Ishura - Season 1

"Is it a bird? Is it a plane? Is it Superman? NO! It's Wyvern! It's Alus the Star Runner! If you're looking for a series where a motley crew of diverse characters and creatures with wild abilities clash in battles, and you enjoyed Drifters, then this might catch your interest. The first episode kicks off with a bang, drawing you in with its shock factor and cool moments. But then, brace yourself for several more episodes of character introductions in the style of: "Meet Nihiro, Nihiro is cool!" Followed by, "And now, here's Kia, Kia's cool!" It goes on like this for quite a while, leaving you torn between laughing, hitting pause, or waiting for it to end... Amidst the constant character parade, a story unfolds that doesn't quite grip you as much. It's not overly complex, and the narrator, like talking to a child, repeats the basics at the start of every episode. In the second half, the long-awaited confrontation between the opposing sides ignites, a war erupts, lives are lost, drama ensues, and our cool characters finally clash. This part was enjoyable, though when it comes to crazy battles and their vibe, Drifters felt a bit stronger to me. With the multitude of characters here, the direction is intriguing but somewhat shallow due to the sheer number of them. As a result, the drama doesn't quite hit the mark for me; when a character dies, I don't feel much. Honestly, I don't even have a standout favorite yet; I'm still indifferent as to who might emerge as the hero by the end of the first season. Delving into the story, there are intriguing mysteries to uncover, like the whole isekai crossover and the burning question of who killed the demon lord. Perhaps the next season will unveil more layers, or it could dive into a tournament arc where our hero candidates battle it out in the arena. Personally, I'm leaning toward the latter, which could be entertaining but might not fully captivate me. In summary, Ishura is currently a straightforward fantasy brawl, with its main strength lying in the diverse characters and their abilities. It operates on the rule of cool, but unfortunately, it didn't dazzle me enough to warrant more than a slightly above-average 6/10. Still, I'll tune in for the next season, even if it's just for the pure carnage. Was it a bird? Was it a plane? NO! It was Dakai the Magpie! (03/20/2024)