As a standalone show, it's a little rocky. But as the start of a franchise? I think we might have something here.
There's no getting around it; [K] is a weird show. The closest comparison I can make for it is Durarara, but even that doesn't feel completely accurate. The basic storyline goes like this; two warring clans called Homura and Scepter 4 (helpfully code-colored red and blue) are searching for a killer who shot down a member of Homura in cold blood. The match for the person is the murder video is teenager Isana Yashiro, who insists that he's innocent. From there, the show is superpowers, cat girls, Mayan calendars, Nazis in blimps, a boatload of homoerotic subtext, and a mystery that invites the viewer to put the pieces together alongside the characters.
If that sounds confusing, it should; the majority of this season was spent in build-up that doesn't pay off until the very end of the show. And even then, there are still questions left unanswered and the ending doesn't feel particularly conclusive thanks to knowledge of a character's abilities. However, this complaint is addressed by the immediate announcement of a second season after the end of the final episode, so what would've been this show's fatal flaw ends up more like a bookmark.
And while there's definitely a sense of things being put in for the sake of a "cool" factor or because they're necessary for the plot (to quote Day, "Bro, just let it go. He did. He just did. Because K, the show, needed him to, bro."), there is the sense that we're getting a glimpse into a fully realized world whose rules and logic simply haven't been revealed to us yet. Kuro's quick explanation of the King system towards the beginning of the show reveals that there are several that the viewers haven't met yet, which leaves a lot of space for more characters and abilities. The way the setting balances between futuristic and supernatural elements while still taking place in a recognizable world is fascinating.
Speaking of the world, the way it's presented visually is a character in and of itself. The copious use of filters (especially blue) didn't bother me, but it'll be hard on some people's eyes. Overall, the production values on this show are amazing; the only other show that could rival its first couple episodes was Fate/Zero. However, the strain on the budget does show in the later episodes. There a lot of panning over still images, distant shots of characters with low quality, and they even pull the stock footage from the OP for a lot of action scenes for the last third of the show. It's still heads and shoulders over everything else this season, but the drop off is obvious after being spoiled by fantastic animation for the majority of its run.
But by far my favorite part of this show, and what made the lengthy build-up bearable, were the characters. There's such a huge cast that odds are you'll like and connect with at least one of them. The main trio Shiro, Kuro, and Neko were my favorites not just for their individual traits but also because of how they bounced off each other. Neko is also the only catgirl that I've found bearable, probably because she's more like a cat in a human body than a girl with ears making Nya noises. The big conflict is wrapped up in some impersonal issues as well, so when the plot finally does kick in, the weight is already there thanks to how well this show handles its characters.
While [K] had a faltering start and could use room for improvement, I think that this is a show with some real heart. If you're willing to let the more silly parts of the premise and the world just be part of the entertainment experience, then [K] can be a pleasant surprise. I hope that the staff will adjust from the missteps here and deliver an awesome second season.
Images from Hulu.com.
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