Alternative setting

Web, 2018, 8 eps,N/A(8),N/A(8)

Other

Other, 2009, 1 ep,4.15(400),5.85(402)

Similar post-apocalyptic setting with a world overrun by monsters and young protagonists with special powers.

The world has been almost completely overrun by mysterious monsters known as Aragami, and humanity's last hope are the God Eaters, warriors who use the God Arcs against the Aragami. Utsugi Lenka becomes a God Eater, and he is found to be one of the New-Types whose God Arcs can transform.

Giant monsters created from mankind's folly are kept at bay from one of the last cities on earth by very science that caused the issue in the first place.

Both involve a new recruit joining a special operations team in a post-disaster world, fighting to protect mankind. Both feature heavily CG monsters which they fight.

Same idea, but with virus who create monsters.

byLegim on2023-12-06 08:53

Decent series, good action and pace with a low/mid plot. The 3D is disappointing at the beginning but improves and becomes a visually appealing, seamless experience. The story has some strong characters but lacks a deeper development.

bylptk on2016-06-21 14:12

So... This show made to post my first review in this site after years!! a good plot, good animation, interesting characters, good music, so what can go wrong? horrible direction!! without a good direction to connect all the above and make a interesting show those all go to waste. statistically speaking, 1/3 of time of each episode you see characters walking in a slo-mo and showing to you how cool they are... the show has a very very slow start and when it starts you somehow come to the conclusion that every 2 ep. could be 1 ep. because of all time wasting and empty scenes I'm not against artistic and beautiful scenery but everything has a limit. anyway with all that said i still give this series 6 for Art,music and plot. watch it just for those and be patient.

bysammy321 on2016-06-18 18:50

As humanity is on the brink of extinction by feral beasts, only a small handful can wield weapons to kill these beasts. I enjoyed the start and middle of the series, but the flashbacks can be kinda confusing but make sense as the series progresses. There is lots of action, blood, tragedy and fantasy elements. This is one of the few times, 3D character art style was done correctly as expressions and emotions didn't look fake. I'm not sure how this compares to the video game, but I hope there is another season as there were still unanswered questions.

byM4dness on2016-06-16 17:42

So... this series has a REALLY slow start, in which "kill the aragami before they kill you" is all that matter... anyway, after the first half, it become really interesting with a serious-sided plot development, along with a better understanding of the characters! The only demerit point that I can find in this series is the end, that isn't an end at all... So, here I am, hoping in a sequel! Highly recommended!

bydwhitedragon on2016-05-01 19:40

The animation of this anime is pretty interesting. The story is pretty good but not as much depth as I would like. Truthfully it is just a decent watch that if you want lots of blood and gore and people dying you got it here.

byZaku88 on2016-11-06 05:35

Lenka Utsugi is a new God Eater, and one of humanity's last hopes against the invading Aragami. God Eater follows Lenka as he trains and eventually joins a company of fellow God Eaters. Ufotable has created a thrilling, engaging, and occasionally quite dire story where brave acts are often overshadowed by the grim reality of the task at hand- Aragami are endless creatures, reincarnating from Oracle cells, whereas the surviving human population and their scant resources are fast depleting.

Though it lacks the depth of character of some of Ufotable's other works, this is still a very strong show, especially from a presentation perspective. In terms of story, it reminds me most of Schwarzes Marken; they share a similar sense of desperation of situation and some characters seem to harbor ulterior objectives. If you've enjoyed Ufotable's previous action-based works, this is good enough work to dive into. It may be a new setting but they sure did a good job making it come to life.

Animation:
Ufotable has an incredibly high bar for animation quality, and that continues in this show. Attention to detail is present everywhere- whether it is the detailing in the clouds or the fast-forward time transition animations, we're talking animated-movie quality stuff here. The detailing is great elsewhere as well; you'll find great shading and realistic reflections off metallic surfaces. The last frame of the OP also blends in perfectly with the beginning of the ED! The setting itself is an interesting yet sad place; the majority of the world has been turned into a barren wasteland, littered with the skeletal remains of humanity's former civilizations. The surviving humans now live tightly-packed in walled off settlements. It's definitely a different environment than the urban feel of the Fate universe. I'd say there's a steam punk kind of feel to both the weaponry and technology in the show.

The characters are also drawn in a unique style, though not quite as noticeable as Valkyria Chronicles; outlines on the characters are very thin and/or nonexistent, which often makes hair look more like spikes rather than strands. Character expressions aren't the strong suit in this show, though I don't blame them too much given their situation; I do find it a bit odd that they have so many opportunities to stop mid battle and strike a cool pose for the camera. The characters also have rather outlandish outfits given their roles and situation (a long dress for battle... seriously).

Speaking of battles, this show is essentially an endless, desperate fight with a few brief lulls. Expect a generous amount of blood, gore, and death along the way. Though the Aragami are painfully drawn through CGI, there's a good focus on choreography; I found myself on the edge of my seat through many battles. If there's one thing that the show wants to remind you of, it's that whenever you think have the upper edge you had better think again. There's an even amount of ranged and melee fighting, though obviously they focus more on the melee aspects. The plane fight in the third episode, though rather implausible physically, was one of the more memorable encounters. Though there is a bit of skin exposure on the part of Alisa, this isn't really an ecchi-centric show.

