Recommended
Looks like I have to play the Devil's Advocate in this one since everyone HATES this to oblivion. AYEEE BONE ISEKAI DADDY IS BACK...yet again, not like so, that many people are hating this the way that Goblin Slayer is much maligned from the get-go. And yes, I will admit that Overlord (that has Season 4 coming up next season) plays a huge part in novelist Enki Hakari's only derivative work that is this show, while actually playing the "goblin rape game" much earlier than Goblin Slayer, and the plot to Gaikotsu Kishi-sama a.k.a Skeleton Knight is simply just that. And you thought that Goblin Slayerwas the first to do this (well, technically it is through anime).
It must be said that there're two camps in this one:
- The overt haters whom feel that everything done in this show gets a free pass, from the unnecessary and over-the-top rape to the simple-minded run-of-the-mill standard OP MC that doesn't question his very own existence of why he's literally Isekai-ed to begin with, only to know that this is his starting point and so thus says the story of his adventures in another world.
- The minority (like myself) that likes this show for all of its flaws, yet somehow "choose to believe" that we would get an alternate Ainz Ooal Gown-like skeletal character that displays similar themes to the former and being self-aware that everything "falls into place" quite nicely for his progression like a typical RPG character in a world so vast that he's able to do things on his own.
Givem by the source material's title, one would've led to believe that this is also the influence derivative of Kei Azumi's Tsuki ga Michibiku Isekai Douchuu a.k.a Tsukimichi (focusing on the "Isekai e Odekakechuu" portion) since that source material also came out on Syosetu much earlier than this series (2012, as compared to Gaikotsu Kishi-sama in 2014), so it's very clear that Enri Hakari had clearly thought this through for his lone work to be a copy-paste of similar works like those mentioned, but that's where the similarities end for nothing more than just a passing resemblance. And this is where lots of people have many issues with this show, and let me address these issues in distinct detail.
Arc for a OP MC, he's just like Ainz when comparing against his true skeletal nature in the fantasy-like world, but yet doesn't have enough personality to plan and think of his journey in the fantasy world he's been Isekai-ed to, and this has to work in a two-fold way: purpose and motivation. Normally in an Isekai series like Tsukimichi or even Overlord for that matter, the MC has a purpose of why he/she's been transported to another world because of reasons unexplanable that they have to find the answers for themselves, while gaining allies and crushing enemies along the way to get to the desired answers that they've been looking for. Enri Hakari however, plays this game differently with Arc being the stereotypical Isekai-ed player whom is like your stereotypical simple background NPC in an RPG with no backstory or whatever, and only serving as a guide to progress the story that he's been in, thus letting the story weave itself with actions done. The context of my understanding is that we've seen too many Isekai stories do this the same time over, but depending on the series' stature, they can either pass or fail to contravene back to the origin story of why they're here in the first place. Thus, giving Arc a character that's without a backstory of his own (just the simple Isekai formula over and over) can feel empty and purposeless, but that I believe is also the charm for motivation for Arc to do the things he likes to do: to roam around towns and cities, get in trouble by saving helpless folk (which I have to agree that the rape aspect happens too much for nonchalant drama), and ultimately help people serve their purpose with his moral behaviour and massive magic. Arc is just a character that feels shallow no doubt, but the extent of his reach is with reasons justifiable, and IMO I don't mind an predictable-yet-exaggerated MC that knows what's he doing to provide his own source of entertainment mixing comedy and seriousness for motivation, and that I feel, is just about enough.
And what says tropey more else than having elves as the central root cause of the problem in this story, which after watching both SAO and Goblin Slayer, it's already known to be a mindless trope that's used for nothing more than edgy story plots just for hype. And Arc's companion character Ariane Glenys Maple is simply just that: an elf warrior whom has knowledge of the world's wicked doctrines of slavery and extortion against elves since they make for easy targets of manipulation and prostitution (which this debacle doesn't seem to end in many stories like it), and saving her kin from the horrid oppression of their treatment. The whole elves scale has nothing wrong with it, though I feel that its use is only justified because of the standards of what Goblin Slayer has put as through to ensure that if you watch a story involving elves, you can't help but hearken back to it for the never-forgotten treatment that is a nightmare then, and still is now. As usual, with female characters, the appeal is always in the physique, and Ariane has the unmistakable woman appeal that would be a love-potion kind of nauseating effect to those looking for some fun with her. But Ariane is headstrong and an elf woman of honour, and seeing her position as the two commit together in saving the elves, you can't help but like her character a teeny bit, although being weak to liquor is often the easiest way to identify the cutesy side of her.
