When people make certain decisions in their lives and truly desire something, it could forever change their life, it could even come true if they worked really hard in this world to achieve it, but that’s under the understanding of our world. It does tend to leave you wondering what it all leads into, hopefully we will see a central plot in the second season. Don’t fret though because it does keep you interested if you get into it.
Hakkenden is a very good series if you don’t mind the lack of a central plot. The artwork is the defining beauty of this series. Each district, each of the places that the characters visits are almost like a painted work of art. The characters all have defining features that are immediately noticeable and match the multitude of personalities presented. It is one of the first things that drew me in. The artwork is definitely done incredibly well. Not only are their personalities in great variety and incredibly different from one another, but their stories are what truly make this series a great one. These characters and the rest as they are introduced actually add to the story. She is a main character but acts mainly as supporting. She is a refreshing character, who although lacks a background story of her own, adds a silly and realistic feel to the story. She appear to be immature and demanding but later displays a level of maturity far greater than most of the characters, even the adult ones. Hamaji is another childhood friend, but her presence in the story is not a prominent halfway through. He provides a balance to Shino, who would otherwise be a typical bratty protagonist. Sosuke, his childhood friend, maintains a calm and loyal attitude and is seen accompanying Shino mostly everywhere. Shino, the protagonist, is very childish however he has a sensitive and caring side that makes him very enjoyable. The characters are my reason for scoring this anime as an 8. The storyline tends to feel like a collection of stories that are somewhat connected toĪ central plot however it feels mostly disconnected. With the introduction of each character, there are minor plots that keep you interested, however it is usually resolved within the following episode. What kept me interested were the characters and their background stories. The storyline is definitely unique, however there is an absence of a central plot or it tends to stray from it. It was an enjoyable anime that kept me watching every week but it did not have me dying to watch it. Hakkenden draws you in through its artwork, elements of fantasy, and its moments of mystery.