| Average |
6.0 |
| Animation |
6 |
| Sound |
6 |
| Story |
6 |
| Character |
6 |
| Value |
6 |
| Enjoyment |
6 |
| Note: This review is based on L-E fansubs. Picture quality and translation are pretty good, but there are some evident problems with sound in the first few episodes.
Quote:
After one has done all the evil things possible in this world about the only thing left is becoming a Kishi (shogi player).
Originally written as manga by Katori Masaru and directed by Kawase Toshifumi (Tenjou Tenge, Beyblades) Shion no Ou is a shogi-themed mystery murder thriller centered on a young shogi prodigy Ishiwatari Shion whose parents were murdered by a mysterious shogi playing villain eight years ago. Now, Shion, adopted by a shogi master, is about to enter her first national level tournament and eventually learn all the secrets behind her parents' murder.
Shion no Ou sounds better on paper than it looks on screen. It makes sports and mystery genres work together without really going easy on either. It has relatively well fleshed out cast of characters, interesting premise and enough tension. Is it awesome then? Nope, far from it. Is it bad? Not really. Is it good then? Errr... maybe..? Characters while certainly fleshed out and developing here and there aren't really that interesting to begin with. Mystery, while not obvious, will never make you gasp at stunning twists. It's not like there is anything particularly bad with this show, to the contrary, I have yet to think of a thing to label bad in it. Unfortunately while it's crafted well and any potential is hardly wasted, I can't call Shion no Ou a good show because it is simply not that interesting. Maybe it is a lack of imagination, or a lack of suspense during some shogi matches, but this anime, while not particularly bad at any respect, comes off as bland and unmemorable. You will likely enjoy it to some extent at the time you will be watching it, but you'll forget all about Shion no Ou the day you'll finish it. It's a simple, well crafted detective story with shogi as a side dish and I can assure you've already seen better detectives elsewhere. This show, simply, doesn't stand out.
Conclusion: Shion no Ou is not a bad show, unfortunately, it's hardly good as well. Unless you are an avid board game themed anime fan, or you get your kicks out of any mysterious detective you see, you might be better off watching more memorable shows, like Hikaru no Go... or Monster. This show is still mildly fun for as long as it lasts, so if you are sure you can't find anything better, watch it with low expectations, you might like it.
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