Rolling Girls Review

Ok, so it has been since April since my last review. At the same time thinking about it, it really feels like I should do reviews differently. Not in terms of content but in what I review. I like doing weekly reviews, but I can only do one since they take a long time. At the same time I don’t really like going about with a seasonal show review, but those are what I watch the most. If you have any suggestions that would be appreciated.

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So, here is an original series that aired in the winter season. There are always a few shows that I pick up over the course of the season when it is either half way done. Sometimes this can be for the better. Sometimes it is not so much. This was one of the shows that I picked up late. Now, just because I was able to catch up in a day for the first half, what does in mean for the second half? So, without further ado, Rolling Girls a coming of age story.

The Plot:

Japan returned to the original 10 prefectures after a great war ten years ago. Each is their own city-state. Many of the vigilantes that fought in that war now are hired as  “Bests.” These Bests represent and protect their prefectures in territorial disputes. The people who support them are the “Rest.”

During one of the battles for territory, a Rest named Nozomi decides to travel across Japan on her motorcycle with some of her new friends while they fulfill the quests that were meant for their leader Best. While on their journey they each want to grow stronger and search for special heart-shaped jewels.

 

The Characters:

Nozomi Moritomo: The main character and new recruit to the group of rests. She is the childhood friend to Masami, a Best and the leader of the group. Much like the rest of her companions on her journey she is a Rest.

Yukina Kosaka: She is shy and is often quite polite to people. She is terrible at directions, but is great at drawing, sometimes.

Ai Hibiki: She was kicked out of one of the groups of rest before meeting up with Nozomi. She is often quick to use brute force as well as wanting to grow stronger and gather heat-shaped jewels believing that is a source of power.

Chiaya Misono: She seeks the heart-shaped jewels and has one. She knows the nicknames to each of the characters from their childhood. She wants to find the jewels because that is what her mother is doing for some unknown reason to her and she would like to know why.

Overall Thoughts:

When I look back at this series, I caught up to episode 6 in one night. There are ideas about it that make this show interesting, specifically the idea of Best and Rest. Shows always tend to focus on the Best, well this one focuses on the Rest/MOB character. I think the best idea when it comes to thinking about MOB characters is Kill la Kill whenever an extraordinary attack goes causing a wave of people, those are the MOB characters, and the fact that they really do going flying in the first episode is rather interesting. The first episode really help set up and enjoyable part of this series, although it took two episodes before all the main characters and for them to set off on their journey, it was still enjoyable in the world building. Looking back on this series now after finishing it back in March, I do have mix feelings for the middle and the end especially. But, there are always other things.

Bonus and Minus Points:

– At times it feels like there is not enough focus on the main characters.

+ The main characters are the embodiment of the MOB character, and are thus not always the main focus for the series. It is a good way for them to really show them trying to find their place in this coming of age story.

+The idea of Best and the Rest

+ The show can say a lot about people, be this if they are growing up and a lot of life lessons that are important to know or to realize

+ Each character is different with a unique personal trait, like good a drawing, and things like that which make them stand out. This is more compared to other anime which can tend to leave out small details like that.

– The ending could have been a little bit better, kind of gave a not great feeling in the second half of the final episode. (A majority of minus points are for this reason and this alone)

+ – Had an okay beginning, slow pace but good for building up the characters

+ The middle portion of the series was the better part

+ Fights were awesome

? While searching for pictures of the characters I heard the dub, which sounded fairly good for the main characters.

 

Overall Score: 65/100 (This mostly stems from the ending feeling a little rush as well as feeling as if they were trying to do too much for this series when it came to focusing on the main characters story towards the end and not giving it enough time in general in the last few episodes)

 

This series is Licensed by Funimation in North America for streaming, the dub is also completed as of now as well.

So, those that saw this series, what do you think?