Cause perversion.

Jormungand is an anime that is packed with action without being too gritty and dark, though from time to time it can get fairly dark for its semi-light tone that it has for what it portrays. Unlike most action anime that revolve around the action and anything related with it, Jormungand is filled with plenty of moments of comedy from time to time, normally shown by character relationships. In this aspect it is different than most but contains enough of what a viewer would expect of a show full of guns, the arms trade, and overall action.

The plot of the show is not the primary focus of the anime, as every two to three episodes tells a story on its own,normally a mission per arc deal, with an over arching plot being present. The story goes on to tell of the kinds of deals that Koko and her friends are involved in. Which could range from transporting cargo through Iraq and engaging in combat with other soldiers, to getting in firefights within the middle of cities with assassins or military officers. The overall plot can be summed down to acquiring world peace, which is Koko's overall object in the story. The episodic nature of the anime works well, yet it feels as though more could have been achieved if the story was more prominent.

Which is rather contradictory, as a person normally does not go about achieving world peace through violence, which makes Koko a sort of an anti-hero. However the way Koko goes about doing it is rather genius not to mention risky and contradictory. Jormungand itself it a show driven by the characters, and with the large amount of characters that are presented and have an impact on the overall plot, its no surprise that the story tends to take a backseat for portions of the show.

A good portion of the show focuses on the relations that Koko and her squad have with each other and the adversaries that they face. Typically the relationships that Koko has with the agencies trying to manipulate and/or take her down. What makes the relationship with the agencies so interesting is that Koko neither tries to avoid them or take them down, depending on what they do. Rather she manipulates them into playing right into her hand in order to to either destroy them or use them for her plans.

The large issue some may have with this anime is that it takes the arm trade business and makes it appear like its not. Jormungand makes the entire business more fun than it actually is compared to the dark reality that it really is. Considering that the entire anime revolves around the arms trade, it seems to take it rather lightly, which may or may not, depending on the viewers expectations of the show be a bit of a disappointment or even an enhancement to the viewing experience. The other being that some of the arcs have connections to each other that are not even shown to exist until the very end, which lead to a feeling of disappointment at how much better the story would have been if the connections were actually stated in some way.

Considering the large cast of characters there is no point in going over them all. However there are several that should get attention as the story is very much character driven.

Koko Hekmatyar
Koko is a rather unique woman for her age and profession, charismatic and intelligent enough to fool her enemies into becoming her pawns, Koko has a bit of a messiah complex when it comes to her ideals and how she makes them a reality. She is a very cheerful character, even acting immature at times, though her cheery look is just a facade, in reality Koko never reveals her true emotions, in fear of scaring away here friends. Though later it becomes apparent that Koko is a megalomaniac in regards to how she goes about completing her plan of world peace.

At the beginning Koko comes off as a rather odd individual who does not fit in the role she is given, however as the story progresses viewers get to see that see is a mastermind that can predict everyone's move. At the same time its her very eccentricities that make her likeable, though this could very much be a double edge sword as she is not very believable as a character that is supposed to be a feared arms dealer. An the other side, her child like side can be a nice refresher in scenes where there is no action. Her motivations and her actions match but only due to her crazed rationality that she gives for her plans to bestowing world peace upon the world. Which only adds on to her fascinating personality.

Jonah Mar
Jonah is a child soldier who joins Koko's group and ironically hates guns as well as arms dealers due to his experiences with them. Quiet and mature for his age, Jonah is unlike most his age, not being bothered by killing others when necessary. However his age does show from time to time, showing that he isn't as emotionless as he first appears. Though he lacks any real knowledge when it comes to math, he is a perceptive individual, who sticks by Koko's side through thick and thin.

While it does seem odd that a child soldier be in a group of top body guards full of ex-soldiers, and while Jonah himself seems a bit out of place at first he does serve a purpose. He acts like a release valve for Koko, she teeters the line of becoming a monster but tries her hardest not to, that's where Jonah comes in. Jonah allows Koko to be her childish self and she loves showering him with physical affection. While Jonah's hatred for arms dealers and his actions are different, his motivation for doing being a part of Koko's troop is actually justified, as he wanted nothing more but the safety of his child friends, that he knew a long time ago.

