creative thought put into them, with each of them having distinct colors from one-another and sometimes being put into the environments and backgrounds! Seriously, you can feel just how much director Seimei Kidokoro and his team at (black company) MAPPA emphasized the word “fun” when it came to the visual presentation. The backlash the studio has faced regarding its abysmal treatment of its staff even by the subterranean standards of the industry is certainly warranted. It’s natural that this show would be a casualty of that in some regards, should that be one of the reasons it’s not even remotely popular for its season. However, the efforts of director Kidokoro and his team deserve to be lauded and acknowledged. The fact that they haven’t gotten anywhere near the level of attention of beloved juggernauts of modern anime visuals such Mob Psycho 100 or Dragon Maid has, hell, the fact that it’s not even close to more moderately popular titles such as Akudama Drive, is criminal! Let’s not neglect how the show is written or assume that the visuals are the only real reason to watch it. Doing so is what nets you in “style over substance” territory, and dismisses the writing purely for its juvenile aspects and [very much controlled] flippant tone. They may be the best part, but there’s more to dig into with how the show’s written than some may think. The conflict is ultimately a farcical one. The Idaten notice that demons are out there in the world after 800 years of them being sealed in the underworld, and so they find each other, train, and wipe them out. It's made as early as episode 2 that not only are demons generally weaker and aren't able to regenerate the way an idaten can, but they're never gonna have a chance. It's utterly hilarious how the death of one of their stringer members shuts them up, as they know they're the underdogs in this situation. The best they can hope for is to be brainwashed into aiding the idaten, but they already obtained all the captivates they need by episode 5. This fact and what does come in the last 5 episodes do present faint moments of hope for the demons, but the series goes out of its way to show that it's more about delaying the inevitable than anything else. They know they're screwed by episodes 2, 7, and 10. It's utterly hilarious seeing them shift the goalpost over the course of the series from "killing all idaten" to "killing one" and "surviving long enough for remnants to reform in any meaningful way". Despite this, the show still manages to keep some level of intrigue with what both sides learn and guess from one-another, and how every time, most of it is true except for at least one vital piece of information that trips them up or otherwise stalls their progress. A lot of explanations and info-dumps are fast-forwarded for the sake of time and entertainment, but the way both the Idaten and the humanoid demons under Dr. Obami's rule piece together who or what he is when he himself doesn't know, is one of many examples where this cat and mouse game of information constantly keeps itself fresh while informing the audience. The more the audience learns about the idaten, the demons, and the mechanics, the more engaging some of the fights become in spite of the foregone conclusions of “demons lose and/or die”. Adding to the farcical nature is the fact that we’re not even necessarily meant to root for either side. It’s simply an entertaining charade of evil-doers trying and failing to kill and then slip past the generally callous Idaten. The show may stop and ask questions like “if the demons that forced themselves into human civilization were generally able to live and rule in secret amongst them, what’s to say they can’t coexist”, but the only one who genuinely entertains this question until the very end of the show is Gil, the one relevant human character. She's also the one that got raped in episode 1 and spends most of the shoe in captivity until being freed and watching the emperor of Zoble (the kingdom she's imprisoned in) try to make sure she and the other prisoners aren't hurt. It does seem like sometimes some of these evil demons have a shred of decency and humanity, but barely anyone cares and the most some of the others amount to is loving one specific partner or when Brandy (the Zoble demon empress) makes sure her kids are safe in a moment that surprises both her and said offspring. The idaten aren't necessarily moral, either. They're gods meant to protect humanity from demons, but couldn't give a fuck about the humans themselves or if countries slaughter each other via wars. The oldest one, Rin, even suggests eradicating the kingdom if Zoble outright, knowing any humans living there will die just to kill the couple hundred demons living there. Ysley, the most strategic one of the group, only really rejects this because neighboring countries such as Hotaena will use this as an excuse to war and it'll be a pain in the ass for him considering his master, Prontea, is stationed in Hotaena and enjoys his time there. Even Hayato and the youngest idaten for most of the series, Paula, are single-minded strength junkies and the token normal person without a strong moral compass, respectively. Morality isn't of anyone's concern