Cross Ange: Rondo of Angel and Dragon (2014-2015)
[クロスアンジュ 天使と竜の輪舞]
Director: Yoshiharu Ashino
Studio: Sunrise
Starring: Nana Mizuki, Eri Kitamura, Yukari Tamura
Episodes: 25
Synopsis:
Princess Angelise of the Misurugi Empire is exposed as a "Norma", someone who is unable to use Mana, and is sent to a special military facility where Normas are imprisoned and forced to fight the Dragons that are invading the world.
Impressions:
Where do I even begin with this hot mess of a show? The first episode alone may well be enough to turn a lot of viewers away (not that the second ep is much better). However, these early eps are more of a shock to the system, but they expose a significant tonal inconsistency. You might think this is just a fanservicey all-girl mecha show, what with the skimpy costumes color coordinated like it's some sexy sentai or something, but we start right off the bat with prison rape and other such exploitative elements. Later comedic hijinx could easily leave you wondering if the show-runners were replaced midway or something. A good writer can balance comedy and drama to good effect, but that's less the case here and fumbled drama tends to be funnier than the intentional comedy. There's a lot of nudity to be had, but with the clumsy censorship that's common on Japanese TV these days. As in any of these cases, I would argue that if you can't show it, don't do it, but that's a small issue compared to much more significant concerns with the writing.
Almost all the characters are unpleasant people. I did appreciate that they were willing to do that with our protagonist from the start rather than have her be some Purity Sue. Ange doesn't actually get much better, as she continues to have a pretty rotten personality, but it becomes entertaining as she directs it at even more unlikable members of the cast. I will give the writers credit for getting me to warm up to Hilda, perhaps the only effective character development in the show. Wobbly motivations tend to be a problem with a lot of the cast. I did find the main villain to be fairly entertaining. Toshihiko Seki's performance was a big part of it. Speaking of performances, I felt the role of Tusk didn't make the most of Mamoru Miyano's talents, which is a crying shame.
On a technical level, the mech designs and the CG to render them are decent but not amazing. Creature designs for the Dragons are pretty good as well. Production values are what you'd expect from Sunrise, generally good but with occasional bad days with off-model characters and awkward animations. Character designs are generally fine with a bit of a Code Geass vibe, but your mileage may vary on the costuming. The music is okay. I like that Yoko Takahashi of "The Cruel Angel's Thesis" fame sings the second OP.
In terms of sheer quality, I probably wouldn't recommend this at all. As I said before, the first couple eps could easily prompt you to pass this one by. I found myself fairly entertained by just how much of a mess it was. I've seen worse and I've seen more incompetent. I was able to squeeze just enough entertainment value to feel it was worth my time, but at the most generous I can be, I'm going to say take it or leave it.
Rating:
50/50