Madhouse. Remember Madhouse?
They did One Punch Man, earning them respect again, but they also have recently done shows like Magical Warfare (based on secondhand information) and Mahouka, making everyone eh. Needless to say, they are not the studio that churns out Cardcaptor Sakuras anymore. Understandably, they can be considered a hit-or-miss studio in this day and age.
So when I wanted to start Alderamin on the Sky, one of those fantasy type shows, I was feeling nervous. Asides from the main vocal cast, featuring Nobuhiko Okamoto (Rin, Accelerator, that one guy in Boku no Picodemia), Risa Taneda (Rize, Kaori Miyazono, that one person in Shinsekai Yori), Haruka Chisuga (Shizuka, Sylvie, Sapphire-chan's cousin), that one guy who plays Ryuuji in Toradora, and Inori Minase (the ever-so-famous Hestia, and Chino), there is not much in the way of notable people on this show. (Think LNtrash dream team.) I knew then that it would be a leap of faith.
The show opens up with the following frame:
A lush image of a moss-covered tree, complete with light streaming through, beautifully portrays this fantastical landscape. This aesthetic brings to mind Sunday Without God, a darker but still gorgeous fantasy tale (also Madhouse). As far as animation and surroundings go, this show is capable of detailed yet effective characterization through details. All those times Yotori is forced to kick Ikuta's butt for being an immature punk are animated quite well.
~~~~~~~~~~Plot Recap~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~(senpai~)
There is actually a plot to this story, though it is rather confusing for most of the episode. Ikuta (played by Nobuhiko "Blue Exorcist" Okamoto) and Yotori (played by Risa "Gun-Toting, Coffee-Serving" Taneda) are childhood friends, off to take a test to finally become soldiers, or something to that effect. To travel to the site, they take a boat, bringing them into contact with a host of other strange characters. Now, you may be worrying that they're tropes, but only Matthew (inconsequential charactermantownland #shotsfired) really falls that low on the totem pole. Yotori, played by the magnificent Tane-chan, is the leader who keeps everything in check, while Ikuta is the punk who is too casual about everything. Together, in a group of several people, they end up playing shogi, as if there's nothing better to do. (Probably not intentional, but it does remind me of March Comes In Like A Lion.) They meet a rather pretty blond 12 year old girl, who scampers away.
The foreboding feeling clenching your chest is not wrong: something does happen asides from Madhouse scenery porn. The lights go out, water begins to flood into the room -- an idyllic scene turns to Directing them, Yotori is able to lead her comrades to the surface of the boat, where there's even more rain than in the Pacific Northwest. The show's title, A Stormy Encounter, comes to mind here. Fortunately, the group is able to escape on a small boat. But as they make their escape, Ikuta notes that the blonde haired girl from earlier was still on the boat -- she falls into the water, forcing Ikuta to save her. And she next wakes up in a cave, surrounded by Ikuta, Yotori, and the others. They have been stranded in enemy land, without any allies but themselves.
~~~~~~~~~~~~Fantasy LN Recap FIN~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ (senpai~)
This story, as one might guess, is quite difficult to explain, as there are many nuances. The story mixes a fantasy setting with updated technology, including notably a blimp, but there are also many subtleties surrounding character interactions. Ikuta, for example, is an orphan, which shocks everyone, as apparently orphans didn't exist back then. The use of music and directing pushes the story forward, allowing the viewer to step into this complicated scenario. However, the show is insistent on throwing too many details your way, leaving you confused. Though this information transfer is not per se heavy on exposition, it is slipped into dialogue -- thus, it has a natural feel, but is still excessive.
The directing is simple and clean, offering shots of the beautiful landscape, though it probably should offer more creative benefits.
Is this show worthwhile? My complaints about the dragged, diluted plot likely suggest this show is not fun. However, that is rather far from the truth, as the characters and dialogue is still rather fun! In particular, the banter between Ikuta and Yotori is very entertaining. And the show has a decent soundtrack, a good opening theme, and beautiful scenery. Though the first episode is weighed down by capturing a serpentine trajectory, its last few minutes indicate brilliance. In a sense, that makes Alderamin reminiscent of Grimgar, a Winter 2016 fantasy show by A-1 Pictures, in that both appear to start off slow, but have potential. And, Alderamin has strong potential, so I expect future episodes to build upon the premise, rather than detract or stagnate.
Score: (4^2)/(5^2) * (Rhodanthe/Petit Rabbits)
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