except for the human, Gil, and what little standards anyone on either side has. Why care? Gil's practically chastised or brushed off by both sides for doing so regarding the war and what the demons did to her people. The show keeps this amusingly callous nature until the last few episodes where the tone still feels rather frank. It's not necessarily a bad thing that we're not meant to really root for/against or sympathize with anyone. That being said, it can limit how enjoyable the show can be as the lack of ability to really care about or get invested in the conflict prevents the spectacle from being as exciting as it can be. The characters and fights are entertaining enough, and the show knows not to take itself too seriously, but it's not like the characters have that much going on beyond fun, catty banter and antics, and how Ysley, Obami, and Miku constantly scheme, learn, and adapt over the course of this conflict. Oh, that's right. We should probably touch upon some of them beyond just Gil, Paula, and Hayato. Ysley is perhaps the most interesting of the main cast, as his allegiance leans more towards Prontea than Rin, making him conduct retrievals behind everyone's backs as he starts asking most of the questions and making the most hypotheses regarding the demons. He's also the one who explains how nobody really gices a fuck about humanity aside from when demons are involved. Rin is the shrimpy oldhead of the group, existing for over 800 decades, watching her father and ancestors seal themselves for that time. Her backstory and how the end of ep 8 and start of 9 bring that back to haunt her at the end of the Zoble invasion are the closest the show comes to expecting us to care about anyone as she spent decades without anyone in the world before she realized the world had become safe for a time. The last two characters to really mention are Miku and Dr. Obami. Miku is debauchery incarnate: a supernaturally intuitive planner who spends as much time thinking as she does feeling up or hitting on prisoners and subordinates. This is before the last few episodes where things get so much more messed up and she becomes just as much of a threat as Obami. Interestingly enough, she's the only one to question him on his identity and intentions, the former of which Obami doesn't know himself, as both the idaten and audience learn only slightly more about him than he does. He just knows the initiative to conquer the idaten and the world, and that ordinary demons not quickly fused into a human brain and body are just savages that will complicate matters for both sides. The music is also pretty good, at least regarding the OST by Yoshiaki Dewa. It's not always that memorable when listening to the show itself, but there are a fair number of choir-based and intense tracks, with the vibrant and ever-shifting title track and its variants, "World Adjustment'', "God of Battle", “Escape”, “Training Room”, “Kicking”, and “Sadness of Love” being among the most notable ones. It's like a mix of industrial and avant garde, with techno, and perhaps more indiginous (for lack of a better word) percussion and choir elements thrown in as well to make it an eclectic soundtrack. Some of the tracks are rather strange and unique, and the OST fits well with the impressive fight scenes, as well as the moments of thinking and planning several characters engage in. Many of the aforementioned pieces stood out when watching, but several more did as well upon listening to the full OST, including some of the more traditional kinds of songs in the tracklist. Meanwhile, the OP and ED aren't exactly memorable or enjoyable songs as the former is kinda whatever and the almost noise-pop-esque song for the latter is surprisingly hard to listen to, but their visuals are top-notch with a Mob Psycho 100 II level sequence and a still vibrant and fun what-if scenario, respectively. Idaten Deities is a weird and engaging show for reasons that some other titles could never get away with. It’s callous and juvenile, both hilariously and unfortunately so at times. The characters are the least interesting aspect of the series, with the amazing visuals amusingly uphill and forgone nature of the conflict being where most of the entertainment comes from. The show's callous attitude does make slapstick beatdowns more fun whenever Hayato, who expects beatings from Rin no matter what, gets demolished and treats it like an annoyance at worst. It's an entertaining spectacle with some odd decisions made towards the back end, and some interesting questions and ideas it tackles without losing sight of its fun yet lackadaisical and glib tone. There's minimal ugly CG and generally speaking, the show's visuals are consistently well-animated, vibrant, and ever-changing. If you can look past some of its worst and most distasteful moments, then this series is certainly one of the most darkly humorous and entertaining popcorn spectacles in recent years. Just beware of the cliffhanger ending that happens right when the show actively feels like creating tension.
