So yeah, it seems I’ve found myself reviewing Jun Maeda’s latest production. And so far, Charlotte has proven to be… well, Jun Maeda’s latest production. The same broad character roles, the same hysterical dramatic peaks, the same fundamental lack of narrative foundation. Charlotte is far from the worst show, but it certainly isn’t a good one, and Maeda really does seem to be one of the least talented superstar writers out there. That said, Charlotte actually seemed to be getting more entertaining as it fell off the rails, so here’s hoping the second half is a beautiful disaster.
You can check out my full review over at ANN, or my episode notes below!
Episode 1
Very crisp art design
Opening with very silly empty philosophy, some good Maeda stuff
His power is to take over the body of others for five seconds
Really expressive character acting
And the MC is an unrepentant asshole, which is pretty compelling
He researches how to cheat with as much dedication as you’d need to actually succeed
Strong direction, too. Lots of dynamic camera angles
The side characters all seem pretty Anime
And he actually sets up a traffic accident just so he can hook up with a cute girl. That’s some dedicated evil
Really vibrant colors
He just can’t help making an evil laugh in class. Good stuff
The music’s pretty interesting. It’s all synth stuff, but the “instrumentation” is pretty diverse
This episode’s visual execution really is terrific
Superpowers go away after a while in this world, and they’re all very imperfect
There’s a nice comic tension between this beautiful framing and their silly conversation
She can become invisible to one person
Yu’s relationship with his sister definitely helps humanize him. But he’s already an entertaining lead
“Our whole family is just me and you”
She gets the feeling they somehow have a third sibling. Gonna get Maeda up in this family
The second half of this episode is paced pretty weirdly
Wow, the prez is already abusing her power like it’s a magic trick
Ayumi is the sister
Yu imagines an older brother in his dream. This story kinda still feels like a VN adaptation, like we’re fast-forwarding through material
Episode 2
These soft bloom filters can get a little overbearing
Kinda funny how closely this guy matches the Lelouch archetype
They have to hunt down other people with special abilities
They really go all-in on this “teleportation” gag
The president is the classic isolated, lonely tsundere
This show works hard with CG to create some interesting angled shots
So the police are actually bad guys, and they’re an extra-governmental organization?
This show actually has a mini-VN style structure, where they go around putting people on the right path
The president definitely has a personality
Nao Tomori is the president
Glad they don’t drag out her dark past
Some gorgeous backgrounds
“It’s all thanks to the one person I can trust.” These sure are some big red warning lights
Episode 3
Kinda impressed this show has managed to make his sister actually charming, and not cloying
A person with two abilities – spiritualism and pyrokinesis
This show’s worldbuilding is really, really loose. Like, I normally don’t even care, but there are a million holes here, from how their target pickup system ever works to their relationship with the police and government
Yusa Nishimori, the idol girl, is their next target
More of these CG camera spins. They’re pretty clumsy at times
The actual story here is just incoherent. Even this in-episode narrative is a total mess. People just popping up and disappearing, no sense of a larger world, nobody’s explanations of anything make any sense
Tons of slapstick in this show, as expected
Oh my god, her power gets her possessed by the ghost of her dead sister. You could not make this shit up
The dead sister is the one with pyrokinesis, of course
Count on Maeda to frame an idol’s “two sides” in such a ridiculous and fantasy-incoherent way
This ending… still makes no sense. And doesn’t really solve anything. Well, whatever
“The scientists” are just this nebulous group. The government? If so, why is their school safe???
“And it was an accident while we were riding a motorcycle together” my god, this dialogue is so good-bad
Again, really weird structure to this episode. It just kind of ends
Episode 4
Do the kids of this school not know the purpose of their own school? It seems that way, and no one else talks about their powers
More shots using the CG sets to pan forward or backward with a character
“Right after pitching, he uses telekinesis to move the ball.” I do like seeing the various ways different kids exploit their very specific powers
“How about we settle this with baseball?” Of course. Why not
Them applying their powers to baseball is pretty great
And this story’s drama is a much more appropriate scale for its size. The pitcher just wanted to help his brilliant catcher friend get noticed
Episode 5
The president dreams of shooting a music video for the band her brother liked. This is a good scene
More hints about Yu’s missing older brother
This show really does have some lovely backgrounds
I like the running gag of Yusa just waking up and being presented with food
OH NO LITTLE SIS HAS A COUGH IT’S ALL OVER
Episode 6
They don’t want the teleportation guy to come, so they… kick him out the window? Maeda’s plotting is just totally incoherent on the most basic level
Suddenly Ayumi’s going to get murdered by a girl with a box cutter. This is fine horror framing, but man this is shitty storytelling
COLLAPSEEEE
AYUMI DED
Episode 7
Nice how the color fades from the world after this stupid, stupid plot turn
This episode’s execution is quite nice!
So he runs away and becomes a fugitive? …why???
This episode’s portrait of depression is actually pretty great, but it’s just so disjointed and random
And then he gets obsessed with an FPS?
HE STABS A STICK INTO THE DUDE’S LEG WHAT THE FUCK
Oh no, Yu almost does A Drug. THE POINT OF NO RETURN
Ah the infamous Episode 7 !
Jun Maeda lacks so many narrative skills that his shows always ends up bad in interresting ways.
I think it’s why always drive me towards his works actually.
The second half is a disaster indeed. And it’s a delightful one.
“That said, Charlotte actually seemed to be getting more entertaining as it fell off the rails, so here’s hoping the second half is a beautiful disaster.”
Oh boy, B0bduh, are you ever in luck.