Zenki

BlaizeV Aug 31, 2012

6

Appearing on Japanese screens back in 1995, adapted from the Manga of the same name by Kikuhide Tani, Zenki is your typical 90's Shonen affair. The series amounts to your basic 'unwilling hero who controls a powerful force with a much less powerful form'. Think Inuyasha. It echos the time it was made and caters to the demographic it was aiming for. Its devoid of originality and doesn't shy away from any cliches of the genre. This may sound negative but rather than trying to be different it bathes itself in these cliches from the predictable plot and its 'Monster of the Week' episodic story telling right upto the frankly kick ass Power Rock opening titles. As such despite being unoriginal Zenki succeeds at achieving its goals and in the process it is exactly what I wanted it to be. Zenki is funny, action packed, goofy and light hearted. All while juggling much darker themes than the average shonen show of the time. Often incorparating some very twisted looking imagery into it's monster design and general story. The Animation is standard of the 90's with it's small budget and loud colours. But it's Character designs are nicely drawn, Its landscapes are subtle but practical. In summary what Zenki lacks in originality it makes up for in charm. Zenki knows what it is, it knows what demographic its catering too. It keeps within its boundries and enjoys itself. I have great respect for that. Zenki is not thought provoking or trying to convey an important message. Its dumb and its fun. It's junkfood for the mind. Its blowing Bubbles in your soft drink with a straw, pointless but satisfying. If you can accept all this before going in then you will most likely enjoy this show. I Give Zenki a Solid 6/10 'Fair'

ThatAnimeSnob Jul 21, 2012

3.5

Ha! That part is just like in Inu Yasha… And this one is so Bleach-like… Wow, I just saw a scene from Kekkaichi! ART & SOUND SECTION: 6/10 - We have a typical modern Japanese setting, filled with typical looking characters and monsters, talking in a typical way. I have seen so many titles taking place in an average looking Japanese city, with teenagers fighting demons that this sort of thing has become less interesting than the word “unoriginal” can cover. If you are a seasoned otaku, you will simply not find anything different or attractive to look at or listen to for long. - On the bright side, the visual and sound effects are a step above the usual mambo-jumbo pointless battles. Although the choreography of fighting is still the same old “turn-based, voice-actvated energy beams”, the vivid colors and the detailed explotions make the battles not completely boring. STORY & CHARACTER SECTION: 3/10 - Teenage schoolgirl / priestess teams up with demon-eating demon (that’s right!) and fights demons. About 48 filler episodes later, a big bad guy appears, one big battle occurs, the good guys win and we have a happy ending. - There is nothing surprising or interesting about the story. Expected power-ups, predictable sexual tension between the main characters, one-dimensional villains. The repetitive macho one-liners of the leading demon and the low-toned fan service scenes of the leading girl don’t help much either. VALUE & ENJOYMENT SECTION: 1/10 It was so damn generic, un-evolving and reminiscent of the main plot formula all shonen series follow, that it was simply impossible to enjoy it without making silly comparisons with almost all other series of its kind. Boring to the point of skipping episodes without missing anything. Unoriginal to the point of having nothing else to write about. I don’t recommend this not even as a time killer. Most others in the same genre are far better.