Mirai Nikki: grab a bunch of psychopaths, hand each of them a diary that predicts the future, make them kill each other and you’ve got yourself the germ of an entertaining story.
This is a show for those looking for some over the top entertainment. It has action and suspense, but unfortunately also plotholes and a lead character who is a wimp for a good first portion of the series. In the end the pros do make up for the cons in this series, but it takes patience.
The bigggest problem with this series is that the characterization takes a really long while to get going. At the beginning of the series, Yukiteru (tha male lead) is a typical coward who once in a while does something heroic. The side-characters are all pretty dull and one-sided, and it doesn’t really feel like any of them comes to his or her right. The only one who really stands out is the lead female: Yuno. The biggest selling point of this series and the mother of all yandere. But even she takes a while to really get going, and is for most of the first half of this series a deranged psychopath without much depth either. The interesting stuff only starts when the characters start to develop and change over the course of the series. This is where the cast gets depth, Yukiteru grows balls, and the characters come together more and this is where the series gets really fun to watch.
Something also needs to be said about the plot: it can get quite creative in the plot twists it delivers to the viewer. It however is not as clever for this premise to really work, and as a consequence it’s full of plotholes. When you stat to watch this series, you really need to realize this, because there are way too many leaps in logic and weird coincidences that would instantly break any normal suspense of disbelief. It’s the kind of series where you need go go along with the flow, no matter how ridiculous it may get t times.
Because in the end, this does reward, even though it takes a while to get there. Mirai Nikki’s biggest problem is that it stumbles on for a good 10 episodes in uninteresting fights, challenges and characters, and it’s not even for the sake of build-up either. At one point it just decides to make its character arcs longer and actually use some character development effecitvely, and that’s where it becomes quite an entertaining ride. The ending is a bit weird, but heck, this show at least doesn’t skimp on entertainment value.
Just one thing: try to avoid getting spoiled about this series. It’s the kind of series that is hard to rewatch, because a lot of the fun is in its surprises that it pulls you.
| Storytelling: | 9/10 – Very entertaining plot twists, but is a bit annoying in its first halves. |
| Characters: | 8/10 – The side-cast in particular really needs a long while to get going, but in the end the character development is pretty good all around. |
| Production-Values: | 8/10 – Good soundtrack, animation that’s nothing special, but does what it needs to do. |
| Setting: | 8/10 – The setting is just insane, but that’s part o this series’ charms. |
Suggestions:
– Ben-To
– Ga-Rei Zero\
– Shikabane Hime
Reading your review now, I feel a bit weird when Guilty Crown got 8/10 for production too. I don’t like that series and I know neither do I, but still a bit strange.
About Mirai Nikki, it is indeed an over the top series. I am very glad that they did not end it like the final pages in the manga because it’s just purely…stupid. Having read the manga beforehand has spoilt some of my excitement over it, but anyways, it has a solid execution that adds more charms to the characters.
And finally, all hail Yuno.
While it’s true that Guilty Crown had great production values, it barely used them for anything interesting. This series’ production values are terrible (it is asread after all), but they did do a decent job of bringing this anime to life.
I think Guilty Crown has a LOT of eye candy. You may not like the series for its characters and plot, but you cannot deny that GC has fantastic animation and art. That is probably the show’s greatest (and only) asset. Meanwhile, in Mirai Nikki – there wasn’t a lot of eye-orgasm, but the animation is still above average plus the soundtrack is excellent.
Just my two cents.
“82,5/100”
No surprise there. Learn some new numbers.
I must say this was probably one of the most surprising animes I’ve watched in a while, once I started I fell in love with this show, its insane, fun, and totally over the top but the way everything has gone has really left me in awe. I mean heck? The story continues! I wasn’t expecting that, and I’m actually happy, it’s been a crazy ride, it’s kind of nice knowing its not entirely over.
Also wondering why this series was given a “82,5/100”. If you managed to dodge all the spoilers, it was actually a great watch, with amazing twist.
wow i’m surprised, i got to episode 15 and decided to give up because this anime is crap. 1000 plot holes and its OBVIOUS the director had no plans from the beginning. I’m sad psgels i usually agree with your ratings but you put code geass (rushed beginning minimal plot holes) in the 70s and gave this crap an 80?
Watch to the end and it would be an awesome anime
after finnishing the series i wanted to stop back and say my opinions didn’t change, the manga creator was obviously going with it as he went along not planning ahead, and then the anime company picked it up and tried to take it their own direction. obviously patched together with little thought, i guess it was worth its time at the end >.>.
A great review. I dont always agree with you but this is a good score. The fanservice was just under the limit to being unbearable the whole time for me but they managed to put together a solid show. Its weird though for some reason i dont feel as though i just watched something special you know? Like the show was worth watching but i dont feel like ive watched a great anime it was just average.
Well yukiteru didn’t piss me off as much as shuu ouma. Holy fucking shit did he annoy me. He nearly forced me to drop the series. The only good part was when he became all dictator like an got stabbed in the back. That was amusing
Just watched the last episode.
I dunno… This is gonna be just some random rumbling.
5 or so years ago I used to watch every anime I can find, I used to love them. Them all of them started to bother me. I can remember only few I would recommend to others.
Now I am 22 (I know, I know) and still love anime, but I just think way too many of them are over the top, stuffed with stupid jokes and fanservice. That’s why every half a year or so I try to watch just one anime that looks the best from some summery that I find somewhere.
This half a year it was Mirai Nikki.
Sorry for the long intro, I know no one asked, hee hee
*SPOILER WARNING*
I got to say I was hooked after the first episode. I liked the diary idea and I like hunger games, good combination.
