Break time and Library Books: Libra of Nil Admirari Review

Hi everybody!  How was your weekend?  I spent my time finishing some school assignments.  I’m in online classes and I had just finished four courses.  I have a few weeks before my next set of courses.  I’m going to spend that time beginning the first phase of a little project I’m working on, catching up on Food Wars (I am so far behind), going to the movies, and doing some spring cleaning.  It should go without saying that I’ll keep writing and chatting on social media.  Make sure you hit me up on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

Enough about that stuff, let’s talk anime.  Today’s discussion revolves around Libra of Nil Admirari (this is the name on Crunchyroll).  The show is from Zero-G studios and is based on a visual novel.  Slight spoilers ahead!

You Lied To Me!

Back in an ancient time called last month, I did a list of my top five anime for the spring season.  This anime was number two on that list (there I call it Nil Admirari no Tenbin).  Keep in mind that my list was based solely on the trailer.  From the trailer, I was expecting an action-packed story full of unexplainable and horrible deaths.  This is not what is happening, not even a bit.  I posted the trailer below to refresh your memory.

Deadly Reading

On the first episode, you see our main character Tsugumi and her brother Hitaki.  Hitaki ends up hurting himself due to an evil tome.  Tsugumi witnesses this, and the trauma gives her the power to see which tomes are evil and which tomes are just books.  Enter the Imperial Library Intelligence Asset Management Bureau.  They recruit Tsugumi to help them retrieve the tomes.

Something’s off

It wasn’t long into the first episode that I felt something is off.  The show starts off fine, but then they play the opening sequence.  It is very colorful, upbeat, there’s dancing, it’s very jovial.  I thought to myself, “Okay, well maybe this is just some sort of ironic opening that lulls you into a false sense of comfort so they can make you uncomfortable later”.  As the show continues the pretty boys from the agency show up and Tsugumi starts looking a little more doe-eyed.  I am still suspicious, but I decide to let it slide.  The closing fan service credits should have been a huge red flag, but I decided to give it another episode.

Now I Get It, And I’m Pissed

Yesterday, I watched the second episode.  It finally hits me what is wrong with this anime.  IT’S A REVERSE FREAKIN’ HAREM!!!!  Now, normally this would not bother me, but that’s not what the trailer promised me.  Further, it is super “garden variety”.  All the ingredients are here to make a perfectly mediocre reverse harem stew.  You have the doe-eyed, overly polite main character.  This makes me mad because before the incident with her brother, she was in line to make a big sacrifice for her family that made her interesting.  Now, I find nothing interesting about her.  I was really done with her when she walked into a plain bedroom and gushed like she walked into a room made of diamonds.

The rest of the cast is pretty cookie-cutter as well.  You have the pretty leader boy, the pretty flirt boy, the pretty quiet one, and the pretty child-like boy.  There is another female character, but since she’s the older leader type, we will not see much of her.

Overall

At the end of the day, I’m going to pass on this show.  I did not critique the storyline.  That’s because there’s really no storyline to critique. Maybe it gets better as the show continues, but I doubt it and I do not care if it does.  I’m done!  Do not promise me Kobe beef and serve me ground chuck (now I’m hungry).   Butlers: Chitose Momstse Monogatari looks like it’s going down a similar road, but I’ll reserve judgment until the second episode.

Wrap it up

Well, that’s all of have to say about this garbage anime.  What do you think about it?  Do you like it?  Should I give it another chance?  Let me know!    Thursday, we will look at Magical Girl Site.  Until then, I will see you tomorrow for MC Tuesday and Doctor Strange.  Don’t forget to hit me up on social media.  I have few weeks to chat!