So, the best seasonal has officialy ended, and it's name is Heion Sedai no Idaten-tachi. (Sequel doesn't count) This review contain Spoiler about this series, so if you haven't watched Idaten do not scroll. ___ But first: What is Idaten: ~~~img330(https://i.postimg.cc/Hxwxfh1y/Heion-Sedai-no-Idaten-tachi-episode-1.jpg)~~~ It has been 800 years since the incredibly fast and powerful gods of battle known as the Idaten had sealed away the demons after an intense battle. Now, that battle is just considered a myth or a fairytale. While the current generation of Idaten who have never even had to fight are enjoying their peaceful lives, someone awakened the demons once again! Armed forces, ingenuity. politics, and intrigue. If you've got it, use everything you can! This three-way battle royale with no rules and no limits is about to begin!! ____ # So let's talk about few point of this plot. Firstable, the Idenity about this Idaten; what is a idaten? Basically is a incanation from the thoughts. despair and hope from Human. In certain circumstances This emotions can create an Idaten. But there's an important step: When a Idaten born the person who bring the idaten from the birth portal gave him a part of his nature. Second: The world building: Poor but some intresting material, An Imperial that approve Sex And rape......BEAUTIFULL ___ # About the character ~~~img330(https://i.postimg.cc/rw9L22Dc/heion-sedai-no-idaten-tachi-01-large-12.jpg)~~~ -[Hayato](https://anilist.co/character/207747/Hayato): His like Goku, he need one thing in his life: fight ( Can he beat Goku tho?) -[Ysley](https://anilist.co/character/207746/Isli): The brain of this trio (Megumi Ogata for his VA is perfect) -[Paula](https://anilist.co/character/207748/Paula): She's quite idaten an sometimes stupid, but she must protect -[Prontea](https://anilist.co/character/226660/Prontea): He's like a god -[Rin](https://anilist.co/character/207766/Rin): A MONSTER GODDAMIT! ___ # About the animation ~~~img330(https://i.postimg.cc/856KDLZW/OIP.jpg)~~~ God Bless Studio MAPPA, because they use a fantastic combo with a 2-d Animation style mixed with color that gave a strange contrast that result perfect, in Italy we call this "Tamarrata" search for the meaning. I really appreciate this animation style and i was happy that mappa take this anime and make a perl. ___ About The Music OPENING:[When The Weak Go Marching In...](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p05lg3ShOzg) 10/10 A BANGER OP AND THE BEST OPENING OF SUMMER 2021 ENDING:[RAIKA](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ueHtshfBisg&t=0s)8/10 ____ #Last word If you searched for a slice of life, romantic anime o something calm, GTFOH because Idaten its something else, here in this anime we got: sex scene with funny censure, Rap3 scene, masochism, fight, blood everyway. So if you want this type of anime Idaten is a guarantee Trust me and give it a shot, because i give him hope when it was announced and repaid great me
~~~**Trigger warning for sexual assault.**~~~ ~~~**This review contains mild spoilers for The Idaten Deities Know Only Peace**~~~ img520(https://animecorner.me/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/E4323LXUUAIsFpB-724x1024.jpg?ezimgfmt=ng:webp/ngcb20) I'm not a fan of the idea of a "modern classic"; I feel that for a work to be considered a classic, enough time needs to pass that you can view it with fresh, analytical lens. Yet, there are times when you can just *tell* a show will be a classic. I'm pretty confident in saying that *The Idaten Dieties Know Only Peace* (or simply "*Idaten*") is one of those shows, albeit with a caveat: it's going to be a *cult* classic. And as much as its fans desire for it to be something more, that's probably the best it can hope for. *Idaten* seemed destined to stay confined to the periphery of the anime community. It saw next-to-no advertisement from Crunchyroll; something I suspect was due to both the anime's own content and the fallout surrounding the mangaka's previous show, *[Interspecies Reviewers](https://anilist.co/review/6280)*. While the *adaptions* of the original writer and artist's most famous works were well-received (*Interspecies Reviewers* and *Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid*, respectively) the creators' names themselves weren't much of a draw. Perhaps the biggest thing the show had going for it was its studio, but with the anime community split between thinking MAPPA *is* shit and thinking it is *the* shit, this still didn't guarantee eyes on the screen. Even in a relatively lull season, *Idaten* didn't make much of a splash when it released in the middle of Summer 2021 — of the 36 shows airing in the season, it’s ranked #18 in popularity. While it didn't make a splash, it *did* make ripples, and as of the beginning of this writing, *Idaten* is in the top ten highest-rated shows of its season. img520(https://i0.wp.com/100wordanime.blog/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Idaten-Ep-5-1.png?resize=648%2C367&ssl=1) *Idaten* entered my radar because it was written by Amahara, creator of Winter 2020's runaway hit, *Interspecies Reviewers*. I legitimately loved the care that was put into the world of *Interspecies Reviewers* and I was excited to see Amahara's skills put to use in a more story-driven work. With a [poster](https://static.animebee.to/i/cache/images/9/92/92b0c128ca6210ac3d75cb95fc09fdac.jpg) featuring