The Reflection Ep 1 Review: Heroes Rise

Alright, so, I am really not sure how to start. A new series to review weekly, and I never know how to begin. Anyway, I been looking up to Stan Lee for well over a decade now. So, it is cool to see him play a role in the original idea of this anime. Plus, it is even cooler how he will have a role in the dub as a voice of one of the characters. Enough fanboying and time to see if the wait for the last year has paid off.

The Plot:

An Anime that takes place in America for once, well, that was un-expecting, I guess that is what happens when an American Studio, American Original Creator, work on an American Concept with a Japanese Studio.

So, the hero, later known as I-Guy, fights off a Froggy foe and a Man Bat.  The battle rages flying around New York, crashing into buildings, and I-Guy saving a lady from falling off a building.

Meanwhile a young red-head photographer eyes herself on someone else fighting some villains. He copies the abilities of those he touches. Also, she can teleporter, well, later on when more villains show up.

But, as time goes on both sets of heroes take down the villains. The woman tries to find the X faced hero. While I-Guy takes an interview.

It turns out the government takes in the villains, only to have them escape.

That night the news covering it talks about a catastrophe that happened three years ago. Some people now are recovering from it and some are finding side effects, and perhaps maybe the event that happened in New York the heroes and villains came from that event. But, nothing is proven.

The episode ends with the photographer at home looking at all these things about X-On only the have him knock at her door.

Overall Thoughts:

Starting off with the elephant in the room, the art style. I am mixed on it. On one hand I like how it mimics an older comic style and it works amazing with fights. My only issue with it, it just does not fight outside of action sense. I think it is due to not being used to this art style in anime, so it will take an episode or two to get used to it.

The pacing was a bit weird, thus the lack of talking and focus on the plot as a whole for the episode. Again, I think this is due to the American Origins. Anime typically give a lot of detail and what to expect in the first episode. American stuff, typically do not give all the details, but weave it in over time. This episode was more on the fighting than what exactly is going on. So, that explains that. This still does not make up the fact it felt rather slow.

Only slight issues go in terms of the random moments of dead silence. I did like the music that played throughout the fight. And the fight scene had some really interesting cinematography at times. Unfortunately, it made the news scene seem a little boring.

This first episode I will say I am mixed. Did I enjoy it, very much so? Was the plot, and everything else good, well, that is where I am mixed. I do not like judging shows by plot until it is complete. For now, this episode gave a slightly above average feel to that department.

Overall Enjoyment: 85/100

I might also be covering the dub upon release.

Crunchyroll has the series licensed for streaming, while Funimation licensed this series for a dub.

As always, what are your thoughts on this series?

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As always I hope you enjoyed.

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Again, I hope you enjoyed and see you next time.

– Joe