Divine Gate - Reviews

I thought I'd like this anime as the first 2 episode were kinda interesting but after episode 3 I realized I may have a dud on my hands. I dropped midway through episode 4 as the main plot point took a back seat to cliche characters I could care less about.

As a plus the animation is pretty good and unique and the intro song is pretty kick ass, but sadly, I can't continue to watch this mess.

It was fun to watch and I enjoyed it! would I recommend it to someone? probably not. The plot was hard to follow and it didn't entirely make sense, but I loved it

Divine Gate - An Ambitious Yet Confused Fantasy Anime

Story (6/10): Divine Gate sets out with grand ambitions, presenting a world where a mystical gate connects the realms of the living and the dead. The story follows a group of "Adapters" who possess unique powers and aims to reach the Divine Gate to fulfill their wishes. While the premise is intriguing, the anime struggles to execute it effectively. The narrative is convoluted, with numerous character backstories and subplots that can be confusing to follow. It often feels like the series bit off more than it could chew, leaving certain elements underdeveloped. Despite its issues, Divine Gate manages to deliver some emotionally resonant moments.

Animation (7/10): Visually, Divine Gate stands out with its vibrant and striking character designs. The action sequences are well-animated and dynamic, showcasing the characters' unique powers effectively. The design of the Divine Gate itself is impressive, serving as a central and visually appealing element in the anime.

Sound (6/10): The soundtrack in Divine Gate is decent, with music that complements the fantasy world's atmosphere. The opening and ending themes are catchy and set the tone effectively. While the voice acting performances are generally good, there are moments when the emotional delivery feels somewhat lacking.

Characters (5/10): Divine Gate features a sizable cast of characters, each with their own tragic pasts and motivations. However, the sheer number of characters can be overwhelming, and not all of them receive adequate development. Some characters' backstories are intriguing, while others feel rushed or underexplored. Additionally, the complex relationships between the characters can be challenging to follow, leading to a disconnect with the audience.

Overall (5/10): Divine Gate is an anime with a promising premise that struggles to deliver a coherent and satisfying narrative. While it has its moments of emotional depth and visual appeal, the overall execution falls short of its ambitious goals. It may resonate more with viewers who enjoy intricate fantasy worlds, but others may find it confusing and ultimately unsatisfying.

As for the manga/novel comparison, Divine Gate originally started as a smartphone game and expanded into a multimedia project that includes the anime, manga, and novels. The anime adaptation follows its own storyline, so while the other media may offer additional insights into the world and characters, they don't directly adapt the same narrative. Exploring the various adaptations can provide a more comprehensive understanding of the Divine Gate universe.

It's hilariously bad.

If you can enjoy anime ironically for the so-bad-its good factor, then Divine Gate is a must-watch. A couple moments off the top of my head:

• King Arthur can't decide if he's scheming for good or evil
• Arthur's subordinate Schrödinger is in love with a mass murder and mistakes him for the protagonist
• Shakespeare traps the teen angst squad in some theatrical shenanigans at the request of Loki
• Oz decides to unleash a bunch of elder gods for poorly-defined reasons but then regrets it later when they kill most of the cast
• While every other character uses an overcomplicated vaguely-elemental magic weapon, Arthur's childhood friend Santa Claus fights with the power of a nailbat.

However, the show is roughly 50/50 on monotonous exposition/baffling stupidity, and can drag on seemingly forever when you decide to actually pay attention. I'd recommend the dub both because it's easier to selectively ignore and because listening to the voice actors stay in character adds to the hilarity.

Share with some friends over drinks when you need something ridiculous to throw on in the background of something else. Otherwise, your time is certainly better spent elsewhere.

The only genuine compliment I can offer this is that the opening theme is really catchy.

3/10 - entertaining under certain circumstances

NOTE: This MAY contain spoilers!

Story 6/10: There's a lot of action and fighting scenes for the characters on their quest to search for divine gate who wishes to change their past. It was okay, but there are times where it seems that they have dragged on for too long.

Characters 7/10: There was a lot of characters that are introduced in the series. They have cool powers called "Drivers" & they are based on the elements (like Earth, Fire & Water). Akane is honest and straight-forward. His Driver is the power of FIRE. Aoto is very distant and monotone. His driver involves the power of WATER. Midori is very cheerful and happy. Her driver has the power of WIND. There are also some references to the medieval timeline & fairy tales (i.e.: Shakespeare, King Arthur & Lancelot, Loki & Oz -- who I'm pretty sure is has a contemporary look/reference to the Wizard of Oz). There was a really cool character development on the main characters that explores their past & reasons of going to the Divine Gate.

Overall enjoyment 6/10: As I said previously, a lot can happen in 12 episodes! I enjoyed watching it. It was ok. I just don't like seeing the good guys dying. I hope there is a season 2 that can let us continue seeing the characters grow and see their fates afterwards. There's a lot of sad moments and action scenes that makes you shocked but wanting to continue finishing the series.

Check out my Anime Review on Youtube! > https://youtu.be/kmiWuaNIMpY