With winter and cold, also fall an avalanche of new anime. After Dimension W and Erased (Boku dake ga Inai Machi), we stay on the Wakanim platform to present Divine Gate ! An anime that could appeal to fans of the eponymous video game, as well as fantasy and fights for sure!
Divine Gate
Original title: ディバインゲート
French title: Divine Gate Genre : Fantasy, Action, Drama Year of production : 2016 Broadcast: Wakanim (January 8 to ? – ongoing) Number of episodes: 12 Studio: Studio Pierrot (Tokyo Ghoul, Beelzebub, Baby Steps) Director: Noriyuki Abe (Arslan Senki) Writer: Natsuko Takahashi (NORN9, Tokyo Magnitude 8.0) CharaDesigner: Ichiro Uno (Soredemo Sekai wa Utsukushii)
Synopsis
One day, a door named Divine Gate opens, connecting Heaven, Hell and the human world. An era of chaos ensued. The World Council is formed to restore peace as quickly as possible. After successfully completing this task, the Gate becomes only a distant memory relayed to urban legends. Legend that even today, some have not forgotten …
However, the World Council decides to send a group of fighters with special powers to conquer the gate and get what it has to offer: The power to remake the world!
Source : Tatsuya-kun
Main characters
Aoto
Taciturn and cold, Aoto appears as a character tormented by his heavy past, which unfortunately is far from being unknown to all. He is even nicknamed "Aoto the parricide". He will eventually join Akane and Midori at the academy despite his reluctance and learn more about his driver and the Divine Gate. Its element is water.
Akane
Warmer than Aoto, Akane is a young man with an honest and upright character. He is very direct in his words and can lack tact. He has been living alone with his mother since his father, a researcher, died in an accident. Doubting the World Council's claims about the circumstances of his death, he seeks to reach the Divine Gate to find him. Its element is that of fire.
Midori
Midori is a very jovial and sociable young woman. But underneath her cheerful and cheerful appearance lies heavy remorse for an incident with a friend. She firmly believes in the existence of the Divine Gate and wants to reach it to learn the truth and perhaps change this event. Its element is wind.
This review is based solely on the first two episodes of the anime Divine Gate.
Urban legends and tortured characters
The Divine Gate, this door promising to the one who would find it to be able to remake the world in his own way… Hard to believe in the existence of such a door! And yet, it is a starting postulate that is accepted as a basis and will be verified very quickly. The synopsis is not in itself exceptional: the existence of a door that promises gigantic power, characters in search of change and truth. Divine Gate may attract with its scenario, but it is not an exceptional highlight. Especially when you know that the much-loved GATE is also back this winter.
But where Divine Gate scores some weak points is in his characters and their attachments. All are alike: our three main characters are all tortured by previous events and all want to reach the Divine Gate to change things or see a truth. A very classic scheme certainly, seen and reviewed, but it works! You want to learn more about this taciturn character or this young girl who sees her friend go far away…
Other characters make their appearance in dribs and drabs, all as tortured as each other. But the more we advance, the more the lack of originality is felt. Both Aoto, Akane and Midori, although déjà vu, remain interesting. You might as well see a big masked villain named Loki arrive… It remains to be seen how all these characters will evolve. Not to mention that the contrast between the two main male characters is too striking: on the one hand Aoto, rather cold and taciturn and Akane, rather in direct judgment, vigilante to give lessons without knowing the background of the story. Let's hope that the cleavage changes a little direction between these two characters, otherwise it may quickly become heavy.
A nice animation but that lets go …
It is the studio Pierrot (Tokyo Ghoul) that ensures the show on the animation side. A first episode where there is not much to reproach. The colors are bright and futuristic, all well paced. The second episode clearly leaves more to be desired, especially during the fighting. I do not know if it is an impression that wanted to be given, but the anime quickly gives way to video game animations. Unnatural and rather frozen, we find ourselves watching scenes that we think are copied / pasted from the eponymous game, up to the "waddling" postures before attacking. A black spot that will be corrected in future episodes, I sincerely hope.
Side atmosphere, no big surprises, the pace is not sustained or slow, but it begins to lack pep's with plots that drag and go around in circles. But fortunately the soundtrack catches up a little some black spots.
A magical musical atmosphere
Where Divine Gate scores a lot of points in my heart is thanks to its sumptuous OST ! We are constantly balanced between tracks with electronic sounds, very catchy and titles played only on the piano. And these piano OSTs are simply magical! They manage to transport us and bring out certain emotions that animation alone struggles to give. Note also the rather nice opening of Divine Gate performed by the group HITORIE!
In short, Divine Gate is an anime with a lot of déjà vu that will not please everyone, but that can still make you have a good time, especially with its soundtrack!
