Active Raid had a relatively successful but also kinda bland episode this week, moving its pieces towards the end without much flair or energy. But that’s kind of the deal here – Active Raid has very rarely been an actually good show, it’s basically always just been a reasonably competent one. I never mind watching it, but also never feel legitimately invested in it. The giant robot episode was quite good, most of Rin’s material has been excellent, and that episode focused on Miho was also solid – outside of that, it’s just kind of a thing you can watch. Hopefully next season offers enough legitimately strong contenders that something like Active Raid’s bare competence wouldn’t put it near the top of the pack.
You can check out my full review over at ANN. No notes this time, I just watched this episode straight through!
To be completely honest, I do not believe there is such a thing as an universal standard of goodness at work. That would make the world quite a boring place.
Of course, it would be silly to claim Active Raid has been perfect. Mythos wasn’t a good villain, that much is hard to deny, and the production values haven’t been strong. Which isn’t much of a real surprise, considering that IMS would qualify as a third rate animation studio. This has arguably been one of their better looking TV works yet still remains quite visually unimpressive in the context of the industry (to put it lightly).
At the same time, I think the show has been mostly successful at its own goals. I don’t believe it is remotely bad to take a risk and make something relatively simple and lightweight that appeals to a limited audience rather than trying to desperately make massive blockbusters. We’ll get enough of those during the Spring season, so don’t worry about that!
As I have previously pointed out and the main staff has stated in various Japanese sources, their intentions for Active Raid weren’t particularly ambitious nor sophisticated. You can blame them for not aiming higher, but they have been as transparent as humanly possible about this.
Which has resulted in a series that isn’t going to be very popular, though it is better received in Japan than in the West. Presumably because higher concentrations of Japanese viewers have a combination of familiarity with and nostalgia for the specific kind of show Active Raid wanted to be, rather than unrealistic expectations for what it could have done instead. After all, Japan is the home of Tokusatsu for a reason.