Shibou Yuugi de Meshi wo Kuu.

This show is an impressive display of direction and artistic restraint. While I am only four episodes in, it is already worth reviewing.

Unlike many anime, what stands out most is not the animation or music, but the deliberate absence of them. The series is unafraid of silence and stillness, using both to create unease and tension. The animation itself is strong with a distinct style, and the ambient sound design does a lot of heavy lifting for the mood. Those quiet moments elevate scenes that would otherwise fall flat, which is especially effective in a death game setting.

The characters are also compelling. Each has clear ... motives, backstories, and defining traits, but they are not surface-level. They do not easily reveal their true selves. Much like the story, characters rarely say exactly what they are thinking. Instead, their intentions are conveyed through actions, expressions, and what is left unsaid.

*Highly* recommended.

Different plot, and good suspenseful or thriller anime are hard to find; however, I decided to start watching this out of curiosity. It is definitely worth to try watching as the art is very unique. There are a lot of small details that create the whole story/environment, including art style/graphics, especially in the character's eyes, which really captivated me. Definitely worth watching, the scene changes and plot for each episode are very unique. Although it is an unrealistic plot, the characters reacted well and were realistic in the situations. There are definitely predictable parts and definitely surprises as well. The art and story complement ... each other so well that, for most anime, if there were changes to any kind of art style, watching it would not be less enjoyable. For this specific anime. It is hard to see it being enjoyable in another art style. Overall, very well made and surprised me in finding it more entertaining than I thought.

A story-less story with a pervasively apathetic, nihilistic air about it that progresses at a geriatric pace.

Before anyone gets offended, this kind of tone and approach definitely has an audience. I'm just not part of it. If it makes anyone feel better about my opinion, I'll own up to potentially being stupid as I did not and still do not understand the infrequently increasing ratio throughout the episodes. For me it simply represented an abstract artsy-fartsy way of conveying things progressing. This fits with the general style this show seems to be going for.

The characters are flat both in terms of their affect and their ... depth. They emote as if they are waiting in line at the DMV. To say they have reactions would be an exaggeration. Whatever brief insights are given into a character's background are fleeting and illuminate their personality as well as the static in a perimetry test. Although the premise of the anime involves death games, meaning characters are expected to be short-lived and thus not necessarily needing depth, it would be more compelling if there was at least someone to root for if not against.

The main character herself is the most likely to be compelling, as the reason for her motive is a mystery. The thing is, it's not enough to keep me invested. As it stands, the title of the anime provides more story than what's in the first 3 episodes (insofar as the main character is concerned).

As for the animation, it's fine. There are moments with a minimalist approach that circle back to the anime being somewhat artsy-fartsy rather than being genuinely interesting to look at, but these moments being different than the rest of the time provides some interest in itself for whatever that's worth. Ditto for the soundtrack.