George Black
Almost always referred to as Bookman, he always keeps calm is the a Chief in the CIA who runs operation Undershaft in order to use Koko as a pawn for the CIA. A former marine, he is a heavy eater and is rarely seen outside the show.

While Bookman only makes appearances on occasion, he is in fact the person behind some of the events in the story. Using numerous contacts and even spies in an elaborate scheme in order for the CIA to use Koko as they please. The major problem us that he makes too few appearances throughout both seasons, being the mastermind behind project Undershaft, more emphasis should have been placed on his influence over certain events.

The animation studio that worked on Jormungand was White fox, though they have not worked any many anime, they have done a few notable ones, such as Steins;Gate, Katanagatari, and Akame ga Kill. All of the firefights within the show are fluid and solid, while almost all the time appear realistic for gun fights, rather than people just running around shooting guns. Outside of the fight scenes the animation is solid and does its job when it needs too. Example below.

The soundtrack does a good job of pumping the fight scenes with more adrenaline, while providing the appropriate atmosphere to scenes outside of the action. However few songs actually stand out, one of them being the first opening of series.
 

Coming it this anime expecting a good action anime, Jormungand certainly delivered, the fight scenes where realistic and filled with action. The character interactions were entertaining on part of the comedy and whenever Koko was on the screen. It balanced action, story, and appropriate levels of comedy nicely and it was enjoyable.

8.0

Though the action was solid and the comedy was a nice refresher to the anime, the problem lies within  some of the characters themselves. While some of the characters get nice development and are fleshed out nicely, there others that aren't. Beyond Koko's crew, most characters that are introduced and have interesting personalities that are unlike the archetypes that appear in anime, lack proper development. They are simply introduced and appear where ever necessary in the plot, but rarely they get a decent back story, which is disappointing as Jormungand is a character driven show. Some of the more prominent antagonists, like Bookman, don't get sufficient screen time, while its said he pulls strings here and there for his plans, the show never really goes in depth into how he goes about it. Also if people come into Jormungand expecting another Black Lagoon, they might be pleased or disappointed.  Jormungand does not have the same dark tone as Black Lagoon and keeps lighter tone overall.

8.3

Personally I would have liked to have seen more character development, considering the show focuses on its characters, while its plot takes a back seat from time to time. The relationships between some of the characters certainly made the show much more interesting and remains one of the highlights and its weaknesses. As for the action scenes, I was hardly disappointed and enjoyed its more realistic take on firefights. A good watch for anyone looking for a action heavy anime with a wide cast of charming characters.

For any fantasy anime the universe itself and the story are two of the three most important aspects that must be put into consideration. The universe itself must be captivating enough to draw in viewers and be fleshed out enough that it can sustain itself with seeming rather dull and predictable. I

n this aspect Fate/Zero really does shine, although the idea of having heroes from legends fighting each other is not necessarily a new idea, Fate/Zero knows how to pull it off right in its own universe. Of the seven masters present each can pick one out of the seven classes available, whichever servant they decide to summon will fit into one of these classes. The Magic in the universe is formed with a combination of prana and mana, with it a Magi can do any number of things, from manipulating time within their own body to creating an altered space that can form into any place that the user desires.

As for the Holy Grail itself, it is a tool that all Magi strive to achieve, as all Magi aim to find the Akashic Records or the "Root," the source of all information and events in the world. There are three main families of magi that are the most prominent of all each helped in the creation of the Holy Grail itself as a means to get to the root, however once they learned that only one person could have the Holy Grail they stopped working together and thus the Holy Grail War was born.

In Fate/Zero there is no focus on one particular character until later on very fitting for a free for all death match, in this aspect it allows all of the Masters to receive good character development. Every Servant that appears in Fate/Zero brings in their own conflicts and desires that they held from their previous lives. Some of them even having connected legends that creates points of conflict, with multiple parties, based on the problems that the heroes had in their past lives.