the buxom antagonist, Miku, it was clear Amahara would still be provocative and I was all for it. I couldn't wait for *Idaten* to premiere. Going into the show itself, the first thing you should know about it is that there's a rape scene at the end of the first episode. Yeah, the elephant in room when it comes to *Idaten* is its sexual elements. Given how prominent this aspect of the show ends up being, delaying my thoughts on it feels ingenuine, like I'm beating around the bush. The sexual aspect of *Idaten* is so offputting and prominent that it *will* inform your view of the show. img520(https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w780/RSpBtVnyAPqlfQHn3DG6PcjSyH.jpg) Unfortunately, it all but breaks the show for me. At the end of episode one, soldiers of the Zoble Empire pillage a city and break into a Church where they rape Gil, the nun residing there. Like everything else in the episode, the scene of the horrible deed was stylistic: the background was colorful, the soldiers (and Gil's legs) are only depicted in silhouette, there are exaggerated splatters of blood, a snippet of [Emperor Waltz](https://youtu.be/EBLaMmxyibE?t=122) plays over the entire thing, and their movements emulate a dance. Unfollow me or block me if you must but, when I first watched the episode, I didn't think this was a terrible depiction. It helps that, unlike some other depictions of rape in anime, it wasn't directed in a tantalizing way. It feels *somewhat* tasteful, all things considered. It feels like a stylized discretion shot more than anything. While you could make the argument that the slightly comedic, absurd tone of the scene turns it into an off-color joke and robs the scene of the gravitas it deserves, I thought it was a creative way to paint the rapists as twisted. Hindsight is 20/20 and knowing what I do now, it seems like the show was laughing *with* the soldiers at Gil's expense. That said, I stand by the scene not being designed to arouse. That said, I *also* stand by the scene being gratuitous as all get out. This scene comes completely out of nowhere — we're following our heroes, then at the end of the episode, we get a jump cut to the ruins of a city followed by the scene. There was no lead-up, and it felt added just to shock. I've heard some say it characterizes Zoble Empire as evil but there are ways to paint characters as evil without rape scenes. Really, it just paints the show as edgy. Sure, not edgy in quite the same way *Goblin Slayer* or *Redo of Healer* are, but edgy nonetheless. I suppose the one thing the scene does is set the tone of the series well — edgy irreverence. But I didn't know this at the time. I didn't like the scene, but I decided to give *Idaten* the benefit of the doubt. img520(https://i.imgur.com/EBwJRkj.jpg) In the next episode, we're treated to members of Zoble's army cheering once they're encouraged by their superiors to pillage more establishments. Some of them scream how much they like lolis/shotas and the elderly. While it was obviously uncomfortable, it was also funny in a gallows humor kind of way. It's the type of joke you immediately think to yourself "I'm going to hell for this" once you laugh at it. There’s a certain distance between us and faceless, goofy mooks excitedly cheering about a horrible act. It's decidedly not *good*, but it's so ridiculous that I found it hard to stay too mad at. Then it stopped feeling ridiculous. img520(https://lostinanime.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Heion-Sedai-no-Idaten-tachi-01-08.jpg) In episode 5, one of our heroes uses an attack to destroy the clothes of his enemy, leaving her completely naked. Then he uses a debilitating aphrodisiac on her, leaving her defenseless as she begs for Ysli to kill her instead. Ysli ends up not doing anything sexual with her, he just used the aphrodisiac for Reasons™. Given that the show has already established that it's perfectly willing to "Go there," this feels like a rape scene fake-out and I don't appreciate it. Then, in the same episode, when talking to her abuser, Gil pulls a pretty disgusting example of hentai logic in having her go "I actuawwy wiked being waped UwU." img520(https://i1.wp.com/100wordanime.blog/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Idaten-Ep-5-5.png?resize=648%2C366&ssl=1) img520(https://i.imgur.com/N95QcFX.jpg) And this is really when I stopped being on board with the show. While I could still enjoy it, for the most part, I had a distinct feeling of constantly looking over my shoulder, perpetually on edge in case they decided to throw more uncomfortable, sexual curveballs at me. It became hard for me to recommend at this point because even if the sexual elements didn't dominate the show, they were frequent and unsettling enough to be offputting. This comes to a head when some of the villains *have sex with several seven-year-olds* and while it's not explicit, it's still depicted. I checked the fuck out at this point. By the end, the handling of sexual violence makes *Idaten* hard to watch. It's all one big joke to *Idaten* — the problem, however, is that I don't find it funny. Call me a prude, but I don't find rape entertaining. Utilizing uncomfortable topics effectively