Yuki Yuna Is A Hero (series review)
Yuki Yuna was quite the experience. It billed itself as your standard slice of life anime, but it was pretty obvious that there was more beneath that fluffy exterior. But before I elaborate, i'd like to talk about the slice of life aspect of the anime first.
It was good. Really good. Cute girl's doing fluffy club stuff is nothing new, but it was done really well here. The atmosphere is warm and friendly, everyone is rather close, and you really get the sense that they're all very passionate about what they do. That love and passion makes it easier to get attached to these characters, and that especially comes into play in the later episodes. Suffice it to say, this could have been a very good SoL anime.
The characters themselves are fairly competent and likable. Chief among them is Mimori Togo, a character that stands out in a big way. She's paraplegic, but the anime never frames her disability
as the worst thing ever. She always manages to keep up and have fun with the rest of the gang, and it honestly didn't really like a cheap gimmick to garner sympathy. It genuinely feels like they made an attempt to show that paraplegic individuals can live rich and fulfilling lives. I'm not saying she's the perfect pinnacle representation of a disabled person, but her character never truly depressed me... or at least, when it came to slice of life stuff.
The fight sequences. My god. If you were expecting some cheap mahou shoujo shit then prepare to disappointed in the best way possible; the fight sequences are straight up one of the best parts of the anime. Action packed and memorable, every single fight was an absolute treat to watch unfold. The incredible OST definitely lends itself well to them (created by the wonderful people who worked on Nier!), and as the story escalates and the stakes rises, the fights take on a surprising amount of intensity. I was honestly on the the edge of my seat for the latter half of the show. For those who watched episode
, you know exactly what i'm talking about.
As for the story... it does some interesting things, but it also falters along the way. On the one hand, it does a pretty great job of examining nearly every facet of being a hero.
It goes over the responsibility that comes with being a hero, the joy of saving the day, the grief that one might experience over time, the massive risk associated with sticking your neck on the line, and what it
really takes to be a hero (hint: It isn't friendship). There are also some pretty great narrative beats that happen along the way. Unfortunately, 12 episodes was just too little of a time for the anime to fully accomplish what it set out to do. By the time the anime shifts into high gear, it's basically almost over. The ending is widely considered divisive by many (and for good reason), and while I enjoyed on a basic level, I couldn't help but feel disappointed by it. Overall, I just wish that there was a 13th episode.
Fortunately, the ending doesn't mar what was otherwise a great experience. Yuki Yuna Is A Hero is definitely worth checking if you're even remotely interested in the a Magical Girl genre. If you're looking for a heartwarming slice of anime with some drama interspersed with some excellent fight sequences, then you should definitely give Yuki Yuna a go.