Sound:
The show opens with a heavy rock piece that gives it a fittingly gritty and rough feel; it's not really my choice of music genre but makes sense here. The ED is a rather interesting piece, starting with a slow and ominous tonality before transitioning over to a hopeful and positive main melody. For once, I can honestly speak out positively about a BGM. This show has a superb BGM that greatly complements the strong visuals. It is often accompanied by a very fitting set of insert songs by Ghost Oracle Drive.

Large portions of the show have lone pad instruments or a piano with long reverb, adding a constant, heavy pressure to the atmosphere. This is further reinforced by opportune use of the vocal insert songs, specifically "Broke my Stake", which in my opinion really captures the atmosphere and tonality of the show. The BGM is also definitive during the battle scenes, often using strong drums or one of the excellent battle insert songs. When things go wrong, the show really drives the point with the eerily hopeless tune in the insert song "Human After All". Really, if you've been waiting for a show with a superb OST, there's a very strong contender here.

Though I'm not a particular fan of our protagonist's general lack of emotion, the show has a strong cast overall. Our main heroine is voiced by veteran Maaya Sakamoto, who gives her character a fittingly aloof feel. We have other Ufotable veterans as well including Sayaka Oohara and Rikiya Koyama. They are also joined by veterans Kanae Ito and Ai Kakuma in supporting roles. Honestly, personal preference aside I'd have to say Sayaka wins highest praise here for her commanding yet motherly presence.

Story:
Though I started the show with a healthy dosage of skepticism surrounding this story, it honestly is a well orchestrated piece that instantly draws you in and doesn't let up until you're spit out the other side - and be warned that it may even pull you back in for an encore.

Usually, I consider the first two episodes fair game for an initial introduction here. Unfortunately, things move so quickly in this show that this would be spoiling a great deal. Instead, an analysis of some primary story elements will have to suffice.

God Eater is told primarily through the lens of Lenka, who is introduced to the workings of the Far East settlement and must learn to cope with his new found strength and abilities. However, the story also occasionally tells of the past of Johannes, the current chair of the Far East settlement. This past, often told in grayscale color, sheds light on the origins of God Eaters and the Aragami. These two stories are well intertwined so that neither feels out of place nor distracting.

I couldn't figure out any reasonable breakdowns of the show in terms of arcs, it's just one long struggle with chain-inducing cliff hangers and well-placed plot twists. There are plenty of battles that range anywhere from a few minutes to the entirety of an episode. Occasionally, this fire hose of constant action is turned down a bit to offer the viewer a short reprieve; expect this lull to be filled with meaningful character development and further atmosphere building. As there are multiple intense battles, there isn't the typical, linear buildup to a climax but rather lots of peaks and ridges along the way. The final climax is pretty epic, and though it's a bit over the top, it pretty much has to be in order to compete with the already grand previous battles. It's a relatively predictable climax/resolution, and the show leaves a gaping door open for future expansions.

Along the way, I picked up a favorite episode. Episode 10 is Lenka's origin story, and it's both well placed and well executed. For some reason, it reminds me of Emiya Kiritsugu's origin arc from Fate Zero- perhaps it's the similarity of emotion that is captured by the end of the episode.

This is by no means a perfect work, there are plenty of setting and character details that are conveniently left out, as well as a huge deal of plot holes that one can easily write an academic essay on. Many of these are issues that actually apply to the FSN world as well (how a heroic spirit can ride an F-15 / how God Eaters can stand on a jet going 150+ mph, how main protagonists have ridiculous injury recovery rates i.e. Emiya/Lenka, etc.). However, there's enough action to focus on that these inconsistencies/impracticalities can be safely taken for granted without compromising on enjoyment.

Character:
Honestly, this is probably the weakest category for this show. Ufotable has traditionally left a lot of mystery surrounding their characters, and that continues here. Through the season we learn a lot about Lenka, Johannes, and (to a lesser extent) Alisa. However, the other characters don't really get much of a background exposition; they seem to be there to serve a supporting role and to look cool in opportune moments. The actual character interactions are pretty good as you get to see the group dynamics evolve through the show.

As for individual characters, I don't particularly like Lenka's personality; the fact that his trump card is his "hero" mentality is a bit overused in general in the world of anime. Alisa is definitely a work in progress, as her personal stability doesn't match her prowess in battle. The characters are dynamic, but not to the extent that we've seen in works such as FSN. Ironically, I'd say the Aragami are the most dynamic of characters in this show as they constantly evolve.

As for supporting characters, let's just say that there's a lot of death in this show. Innocent bystanders are often helplessly turned to heaps of red in a similar fashion to ordinary soldiers in a Gundam show.

Value:
These days, I often find myself struggling to find uniqueness or elements of a show interesting enough to supplement my generic review pattern. I'm glad to have found such an interesting and engaging show. Though it may feel a bit immature at times, i.e. catering to younger audiences, the sheer power of the setting combined with the excellent story and majestic production qualities truly make this show an entertaining and worthwhile experience. It's not a perfect work by a long shot, but the franchise definitely shows promise. The first season ends with a lot of open questions so let's hope there's enough momentum for a sequel.