Campione
Year: 2012
Produced by: Diomedea
Rating: 4/5 Stars
To expect an elaborate storyline,
unexpected plot twists, and incredible character development from an ecchi
harem show would be one of the greatest mistakes you can ever make. I came into
Campione with no expectations at all. I merely came to watch an ecchi harem and
you know what I got? An awesome show that understands how to make a story
despite having fan service and a harem.
Campione is a story about a guy named Godou
Kusanagi who ends up killing the Persian God of Victory, Verethragna. As a result, he receives Verethragna’s power and the
title of “God Slayer”. After that, he basically goes around killing
out of control gods no one else can take care of.
The story may not be refreshing, but hey, it’s a still a story and a coherent
one at that. You’re not going to gasp at anything or cry, nope, you’re just
going to enjoy the action and smile at the romance.
Campione actually does have one
unique aspect to it. The way he defeats the Gods is through an ability known as
Warrior. In a nutshell, if he has sufficient knowledge of the enemy, their
defenses begin to crumble and eventually they become mortal, thus making it easier
to kill them. What makes it so interesting is that he doesn’t just say he knows
a lot about the God then proceed to kill him, he actually tells us what he
knows. Regardless of whether or not the information about the Gods is valid, I
still found it to be one of the best parts of the show. Even if the information
isn't true, I felt like I learned something and it was information that
actually fascinated me. There’s just something enjoyable about hearing about
the origins of Gods of all cultures. I’m sure you’ll love this part of the
story too.
Action speaks louder than words, so obviously the whole show isn’t just talking
on and on and on about some God’s life. Godou has plenty of other abilities. He
has a group of 12 incarnation abilities known as Verethragna’s authorities. To
be more specific, he can summon a bull that rivals Hercules’ power or a white
stallion with the power of the sun. Each one has a chant, so whenever I felt
like he was about to chant, I was always excited and ready to see which animal
would come out and how much damage it’d do to the opponent. However, they also
have a condition. For example, the bull can only be used on people with inhuman
strength and the stallion on people who have committed great sins. And this is
why he tells us the origin of the Gods, or their story if you will. Because, if
he doesn't know who they are, he can't fight them. So there are those times,
when you realize a condition is fulfilled, and you’re like, “Oh, damn, he’s
gonna do it!”
Now, now Godou. Don’t try to take all the spotlight. The girls need a piece of
the action too and luckily, they do. They don’t just sit back and pray for Godou.
Nope, they fight. All of the heroines are some of the best to ever exist in the
harem genre, simply because of that. It’s always a pleasure to watch both, the
male lead and the heroines, provide the action.
Now the romance part of Campione is
just satisfying as hell. Funny thing is, if the girl is knowledgeable about the
enemy god, she can transfer what she knows to Godou through a kiss. The Gods
have a long history, so you know what that means ;) The kisses last a good 10,
20 seconds (With tounge!). If that doesn’t satisfy your need for romance, then
I don’t know what will. All of the heroines know about some god that the others
don’t, so don’t worry, they’re all part of this ever so pleasant romance.
The show is not going to look like the inside of the Sistine Chapel, but it’s
definitely good. The art should not have a negative influence on how you feel
about the show.
The sound isn’t exactly memorable or catchy, but it’s not that bad. Plus you
can always skip it, so if you end up really not liking the opening and ending,
just skip it and go on with the show. Making yourself listen to it, then
calling the show mediocre because you didn’t like the opening and ending,
wouldn’t be a wise nor a friendly decision. Also I didn’t find any of the
character’s voices to be annoying, so you shouldn’t have a problem when it
comes to the sound department.
The characters aren’t ones you’re going to relate to or see as well-written,
but they certainly do have good character traits that led me to love all of
them. Let's start with the main protagonist, Godou Kusanagi. He is a great male
lead. He says he’s a pacifist, but when it comes down to it, he’s willing to
kill and when he's fighting he's said to enjoy it more than any. That is one of
the greatest qualities a protagonist can have. Kind, but not the most
forgiving. Watching villains get spared is pretty annoying and it’s nice that Godou
understands.
As for the female characters, they’re great. None of them are overly violent or
annoying. Not to mention, they’re not princesses waiting to be saved. They’re
knights who will protect the citizens of their country at all costs. God, isn’t
that just splendid? To have girls who aren’t fragile and emotional
train-wrecks.
I, Tini, swear you will love the protagonist and surely find the best girl out
of the heroines who just all happen to be best girls.
Campione is an anime that delivers. Nice Action? Check. Awesome Protagonist?
Check. Likable Heroines? Check. Romantic Progression? Check. They even decided
to educate you about the entities of many different places; from Greece, Persia
and Japan. Campione truly is one of
the greatest ecchi harem shows to ever exist if I do say so myself.
I give this Anime 4 out of 5 stars!
Written by : Martin
