Kurogane no Linebarrels - Episode 2 (Dropped)

The first episode of Kurogane no Linebarrels seemed to be some kind of lesson in how not to make a mecha-based anime - The mecha designs were uninspired and their animation extremely poor (and a waste of CG rendering time), and as for the main protagonist... Well, the less said about him the better.

Indeed, said protagonist Kouichi somehow manages to take this incredibly average anime and make it worse by being the most irritating "hero" I think I've ever seen in anime, a guy who doesn't give a damn about anyone else apart from himself and his new-found powers, despite frequently calling himself a "hero of justice". Now, you could argue that it's a brave move to create such a slimeball of a main character to start the series, as no doubt he'll learn and reform his ways as the show progresses, but he's succeeded in being both so annoying and so plain stupid in these first two episodes that I really don't think I can watch on any further.


Kouichi's character is really just the mouldy icing on the crumbling cake of below-par animation (even putting aside those horrible mecha animations) and supporting characters that I can't even begin to muster up any interest in, coupled with a rather cheesy soundtrack and general feeling that this series has tried to borrow the best bits from other mecha anime yet has somehow managed to blend them all into a turd sandwich.

Maybe this series will somehow turn into a classic and make me look foolish, but I really don't see it, and after sitting through far too many episodes gritting my teeth at an irritating lead male character last season (yes, that's right Itazura na Kiss, I still hate you for putting me through that) I simply don't have the will to do so again. Thus, this is going to be the first (and quite possibly only) series that I drop from my viewing schedule this season.