D_Cide Traumerei the Animation
Synopsis
When he was little, Ryuuhei Oda witnessed the death of his caring older brother, along with a mysterious mark that was left near his body. Now a second-year high school student, the outgoing and impulsive young boy spends his days doing what he loves most—kickboxing. One night on his way home, a peculiar creature bites Ryuuhei's leg and causes him to have a strange dream filled with odd entities. When he is attacked the next day by the same creatures in the real world, Jessica Clayborn and Aruto Fushibe come to his rescue, claiming that Ryuuhei is their new recruit. Faced with an imminent threat, Jessica urges a confused Ryuuhei to transform into a "knocker-up," a person with the ability to confront the monsters hailing from the dreamscape. Using his talent for kickboxing to his advantage, Ryuuhei awakens his powers to save the city, only to come across a familiar mark—a mark that he could never forget. [Written by MAL Rewrite]
Audience Consensus
Audience reception is mixed. While the animation and some aspects of the sound design are appreciated, the unoriginal story and shallow characters are significant drawbacks. Some viewers found it enjoyable despite its flaws, while others consider it a mediocre promotional anime. The series is not particularly polarizing, but opinions are divided on its overall quality.
Strengths
- Good CGI animation, especially the transition scenes.
- The opening theme song by Tokyo Jihen is highly praised.
- Voice acting is well done, with a strong cast.
Weaknesses
- Story is considered mediocre and unoriginal, plagiarizing elements from other anime.
- Characters are generic and lack depth.
- Some character designs are questionable, particularly regarding age appropriateness and attire.
- Pacing issues, with the ending feeling rushed.
- Soundtrack is considered poor, with disliked opening and closing themes.