Review of Anti-Magic Academy: The 35th Test Platoon #1

Joshawott

Monsieur Monster
AUKN Staff
<img src="http://www.animeuknews.net/img/uploaded/2015-12-01Anti-Magic Academy poster.jpg">

<b>Review of Anti-Magic Academy: The 35th Test Platoon #1 by Joshawott</b>

Aside from a few break-out hits like Madhouse's <em>One Punch Man</em> and the triumphant return of an historic franchise with Sunrise's <em>Mobile Suit Gundam Iron-Blooded Orphans</em>, I think it would be fair to say that this current season of anime hasn't exactly set the world on fire. Perhaps this is a much-needed breath of fresh air for the industry though, because I've found that instead of everyone rallying behind a cluster of highly anticipated shows, viewers are instead branching out and discovering their own guilty pleasures &ndash; series&nbsp;that may never be industry linchpins like <em>Attack On Titan</em> but can still be endearingly enjoyable in their own right.<br>

Silver Link's adaptation of Tōki Yanagimi's light novel series <strong>Anti-Magic Academy: The 35</strong><sup><strong>th</strong></sup><strong> Test Platoon </strong>is a series that&nbsp;fits that bill&nbsp;for me. While its overall set-up and formula are routine enough to court unfavourable comparisons with similar currently airing titles such as <em>Chivalry of a Failed Knight</em> and<em> The Asterisk War</em>, I find my fondness towards this particular franchise&nbsp;exposes the true strength hidden in the depths of a relatively uninspired narrative.<br>

While Takeru Kusanagi's dream of becoming an anti-magic enforcing &ldquo;Inquisitor&rdquo; is born from the burden of inherited debt as opposed to any hatred for spell-casters, when Ōka Ōtori's trigger-happy desire for revenge lands her with a reassignment to the Anti-Magic Academy's struggling small-fry 35<sup>th</sup> Test Platoon, the inexperienced commander and accomplished newbie have to come together to confront the magical mechanisms working around them and secure their squad's success.<br>

With the source material being a light novel with a school setting, it should come as no surprise that the titular platoon is perhaps closer to being the 35<sup>th</sup> Test Harem, with Takeru commanding an otherwise all-female squad consisting of numerous character archetypes. Ōtori quickly establishing herself as the platoon's resident tsundere, alongside Mari the flat-chested sufferer of boob envy, Ikaruga the resident pervert, and Usagi the cute klutz, who all display a degree of attraction to the series' protagonist on at least one occasion in the first six episodes.<br>

Although I have yet to read Tōki Yanagimi's original novels (due to the lack of an English release), I can't shake the feeling that Silver Link's anime adaptation is perhaps burning through the source material a little too quickly. While I appreciate characters being given the spotlight in individual story arcs, the&nbsp;erratic pace often robs the climaxes of the impact they deserve; which I found most noticeable in the conclusion of Mari's arc. The increased emphasis on standalone character-driven drama also ended up taking attention away from elements of the overarching story, such as the Relic Eaters, who have been relegated to the background since their seemingly important introduction. Exploring the characters' often dark pasts however, does grant the series the welcomed freedom to delve into deliciously darker territory; which mixes surprisingly well with the light-hearted tone of the other scenes.<br>

Unfortunately, the series' animation doesn't hold up to scrutiny either; which is perhaps most noticeable with the choppy CGI utilised for Relic Eater battles, as well as wide shots where proportions are&nbsp;thrown out of the window on occasion, sometimes leaving characters looking like wonky caricatures. Fortunately, the character close-ups are usually of a high standard, effectively showcasing a range of emotions in noticeable detail,&nbsp;with the contorted creepy grimaces of Reima Tenmyōji and fearful faces of Usagi Saionji being particularly memorable.<br>

Despite my lofty criticism towards the series however, I still find myself rushing to Crunchyroll each week to watch the latest episode because of its&nbsp;bread and butter:&nbsp;the&nbsp;incredibly likeable cast. In this first half of the series, the majority of the characters are given their own reasons for being in the platoon and distinct personalities that naturally mould around both the comedic and macabre moments. For example, the cameraderie Takeru feels for his subordinates remains his most defining trait whether he's reluctantly cross-dressing for a photo-shoot, giving a comforting pep-talk or unleashing an anger terrifying enough to leave even the most twisted of foes literally cowering and wetting themselves. One aspect of the 35<sup>th</sup> Test Platoon that really helps its members stand out is the philosophy of shouldering problems together; as opposed to similar series' where the lead male may simply take all responsibility himself (like in <em>Sword Art Online</em>, for example). This led to the satisfying solution to Usagi's arc in particular; where the recognition of her talents allowed her to transition from a damsel-in-distress to being crucial to the conclusion.<br>

