No Game No Life is the story of two adoptive siblings, Sora and Shiro, who are NEETShut Ins in the real world, but the gaming legends known as "Blank" online. After meeting and playing against Tet, who calls himself the god of games, the siblings are transported to Disboard, where everything is decided through games, and "Imanty," the equivalent of humanity, is on the brink of extinction. They set out to lead Imanity to victory against other races and ultimately challenge Tet again.
The series is primarily based on games, since in Disboard, all conflicts are settled with games that have magically binding wagers(not just money or possessions, but also intangible things, like memories and promises). As such, you'll see many well-known games with special twist, such as chess with pieces that have wills of their own. Since the new rules invalidate many traditional strategies, the siblings must often come up with unconventional strategies to win, as they generally do.
This brings us to the main characters themselves, as in even a charitable analysis, they toe the line of being Mary Sues. They have their various flaws, but not only are those limited in their significance and usually portrayed comedically rather than something they'll have to overcome or live with, they also possess the one skill that matters in Disboard. They generally win by the skin of their teeth, but they win nevertheless. They're too eccentric and out there to be like normal people and too talented to be This Loser Is You material.
That said, some of the side characters are significantly more interesting. While the siblings often treat Steph, the princess of Imanity, like a joke, she has talents that they don't initially notice, and her goal- leading her kingdom well and proving that her late grandfather wasn't a "foolish king"- is a good one, so perhaps she'd be good protagonist material if she had more gaming skill. Kurami, the duo's first major opponent, has an interesting backstory and undergoes a fair amount of Character Development later on, even if the latter requires not one, but two, humiliating losses to the protagonists. Most of the main characters' opponents are also portrayed sympathetically, simply trying to advance their races' interests in a dog-eat-dog world, so it makes sense that they often eventually ally with the protagonists.
The series doesn't always take itself seriously, and there's a good amount of humor to be had, especially unabashed and thinly censored references to popular works, as well as the protagonists referencing and discussing various anime and video game tropes. Unfortunately, the Fanservice, while sometimes parodied and Played for Laughs, does get a bit excessive at times.
All in all, No Game No Life is enjoyable, but not for those who would like to see their protagonists fail, whether from time to time or in the end, or would like main characters to whom they can relate.
Not For Everyone
No Game No Life is the story of two adoptive siblings, Sora and Shiro, who are NEET Shut Ins in the real world, but the gaming legends known as "Blank" online. After meeting and playing against Tet, who calls himself the god of games, the siblings are transported to Disboard, where everything is decided through games, and "Imanty," the equivalent of humanity, is on the brink of extinction. They set out to lead Imanity to victory against other races and ultimately challenge Tet again.
The series is primarily based on games, since in Disboard, all conflicts are settled with games that have magically binding wagers(not just money or possessions, but also intangible things, like memories and promises). As such, you'll see many well-known games with special twist, such as chess with pieces that have wills of their own. Since the new rules invalidate many traditional strategies, the siblings must often come up with unconventional strategies to win, as they generally do.
This brings us to the main characters themselves, as in even a charitable analysis, they toe the line of being Mary Sues. They have their various flaws, but not only are those limited in their significance and usually portrayed comedically rather than something they'll have to overcome or live with, they also possess the one skill that matters in Disboard. They generally win by the skin of their teeth, but they win nevertheless. They're too eccentric and out there to be like normal people and too talented to be This Loser Is You material.
That said, some of the side characters are significantly more interesting. While the siblings often treat Steph, the princess of Imanity, like a joke, she has talents that they don't initially notice, and her goal- leading her kingdom well and proving that her late grandfather wasn't a "foolish king"- is a good one, so perhaps she'd be good protagonist material if she had more gaming skill. Kurami, the duo's first major opponent, has an interesting backstory and undergoes a fair amount of Character Development later on, even if the latter requires not one, but two, humiliating losses to the protagonists. Most of the main characters' opponents are also portrayed sympathetically, simply trying to advance their races' interests in a dog-eat-dog world, so it makes sense that they often eventually ally with the protagonists.
The series doesn't always take itself seriously, and there's a good amount of humor to be had, especially unabashed and thinly censored references to popular works, as well as the protagonists referencing and discussing various anime and video game tropes. Unfortunately, the Fanservice, while sometimes parodied and Played for Laughs, does get a bit excessive at times.
All in all, No Game No Life is enjoyable, but not for those who would like to see their protagonists fail, whether from time to time or in the end, or would like main characters to whom they can relate.