Anime Review: Shakunetsu Kabaddi

12

Rating

★★★

Anime Digest

Shakunetsu Kabaddi is Japanese anime series based on a web manga of the same title. The alternative title of Shakunetsu Kabaddi is ’Burning Kabaddi’. The series explores the genre of sports. The anime tells the story of a high school boy, Tatsuya Yoigoshi, a former ace soccer player who has developed hatred toward sports. He gets recruited into a Kabaddi club, and though he is not fully committed to the idea of him playing Kabaddi eventually, after watching an intense competition, his interest in playing Kabaddi starts to develop.

The Feel-Good Part

The sport of Kabaddi is not well known by many, and in that sense, the anime promotes awareness about Kabaddi. The anime publicizes Kabaddi among the masses and successfully gathers genuine interest in the sport. The storyline stays true to the genre of sports anime. The soundtrack of the anime is fantastic, especially the opening and ending songs entirely stea the spotlight.

The Disappointing Factor

The initial episodes of the anime looked a lot more promising than they turned out to be in the later episodes. The character’s backstory doesn’t seem entirely genuine and fails to connect with the viewers.

In-Depth Analysis

The direction of the anime is quite good, which makes the match interesting to watch. The direction very well captures the excitement and thrill of playing the Kabaddi. There are some clichés in the anime, like any other sports anime. However, the uniqueness of the anime overshadows the clichés. The soundtrack very well compliments the anime and makes it a more enjoyable watch. The progression of the story is simple and non-complicated. The characters of the anime are very well written, which becomes the most vital point of the anime. The animation, however, is lacking and, in some frames, even stays still, which will annoy many viewers.

Star Performance

Japanese voice actor Nobuhiko Okamoto voiced the character of Masato Oujou, Yuuma Uchida voiced for the character of Tatsuya Yoigoshi, Makoto Furukawa for the character of Kei Iura, Gen Satou for the character of Souma Azemichi, Tatsuhisa Suzuki for the character of Kyouhei Misumi, and Shunsuke Takeuchi for the character of Shinji Date. The supporting cast includes actors such as, Ayumu Murase as Yuuki Hitomi, Wataru Komada as Ryuuta Seki, Kenichi Suzumura as Ren Takaya, and many more.

Overall Opinion

Shakunetsu Kabaddi is a well-written and executed anime that preaches the sport of Kabaddi. Being a lesser-known sport, Kabaddi is not known by many. The selection of this sport for the anime series is pretty remarkable. The sports anime has its share of humor, which will indeed make the vibe of the series lighter. The anime doesn’t have any unique storyline, yet it is a pretty decent anime that must be watched.