Quanzhi Fashi V

With every season I watch this anime get's worse. I don't really know what I'm supposed to be interested in. They have made Mo Fan pretty much superman. There is never any threat to him or the other main characters because you know they will live. The main plot was okay but it could have just been a subplot to another bigger plot. The only character I liked was Hui. Because MoFan is always battling you can't tell how strong he is compared to other students. He seems like one of the stronger ones but then people always are like: oh no this person isso strong" and then MoFan is fine/wins.

Season 5 is mildly disappointing, Season 4 was a strong season, season 5 failed to properly follow up on what was set up or properly build on it. It picks up after the events of Season 4, the first 3 episodes do deal with Mo Fan and the demon element, after this is resolved and these episodes end, we get into the main story of Season 5. For some reason he is sent to Song City to recover (because apparently he can't just go back home and return to the academy) it is inferred that he was weakened, although he's clearly not, and basically the story needshim to be there for the sake of the plot, which involves a mystical snake, has no real baring on anything else, and is basically just side story filler. The story arc itself is fine, it's a little convoluted, but it is all wrapped up before the end of the season. The problem is when you get to the last episode, which feels like the start of a new story and feels like the start of where the true story should have been, you can't help but feel that you want more of that, and could have done with less of the snake. I've not read the story this is based off, but even I can tell that the focus is all wrong, this is a series that has a story that it wants to tell, normally you would focus on the main story, you wouldn't tease your main story and leave it for the next season, because you may not get the next season made.

Here we are again. But for the 1st time I can say that it doesn't suck completely. So far it was a story about a mindless overpowered MC. with no character development or real stakes. It is a story with the dreams and hopes of young boys, that wishful thinking of a magical item that could solve every of their problems, that they just need a bit of luck, that they could also be someone powerful if they had the same medallion and people would finally see their full potential. Very simplistic. Very kid-like. But now it was for the first time it felt likea title that you might really consider watching. Just to be clear, I'm not saying it is good, ok? But compared to the fk ups that were seasons 2 and 4, this feels like eating fries after one week of slop only. So, visuals. Looking good. It finally looks like something you might see nowadays. Maybe some tiny slip-ups for the animation and some designs, but more often than not, it was ok. Good colour palette. Also good cinematography (sometimes even great). Maybe a little too zealous with the panning shots, but still ok. Audio. They changed the themes yet again, now the tracks have a more techno vibe. It usually works. The OP was decent enough. Not great, but it worked. The ED was good. As in good to listen on the radio, not just an anime song. The VAs did good. It felt like acting. The world-building is still a problem and mostly because the author changes the in-universe laws as he wishes to. Anything you might've found out earlier will be changed if it gets in the author's way. But yeah, overall we get some very basic stuff. The pacing is mostly fine. Iffy at times, because of the way the story is constructed, but the feeling of "missing some scenes here" is reduced. The magic system got even bigger and crazier. And now, the other stuff. I'll start with something else and get to my main points after :)) So far, the premise was the MC wants to become a mage so that he has power and wealth to help his family, because poor dad, poor half-sis. The medallion he wears is the answer to everything. The mcguffin for every fkin problem. It gives him multiple powers and then it helps with their development. Every time you might wonder how something is possible, the MC will start talking to it "it was you that helped me, right?" and the medallion would shimmer and tremble. And then the mcguffin gets even more characteristics, because why not? Being something unique and with no info as to what exactly is, means it can become the magic answer to anything the author needs it to be. Every opportunity it is then given to the MC and so he gets powerful without any real effort. We had to wait until the 3rd season to get a 1-minute montage of him training and meditating. We don't get any of that in later seasons, but it is implied and we should believe he really does this stuff 'cause they showed it to us, once. Anyway, thats what the story was: overpowered MC is given powers, people start to realise his "true" potential , girls flock around him (but not to him, he's too cool for that, we can't have that kind of story), the right elders love him, the jealous people hate him for his "luck" and lack of "wealthy background". Typical CN stuff. And every time it looks like someone is more powerful like him, "I really need this, I can do it this time" and, don't you know it?, he gets even more powerful. Basically, no character development. Not for him, not for those around him. Well not anymore. this season is kinda full of setup and payoffs. I don't wanna spoil too much, so I'll keep it vague. But this season feels written by a different team. This season has some sort of a unity to it. Again, to be clear: still a lot of dumb decisions, still a lot of flaws, but at least now we have something resembling character development going around. (Not for the MC, he was then and always will be boring. From the start he had more powers than normal and if still not enough, he'll get some extra right when it is needed. And you'll never feel like he might die or something. The MC is the whole weak point of this title.) One example of the flaws. In the later episodes of the previous season we find out his wolf can fly. Mind-blowing, I know. Also, future potential problems. And now it is one of those times. Something happens and then they walk (walk, mind you) along the road, even though they're in a hurry. In the beginning of the season he even uses it to run over the water. Ofc, I was talking to the screen "use the wolf, why aren't using the wolf??". I thought it was some sort of a nerfing as in the beginning of the season. Oh right, I skipped that. The previous one ended with some silly OP moves (yes, even more so). So this one started with "you're cured and you should be ok but try not to use it" and "that was dangerous, try not to use it for at least a year". Yeah, lets keep those trump cards in the back pocket, to use when needed. Now back to said example. Oh, silly me. A couple of episodes later he pulls out the wolf and they start running. But now they are also followed by baddies, so the season is not in danger of ending in a matter of minutes... Anyway, you get the gist. Dumb reasonings just to keep the story going. On that front, nothing's changed :))) What else? Oh, the dialogue. Yeah, it is better. For example: so far, the flirting was really cringy. Now, besides the decent lines, the characters also have better reactions visually. Even when those moments end, the scenes end with shot of their faces that make them look like they are alive, like they have thoughts under the surface (skin). It sounds harsh but check it out and then compare it with the ones from previous seasons. Anyway, I'll stop here. I'm sure there was more stuff to talk about but it gets rather lengthy (also, I don't remember what else I wanted to talk about). But the main points: decent production value, it feels like they cared more. The story is still full of plot devices, plot holes and plot contrivances. The logic is still weird, like him caring about his sister (we know this, and I don't even care about her) but at no point did he run into the city and get her out when problems were on the horizon (bad pun intended. sorry). And yes, it is the same city. Or him not checking on the white-haired girl. But we get better character developments, with decent setup and payoffs. The story is not about him mindlessly fighting students, its not something to play on a second monitor while you do other stuff, so maybe some of you might hate this season. If the following seasons will keep this trend, it might become decent enough. Although, with that faulty premise its kinda hard.. It gets a rating of 6 for the decent production value and some of the character development (The story sucks and most of the plot its flawed, but the rest bumps it up a little). I'll assume no one here just started this title and went directly for the latest season, so I'll recommend it (yeah, I can't believe it either). The enjoyment factor is high, at least for the visuals and the general payoff. And now I can even say "yes, you can enjoy bad media, thats ok. Just know it is bad". Have a lovely day.

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