|
Meanderings
|
|
Monday, 07 November 2011 11:57 |
Kaito Daimon is a puzzle solving machine. His mastery over all things perplexing is beyond impressive, but now he's found himself entwined in a lethal game of Riddle Me This. The contender? A deadly Philosopher's Puzzle, the creation of a sinister group named POG. Along with his "friend" Nonoha, he is pulled into a world of mysteries, where failing to find the solution could mean taking his last breath. And solving the puzzle is only the beginning of Kaito's problems...
One of the things I generally have a problem with in anime is shows with a core idea that they take far too seriously. Chihayafuru is one that I'd already given up on this season (shame they didn't focus on the far more interesting relationship side in that one...), and Phi-Brain becomes the second. I've never seen a series that could make a life-and-death issue out of what's essentially a sliding block puzzle, and once the 'oh, come on' reaction to the situations that the show sets up set in, it was never really going to be a runner for me.
For what it's worth, though, the basic idea is this: Many ancient monuments are Philosopher's Puzzles, created by 'think tank' POG - the world's smarters puzzle-setters. They aim to release the Puzzle of God, solving which will make man equal with God. By solving the 'unsolvable' maze in the first episode and earning the Armlet of Orpehus, Kaito proves that he has the potential to be able to solve the Puzzle of God - but his school seems to be set up to oppose POG, with the principal wanting to keep the Puzzle of God away from them, and he wants Kaito to help them. Got that? Good.
THE GOOD: Call me shallow, but token female character Nonoha - who enjoys her martial arts and packs a mean kick - was probably the highlight for me.
THE BAD: Takes itself too seriously. Kaito's armlet grants him Amazing Puzzle-Solving Powers!!, which bypass the need to actually show him working out a solution - which in turn kinda misses the whole point. The 'oh, come on' value is off the scale, which ruins any sort of appeal the setting may have otherwise had for me.
The series is set to run for 25/26 episodes - if it carried on in the style that the opening 2 episodes, I'd be banging my head against the wall by about 4 or 5. If it took itself a little less seriously, it might have worked better for me, but as it is? No, thanks. Dropped.
|
Backbites 
