The Kingdoms of Ruin

I know this wasn't really well received but I think it was actually a good anime.

The visuals were solid, the action was solid, good character designs, the villains are unique and interesting.

The problems most people seem to have is how it diverges from where it's starting point and the pacing ( even though they don't seem to recognize this fact)

Pacing is crazy fast for a 12 ep anime. For example a typical anime burns though 3 vols maybe 4 of source material if rushed. This burned though 6.5 volumes of source, that's more than 1 volume for less than 2 episodes...

As you can imagine the result is a speed run. Where many things get cut and unexplored. Plot twist feel random because they have little to no build.

I still think it did a decent job given the circumstances. Probably be better if they covered less material but it is what it is.

As for the deviation from the start again, I think if Adonis (uhh I hate that name) character got more time to get fleshed out people would hate it so much.

You do see it a little at the end character development but it takes the whole series and just barely in last 5 mins.

Overall I liked it, but it's pretty different from anything else I've seen.

It's not your typical hero, nor anti hero story, nor even villain story.

I feel like it's going towards a redemption story for our MC Adonis (yuck hate that name).

So I say give it a try, even the haters admit they watched it til the end. Remember The worst amines aren't the ones people hate but the ones people can't finish or don't remember.

The storyline unfolds seamlessly, striking a perfect balance with a steady pace that never feels rushed. The characters, particularly Adonis (the protagonist) and his girlfriend, undergo substantial development in Season 1, laying a promising foundation for future growth. The anime's dark tone is captivating, offering a glimpse into a world filled with revenge, portraying Adonis as a kind-hearted soul tainted by darkness. The contrast between his inherent kindness and vengeful pursuits adds a compelling layer to his character. The narrative skillfully navigates the complexities of revenge, showcasing the misery of humans and influencing the perspectives of key characters. The story's depth is solid, hinting at a rich tapestry that promises further exploration in upcoming seasons. 'Kingdom of Ruin' excels in building anticipation for the witch queen's role and the various human empires yet to be fully unveiled. Season 1 serves as a captivating introduction, leaving viewers eager for the unfolding saga in the seasons to come.

This is some excellent "so bad, it's good" material. It is tough to take seriously since it is so incredibly edgy. It's funny because the (many) tragic scenes are absurdly extravagant. It seems like the show was written by a child who was taken straight out of an Xbox voice chat for Call of Duty.

There aren't many characters in this that you will like. The protagonist assaults others for incredibly trivial motives. The empire, our adversarial force, is committing genocide because, well, they're nasty. If someone watched this and all they took away was that it's edgy and all the subtlety is lost, then it sounds a lot like a certain megahit series with a wicked protagonist seeking retribution on the world for genocide. Kingdoms of Ruin is a great comedy even if it has rapidly established itself as absolutely awful television.

This started in a promising manner. You see some gruesome deaths and are led to believe this will be a gnarly tail of revenge that leaves you hanging on the edge of your seat.

Then they make no attempt to develop the characters in any way shape or form and the whole series dialogue could be summed up as;

"hey, i don't know who you are but I'm gonna revenge ya" "Ohh hey, you have nothing to do with my plot? Well, guess i better revenge you anyway" "innaniment object in my field of view? Ohh you better believe that's a revenging"

The characters end up with as many dimensions as a singular point in space (math joke) and are so poorly written it makes you wonder if the writer is just throwing his (or Her, or it, no need to cancel me) 12vie angst in our face and passing it off as art.

This stuff kinda disappoints me. I hate to say it but this show already went to nothing in about 5 episodes. They just ran out of ideas and tried to do too much. I just wanted a slaughter and we got something boring as hell.

I hate when shows do this. Now I would've been very happy for a 12 episode run of this guy bringing down an empire using violent gun magic like Americans when they discover oil in a sketchy morals third world dictator led country. But no. They didn't do it fast enough. So we have another dustbin show.

I won't even grace this new review (as my old 7/10 did) with the details on anything but the fact that this show is terrible and not worth its money. I don't think it's a 1/10 by any means but I would certainly say this is below average and therefore not watchable really. Don't waste your time and just watch the Eminence in Shadow or Misfit of Demon King Academy or Overlord for the edgelord genre because this isn't it. 4/10 if generous.