Saki Episode of Side A
Synopsis
The Achiga Girls' Academy in Nara once defeated regional mahjong powerhouse Bansei High School. It advanced into the national team semifinals but lost to the eventual champion, and the mahjong club was later disbanded. Six years later, elementary school student Shizuno Takakamo befriends transfer student Nodoka Haramura. The two eventually enter Achiga Girls', but Nodoka transfers out of the school in the second year. When Shizuno sees Nodoka on television the following year as the national middle school individual mahjong champion, she decides to revive Achiga's mahjong club.
Audience Consensus
Audience reception is mixed. Some viewers find it enjoyable and unique with exciting mahjong battles and compelling characters, while others criticize the rushed pacing, underdeveloped characters, and excessive flashbacks. Many feel it does not live up to the original Saki, but that it is still a fun watch if you like the original or Mahjong.
Strengths
- Enjoyable mahjong battles with twists and turns.
- Compelling reasons for the main characters to win.
- Unique superpower elements add excitement to the game.
- Better pacing compared to the original Saki in some aspects.
Weaknesses
- Rushed pacing in the first half of the series.
- Characters are not as thoroughly explored as in the original Saki.
- Excessive flashbacks bog down the pacing.
- Relies heavily on the viewer knowing Mahjong
- Some viewers found the characters boring.