For one, pet characters like the cotton-tailed fox Ponta don't get enough love, which the world refers them to as "spirit characters". If there is one character you can't help but to gleam it, it would certainly be Ponta for being this massive beast that has gone out of control, only for Arc to encounter and heal it, thereby signaling its attachment with him and being a character to signify his goodwill, something that's rare since spirit creatures are never meant to form attachments with humans and even beastkin. Ponta is easily the highlight of the show, and what's there not to love about pet companions that can help the characters out to smell and alert danger? Just put it as the poster pet, and there you go.
Skeleton Knight's world is very evil, wicked and filled with disillusion of a stereotypical kingdom that places no regard for people other than their very own, and that's not just to say that the royal family has infighting as well to rid even their own kin if the objectives don't align. It's the usual selfish behaviour which justifies the work that's needed to be done through many backdoor deals like betrayals and assassinations, just to prove a point that the world that the "heroes" (Arc, Ariane, plus others like ninja girl Chiyome) are in for a sinister plot that needs to be dealt with. Yet again, you can bet that this storyline serves no favours to the overarching plot that's shrouded by the shallowness of the character writing, that somehow in its entirety, comes together to concoct a show that knows what it wants to be, and acts out accordingly to Keikaku. It's not wrong, but to the many, it'll feel like Skeleton Knight is a mish-mash of many storylines and genres done together, that the result is one inconsistent mess of a show that doesn't know what it's trying to be, and all for a make-believe sham.
However, I have to give credit where credit is due, and that's with the production values of Skeleton Knight. Starting with the acclaimed director that is Katsumi Ono, he's heralded the storyboarding for the original Yu☆Gi☆Oh! and 5Ds, directed the entirety of the Symphogear series (except the first) and most recently, the Hypnosis Mic rap battle anime, so you know that he's a perfect fit for over-the-top good or bad story and plot that doesn't care about anything else than making it stand out in the most magnifying way possible, and he most certainly has done that. Despite being a 2D-3DCG mix studio, Studio Kai's production is generally good for the most part, and I've pretty much gotten used to the 3DCG from the studio's days of starting out anime production majority in 3DCG with Netflix's Mushikago no Cagaster a.k.a Cagaster of an Insect Cage. And being a co-production with HORNETS (which has assisted in Satelight's Winter 2020 show Somali to Mori no Kamisama a.k.a Somali and the Forest Spirit), honestly I can't tell the difference of an alliance work that still manages to pop its production, though it's probably safe to say that it got the job done as intended.
And where else to give credit than the music, and being exuberant in the most ear-piercing way ever. A few of you would heard of PelleK before, but if like myself that you're new to who he is, PelleK is a very popular YouTuber who's done many notable and popular song covers since 2011, ranging from Anisongs to even world-renowned mainstream songs, and Skeleton Knight is his first ever big break in being officially recognized as an Indie singer, the likes of MindaRyn and such. I can tell you that his OP is just as over-the-top as it comes, packed with SFX because why not, and contrary to popular belief that having sound effects in an OP breaks the flow of the titled song, but in Skeleton Knight's case, it is an ABSOLUTE BANGER with PelleK's high-vocalized insanity that's a perfect marriage with the SFX for that intended bombastic effect, and it is honestly cool to hear another YouTuber having a debut with an official Anisong that doesn't disregard the reputation he's built for all his life. One of my favourite girl idol groups are back, and DIALOGUE+ didn't spare their vocals with the ED, which has been composed and produced by kz of livetune Vocaloid fame, who's been in composing song collaborations for high-profile artistes like ClariS and Maon Kurosaki. Honestly though, this OST is definitely a link by being over-the-top superlicious, and if you have to highlight what's great about Skeleton Knight, the music aspect would be it.
When all is said and done, while I can agree with the general press that Gaikotsu Kishi-sama a.k.a Skeleton Knight has nothing new to offer to change the perception of the Isekai genre in its entirety with edginess being its prime that reeks of mediocrity and burning flame dumpster fire, it does the one thing that it knows best. And that's to be a fun and adventurous Isekai that doesn't question origins, yet leaves behind the possibility that one can carve out his/her own adventure filled with surprises and wonders, saving the world, dismembering enemies with insane power, and above all, experience what it means to be an otherworlder in a free-roaming world akin to an RPG.
This is generally not a pleasant watch, but if you can stomach this, it's honestly low-key decent.
