Final Thoughts: Gleipnir

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That was…better than I expected.

I have talked a lot about how when going into most shows, I tend to have little or no expectations as to what the show’s contents will be so I can give it a fair evaluation, but inevitably there will be some anime that spark such an interest that it inevitably leads to excitement. For me, “Gleipnir” was one of those shows.

Though, I will say that for this show most of my expectations were generated solely based on the show’s aesthetic and a strange connection I made between it and old “Amnesia” lets-plays from Markiplier. Just…don’t ask. So, how did the show live up to my oddly inspired expectations? Actually, pretty well.

For once, I was not betrayed by hopes of what the show could offer, even if most others would probably disagree with me as to the elements worthy of merit. With that being said, without stalling much longer, lets get into it.

The Bad Stuff

Ok, so lets just start with what I do think the show did badly. First things first, for as much as she seemingly does in the show, Clair is not really that interesting. Like, I get that she is there to create juxtaposition and tension, specifically between Shuuichi and Elena. However, outside of that purpose, and also for the occasional random fanservice, she barely has a personality other than being sarcastic and mean. Like, the most important thing she does is help Shuuichi get back his memories by asking him when the last time he saw his parents.

The other bad thing about the show that I think can be justified somewhat is its ending. The show left off on what I have heard referred to by many as a “read the manga” ending, which is exactly what it sounds like. This makes it a lot less enjoyable since there is no clear resolution and a main villain yet to be fought who was introduced only episode before the end of the series. Still, I do not think it is as big a deal, because from what has happened so far, it feels as though there is a clear ending in mind based on what has happened so far.

Now, to cover my ass a bit, I did make a very similar criticism against “Beastars” when I finished its first season a while ago. The reason I think that criticism is more valid against a show like “Beastars” as opposed to “Gleipnir” is that it feels as though “Gleipnir” has earned has put a bit more complexity into the exploration of its own themes whereas “Beastars” felt like it was using its themes as a sort of backdrop to help move along its poorly developed characters and plot.

The Good Stuff

Pretty much everything else to be honest. Yeah, I said it. The show’s pretty good. Not really sure why the show is rated so poorly. The concept alone is interesting enough, with the battle royale style format mixed with a mission from an alien race and the ability to change people’s forms at will.

The powers themselves have all of the appeal of the Nen system from Hunter X Hunter, with forms people take on being a manifestation of their own, although in some cases other people’s, desires. In particular, the powers of the group that Shuuichi and Clair end up joining are pretty cool, especially Isao, who has the ability to grow plants by simply touching them.

I try not to comment on music too much because it is not my field of expertise, but I will say that the indie horror game ambience created by much of the soundtrack was a serious boon to my enjoyment of the show. The sound effects too were enjoyable and not at all irritating to listen to, which is a lot more than I can say for other series.

Conclusion

As part of my renewed focus on seasonal shows, I wanted to clear out a few that I had yet to finish, and I still have “Kaguya-sama” and a few others to go. However, I am glad that I finished this show, in particular, as it left me with a great sense of enjoyment. While it certainly is not perfect, and there are definitely a few more things I could highlight that need improvement, it was fun.

How do you all feel about “Gleipnir?” Let me know in the comments below.

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