Atelier Ryza: Ever Darkness & the Secret Hideout

Episodes 1-3

I have to say, I'm shocked to be reviewing Atelier Ryza this season—not just the fact that I specifically have been chosen for the job but that it was popular enough among ANN readers to get the weekly treatment at all. I can't help but wonder if this popularity is because of the game it's based on—that fans are just happy to see the story in anime form.

And honestly, on that level, it makes sense. Three episodes in (the first of which was double-length), and it's obvious that a lot of care has been put into the animation quality for this series. There's a lot of focus on the details—especially the wrinkles and shadows of the characters' clothes—and while it's not exactly on the level of Studio Wit or ufotable, it is a far cry above the majority of fantasy anime we get in any given season. So I imagine that if you've played and enjoyed the first Atelier Ryza game, you're having fun with this anime. Unfortunately, I am not one of those people.

As someone who has not played any of the Atelier series games, I'm struggling to connect to this anime. A large part of this is due to the change in medium. Games are an interactive medium, unlike books, movies, and TV shows. Instead of simply introducing the plot interestingly, games have to ease you into the actual gameplay. This can even take precedence over the story. This seems to be the case for Atelier Ryza.

The first episode is not only an introduction to the world and characters but looks like it was a battle system tutorial as well. Along the same lines, the second episode is a tutorial for the alchemy system. And while I do not doubt that learning how to play it was necessary and fun in the game, in anime form, it is simply dull.

It also doesn't help that Ryza, as a character, is hard to like. While she's curious, kind, and driven, she's also scarily irresponsible. She almost gets herself and her friends killed once per episode. But what makes her grating is that she doesn't realize this is a problem. She blows it off with an “all's well that ends well.” It's like she has no danger sense—nor enough empathy to realize what her actions mean for her friends' safety. Despite the lighthearted tone of the story, I keep hoping that something bad does happen to her because of this attitude—and, honestly, her dealing with the fallout would make for some decent human drama.

So here we are, two hours in, with nothing in the way of a greater story. Ryza and her friends are simply stumbling into their new fields of study. And while it's nice to see people finding their place in the world, it's hardly a compelling narrative. Hopefully, now that the prologue seems largely out of the way, we can get things moving in some meaningful direction—though, at this point, I'm not holding my breath.

Episode 1 Rating:

Episode 2 Rating:

Episode 3 Rating:

Random Thoughts:

• There's some disconnect between the script versus what was animated. Watching Ryza closely inspecting flowers that aren't even the same color as the one she is looking for makes her seem like the ditziest person ever to exist.

• Are we really going to have that magical girl crafting scene inserted into every episode from now on?

• Ryza was designed to be a walking example of “Zettai Ryōiki”.

• Even with all the focus on Ryza's thighs, that low-angle camel toe shot was a bit much.

Atelier Ryza: Ever Darkness & the Secret Hideout is currently streaming on Crunchyroll.