Battle Programmer Shirase - Reviews

BPS is one of those shows you watch and find strangely compelling, but also disappointing at the same time. Either way, I do and would recommend it for certain people. Not everyone, mind you, but for some it may be a quick and fun romp through something a bit different.

Positives: BPS is silly, but mixed in between the silly is a compelling concept and some pretty funny moments. I really enjoyed the protagonists character and mannerisms. Having been a programmer at one time he found a quick soft spot in my opinions.

Negatives: So there are some kind of strange moments in here, which can come across as really strange or offensive to those not familiar with Japanese society. On the plus side, I would note that to Shirase's credit he isn't a total scumbag. In fact, he seems more like a decent guy who, unfortunatley, suffers from a serious lack of social skills.

I'd suggest that BPS is similar in some ways to Welcome to the NHK, though far less serious (even silly much of the time). Even still, I would have loved to see the show get a full season instead of the cut short season it did. There was some potential here with a bit more planning and some more accomplished editing/direction.

Ah well.

Overall, I enjoyed this show enough to watch it to the end. Shirase is a "decent" (in the terms of development as a character) and the gags were decently funny. However, it's literally the same one every episode and there's no small amount of recycled animation. Generally speaking, the anime itself was pretty mediocre, but I still liked it and their choices for Shirase's personality traits, so it isn't too bad.

I can't say how this anime looks to a tech-agnositc viewer. But as someone who knows a little bit about computers, security and programming and this show is worser than those hollywood hacking movies.

I basically couldn't get myself to watch this due to the very unrealistic portrayal of computers, programming and hacking.

If you want to see real hacking watch Mr.Robot. It has very few mistakes.

Battle Programmer Shirase, albeit short, is a humorous anime filled with running gags throughout the show. In these short 15 episodes, Akira Shirase, also known as BPS (see anime title) works using his computer hacking skills to help people with serious problems, i.e. a terrorist attack! But, although he sounds quite amazing, Shirase has to be one of the laziest anime characters I have ever seen. Unusually, Shirase doesn't take money for pay; instead, he wants rare, strange computer products that usually the viewer has no idea what he just recieved. Helping him out by cooking and cleaning, Shirase has a great-niece named Misao Amano. A joke occuring throughout each arc is Shirase and Amano in crazy sexual positions; always by accident. And as if on cue, the customer in that arc seems to come in every single time during that accident. The story, as I've said before, are in arcs. But, most of the time, it's the same villian causing each problem. In each arc, BPS has to hack the enemy computer, which proves incredibly easy. Farther into the episodes though, the jobs become more difficult, and characters introduced in earlier arcs provide help or plot twists. Sadly, as short as the anime series was, plot twists weren't as effective.

Overall, this is a great show; if asked, I would recommend it! If you haven't already, take this anime for a spin, especially if you like comedies.

Title: Battle Programmer Shirase

Story: 4/10 The story of Battle Programmer Shirase is a bit of a mixed bag. It follows the life of Akira Shirase, a brilliant computer programmer who ends up getting involved in various hacking and cybercrime incidents. While the concept of a hacker hero is intriguing, the execution leaves much to be desired. The episodic nature of the series sometimes feels disjointed, and the plot lacks depth and coherence. It often relies on improbable scenarios and exaggerated situations for comedic effect, which might not be everyone's cup of tea.

Animation: 6/10 For an anime released in 2003, Battle Programmer Shirase's animation holds up decently. While it doesn't feature the flashy visuals of more modern shows, it maintains a consistent and colorful art style. The character designs are distinctive, and the action sequences, when they occur, are moderately well-animated. However, don't expect groundbreaking animation here; it's serviceable at best.

Sound: 5/10 The soundtrack and sound effects in Battle Programmer Shirase are unremarkable. They don't particularly enhance the viewing experience but don't detract from it either. The voice acting is decent, with the characters' personalities coming through in their performances, but there's nothing extraordinary about the audio.

Characters: 5/10 Akira Shirase, the titular character, is a talented programmer, but his personality can be grating at times. He often comes across as arrogant and too obsessed with women, which might not sit well with all viewers. The supporting characters are mostly one-dimensional, serving as comedic foils or plot devices rather than fully developed individuals. While some of the interactions between characters can be amusing, they rarely delve deep into meaningful character development.

Overall: 5/10 Battle Programmer Shirase is a somewhat forgettable anime series. While it has moments of humor and cleverness, its lackluster story and characters hold it back from being a standout in the world of anime. If you're a fan of early 2000s anime or have a particular interest in computer-related humor, you might find some enjoyment here. However, for most viewers, there are better options available.