With its mix of endearing highs and worrisome lows, I would be hard-pressed to award <em>Anti-Magic Academy: The 35</em><sup><em>th</em></sup><em> Test Platoon</em> with any critical acclaim, but the series is still charming enough to be one of my favourite guilty pleasures in what is admittedly a mediocre season. I just hope the narrative of the latter half is one the likeable members of this rookie platoon deserves.<br>

<em>Anti-Magic Academy: The 35th Test Platoon</em> is currently being simulcast on Crunchyroll.<br>

<b>Final score: 7 out of 10</b>

<b>Additional screencaps</b>

<img src="http://www.animeuknews.net/img/uploaded/screens/2015-12-01Anti-Magic Academy 1.png">

<img src="http://www.animeuknews.net/img/uploaded/screens/2015-12-01Anti-Magic Academy 2.png">

<img src="http://www.animeuknews.net/img/uploaded/screens/2015-12-01Anti-Magic Academy 3.png">
 
With regards to the pacing, it's going at a rate of 2 episodes per novel. Generally, anything less than 4 eps/light novel volume is considered rushed, and even that is fairly fast pacing. For past precedents, Mondaiji-tachi and the first season of OreGairu both also averaged roughly 2 eps per volume.

On another note, I really don't like when people use the term "guilty pleasure" in situations like this. "Guilty pleasure" gives the impression that you think it's somehow morally wrong for you to like something but you do anyway. For example, if someone found they got sadistic joy from watching ISIS' decapitation videos then that would be a guilty pleasure...

On a side note, I've yet to come across a single person with a bad word to say about the novels this series is based on.
 
From what I've read of the novels so far they really do have a harder, slightly darker edge than the anime - you can see where this could come through in the plot points of the show, but not as much in the character details and atmosphere. I'm still enjoying the show (and a lot more than any similar shows this season), but between that and the pacing I do think the LNs do the story more justice.

Guilty pleasure is a term coined entirely for situations like this, by the way. There is no "impression" to give, because it is not two separate words but an accepted phrase in English.
 
I never said that the phrase was used incorrectly. Just that I dislike the phrase itself. And anything can give an impression - it being a relatively common phrase doesn't make a difference.
 
I think a 7 is rather generous tbh. Its a very average series with some shonky CG thrown in. I found the pacing rather fast and very little about the world and it's setup are explained particularly well. The MC voice seems miscast and the fan service is pretty tame (see this weeks episode for example)

Anti-Magic Academy is entertaining but never gets above average. I have heard the Manga is a lot better than the anime though.
 
I've never personally heard 'guilty pleasure' and thought the speaker was confessing to liking something that was actually morally wrong. It's more that they feel ashamed to admit they like it for any kind of reason. People can individually feel guilt about things that are actually completely benign (for example, I have a friend who becomes consumed by guilt if he ever spends any money on himself instead of saving it for a rainy day that never comes). In my case I don't really consider enjoying Diabolik Lovers a guilty pleasure even though an awful lot of people do seem to consider it morally wrong (sigh) because I think it's brilliant, but watching something I objectively know is sort of terrible and/or pointless and enjoying it anyway (hi, Attack on Titan Junior High!) would definitely qualify.

I know the conversation has already drifted but I still wanted to say my piece ^^;

(No opinion on Anti-Magic Academy, sadly, as I knew I was going to drop it in record time. Not my kind of thing at all.)

