Man, it feels like forever since I wrote anything on here. I haven't really watched anything that spurned any strong opinions in me lately. That changed when I finished this unexpected gem of an anime series, Night Raid 1931.
Night Raid 1931 follows the exploits of an espionage group - Sakurai Kikan. This group is made up for four members - Rash Aoi, stiff Kazura, stoic Natsume, and grim Yukina. Sakurai Kikan is a very special spy team since each of it's members has a special psychic ability. Each one plays an essential role in protecting the Japanese occupation China. The group goes on various missions in the beginning of the series. In time we come to see that they are ultimately trying to prevent a 2nd world war.
Likes - When I first began watching this series, I wasn't really sucked in. In fact, I only watched it to have something to do before bed. As the series progressed, I lost sleep since I just had to push forward with the next episode. The first strong point about this series is the overarching theme and plot. At the beginning, it seemed the team was being sent out on random missions. Halfway through, the series started to have a clear direction and, eventually, a fitting climax. That is focused, thought out writing. So many anime series will have 26 episodes, but the series can be summed up in less then 6 of those. Night Raid 1931 is above that. Every episode was vital to the plot. When a series does that, then I end up not feeling like I wasted time on filler.
The second strong point of the series is the characters. I thought a team of 4 for Sakurai Kikan seemed small. On the contrary, it was the right amount. We come to see each member as a unique and interesting person. The back and forth between Aoi and Kazura adds a healthy balance of opposing views and tension. As the story charges forward, you understand the choices both men make. With Yukina, you can feel her pain and frustration with dealing with her brother. Each members' unique abilities also helps to create a very tight, symbiotic fluidity amongst the team as well. I think the characters were the greatest triumph of this series.
Dislikes - My only complaint is the play order that was given by Netflix. I think their instant stream includes OVAs not normally a part of the series. The second episode was actually the team's first meeting of each other. It would normally be fine but I had no clue what was going on. Other then that, nothing in particular stands out worth complaining about
Overall - I recommend this series highly. The depth of the characters reminded me of Baccano! and the theme of war reminded me of Full Metal Alchemist, two series dear to my heart. This series managed to surprise me with its depth, pacing, and overall excitement. Put this one on the top of your 'To Watch' List!. You won't regret it!
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