There’s been a great deal of anime that’s been released over the past couple of years that have slipped through the cracks and never got the chance to watch. The list of shows I need to catch up on is overwhelming but, exciting knowing these are enjoyable shows. The first one on my list is Fire Force, an anime series adapted from the manga of the same title, directed by Yuki Yasi (S1); Tatsuma Minamikawa (S2), published by shonen.
After watching the first few episodes, the show grabbed my attention with the premise and the characters. The premise is about a mysterious disease known in humanity that combusts ordinary people, killing them and turning them into fire hell-bent demons who want nothing more than to wreak havoc with the ability to control and create fire. It’s the job of superhuman firefighters to contain these demons and protect the innocent. I’m into this premise for the offsetting vibe that comes from the disease. Anybody can combust into these demons at any given moment, never giving a release in the world. The animation does a great job making these demons insidious. I feel like ever since the success of Attack On Titan, the mystery box story plotline became a popular premise for plenty of recent anime, which giving an audience a mystery within the plot, setting, and characters, revealing more questions and answers about the world’s secrets as we watch along. The disease and its origins are a compelling take on this plotline.
I’m always wary about the protagonist in anime I watch. I’m usually disappointed by them. It’s always important for me to like the protagonist in any show for me to care. I sometimes find them repetitive, inconsistent in personality, and lacking in personal motivation. I found myself liking the main character Shinra Kusakabe, a supernatural firefighter. He’s a good-hearted kid who has his quirks, such as smiling in situations when he feels nervous. He doesn’t shy away from badass moments and wishes to be a hero. As a child, his house was mysteriously burned down, killing his mother and his younger brother, which HE is blamed for. This works well on why he wants to prove he’s a hero. I will always appreciate main characters in any show with effort put into their origins. It doesn’t stop there. The supporting cast is good too. There are some anime archetypal characters, but they’re done to a point that is consistent with the story. It also helps that they’re dubbed with good voice actors. Each character plays off of Shinra in their dynamic ways. These characters are all a part of the same fire squadron as Shinra, some with supernatural abilities as well.
The production of the show is top-notch. As soon as I heard the excellent theme song I knew that the show would be filled with great music. The animation is some of the best I’ve seen in recent anime. The portrayals of fire and how it’s animated are fierce and well done. With fire incorporated with the fight scenes, it can be an absolute spectacle. I see a lot of potential in this series and will be continuing.
The Musical Hippie 