After couple of episodes it became obvious that the main character is an idiot. If i would participate in the game, I would put all my energy into catching that little ****. He did not get better as the show went along, he got worse.
In the last quarter of the show he is portrayed as a bad ass. But is it bad ass to kill all your friends and forget about it next episode?
That is main main problem with the show. It is about death, but every character deals with death like it’s nothing. And maybe it is nothing, but seeing both of your parents die would never make you sad for only a day. And do not tell me that he hid hes saddens inside, if he did animators did a bad job.
And when he found out Yuno’s dark secret room, he asked who are the skeletons, like one time? And continues to hang out with her? Seriously, all you have to do is just ask again, YUKKI! There are ****** skeletons in your girlfriends cage room!
Maybe I could explain all plot holes (and there are lots of them) if I watched it again, but I don’t want to do that.
The second biggest problem is that everyone gives everyone a benefit of a doubt. Sometime we get an explanation, but other times it’s just because plot says so.
But I got to say show had some interesting episodes and twists that kept me watching till the end. But I finished it only because I chose it and I wanted that feeling I got 5 years ago. I got a little bit.
Little bit is not bad.
And the producer or writer has some serious pee fetish, huh? I just don’t get Japanese mentality, I guess. -_-
Thank you
Meh…finished watching the show and I gotta say its sub par. The characters are really lacking. Yuno is probably one of the most annoying b****s to ever be created in an anime. And like the guy before me said. The deaths are downplayed to the max! Main character is one of the wort main characters I’ve seen up to date…he doesn’t even get better as the series goes on he just gets stupider if anything. It has a nice soundtrack though, and a few good moments here and there. 6/10 for the show as a whole. Its got nothing on the other thrillers in anime. Death Note, Monster, Code Geass, Btoom etc.
This anime is so bad, that it boggles me that people are calling remotely good, or watchable. Its a mismatch in every aspect. Convoluted and too gimicky shit plot that relies on a mind of a crazy girl. People killing eachother and no one is phased by that. Gore is existant so it can be taged as gore show, while maintaining a censored gore that only makes 10year old girls cringe. Speaking of ten year old girls, an anime that pits a 10 year old girl as a protagonist ( that guy Yukiteru) with a psycho lover is shit from the start. Main character is so weak that Yandere takes the spotlight. The world is realistic, while trying to depict a heavy burden of a battle royale game, while characters look like the are harem/ecchi/comedy dropouts.
It’s sad to hear Norio Wakamoto portraying Deus. He usualy gets better parts in BETTER Anime.
The series tries to take itself and make itself serious but the characters are all (except 2) retarded as fuck. I dropped the series cus it was boring, shitty characters, shitty gimmicky plot toys, and romance story based on one conversation with a crazy person.
Final Rating: Bullshit
Also stop writing reviews, you are retarded 14year old noob with no taste or knowledge what is a good show, what is useful gore, and what is character depth.
How many people hate this anime seriously. Like the guy above this called the rater a 14 year old noob, but seriously he is what ruins the world as he doesn’t respect other people’s opinions. Personally this one of my favourite anime’s as it is just enjoyable to watch in my opinion.
All’n all i give this anime 8.7 out of 10 as i found it enjoyable.
I really like this anime, yes, it’s over the top, far-fetched and just plain strange at times, but I can’t deny the lure it has. I watched it myself last almost a year ago and after having a year or so to chew it over I am now rewatching it with my sister (and my friends too) all of whom don’t really watch anime. It’s quite refreshing watching soft-core viewers seeing just how twisted and gorey a show like this can go.
In my year of mulling and rewatching now I get to see a slightly deeper view on each of the characters. Without including the initial plot holes and lack of character development, when I analyse the series (cause I’m a lit student and that’s how I do) the immediate question I get is; “How far are you willing to go to survive?”. This series takes Amano, an outcast but relatively moral character and puts him through this unrelenting shit of psychopaths, murder, a truly twisted romance and the human desire for power. We watch him strategise for survival, because that’s all a 14yo can do in that situation, which lead to me asking myself, how far would I go to survive this.
Look, long story short- read the lyrics to the second opening (read them, don’t watch it) If dem lyrics don’t make your dick rock hard then this ain’t for you. If you are looking for a really twisted, adrenaline ride with some plot difficulty (like most thriller/action anything will have) then buckle up bitches. Thank you. 9/10
I really like this anime, yes, it’s over the top, far-fetched and just plain strange at times, but I can’t deny the lure it has. I watched it myself last almost a year ago and after having a year or so to chew it over I am now rewatching it with my sister (and my friends too) all of whom don’t really watch anime. It’s quite refreshing watching soft-core viewers seeing just how twisted and gory a show like this can go.
In my year of mulling and rewatching now I get to see a slightly deeper view on each of the characters. Without including the initial plot holes and lack of character development, when I analyse the series (cause I’m a lit student and that’s how I do) the immediate question I get is; “How far are you willing to go to survive?”. This series takes Amano, an outcast but relatively moral character and puts him through this unrelenting shit of psychopaths, murder, a truly twisted romance and the human desire for power. We watch him strategize for survival, because that’s all a 14yo can do in that situation, which lead to me asking myself, how far would I go to survive this.
Look, long story short- read the lyrics to the second opening (read them, don’t watch it) If dem lyrics don’t make your dick rock hard then this ain’t for you. If you are looking for a really twisted, adrenaline ride with some plot difficulty (like most thriller/action anything will have) then buckle up bitches. Thank you. 9/10