Have you ever wished for something and it came true? For Eiji Hoshimiya, the protagonist of Big Order, a childhood wish turned into a disaster that destroyed the world. This 2016 anime series takes the concept of 'the power of wishes' or 'Orders' to create a chaotic universe, but the storytelling doesn't flow as smoothly as hoped.
Synopsis (No Spoilers)
Ten years ago, the world faced a great catastrophe that no one could explain. A strange phenomenon claimed countless lives, and everything changed when some humans began to possess special powers called 'Orders,' which can make wishes come true. Our protagonist, Eiji Hoshimiya, is one of those with this power, but he is accused of causing the disaster, forcing him to flee and fight to prove his innocence. The story begins when Eiji meets a mysterious girl, Sena Hoshimiya, who claims to be his sister and leads him into a war over the power of Orders that could change the world again.
Voice Acting and Characters
The voice acting in this series is up to standard for Japanese anime. Yu Hayashi voices Eiji fittingly, capturing both his stubbornness and inner weakness. Misaki Kuno as Sena is innocent and charming. However, most characters are relegated to 'background' roles too much, such as Benkei and Iyo, who have interesting powers but are only used a few times. Character development is quite shallow, making it hard for viewers to connect with their fates as they should.
Direction, Animation, and Music
Directed by Nobuharu Kamamoto, who worked on Chaos;Head and Steins;Gate, this time he fails to fully bring out the potential of the story. The animation from studio Asread is average; some fight scenes lack impact and energy. The soundtrack by Hideki Sakamoto is decent, adding emotion to key scenes, but not memorable enough. The opening theme 「I miss you's」 by Misaki has a catchy tune but cannot compensate for the series' weaknesses.
Editorial Analysis
Big Order is an anime with an interesting concept. Questioning the consequences of wishes and limitless power could have sparked deeper thought, but the main issue is the rushed and disjointed pacing, which may confuse viewers who haven't read the original manga. Many characters are introduced briefly without deep development. The series tries to tell a big story in only 10 episodes, which seems too much for the complexity of the content. The strength lies in character design and diverse powers, but the lack of continuity prevents these potentials from being fully utilized.
Verdict
Big Order is an anime suitable for those who like concepts of special powers and wishes, but not for those who want a tight and smooth plot. If you are a manga fan or want something different, give it a try with an open mind, but keep expectations low, and you might enjoy it.
Screenshots
👍 Pros
- +The concept of 'Orders' and the impact of wishes is interesting
- +Voice acting is well done, conveying character emotions appropriately
- +The opening theme has a beautiful, catchy melody
👎 Cons
- −Rushed pacing, jumping around, making it hard to follow
- −Most characters lack development, feeling shallow
- −Fight scene animation is unremarkable, lacking excitement
Top Cast
FAQ
The anime Big Order has a total of 10 episodes, aired in 2016.
The content is quite complex with a jumping narrative, which may be hard for those not used to action fantasy anime focused on special powers.
No spoilers, but it can be said that the ending leaves room for a second season, though no announcement has been made yet.