requires both tact and skill, but Amahara seems to largely know neither. The envelope always needs to be pushed — any and every joke needs to be thrown in without any care for delivery, caring not what *should* be done, but what *can* be done. All in the name of irreverence. And believe me, if I could, I'd *want* to say this is just a blemish, that you *could* just look past this weakness in favor of the anime's strengths. img520(https://animecorner.me/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Prontea-Hayato-Idaten-Deities-1.png) But there are two problems with this. Problem one: it’s so prominent in the story, so uncomfortable and stark when it *does* show up that I can't, in good conscience, brush it aside. Problem two: there aren't that many strengths to speak of. *The Idaten Deities Know Only Peace* follows the titular Idaten - beings of supreme strength and durability that are created from the prayers of humans. 800 years ago, the Idaten battled against the monstrous demon race, culminating in most of the Idaten at the time sacrificing themselves to seal the demons away, saving the world. The only Idaten to remain was Rin, the granddaughter of their leader. She has watched over the seal and looked after the new generation of Idaten — the fighting freak Hayato, the bookish Ysli, the soft-spoken and nature-loving Paula, and the mysterious Prontea. While she has trained Prontea and Hayato extensively over the years, none of the Idaten know what *true* conflict is like; for the 800 years since the demons have been sealed, they’ve known only peace. That's about to change when the demons begin rearing their heads once more, forcing the Idaten to action. Unbeknownst to them, the demons have been operating for some time now through the brutal Zoble Empire. The premise, as you can see, is pretty light. You can certainly do interesting things *with* it, but it’s not really that noteworthy in-and-of-itself. This isn't necessarily a bad thing; a basic premise gives the writer a sandbox to play around in. Amahara does this to a certain extent. As much as I dislike some of his choices, I have to admit that he can create interesting settings. He went **hard** when it came to worldbuilding in *Interspecies Reviewers* and *Idaten* — harder than he had any right to go. The mechanics of the demons and Idaten are genuinely cool and go a long way to keep me interested. If Amahara *is* placed in a sandbox, you can bet your ass that he pretties it up with seashells, flower petals, and colorful rocks, making it fun to be in. img520(https://i.imgur.com/pV88ZpJ.jpg) Yet when it comes time to actually mold the sand into something great, Amahara can only eke out the most basic of shapes. For what's essentially a half step below hentai, this is fine; it's considered above and beyond, in fact. But it leaves a lot to be desired when it comes to a more story-focused work. Amahara really doesn't do much with the concept of ~~Angels~~Idaten vs. Demons to make it interesting. Given the title of the damn thing, you'd expect the Idaten to be ill-equipped to fight the demons due to centuries of peace. But no. Rin, Prontea, and Hayato have such monstrous strength that the demons are demolished in outright slugfests. The years of peace don’t mean that the demons are well-hidden. While they are at the beginning, but it doesn't really take the Idaten long to sniff them out like bloodhounds. It's not even that the demons are more crafty than the Idaten — while the demons have a master strategist in Miku, the Idaten have their own in Ysli. Outclassed by the Idaten in nearly every conceivable way, the best the demons can do is flee and bunker down, turning the conflict into a manhunt. This is a lot less interesting than it sounds. The only time the Idaten are on the ropes is in the final episode. This makes for a legitimately shocking and chilling cliffhanger, but at that point, it felt too little, too late. You could make the argument that the show is marvel in how straightforward the plot is. If the characters want to do something, they do it easily and quickly, without much hassle. I'd say this certainly makes *Idaten* unique, but it doesn't make it refreshing, as this obviously robs the show of stakes, making it boring and unengaging. A weak plot can be carried by strong characters. Unfortunately, *Idaten* doesn't have any. img520(https://allthefujoshiunite.files.wordpress.com/2021/08/adsiz-tasarim1-2.jpg?w=1200&h=675&crop=1) By far, the most compelling character is Rin. From her relationship with her grandfather to her transformation from terrified survivor to no-nonsense, badass teacher, she's the character who has the most depth. It still isn't *much* depth, but it's still better than literally every other character. Unfortunately, in the first episode, we move away from Rin in favor of Hayato who's a generic, apathetic, kind of douche-y action anime protagonist. What's that, you don't like Hayato? Don't worry, *Idaten* is a full-on ensemble cast, jumping from the POV of several Idaten and demons throughout its run. Unfortunately, all the characters still feel fairly shallow and can be easily encapsulated in a single sentence (and no, I won't be doing that because there's a lot of characters and none I care about). In the final episode, we see Paula being tortured and while I felt bad, I felt bad insofar as anyone with empathy would if they witnessed someone being brutally tortured. I didn't foster much care for Paula throughout the show's run and as much as the final episode tried to tug at my heartstrings, music just wasn't playing. It's also hard to care because pretty much everyone in this show is completely unsympathetic. img520(https://www.anmosugoi.