By Dustin Cabeal

I gave this show a shot, and I wish I hadn’t. There were two shows that I was already familiar with from the manga counterpart. The first was Fuuka which has been disappointing and this, Masamune-kun no Revenge which at least wasn’t surprisingly disappointing.

Unlike Fuuka which is just burning through chapters of the source material to get to the parts the animators want to focus on, Masamune-kun is the opposite. Having just read the first volume a month ago, they have at least one more episode before the content reaches the second volume. Which means I would have to stomach at least two more episodes to get to new material. I don’t see it happening.

The animation is great. I love the character designs, the coloring and lighting effects are fantastic, but it’s not enough to save the show. The fan service is modest compared to other stories, so I guess there’s that.

As for this episode… Pig Legs or whatever the fuck his name is, continues his plan for revenge. Part of that plan is not paying attention in class and crying. I’m not going to pretend to understand his plan, and the sentence before was sarcasm before someone jumps on their sword in defense of this beautifully animated show and its hollow premise.

Piggy Foot gets found out and spoiler it’s the only other character he’s interacted with… I wasn’t shocked in the manga nor was I shocked in the anime. Does it add a layer of interest? Sure… expect I know what comes next, so it’s quickly shat upon.

The premise is just flawed, and I can’t suspend my disbelief for it. He spends eight years training and getting in shape; supposedly he was fat still not too long ago. At least, if the opening sequence is to be believed. And he does all this just to get back at a woman that is still wrecking hearts and giving people shitty nicknames. They’re not even funny. Me getting Pig Ankle’s name wrong is better than anything they’ve presented. Dude got “Moley” as a nickname… yeah, that’s funny because again I said my version of it instead of theirs!

There’s this weird element of suspense that this story is built around, but it’s not a good fit for it. This is a comedy. A slice of life, possibly harem comedy and yet there’s this dramatic element of if this shitty person will find out his past identity or not. It doesn’t work. They’re too different but constantly battle for tone throughout the episode. Others seem to be enjoying the hell out of the show, and I just wish I could see what they’re enjoying. The jokes are typical, the animation is beautiful, but not awe inspiring, and the premise is weak. Whatever I’m missing, I doubt I’ll find it by watching more.

Score: 1/5

Masamune-kun no Revenge E.01 & 0