As the story unfolds the viewer gets to see interesting interactions between master and servants, usually the ideals of the servants clash with their Masters that creates tension and even some backstabbing. Each master has their own reason for wanting the Holy Grail, each with their own ideology and approach to the war itself, making the battle not the typical clash between two opposing forces, but rather a clash of principles. Some of the masters develop specifically because of the servant that they are paired up with, creating bonds that let them grow as a character.

Through the entirety of the show you get to see an intricate web of relationships between all of the masters and servants creating diverse and engrossing scenes. In regards to action in Fate/Zero it's not lacking, having any where from free for alls, one v ones, and even a raid against a gigantic immortal monster. Overall being able to pull off a story with legendary heroes and people and creating something that is both mature and engaging makes the story top notch.

Kiritsugu & Saber:
Although Fate/Zero does not focus on one specific character in the beginning these two are the ones who get more screen time as the story progress. Saber and Kiritsugu both have different beliefs has to how a person should go about saving others. Due to Kiritsugu's bloody past he firmly believes that the means justify the end, if he had to choose between letting 200 die to save a city he would do it in an instant seemingly without remorse. Although this may make him seem as a cold character he is in fact an emotional character who has chosen to execute his actions with regret nor emotion for the sake of the greater good. Saber on the other hand lead the life of a king who lead her people, as such she chose to take as much as responsibility as she could, even at the cost of her living a decent life. She is a firm believer in chivalry and holds the strong belief that a life should not be taken without good reason. It is for these reasons that both characters, especially as the story progresses their beliefs tend to create tension towards each other. At the same time their polar opposite beliefs causes the viewer to be able to see the obvious flaws of the extremes in the ideologies of the pair.

Kotomine & Assassin
This pair breaks apart rather early in the story due to spoilerish reasons. Kotomine is a twisted character that could not find joy nor purpose in life. He just single mindlessly goes about his life completing tasks regardless of what they are. Assassin is a character that is made up of multiple personalities due to the servant that he is. However he remains a true assassin and rarely ever sees combat remaining on the sidelines as a tool for Kotomine to spy on others. Due to this Assassin is one of the few characters that does not get any development. Kotomine does not truly develop until he meets and begins conversing with Archer, the servant of Tokiomi. It is Archer that allows Kotomine to realize who he really is and exactly how dark and twisted of an individual he is.

Tokiomi & Archer:
Tokiomi is a proud magi of one of the larger magi families who is an old fashion magi to the core that cares but nothing more for the lineage of his family and would like to see the Tohsakas get to the “Root.” A traditional arrogant magi that cares for nothing but living his family's future magi lineage.  Archer is an arrogant King he considers everything in the world to be his possession, due to his life as a King who owned most everything under the sun during his time. He considers himself to be the best around in both power and  the only true king in the world. He himself has no interest in Tokiomi and finds him boring, but quickly gains an interest in Kotomine. He helps Kotomine develop by pushing him to find what he finds to be truly enjoyable in life and actually does achieve this by the end of the story.

Waver & Rider:
Waver is a coward with a short fuse, indecisive with an inferiority complex due to the treatment he got from other pure blooded magi. Waver begins as a stereotype whiny useless character in the beginning but slowly gains the courage to stand in front of his enemies without fear. Rider is the third King in the anime is a confident and charismatic figure. His past makes him impulsive and greedy but he values the bonds of friendship he has with other. With Rider's help Waver develops into a more likable character that could even be the protagonist. Together they form a brotherly relationship where they both support the other and some of the other characters as well.

Ryuunosuke & Caster:
Ryuunosuke is a unstable serial killer who derives pleasure from killing and gutting others. He is obsessed with death and learning the process. He is a sick and twisted individual who gets satisfaction from getting every ounce of emotion from his victims before eventually murdering them. He has an extreme detachment from reality that he does not bother with anyone outside of his own murdering reality. He gets a thrill out of killing the innocent, mostly women and children, as the process of their murder makes it more exciting.