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Heion-Sedai-no-Idaten-tachi-8-1.jpg) Whether we're following the Idaten or demons it's hard to like the cast of characters. It's simply a matter of picking your poison. Do you prefer the Idaten's cold amorality in which they don't care about the suffering of the world, only jumping in to help humans when the demons tip the balance of some arbitrary ecological scale? Or do you prefer the demons' hedonistic immorality wherein they slaughter, rape, and destroy with wanton abandon? What's that, you prefer neither? Too bad, you get both! Enjoy your stay! I was careful to say "sympathetic" instead of "likable." While it’s tricky to pull off, you can still have a cast of unlikeable characters if you can still believe in their plight and empathize with them. You largely can't with the characters of *Idaten*. You might *begin* to feel bad about the Idaten slaughtering the demons with extreme prejudice until you remember that the demons are comprised of immoral rapists that largely make you *want* them to be exterminated. Yet you're not really invested in the Idaten because they're assholes who really don't protect the humans because they *want* to but because they're obligated to as their job. You're not really compelled to root for anyone in Idaten, making for an alienating watch. img520(https://randomc.net/image/Heion%20Sedai%20no%20Idaten-tachi/Heion%20Sedai%20no%20Idaten-tachi%20-%2005%20-%20Large%2025.jpg) It certainly doesn't help that we tend to focus on the most analytical, morally bankrupt characters in Yslii and Miku. I've heard some say this makes sense since this is a story about espionage and mind games, but there really isn't *much* when it comes to espionage. There are snippets of it, yes, but the show really isn't smart enough to make it compelling. 4D chess this ain't. The sole character that *is* sympathetic (and hell, likable) is Gil. She's introduced by being brutally raped and she quickly becomes the show's punching bag. One of her most defining traits is her faith and she's constantly mocked and berated for it, being told that her prayers don't matter and that God, if He exists, won't help her. Considering that Gods *do* exist in the setting and her prayers directly lead to a creation of one (that's modeled after her, to boot), this comes across as odd, to say the least. It's telling that there's a bit where a character says she's useless for wanting to help out a nation's reconstruction since she doesn't have the combat training of the rapist soldiers that make up the army. The way Gil's treated makes me want to give her a hug. Kind of like a certain [Kotonoha](https://anilist.co/review/4964). img520(https://c.tenor.com/LEhu7kBk7lAAAAAC/the-idaten-deities-know-only-peace-anime.gif) The terrible people on both sides, the irreverent humor, the handling of sexual assault, and the treatment of Gil all just make this show feel very meanspirited. Not *dark* mind you, as you can still have a dark show with a glimmer of hope, with care for its characters. No, nothing is sacred to *Idaten*, noting really matters. It's all one big joke that feels more cruel than funny; like laughing hysterically after you trip someone and they break their nose on the pavement. To Amahara, sexual assault is made to either laugh at or drool over. To Amahara, you're an idiot for believing in religion and salvation, yet paradoxically, you shouldn't try making things better yourself because you're useless. The world is locked in a perpetual game of cops and robbers — agents of chaos and destruction fighting against the enforcers of law who do what they do not because they believe in it but because they have to. Forgive me if I sound melodramatic, but watching *Idaten* is draining. img520(https://i.imgur.com/vuVAe8F.jpeg) The crazy thing is that there's something besides the meanspiritedness, the edginess, the piecemeal plot, the cardboard characters — *Idaten's* greatest strength. It's not *quite* enough to save this show, for me, but I have to admit it got close. It’s certainly enough to mask the show's faults most of the time. Let's talk about the production. youtube(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vVCe35P7oaw) From the moment the OP starts, you can tell that *Idaten* is absolutely *dripping* with style. The theme song, "Seija no Koshin" is absolutely infectious and the colorful, trippy, and somewhat offputting visuals are a beautiful preview for the show to come. The OP and ED duo will probably remain one of my favorites. The show features a talented cast of veteran seiyuu including Megumi Ogata (Shinji Ikari, Yuuji Mutou) as Ylsi, Romi Park (Hange-san, Edward Elric) as Hayato, Akemi Okamura (*One Piece*'s Nami) as Rin, and Choo (*One