Forum - View topicÜbel Blatt (TV).
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Edjwald
 Posts: 1786 |
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Übel Blatt (TV) Source: Manga (ongoing @ 25 volumes by Etorouji Shiono) Demographic: Seinen Animation Studio: Satelight Staple Entertainment Genres: action, adventure, drama, fantasy Themes: aristocracy, betrayal, conspiracy, corruption, dark fantasy, demi-humans, elves, gore, medieval, monsters, revenge, sorcery Plot Summary: When Szaalanden was about to be invaded by Wischtech, the Emperor sent fourteen youths in order to stop the invasion. Three perished along the way, while another four was said to have betrayed the lord, and thus was killed and called the "Lances of Betrayal". So, only seven came back alive, and they became known as the "7 Heroes". Two decades later, a boy known as Koinzell has begun to hunt down and kill the Heroes. Air Date & Platform: January 10, 2025 (Friday) Available on: Amazon Prime Episode Count / Runtime: Pending [EDIT: Fancy opener stuff added. -TK] |
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Edjwald
Posts: 1786 |
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It looks like Fridays are going to be what Thursdays were for me in Fall 24. There are six shows on Friday that are going to have to offend me pretty egregiously for me to knock them off my keeper list, and I haven't watched Farmagia yet. Ubel Blatt is the latest one. I was whining about too many gloomy shows, but I saw four amusing anime before watching this, and there's no passive suffering in this one. It's a dark revenge fantasy served up ice cold and straight.
I suppose the utter seriousness of the MC and the unrelenting grim intensity could get wearing after awhile, especially for people who don't like grim and gritty shows, but I didn't find Ubel anywhere near as annoying as the edgelords in Arifureta or the clones that came after. For one thing, Ubel doesn't seem to feel sorry for himself, and he may be brusque, but he doesn't act like ass to everybody around him. There's something to be said for an anime knowing what it wants to do and setting out to do it without trying to hedge bets. There were a few minor things that bothered me...some CGI moments with floating ships and smoke, but I thought this was a pure, adrenaline fueled ride with a lot of flashing lights down a dark street, and I liked it. |
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Harleyquin
Posts: 3001 |
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#1
The website's media preview sold me on this one, since dark revenge fantasy works aren't as common as they used to be. I never watched it, but the first episode reminded me of some of the promotional works for the franchise "Bastard", with its visuals and gory violence. The episode itself doesn't mess around either, with the very first scene doing the setup succinctly in the aftermath of an ambush which betrayed the real heroes of the empire allowing the seven traitors to claim the credit and glory as well as their place in history and the current era. That said, it's not just the surviving hero Wied who has an axe to grind against the seven heroes who govern the "Other Side" which everyone risks death to get smuggled into. The elf with the scar across his eye and enough strength to dismember humans with one strike has his own agenda, and he's got the added advantage of some kind of immortality or preternatural regeneration so long as he's exposed to moonlight. The "tavern keeper" also isn't all she seems, but she's not going to be much help for now in the upcoming duel. Her local knowledge might prove useful for the travelling group moving forward though. As for "Peepi", she's the only non-combatant who is probably going to be the voice of reason in a group consisting of otherwise unbalanced individuals. Casual viewers should stay to watch the episode trailer, as unlike most shows it uses that slot to deliver more background exposition on the world being depicted. If I have one criticism of the show, it's the use of the German language to make it cooler than it should be. Even the episode title use German with the helpful Japanese equivalent to help its home audience stay up to speed. The franchise has plenty going for it without needing a foreign language to give it cachet, but that's just my personal opinion. It looks like the show will be plenty entertaining for those who want plenty of gratuitous violence served up with eye candy topped up with themes of revenge and corruption. |
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Blood-
 Bargain Hunter Posts: 24398 |
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Anybody surprised that the sexy smuggler is my favourite character so far? Didn't think so. In any case, liking this out of the gate.
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smurky turkey
Posts: 2861 |
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It is not for me but I can respect that it is exactly what it says on the tin. And no Blood, nobody is surprised.
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Harleyquin
Posts: 3001 |
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#2
I guessed wrong about Wied's identity. The betrayed hero later framed up by the real traitors was human and did die, but Koinzell (Aeschritt) survived the backstab because none of the traitors knew about his regenerative powers under moonlight. Twenty years have passed since the quest, and Koinzell has returned to enact the vengeance he's been living for. Not a bad twist, and the way the traitors have changed the narrative so completely in their favour thanks to their betrayal says a lot about the kingdom they purportedly protect and what kind of world this franchise tries to portray. Wied himself seems to suspect who Koinzell really is, but he has more pressing tasks ahead. Even the background behind the monastery and the smuggling is revealed in a way which doesn't rely on pure exposition alone. Koinzell's strange behaviour when he found himself inside the monastery depths makes sense after he figures out what to do, and his reunion with his former comrade (now forgotten to all because of the traitor narrative) also explains just how much the official narrative has been twisted from those who knew what truly happened. Not a bad hook to keep casual viewers interested in this tale of revenge served cold, but the mysterious warrior using a blade utilizing the power of a captive fairy is one to watch. Purely mercenary, but he recognises skill when he sees it and knows when to pick his fights. If he crosses paths with Koinzell and the others further down, it'll be interesting to see what kind of interaction plays out. |
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Edjwald
Posts: 1786 |
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I agree that the setting was impressive in the way that it embodied the history of the story and the world, so that the story unfolded in bits as the MC traveled through it. The fairy sword was eerie, and I'm hoping like hell that it gets destroyed and the fairy freed before the season is over. Even though the world is fictional, just the idea that it's out there will creep me out while I'm watching.
I was a bit surprised to find all seven "heroes" standing together. I had assumed that they would be spread out in different fiefs and realms, and that this was going to be a story where Ubel traveled about the empire and tracked them down one by one. This show has a great sense of atmosphere so far. |
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