Arknights Animation: Prelude to Dawn

GG-WP★ 8

A game adaptation that stayed true to its source material. To the average person, this show may appear boring and will not pique their interest in the game. While to someone who plays Arknights, this show was a pretty good adaptation and overall an enjoyable ride, especially seeing their in-game waifus get the screentime they deserved. As the title suggests, this season is simply introducing the audience to Rhodes Island and Terra's current state, problems, and so on. Unfortunately, since it is an introduction, it is bound to bore many people. But it serves its purpose admirably, hence the "Prelude to Dawn" in the title. Interms of execution, the chapters adapted by the show were boring to read in-game, so Arknights players may be surprised that the adaptation turned out well while remaining true to the source material. In that regard, the writers have done an outstanding job. In terms of art, the backgrounds are well-made, with the architecture of Lungmen and Chernobog being unique. The art style for nonhuman objects is generally good, and the same face syndrome in character art isn't too bad, but it still exists. Doktah is my main source of dissatisfaction because its figure's stature is sometimes off and feels weird in the show, but the art is otherwise above average. In terms of animation, there is little action, so there isn't much to say, and nothing particularly noteworthy. But the few action scenes, especially Ace's, were pretty cool. Otherwise, the animation is mediocre. Still images are boring. Background characters are unchanging. Their decision to use CGI for Reunion soldiers is probably good for budgeting. The OP is ok, nothing special, but the contrast between its calm atmosphere and the dark theme is pretty good and fits the mood of the show. The ED, in my opinion, is the superior of the two, and it, once again, matches the mood and vibe of the show. The accompanying art in the ED is also very pleasing to the eyes. In terms of sound, the VAs did an excellent job of portraying the characters they play. The viewers can tell who is who. When the VA speaks, their emotions and feelings are properly captured. Ch'en is an example of this, as her VA's voice acting perfectly portrays the character. This show has elicited a wide range of reactions. One may or may not enjoy it. Those who play Arknights will undoubtedly have the edge in terms of investment and enjoyment of the show. Coming from someone who has no knowledge of Arknights, I'd say it was pretty boring, but it was still a good adaptation that stayed true to its lore. The show did well for its role as a crash course to the Arknights game. It is worth watching for those who want to learn more about Arknights' world. People looking for a one-time stop, on the other hand, would be disappointed since the chapters adapted are only a small part of the Reunion arc. It will take more than one season to complete.

Mcsuper★ 8

Game adaptations or game advertisement anime have always been a mixed bag. Whether it’s terrible plot writing, boring worlds, or obvious pandering, game adaptations always are met with skepticism. However, Arknights: Prelude to Dawn is an example of one done with passion and love for the source material. I haven’t played Arknights myself, but I would imagine many Arknights players would be satisfied with this adaptation and loved how their favourite characters came to life. Of course, that isn’t to say that the entire eight episode run was flawless, as I did find a few parts rather heavy on exposition and a bit boring, butoverall, it was quite a treat to watch, and one of the better shows to come out this season, in my opinion. STORY: The story wasn’t particularly unique, as these types of dystopian stories with diseases ravaging the population isn’t anything new. We see these stories in Hollywood movies all the time. That said, the world in Arknights is decently built, with different organizations having different morals surrounding Oripathy, and the treatment of the Infected. It would have done even better with just a bit more exposition, but what we got was quite sufficient. Obviously, this part of the story was probably the weakest part of the game, if I was to venture a guess, and that makes me all the more excited for what’s to come, if there are future seasons in the works. ART: It has a very cinematic feel, especially at the start. It felt vastly different to the anime I was used to watching, but slowly eased its way back to a more “anime style”. I really enjoyed the backgrounds and some of the fight scenes, and I thought the overall production was quite solid. Props to Yostar Pictures for doing quite the phenomenal job here. MUSIC: The OP and ED are quite fitting for the show and its darker themes, and the soundtrack itself is decent, but the music doesn’t get overplayed that it covers the eerieness of some of the scenes. CHARACTERS: The overall setup of the characters and their respective organizations was good, and some of the characters do stand out quite a bit. Amiya is your typical protagonist that tries to keep peace between the organizations, the doctor is a very good leader in battle, not necessarily someone I’d see as a self-insert, especially with how he/she is portrayed. ENJOYMENT: My thoughts for this was pretty consistently positive, with just one episode that was a bit underwhelming. I enjoyed it for the most part for sure. The production was good, and the world building was quite intriguing to see. THEMATIC EXECUTION: The dark themes were actually done quite well, along with the whole idea of discriminating against the Infected, along with the moral ambiguity. You feel for each side to a certain extent, which was certainly the goal here. OVERALL: A solid job by Yostar Pictures, and an adaptation that inspires hope if there are indeed future seasons of this, which I would wholeheartedly want to see. It was a good starting point that has some interesting ideas going for it. I’d love to know how Arknights players thought of this, but even as someone who knew nothing about this game beforehand, I can definitely say that I’m intrigued now.