Reviews Anime / MetalFightBeyblade

Anime Better Than It Sounds, By a Longshot

My siblings get up every morning to watch this show without fail. Whenever I saw them, I'd say, "It's about magical spinning tops" and they'd reply, "Yes, but!" Honestly, I never got the point.

So one day, they sat me down in front of the TV and made me watch the first episode. It wasn't all that great, but being a teenage girl I was (shamefully, in my opinion) interested in Kyoya. So I watched a few more episodes. (Also, having heard of Doji's habit of drinking orange juice in a champagne glass, I simply had to see that for myself.)

I have to say, I was surprised when it developed an actual plot, but I was also pretty impressed. This wasn't another Pokemon, where (to my understanding) you just go around fighting strange animals. I'm also obsessed with three-dimensional characters, and this series definitely surprised me in a pleasant way. Now I'm hooked.

Is it a predictable kids' show that has obvious morals at the end of every episode? Heck yes. It's about magical spinning tops. But they're badass magical spinning tops! (And Kyoya, Watarigani, and even little Kenta are holding my interest!)

Anime An Amusing, if Formulaic, Shonen Anime

Is the story predictable? Yes, it is. Is the acting unnecessarily over-the-top? Yes, it is. Is it a hell of a lot of fun to watch? Yes, it sure is. The storyline is fun to follow, even if you can predict everything from the very start. Some of the characters (Namely Ryuuga, Tsubasa and Kyoya) are major badasses, and one wonders how they got stuck spinning tops with small children. Tetsuya Watarigani (the so-called 'wandering blader'-crab!) is hilarious and adds some much-needed comic relief. Young boys, in particular, will enjoy the time-tested Shonon formula, though I wouldn't by any means recommend it for a more mature audience.