Season 1 |
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Episode Guide
Episode 1: Undead and Unluck -| Review Score – 4/5
Episode 2: Union -| Review Score – 3.5/5
Episode 3: How To Use My Unluck -| Review Score – 4/5
Episode 4: Do You Love the Change In Me? -| Review Score – 3.5/5
Episode 5: United We Negate -| Review Score – 4/5
Episode 6: Spoil -| Review Score – 3.5/5
Episode 7: Dream -| Review Score – 4/5
Episode 8: Victhor -| Review Score – 3.5/5
Episode 9: Return -| Review Score – 3.5/5
Episode 10: Result -| Review Score – 4/5
Episode 11: Rio de Janeiro -| Review Score – 4/5
Episode 12: Activate -| Review Score – 3.5/5
Episode 13: Tatiana -| Review Score – 4/5
Episode 14: Crimson Bullet -| Review Score – 3/5
Episode 15: Under -| Review Score – 4/5
Episode 16: Revolution -| Review Score – 3.5/5
Episode 17: Outsmart -| Review Score – 3.5/5
Episode 18: Cry for the Moon -| Review Score – 3.5/5
Episode 19: Undead + Unluck -| Review Score – 4/5
Episode 20: Anno Un -| Review Score – 4/5
Episode 21: Memento Mori -| Review Score – 4/5
Episode 22: Profile -| Review Score – 3.5/5
Episode 23: A Story I Won’t See Coming -| Review Score – 4/5
Episode 24: To You, From Me -| Review Score – 3.5/5
As with every season, viewers can expect one Shonen Jump title or two to air alongside a boatload of other anime. Regardless of whether it’s a follow-up season or a new work entirely, fans can’t help but get excited. Simultaneously, most newer releases tend to have a small following before their anime’s release due to their audience comprising folks who adored the anime’s source material.
Undead Unluck is one of those shonen properties. While the anime received some buzz online from audiences who were and weren’t familiar with the work, it didn’t receive nearly as much fanfare as other shonen properties of the past like Jujutsu Kaisen and Chainsaw Man. While Undead Unluck Season One doesn’t offer the most flawless showcase imaginable, it has wonderful content worth delving into.
Animated by the popular David Productions Studios, Undead Unluck is a modern shonen action comedy with a manga that’s releasing new chapters (as of this write-up). Its tale follows Fuko, a girl whose Unluck powers prohibit her from accomplishing mundane tasks and incredible goals. One day, she stumbles upon Andy, a being with zombie-like capabilities who wants to use Fuko’s powers to end his life.
After a mysterious organization gets involved in the two’s affairs, Andy puts this mission on hold and embarks on a chaotic, action-packed affair with Fuko. Undead Unluck’s storyline offers a nice blend of comedy, action, and drama. Yet, as viewers delve deeper into this tale, its world becomes more intricate and tantalizing. This is because the anime offers a fun power system, several distinct factions, and a unique twist to its world’s principles.
These story elements are explained to a decent degree through conversations and flashbacks. Undead Unluck tackles subjects surrounding companionship, death, and guilt in poignant ways. Whether through a character’s demise or a simple chat, viewers will find this anime’s handling of these themes interesting.
The anime’s comedy is simple and well-varied. From funny facial reactions to raunchy interactions, its comedy will appeal to most viewers. The twists inserted in this tale, along with its cliffhangers, are executed to respectable effect. This anime’s turns will leave audiences puzzled and may entice them to rewatch previous chapters or to continue their binge of the work.
While all seems swell on the surface for Undead Unluck’s narrative, it has room to improve. For instance, there are episodes, like episode 14, where the pacing and structure of its events aren’t a blast to sit through. Chapters like this one contain heavy informative segments that drag on for long intervals. It’ll make viewers wish David Productions had found ways to spread that critical data periodically throughout the same episode or in different ones.
Like other shonen anime, Undead Unluck often inserts recap segments in the same vein as popular shonen like One Piece. While this is a nice way to remind audiences about what happened in previous chapters, there are times when the studio inserts recap segments in unnecessary places. Episode 24 is a great example of that. In it, the recap covering a specific character’s past life and actions ruins the flow of Andy and Fuko’s battle with Autumn, one of the series’ big-bads.
Alongside having some questionable and often convenient resolutions for our characters’ matters, the storytelling (so far) isn’t grandiose. As for Undead Unluck’s cast, fans have a nice selection of characters to admire here. Andy and Fuko serve as a nice duo to follow throughout season one. The anime delves into their past and current conflicts to a pleasing degree. It develops their relationship nicely throughout its runtime, too.
While their beginning interactions won’t appeal to everyone, fans will love observing the two’s later interactions with each other and the people around them. Andy and Fuko aside, the supporting cast, while not all great, will appeal to certain folks. From the stoic Juiz to the all-knowing Anno, fans will find some of the series’s side characters’ personalities, skills, and experiences engaging.
Unfortunately, most heroes and villains aren’t explored as much as Fuko and Andy in season one. Some end up perishing sooner than fans will have hoped. Nevertheless, the characters present in the narrative (so far) should hold viewers over from beginning to end. As for the anime’s visual and animation quality, fans needn’t worry about Undead Unluck in that department.
As with most shonen, Undead Unluck’s action scenes provide an engaging viewing experience. Whether our heroes are combatting a large foe like Autumn or are fighting any of the Under members, fans will adore David Productions’s effort in making each fight pop on screen. Additionally, this anime’s peaceful, dramatic, and romantic visuals will please audiences.
Whether the scene involves a character crying or conversing with a cast member, you’ll adore the movements on display during those segments. On the other hand, Undead Unluck’s visuals aren’t always great. There are chapters, like episode six, where David Productions opts for CGI. While the CGI won’t bother some audiences, others might not adore how the CGI-rendered individuals appear. Fortunately, moments like that are few and far between, unlike most animated programs.
Season One’s soundtrack was fine. Many will adore the sound effects used during the action-heavy moments and will find many of the characters’ voices fitting and appealing. The opening and ending tracks will appeal to audiences, especially those who like rock music.
Overall, Undead Unluck is another shonen anime that’ll appeal to those who love supernatural worlds, engaging power systems, and goofy yet fun characters. While its first season doesn’t churn out the most impeccable narrative, it’s a wicked gem worth experiencing.
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Verdict - 7.5/10
7.5/10