Yuusha Exkaiser

First off, I've been a huge Transformers fan for my whole life, yet I had only a very vague knowledge about the existence of the Yuusha/Brave franchise until recently. I decided that, if I was going to get to know this franchise better, I should start from the very beginning, even though I really didn't expected much from Exkaiser exactly for being just the first series. I have to say, though, that this show really exceeded my expectations. It is, of course, a very formulaic "monster-of-the-week"-style anime designed to sell some cool-looking robot toys to children at its core, but I believe the right way tolook at it is by appreciating how exciting it gets every time the Kaisers (the heroes) show up to fight against the bad guys, and how lovable and funny all the human characters are without ever getting annoying or uninteresting. One aspect that can throw some people off is just how absurdly stupid all the villains, called Geisters, can get all the time. They make any Decepticon ever (the villains from Transformers, just in case) look like an absolute evil mastermind in comparison. But, at least for me, their immense incompetence was also part of the fun of it all. They also get very creative with the wildly different monsters created by the main villains that appear during the course of each episode. Basically what I'm trying to say here is that this show never gets boring because of the combination of all the elements I just mentioned. It could've been a tad shorter, sure, as it can get a little repetitive to see the exact same animations being reused over and over again, but it will never fail to pump your blood once that amazing rock'n'roll-like soundtrack starts playing while the robots transform and/or perform their strongest moves. I was expecting something much more similar to the Transformers series that came right before it, such as The Headmasters, Super-God Masterforce and Victory, but what I got instead was a show that is actually much more fun to watch and has a much better pacing than all of those. I do like those series a lot as well, but they admittedly can get pretty bad at times, while Exkaiser never let's you down once you get in the right mood. Simply put, this is a perfectly innocent show that does its job pretty decently. For anyone looking to have a nice time watching an old school, very well defined battle between "good vs. evil" with no real consequences other than learning about the value of goodness just for the sake of it, I highly recommend you to check this one out. It also works pretty well as an introduction to the Yuusha/Brave franchise, as I am now a lot interested in checking out all the other series very soon. I hope that the next one doesn't disappoint me just as this one surely didn't!

As a lifelong Transformers enthusiast, I only recently stumbled upon the Yuusha/Brave franchise with little prior knowledge. Determined to dive in, I began with the first series, Exkaiser, despite modest expectations. To my surprise, it far surpassed what I had anticipated. At its heart, Exkaiser is a classic "monster-of-the-week" anime crafted to promote sleek robot toys to kids. However, its charm lies in the thrilling appearances of the Kaisers—the heroic robots—battling their foes, paired with a cast of human characters who are endearing and humorous without ever overstaying their welcome. The villains, known as Geisters, might catch some off guard with their sheer absurdity and incompetence. Comparedto the cunning Decepticons of Transformers fame, they seem almost comically inept, yet this only adds to the show’s appeal for me. Their bumbling nature complements the inventive array of unique monsters conjured by the main antagonists in each episode. What keeps Exkaiser engaging is this blend of elements—exciting battles, lovable characters, and quirky villains. Admittedly, it could trim a few episodes, as reused animations occasionally feel repetitive. Still, the adrenaline kicks in every time the rock’n’roll-infused soundtrack blares, accompanying the robots’ transformations and signature moves. I had braced myself for something akin to the preceding Transformers series—Headmasters, Super-God Masterforce, or Victory—which I enjoy but find flawed and unevenly paced at times. Exkaiser, by contrast, offers tighter pacing and a more consistently entertaining ride, provided you embrace its vibe. In essence, this is a delightfully straightforward show that nails its purpose. For anyone craving a nostalgic, clear-cut "good vs. evil" showdown—complete with lessons on kindness and no heavy stakes—Exkaiser is a gem worth exploring. It’s also an ideal entry point to the Yuusha/Brave saga. Now hooked, I’m eager to binge the rest of the franchise soon, hoping the next installment holds up as well as this one did!

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