Yishi Zhi Zun

A fun action donghua. The story follows a lowly servant monk of a fantasy Chinese monastery to Buddha. The monk is forcefully transposed and chosen to be a participant of a series of trials given by a seemingly omnipotent entity. The trials are mostly focused on combat, and overcoming difficult enemies. Based on the performance in said trials the participants are granted a currency to spend in a "shop" where they can buy things ranging from equipment, to ultimate abilities. Along with the monk, other characters also participate in the trial. Whenever a trial is completed, the participants are transported back to their world tocontinue their lives and await the next trial. The anime focuses heavily on martial arts combat. The fights are long, completely ridiculous and very fun to watch. The animation of them is very good and really helps you appreciate the hectic nature of these battles. There is also plenty of comedy, plots and lighthearted fun. It's not all roses though. The anime has a huge problem of not explaining anything that's happening. You're dropped in the middle of everything with no backstory and are just supposed to be there for the ride. The first few episodes were pretty hard to get through because I had no clue what was happening. I persevered though and it does get better in the long run. The anime is based off a novel, and from skimming through it it's obvious that the adaptation is just taking a very different approach. More flashy action over substance. There is also several plot lines that don't get resolved and are forgotten, along with several characters who just disappear without a mention. Overall the story is still decent, but wholly unfinished. It's set up for more seasons, but who knows if they'll happen. The animation is great. The environments are great. The characters look amazing. The facial expressions are a bit stiff but serviceable. Music is inoffensive. All in all. It's pretty good. The little bald monk is adorable as heck. 7/10