Piece's* Brook) as Dr. Oobami. The show employs a simple art style and very bright color palettes, making it easy to look at. img520(https://i0.wp.com/100wordanime.blog/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Idaten-Ep-5-2.png?resize=648%2C366&ssl=1) But where the show really shines is in its animation, which lends itself to very entertaining fights. Say what you will about MAPPA, while it’s at a horrible cost, they can have some truly stunning animation, and *Idaten* is a prime example of that, showcasing fluid motion and impactful hits. *Idaten* features copious amounts of color shifts to heighten the action and draw your attention. The mechanics of the Idaten lend themselves well to stellar fights. The Idaten are capable of extreme feats of speed, power, and durability. Punches will cause their fists to go clean through opponents. Attacks will send people flying through several mountains. As they run thousands of miles per hour, they'll leave giant columns of dirt in their wake with each step. They'll lose entire limbs, accompanied by ridiculous showers of blood, but will live to fight another day. *Idaten* is absolutely bonkers, stylized as all hell, and I was here for it. img520(https://animenewsandfacts.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/story01_2_compress36.jpg?ezimgfmt=ng%3Awebp%2Fngcb180%2Frs%3Adevice%2Frscb180-2) With its color shifts and larger-than-life bouts, I've heard *Idaten* likened to *[JoJo's](https://anilist.co/review/11433) [Bizarre](https://anilist.co/review/12122) [Adventure](https://anilist.co/review/13440)*. They certainly share some similarities, but I don't want you thinking that *Idaten* is derivative. It’s not quite like any anime I've seen before. *JoJo* is by-and-large bizarre, while *Idaten* is downright *[wacky](https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/original/001/712/084/d13.jpg)*. It feels like a demented version of Loony Tunes, a comparison heightened and by the comedic undertone ~~and Prontea's stupid, Ronald McDonald-esque [shoes](https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/idaten/images/8/85/Prontea_anime_design.png/revision/latest?cb=20210703172936)~~. It's hard to put in words, but this stylization imbues the episodes with an energy that makes 22 minutes feel more like five. There's a flourish in even the smallest details. The after-commercial transitions feature a cascade of bubbles and either a chant or a guitar riff. Exposition is given at a breakneck pace, with a humorous, "fast-forward" icon at the corner of the screen. Inexplicably, MAPPA brought their A-game when it came to *Idaten*. img520(https://i.imgur.com/z2PYEt6.jpg) As you could probably tell, the story is my most important factor for judging an anime. But *Idaten* is proof that I'm not immune to spectacle. The show was *always* very simple, but spectacle can bring in hype, can cause the adrenaline to cloud your vision. *Idaten's* stylistic production was a siren song, lulling me into a false sense of security. For a while, I still thought I'd enjoy this show, overall, even if I didn't feel comfortable recommending it. img520(https://i2.wp.com/www.animefeminist.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Idaten-1-scaled.jpg?fit=810%2C452&ssl=1) When the ninth episode rolled around and featured no fighting, the bubble burst. It was striking to realize that, without the glitz and the glamor of the fighting, I disliked *Idaten*. This show is *nothing* without its style. Its lack of substance seems to be more due to ineptitude than choice. More damningly, the show absolutely refuses to have anything *resembling* heart, trading it for uncomfortable edginess and irreverence. Believe me, the style gives *Idaten* many points, but it's ultimately not enough to make it an enjoyable watch. Given how my main sticking point is the sexual element, there's *another* elephant in the room, one I *did* brush aside — my own reasons for going into the show. In case you’ve forgotten, I was enticed due to Amahara's previous, sex-focused work, *Interspecies Reviewers* and was excited because it seemed like *Idaten* might be a sexy show as well. The show's defenders might be notching their arrows, eager to knock me off the high horse that I appear to be on. Fellow detractors might be scratching their heads, perceiving me to be complaining about what I signed up for. And yeah, I admit it, I really did love *Interspecies Reviewers*, still do, in fact — to an extent that feels embarrassing in hindsight. No matter what you think of it, I stand by it being a refreshingly fun, positive depiction of sex with an interesting world as a backdrop. It showed me interesting sex could be had in hentai. It led to me creating a subseries of reviews dedicated to chronicling similarly remarkable ecchi/hentai. Yeah, I played a stupid game, won a stupid prize. As dumb as it was, I trusted Amahara. I thought that he was going to show that you needn’t be a weirdo for liking hentai. How foolish of me. Silly me for not expecting rape to be passed off as a joke. I know it's too much to ask for. Part of me scoring this as low as I am is for the simple fact of Amahara making me feel like a fucking idiot. img520(https://i2.wp.com/www.animefeminist.