While a cascade of ill-thought-out updates reduced King’s Raid to shambles, fortunately, we have Successors of the Will to remember the game’s glorious days. The story retains the original ensemble cast and recaps essential plot points. We follow a rag-tag squad consisting of apprentice knight Kasel, healer Frey, and misfit duo Cleo and Roi. Together, they venture to subdue evil-doers threatening peace in Orvelia.
One addition that adds more tension to the story is the dark elves Riheet and Ripine’s vindictive B-plot that sometimes conflicts with the main squad’s interests. Besides the one-note characters, there is also a firm reliance on flashbacks to move the narrative forward. In an alternate timeline where the game’s finances are still strong, it’d be excellent for the anime to adapt the tragic arc where Kasel and Frey turned to the dark side.
Azur Lane: A Vibrant Strategy Game
Thanks to its vibrant and laid-back tones, Azur Lane has always been regarded as Kancolle’s antithesis. Unlike its edgy cousin, however, plot coherence has always been Azur Lane’s Achilles’ heel, which snowballs into its anime adaptation. With its pacing all over the place, ultimately leading to an ambiguous ending, the plot follows the antics between Azur Lane and Red Axis (Imperial Japanese and the Kriegsmarine), with the Sirens occasionally joining the party.
The show has a few positives, most notably the decision to ditch the self-insert character in favour of Enterprise as the lead protagonist. You’ll also be spared from any imperialist rhetoric integral to Kancolle while possibly learning some cool facts on naval warfare. If “make love, not war” is your motto, there’s another spin-off titled Slow Ahead that focuses on the quartet of starters to fill the void.
Onmyoji: From Game to Live Adaptation
Netease’s Onmyoji is one of the rare titles to receive a live adaptation, plus a couple of animated spin-offs. Starting with Yinyang Master, this standalone film marries the franchise’s iconic Heian-era aesthetics with wuxia films’ oriental fantasy theme. The plot focuses on the reluctant alliance between the disgraced Boya and Qing Ming (romanisation of Seimei) as they must race against time to save the capital from Cimu’s invasion with the help of Qing Ming friendly neighbourhood yokai.
Although popular shikigamis like Ootengu or Tamamonomae didn’t make the cut, it’s still fun to see some underdogs like Kamaitachi, Red Imp, Umibozu and Yama Usagi getting some screen time. Its repertoire of animated spin-offs is more light-hearted with Heian Monogatari, where you stop and smell the roses by experiencing the daily life of shikigamis. A spoof series runs concurrently, highlighting the player’s woes on certain game elements, such as the unintuitive grind and unbalanced PvP.
Monster Strike: A Nostalgic Card Battler
Remember when Tamagotchi, or simply digital pets, was all the rage? Although that came to pass as a fad, Monster Strike carries on that essence and uses it as a foundation for its anime adaptation. The game’s unique blend of card battler mechanics and casual puzzle elements offers a nostalgic yet fresh experience for players. The anime adaptation captures this essence beautifully, bringing digital pets back into the spotlight with a modern twist.
