Ancient Books of Ys review by Matty~~ for anime-access.com

Okay, first off, I have not played the video games that this anime is based on, so I could not give a fair nor accurate comparison of the two, so this will be solely about the anime.

As this is based off of a game, it is clear from the beginning that it was written from a video game sense, and so it doesn't work completely well as an anime. The story and plot of the anime are solid and exactly spot on with the game. Although it must be said that this anime didn't keep me glued to the screen and could have had a more interesting plot or perhaps even a twist in the plot, but sadly it was quite monotonous.

Also, the action sequences are quite, well they're boring. For a fantasy anime set during a war with monsters, you would expect that it would be filled with non-stop action from start to finish. Action sequences are slow, slow to the point that it's rather like watching a ballet performance, but yet at the same time the action sequences are over extremely quickly. They only last from 3-7 minutes on average. One becomes bored with the stale dialogue between action sequences and resorts to drifting away.

Now, for the one good thing this anime has going for it, the animation! The art style used in this anime is amazing, every scene looks as if it has been painted by a master artist who has taken care to capture the beauty of his environment. That being said, with the stunning visuals, the lack of action is even more sad as the visuals of the short sequences are superb and really eye catching.

A lot of people who have played the original video game might enjoy this anime, but if I had to rate it I would give it a solid average. Maybe if the producers had extra time it might have been different, but sadly it isn't. It's mediocre.

By Matty~~ for anime-access.com

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