One minute I am talking about how harems are not so great to watch (particularly Anime that are purely harems) – since, in my opinion, it’s a buzz kill to Anime in general and here I am talking about a harem.
However, I think Campione! is different for trying to incorporate some historical, mythological culture into an Anime. I personally thought it was enjoyable. That has been my little blurb on the Anime, let’s get onto the ‘just talk’ review!
Campione is a story about a guy named Godou Kusanagi who ends up killing the Persian God of Victory, Verethragna. As a result, he receives Verethragna’s power and the title of God Slayer. After that, he basically goes around killing out of control gods no one else can take care of.
The story may not be refreshing, but hey, it’s a still a story and a coherent one at that. You’re not going to grasp at anything or cry, nope, you’re just going to enjoy the action and smile at the romance.
Campione actually does have one unique aspect to it. The way he defeats the Gods is through an ability known as Warrior. In a nutshell, if he has sufficient knowledge of the enemy, their defences begin to crumble and eventually they become mortal, thus making it easier to kill them. What makes it so interesting that he doesn’t just say he knows a lot about the God then proceed to kill him, he actually tells us what he knows. Regardless of whether or not the information about the Gods is valid, I still found it to be one of the best parts of the show. Even if the information isn’t true, I felt like I learned something and it was information that actually fascinated me. There’s just something enjoyable about hearing about the origins of Gods of all cultures. I’m sure you’ll love this part of the story too.
Action speaks louder than words, so obviously the whole show isn’t just talking on and on and on about some God’s life. Godou has plenty of other abilities. He has a group of 12 incarnation abilities known as Verethragna’s authorities. To be more specific, he can summon a bull that rivals Hercules’ power or a white stallion with the power of the sun. Each one has a chant, so whenever it felt like he was about to chant, I was always excited and ready to see which animal would come out and how much damage it’d do to the opponent. However, they also have a condition. For example, the bull can only be used on people with inhuman strength and the stallion on people who have committed great sins. So there are those times when you realize a condition is fulfilled, and you’re like, “Oh, damn, he’s going to do it!”
Now, now Godou. Don’t try to take all the spotlight. The girls need a piece of the action too and luckily, they do. They don’t just sit back and pray for Godou. Nope, they fight. All of the heroines are some of the best to ever exist in the harem genre, simply because of that. It’s always a pleasure to watch both, the male lead and the heroines, provide the action.
Now the romance part of Campione is just satisfying as hell. Funny thing is, if the girl is knowledgeable about the enemy god, she can transfer what she knows through a kiss. The Gods have a long history, so you know what that means 😉 The kisses last a good 10, 20 seconds. If that doesn’t satisfy your need for romance, then I don’t know what will. All of the heroines know about some god that the others don’t, so don’t worry, they’re all part of this ever so pleasant romance.
The show is not going to look like the inside of the Sistine Chapel, but it’s definitely good. The art should not have a negative influence on how you feel about the show.
The sound isn’t exactly memorable or catchy, but it’s not that bad. Plus you can always skip it, so if you end up really not liking the opening and ending, just skip it and go on with the show. Making yourself listen to it, then calling the show mediocre because you didn’t like the opening and ending, wouldn’t be a wise nor friendly decision. Also, I didn’t find any of the character’s voices to be annoying, so you shouldn’t have a problem when it comes to the sound department.
The characters aren’t ones you’re going to relate to or see as well-written, but they certainly do have good character traits that led me to love all of them. Let’s start with the main protagonist, Godou Kusanagi. He is a great male lead. He says he’s a pacifist, but when it comes down to it, he’s willing to kill. That is one of the greatest qualities a protagonist can have. Kind, but not the most forgiving. Watching villains get spared is pretty annoying and it’s nice that Godou understands.
As for the female characters, they’re great. None of them are overly violent or annoying. Not to mention, they’re not princesses waiting to be saved. They’re knights who will protect the citizens of their country at all costs. God, isn’t that just splendid? To have girls who aren’t fragile and emotional train-wrecks.
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One response to “Campione! | An Anime I enjoyed”
This was a pretty great review. I’ll admit that when I first watched it while it was simulcasting, I had conflicted feelings about it. I liked some of the fantasy and narrative aspects, but a lot of the other stuff just made me cringe. Overall, I felt it was average, but in hindsight, I can totally understand how it can be enjoyable. 🙂