High Card

Episodes 1-3

I had the pleasure of watching the first episode of High Card back at Anime NYC, and getting the chance to continue the series hasn't really changed my initial thoughts from back then. If there was one word I could use to describe High Card, it would be "fun". This is a show that I could recommend off of its bombastic presentation alone. I like its bright colors, flashy lighting, and snappy direction. The characters look great in their fancy suits, and the soundtrack that is probably one of my favorites of the season so far.

As for the rest, High Card's premise is interesting and has a lot of potential, but I can't help but feel like it's nothing extraordinary right out the gate. Episode one is basically the inciting incident that gets our main character into his new role while episode two is there to establish the world. Definitely not the most well-paced opening to a show, since we go from adrenaline-fueled car chases in one episode to sitting down and talking a lot the next. Things get much tighter by episode three, with a good mix of action, comedy, character reflections, and foreshadowing. Though now that we seem to have the main crew established, I'd like to see everyone interact like a team more. From what I see so far, there's a lot of fun potential there.

I like our main character Finn who overall seems like a good kid who could've walked a very different path if he didn't come across this new organization. I understand his desperation and reading between the lines, he probably developed a lot of his observation skills for the sake of stealing. Considering the fact that he is the young pup being brought into the lion's den, it'll be interesting to see how he is able to stand out and make a name for himself amongst everybody else with their own card abilities. I just hope the plot doesn't get too generic; by episode three High Card is already playing up Finn's more heroic impulses while also dropping the classic “I have amnesia from my childhood” plot point.

I'm also looking forward to seeing everyone else's cards because so far the abilities seem to vary between unremarkably bland and extremely specific. I think if High Card's presentation wasn't as brazen and kinetic as it is, I wouldn't be as interested in this story. However, I don't think that's a bad thing right off the bat. I just hope that things continue to feel exciting, since it's rare we get good stylized original anime like this these days.

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High Card is currently streaming on Crunchyroll.