R
 
crashmatt said:
Its a very average series.
I think there are at least two ways of looking at this, and that makes intricate discussion of number scores on reviews kind of difficult to take seriously - on one hand I agree with you; there are lots of structural concerns with the show (which Josh addresses in his review), and from a holistic "how good could this show be" viewpoint it struggles to get above roughly average. But, compared with other shows of its type and from a more general "how much do I enjoy watching this show" point of view... well, I stop watching more shows than I keep on watching, so almost by definition I can easily see how someone would consider it to be above "average".
 
ilmaestro said:
crashmatt said:
Its a very average series.
I think there are at least two ways of looking at this, and that makes intricate discussion of number scores on reviews kind of difficult to take seriously - on one hand I agree with you; there are lots of structural concerns with the show (which Josh addresses in his review), and from a holistic "how good could this show be" viewpoint it struggles to get above roughly average. But, compared with other shows of its type and from a more general "how much do I enjoy watching this show" point of view... well, I stop watching more shows than I keep on watching, so almost by definition I can easily see how someone would consider it to be above "average".

I actually think Silver Link is doing a much better job with Rakudai Kishi no Cavalry. It's a similar type of show but with better characters and pacing. In fairness you do get several shows each season like Anti Magic Academy and after seeing so many of them maybe the bar has been already been set for me.
 
In regards to my use of the phrase "Guilty Pleasure", I opted to use the term in that particular context due to a trend I've observed in this quieter season where the smaller number of critically favourable series' has resulted in more people watching and enjoying shows despite knowing that they don't stand-up critically; whereas in busier seasons, they would largely be disregarded. In my case, that would be Anti-Magic Academy: The 35th Test Platoon, for reasons outlined in my review. It's worth noting that despite me criticising every flaw I could think of with the series, I still have a few friends looking out for any announcements of an Usagi figurine :p

kuuderes_shadow said:
With regards to the pacing, it's going at a rate of 2 episodes per novel. Generally, anything less than 4 eps/light novel volume is considered rushed, and even that is fairly fast pacing. For past precedents, Mondaiji-tachi and the first season of OreGairu both also averaged roughly 2 eps per volume.
I also read somewhere that apparently, the anime adaptation has mixed around the order of the some of the events as well.

On a side note, I've yet to come across a single person with a bad word to say about the novels this series is based on.
I would actually be really interested in reading the light novels if they were licensed for release here. I don't think Yen Press have licensed any Fujimi Fantasia Bunko series' though, have they? (I'm sure High School DxD would be popular, at least).

crashmatt said:
I think a 7 is rather generous tbh.
I'd definitely look forward to reading my thoughts on the second half, if my reaction to the last few episodes are anything to go by...
 
Joshawott said:
On a side note, I've yet to come across a single person with a bad word to say about the novels this series is based on.
I would actually be really interested in reading the light novels if they were licensed for release here. I don't think Yen Press have licensed any Fujimi Fantasia Bunko series' though, have they? (I'm sure High School DxD would be popular, at least
Presumably that's just a quirk of the still relatively small sample size of LN series they've licensed, and not some weird restriction. The manga for High School DxD is also published under the Fujimi Shobo arm of Kadokawa, after all.
 
You still think that from 27 licenses or whatever it is now, they went after zero from the third biggest light novel label (and it isn't far behind the second largest) by sheer coincidence, and despite going after several manga adaptations of their light novels (which they didn't do with anyone else)?

In fact it was the manga licenses that first convinced me that there was some sort of issue with licensing Fujimi titles. Not necessarily that they can't do it - it could be a whole host of other reasons (difficult negotiations, cost, even a requirement to show the manga adaptation is sufficiently popular first...)
 
To be honest though, not a lot of titles in the Fujimi Fantasia Bunko imprint strike me as having much of an impact outside of Japan compared to say, Dengeki Bunko. So it could be that Yen Press just don't think they would make satisfactory returns from an investment in their catalogue; especially given the length of some series'. However, there is a small number of titles that I would probably at least consider if I were in a licensing position, however:
- Amagi Brilliant Park
- Chaika - Coffin Princess*
- Date A Live
- High School DxD*
- The Legend Of The Legendary Heroes
* = Yen Press have licensed these series' manga adaptations.

Yen Press have also licensed the manga adaptation of Is This A Zombie? of So, I Can't Play H!, but I wonder if it would be too late to pick up the former (especially as it wasn't as popular as A Certain Magical Index). Full Metal Panic might be worth it, but I wonder if Tokyo Pop still have the license?
 
kuuderes_shadow said:
You still think that from 27 licenses or whatever it is now, they went after zero from the third biggest light novel label (and it isn't far behind the second largest) by sheer coincidence, and despite going after several manga adaptations of their light novels (which they didn't do with anyone else)?
Yup. 27 is not a statistically significant sample size.
 
Back
Top