Accidental Anime is back!
I know, I know. I even said in Issue 1 I was concerned it might just “stop”, but look at this. Issue 2 is here! I think it’s a clear sign that my love for anime is quite strong at the moment. I believe I spoke about how AnimeLab (soon to be CrunchyRoll!) helped enable this, and funnily that post is why I have an idea for Issue 2 right now.
BACK ARROW.
Defining ‘accidental’ is something happening by chance or unexpectedly. There was a time a few months back where I just absolutely committed to becoming a full otaku. I had a calendar for show release dates, times and how long their season ran for. I started trying to learn the terms associated with season runs and more. And I honestly had SO MUCH TO WATCH. I wasn’t even committing to familiar works or studios, I kind of just wanted a big mix of shows over a week! So BACK ARROW was added. Accidentally?
I feel like I briefly skimmed the plot summary for the show, but it was the artwork which caught my eye. It all felt a little similar, but modern. I couldn’t recall exactly what, but it was the familiarity of this style which drew me in. Then the first episode started and it was dropping a tonne of new things I had to understand, a guy running around naked and giant robots. Yes, giant robots.
They’re called Briheights, and they make the most incredible announcement when you activate them. Like, if you were going into battle, and needed a sweet announcement, then the Briheight is for you! You just need conviction. Conviction can be something like “I’ll manage somehow”. This conviction being the manifest of Atlee, Sheriff of Edger Village, and one of our main characters. Along with Elsha and Bit (and well, technically the rest of the village), they discover and name Arrow. He falls from the sky in a Rakuho, and has no idea who he is. He can also manifest a Briheight without conviction.
SEE. NEW THINGS TO UNDERSTAND.
This all taking place in the world of Lingalind, which is protected by the World Wall. Yes, very much “THOSE” series vibes, but I promise you it has a MUCH better pay-off. I don’t even want to disclose it, because when it happened for me it changed the series completely. At that point, I remember I was slightly drifting away from it, due to the insanity that was occurring within its war arc, but then the twist happened and it was ALL ON from there. I was completely sold on what they were trying to do with it, and dare I say it has a better allegory than ANOTHER big robot anime?
Come season end, it truly entered bonkers territory and honestly I adored that. It was committed to the story it was telling, and said “we don’t care if it’s nuts, WE LOVE IT”. And I loved it too. From the classic animation style running parallel to its CGI robots, with archetypal anime tropes weaved throughout, it all culminated in a fun story for us to follow.
So there you have it; Accidental Anime, Issue 2. Back Arrow and the bonkers big robot adventure. You can watch it right now on CrunchyRoll.
