By Shanel Kamara

Okay I’ll be very frank here; I’m drawing a blank about what to think about this anime series. The Reflection is very distinct to any other anime series to air; in terms of the style, the plot, and the setting, The Reflection resembles an American comic. I am fully aware that the anime series is a project that Studio DEEN and the illustrious Stan Lee have worked on, but I still can’t get my head around the notion of an anime series that looks as if it’s come straight from the pages of a comic book. It’s literally as if I’m watching a comic book series brought life.

Maybe the point of this anime is to emphasize that Japanese anime does not exclusively influence western media without it, in turn, being affected by American culture. Honestly, I could just be reading more into it than necessary and it, in fact, could simply be the point which I stated earlier, which is to make viewers feel as if they are watching a comic book that’s been animated; who knows?

The plot revolves around an incident known as The Reflection Event that dramatically altered the lives of many people around the world. While many lost their lives, during the time where the world was robbed of sunlight and cloaked in darkness, those who survived this tumultuous incident gained superpowers and became recognized as The Reflected. As typical of superhero themed storylines, the few who were bestowed with powers chose to use theirs for a good while others chose to use theirs for evil. According to the plot summary provided by Anime News Network, The Reflection itself is a mystery. So maybe the characters endeavor is to untangle the mystery of The Reflection Event as well as to keep the world safe. The plot sounds interesting albeit cliché, but I think I’ll stick to Boku no Hero Academia.

Score: 3/5

The Reflection E.01