Caster is a perfect match for Ryuunosuke as he too enjoys watching people get a moments worth of hope before crushing it in their deaths. He has a mistaken obsession with Saber, who he believes to be his old friend. He encourages Ryuunosuke's atrocious hobbies by giving him the tools to get new victims easily. While Ryuunosuke encourages Caster's twisted view of God that he holds to the point that his original is no longer present. These two create a plethora of issues for the other masters as they are not so much focused on obtaining the Holy Grail but rather going on a murder spree. Which leads to inevitable confrontations with other masters.

Kayneth & Lancer:
Kayneth is very similar to Tokiomi in that he too is a proud and traditional magus. A nobleman born with talent due to his magus lineage, and an individual who believes himself to be entitled due to the life he has lived. He is arrogant with an attitude of “I am better than others.” He holds everyone to a lesser degree of worthiness whenever interacting with others, even his servant. Lancer is a chivalrous man who holds the knights code of honor above all else, his strict loyalty to Kayneth is admirable but misplaced. He sees the Grail as an opportunity as a way to redeem himself of the life he lived as a hero. This pair is an instant KO waiting to happen, with a master that does nothing but berate Lancer for living to his code and for believing that Lancer will take his wife away from him. At the same time Lancer does nothing about this however he does provide the anime a character of true chivalry to displace the lack thereof with many of the other characters.

Kariya & Berserker:
This pair is the only duo that does not get along due to the fact that Kariya is so obsessed with his goal that he sees Berserker as only a tool, and mostly because the Berserker class can't talk, they're aren't capable of rational thought. Kariya is a rather unfortunate man, the love of his life is married to another, something he let happen as he didn't want her to get involved with magic. Scorned by his family as he abandoned his position as the next in line for family head. And one of his “nieces” gets turned over to another family to act as his replacement as family head.

Which is the reason he decides to join the Holy Grail War, by striking a deal he can keep her from harm but only if he wins. The only reason he lives for as long as he does his for is iron clad determination to save those he cares about. Which leads him to become a thorn in others side as he tries to kill everyone without much strategy whatsoever. There isn't much to say about Berserker, without being able to talk, his actions speak louder than words. The only other character who he affects is Saber due to his identity as a hero. He does however acts as a wake up call to Saber's naive ideals.

The studio that produced Fate/Zero was Ufotable, a company well known for its ability to create some of the best animation seen in anime ever. Considering the Ufotable had a rather large budget to work with its no surprise they were able to create something of high caliber that almost no other anime can touch. The animation really shines during the fight scenes where every effect used makes the battle not only look fantastic but have an nice fluidity.

The composer of the soundtrack is Yuki Kajiura, well known for for being able to create master pieces and has done the soundtrack for other anime, games and movies. More notable examples of her work is the music in Sword Art online and Puella Magi Madoka Magica. In Fate/Zero her work shines in making the fight scenes have a grand scale and gives important moments the emotion they need. Overall her work in Fate/Zero us one of her best pieces she has created overall.

As a real big fan of the Fate universe and the Nasuverse (the universe that all Type Moon material is set in) overall Fate/Zero us a well balanced anime in all aspects. It's a mature anime with practically no fan service and manages to have an engrossing story that makes you want to keep watching to see who is the inevitable winner in the free for all death match. And with well written characters to boot it is an absolute must see for anyone interested in anime.

While it is the most well balanced anime I have seen, it is not without its faults, there are a few characters who don't get used in the best manner or they just don't get the proper amount of screen time. Also with the amount of story behind the Fate Series there is so much information needed to fully comprehend everything in detail that the entire anime ends up explaining what it needs to for its story but does most of it in the first episode. The first episode is basically an informational dump that may be a bit much to jump right into, but its written well enough that it doesn't bore the reader to death as it does also lay the ground with some exposition,

Fate/Zero being my favorite anime its no surprise that I give it such a high score but no anime is perfect, it has its faults but with everything it has going for it these small details are hardly worth getting stuck up on.

Unusual would be for those who don't make much sense, but aren't shitposting either, ei: Elegiac.