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Idaten2.jpg?resize=810%2C456&ssl=1) The thing I hear fans say the most about *Idaten* is that more people should be watching it. At the start of its run, I was inclined to agree. Now? Not so much. We return to the idea of *Idaten* as a cult hit. Something being a cult classic isn't just about the number of fans something has but *how* its fans watch it. Many cult classic movies are campy, with their fans acknowledging that they’re "objectively" not great. While *Idaten* fans seem to believe it’s legitimately good, I'm sure they know that it has different sensibilities than most anime, sensibilities that don't make it palatable for a general audience. As much as I groan at the anime community sometimes, I still have enough optimism to believe anime fans at large wouldn't clamor over something this debased. More eyes on *Idaten* probably wouldn't give it the attention fans want. People assume this would become the anime community's AOTY. Perhaps it could, but not without a major caveat. If it became more popular, the best it could hope for is becoming another *Shield Hero*. Lots of people *would* like it, but discussion of it would always invariably involve its more Problematic™ elements. More likely, it would become another *Goblin Slayer*, another *Redo of Healer*, becoming more *in*famous than famous. The anime would become overshadowed by controversy, discourse on the show almost immediately devolving into a shouting match. No one would be able to actually discuss any element of the show besides its controversies because it would become the next focal point of an anime community civil war. *Idaten* has a decent following. Given its content, this is probably the best outcome for it. Hopefully, it gets the second season fans want. img520(https://animeanime.global/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/366600.jpg) It's ultimately a show I cannot recommend. The absolutely ingenious style isn't enough to save the show from the meanspirited tone and the abundance of sexual violence. If you're a fan, I know you want to tell everyone you know to watch this show, but you're liable to make someone really, *really* uncomfortable for no good reason. ~~~img200(https://i.imgur.com/ufridNJ.png)~~~ img520(https://i.redd.it/8ckjc2gprnq71.jpg)
I gotta say man, I liked the show a lot. Went in with 0 expectations and ended up enjoying it a lot. The one show that I can compare it to is Gantz due to some similar tags that are major to their respective anime: gratuitous sex, boobies , gore and edge but there is one obvious contrast, the overall tone of the show. In Gantz, everything was grim and the "unknown" was treated with respect. The loss of a human life, even if they happened to be a side character was made out to be a big thing and that worked well for Gantz and its whole theme. But the reason why Idaten is more sinister in that regard is because of the absolute disregard of the value of human beings on the show. It was like the Idaten and Demons were the only entities that mattered and the rest were trivial. The realization that Paula had that idaten were born/ yanked into existence because of 3 things, human's need for salvation being one of them , Ysley acknowledging that this is the case and Paula replying by saying.... but we dont do anything in return for the humans which is then met by Ysley's casual dismissal by basically saying that we are not obligated to do so was pretty chilling and hence that artsy rape scene of the nun in the beginning, the way the human soldiers of zoble casually demanded sex slaves in the form of women and children... and later on that hilarious line in the maternity ward: give birth to children who will grow up to be the soldiers who brought you here... these women were raped on the battlefield.... it was said in a way that made me laugh out loud and stunned simultaneously. The portrayal of a cynical/devil may care set of characters in such an upbeat and comedic way was truly refreshing to say the least. The inversion of colors reminded me of jojo but it seemed like it was just abused here more. The crudely drawn surroundings and lack of worldbuilding didnt hinder my experience, even for a second, because the characters and the story was enough and it came off as the main focus on the show. Maybe it is better off this way, who knows , if the world building would have made it seem more detailed oriental than it deserved to be. The bubbly transitions and the fight scenes were not bad either. Plot was fast paced and it was smooth sailing up until the last 3 eps ,only to be undone by the demon lord and his minions was fun to watch. I would say that most of the characters had sufficient attributes that did not really make any of them feel overpowered than they already were. Ysley being the brains of the operation, Hayato the brawn, Paula having speed, Old hag with her supernatural strength but 0 IQ strategies, Prontea's curious mind along with a decent amount of strength... all of these did not feel out of place and they complemented each other. All of them played a role which would not necessarily be greater or lesser than each other. Banger OP and ED it had. That is all.