Kuzu no Honkai / Scum's Wish

What did Any Forums think of Kuzu no Honkai?

I watched Kuzu no Honkai, also known as Scum's Wish. Here are my thoughts:

Basically this is a romance anime, but with multiple romantic pairings and more focus on sexual intimacy than usual – in some ways this show is more 'mature' than your typical romance anime, especially one with a highschool setting.

When I read the synopsis for this anime I immediately felt that I probably wouldn't enjoy it. This is because I usually dislike love triangles (or n-dimensional polygons, in this case) in fiction. Add to that a bland school setting, and I was feeling fairly pessimistic. However, my intuition was wrong. Although I was correct in that the writing of Kuzu no Honkai is literally fanfiction-tier (and that's being generous), it is an exceptionally well-directed show. The poor writing is more than salvaged by the excellent execution. I found the style of storytelling immersive and captivating; they did a good job of depicting the emotions of the characters. The inner feelings of the characters were richly developed and depicted in a deep thorough way, despite the crudeness of the story.

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don't care about your blog

I still did not like the love triangle aspect of this anime (again, this is a writing flaw). However, there were other redeeming qualities that made my viewing experience worthwhile. And although I criticize the love triangle element, I also found that the diverse mix of relationships that are developed in the show created a lot of variety in terms of the chemistry of the romance, which in turn kept the show consistently entertaining. I think a major reason I enjoyed this anime is because it usually explores the perspectives of both parties in the relationships featured in the show; this is often the case for me with romance shows – I usually feel more immersed and emotionally engaged when the feelings of both people in the relationship are demonstrated, instead of just totally one-sided romance (which a ton of anime are guilty of). This anime usually explores the feelings of both romantic partners, and in doing so really enhances its emotional immersion as a whole.

Kuzu no Honkai actually deals with sex in a somewhat mature manner instead of glossing over it as if it isn't a significant component of a romantic relationship (like most other anime). I found this very refreshing. This show does a great job of depicting sexual intimacy (especially by anime standards). Sometimes it's a little cheesy and over the top (expect a lot of exaggerated saliva-heavy makeout sessions), but honestly it fits the atmosphere of the show. Although the sexual scenes can be borderline comical at times, that corniness is nothing compared to the story itself. You really need to be in the right mood for this anime and let yourself be immersed in the atmosphere — an atmosphere which typically swings abruptly between soap opera and raunchy sexuality. If you're not willing to let yourself be shamelessly enveloped by this atmosphere then you won't enjoy this anime to its fullest potential. State of mind is hugely important for appreciating this show, in my opinion.

In some ways, the romance in this seemed like how real-life relationships actually work. Meaning, people settling for someone who doesn't reach their own true desires, often due to loneliness and low self-esteem (remaining in a relationship out of convenience or due to lack of superior options, instead of sincere mutual attraction, might be a theme that some viewers find relatable). The way that some characters use physical intimacy with others purely for their own validation is another example. This kind of realism is something you rarely encounter in anime romance. Furthermore, this anime depicts intimacy in a realistic manner (i.e. with actual sexual intercourse and all the related psychological phenomena such as insecurity and performance anxiety), as opposed to the reluctant hand-holding (etc.) that the audience has learned to expect from this medium. In fact the sexual elements of this are often depicted quite graphically and in far more explicit detail than I'd usually expect from anime.

I say this often but it's especially true for this anime: you need to be in the right mood to enjoy this to its fullest potential. Every episode is raunchy sexualized romance with a soap-opera-tier storyline. Don't watch it unless you're in the mood and prepared to enjoy this kind of thing. If you have the right state of mind, this anime is fantastic. The attitude of the viewer is hugely important for this show. I watched it slowly because I wanted to make sure I was always in the right mood to enjoy it.

I should also mention that there is minimal comedic relief in this, thankfully. The show nearly always maintains a serious dramatic tone, which is something I very much appreciated, even if I was laughing internally at the fanfiction-tier storyline.

Visuals are overall another strong aspect of Kuzu no Honkai. The character designs are terrific – the detailed hair and eyes looked great. Detailed facial expressions are used effectively during the frequent close-up face shots. The cinematography of the show is excellent and enhanced my enjoyment a lot. It's difficult to put into words, but cinematography is employed in sophisticated and creative ways to really elevate each scene, and the screenplay style of the show feels unique. However, arguably the animation quality itself is mediocre. The animation is kinda 'powerpoint-ish' (or, in more-optimistic terms, 'manga-like'), in the sense that stills and minimal in-frame animation are employed. Personally I was fine with this, but others may dislike it. In my opinion, the visuals for this anime are great.

The audio of the show is also solid. The voice acting is good and enhanced many scenes (Hanabi in particular does a fantastic job). Music is skillfully implemented; it is turned off and on at appropriate times, and climaxes in the music coincide well with a scene's emotion. The soundtrack is decent and suited the mood of the show. The audio production quality in general is good; the voices sound like they were recorded on really high-quality microphones.

The incestuous romance in this is somewhat unique in that it is told from the (imouto) female perspective. Furthermore, the otouto is the nonreciprocal party of the romantic duo. I found this element of the story interesting because it's not something I recall seeing before. For anime, any kind of incestuous romance is usually narrated from the perspective of the male, often along with crude wish-fulfillment character dynamics. Kuzu no Honkai is unique in this regard; I enjoyed seeing this unique style of romance explored from a female perspective.

I found the romantic pairings involving Hanabi far more engaging than those she was uninvolved in. For me, this show was most engaging when it focused on Hanabi and her romantic escapades. It was still an entertaining show when she wasn't on screen though – don't get me wrong.

My overall rating: 8/10
I was pleasantly surprised by the way this anime defied my expectations. In multiple respects, the show does have artistic merit. It impressed me in many ways. Going into this, I expected it to be a generic highschool romance; but after watching, I have to say that I see Kuzu no Honkai as a very unique show. The nature of the romance is unique. The cinematography is unique. Its maturity (in some ways) and the way it parses sexual issues is unique. Visually, the show is skillfully crafted. Overall it is quite well directed and a demonstrative example of how bad writing can be salvaged by good execution.

If you're a fan of romance anime you should try sampling this. Don't think about the crude writing too much, just take it scene-by-scene and bask in the emotion.

Lastly, I'm going to say it one more time: you need to be in the right mood to enjoy this anime. The tone and themes of each episode are fairly consistent. Don't rush watching this. Watch an episode when you're in the optimal mood to enjoy it; don't binge watch it. State of mind is really important for savouring this show. I watched an episode every week or so, and when I did I was constantly rewinding and dissecting each scene and savouring every moment. It would take me at least an hour to finish an episode because of this.

>The incestuous romance in this is somewhat unique in that it is told from the (imouto) female perspective.
they're not blood realted, also nice copy pasted review

Akane supremacy, undefeated

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I found it very bad. Interesting premise, but then the author spazzed hard on the glasses character.

Is this thread actually worth reading or is it just a shitty pseudo Mal review?