kokeefe - 2017-03-21 22:42:05

From the title itself, it’s true that it might make us imagine the show would likely to put (toy)guns into its scene. But from the artwork itself, it didn’t make me believe it for the first time (‘till I found video of this show being one of #10 Best Anime of Summer 2015). I could say this Machinegun anime, to a greater extent, felt like a school life series as usual. But, it was only the introduction of it. Later we get more scenes of them doing the airsoft gun. It was a contradictory for me when few peeps said about this show is in sync with Sabagebu! series and school life boys daily life such as Ouran Highschool Host Club. While Sabagebu! has more fun and absurd jokes all the way with a fast-like speech, Machinegun seems more normal-like school activity while the main characters have side activity in a field to do survival games. Let’s rejoice your time with this show, the mixing between fun, ambition, friendship, and sad experiences, covered passionately in a field of airsofter.
The core of its story is about Toy Gun Gun’s members past experiences that affect their lives in present. For instance, the traumatic past experience of Yukimura makes him hard to trust anyone, he only sets his eyes for Mattsun thus trust him. Covered by his act of detaching to everyone except Mattsun, he is actually very soft and captivating inside. Don’t worry, you won’t be bored by its storyline because we also got battlefield here. It is affecting how Yukimura makes friends too, his point of view of friendship. Tho’ it sounds like Yukimura is the one who has unbeatable sadness, Mattsun too has his own pain haunts him.
The story develops both in whole storyline and character development. They are progressing continually. The story pushes them to keep bearing the old wounds and make the pain inverted into something better for the present. When the black envelope which acts as entrance gate for bringing forward the major problem for the three of them appears, it starts to be pretty gloomy for them in sense. Their past experiences rage on their mind in present. But, no matter what, they have to bear the survival games (airsoft) competition as a team in its best. This is where I enjoyed it. Enjoying the visualization of this show to the pinnacle at this period of time, because we can see how the show is showing Toy Gun Gun’s member skill by its smooth and eager movements, strong determination, and great passion in battle field.
I recall many memories when I was enjoying the series. I adore them in the battlefield, it makes me more knowledgeable about airsofter itself. For an expert in this field, it might be not satisfied since the knowledge of the guns isn’t too much eventho’ some of it elaborated clearly. What I adore is how the show could give us the vibes of characters emotion. It’s necessary to note that it doesn’t mean they are so emotional but the show placed it perfectly. There are anger, hatred, sadness, sorrow, disappointed, desperate, ambitions, and also caring between mates. And when it happens, the emotion appears, the visualization is getting pumped up like when Hotaru begins to enter her slight evil side for her comrade. The battle starts to be more intense mixed with complicated thingy behind them. It is kewl.

And for the visualization, it is supporting our excitement to the max. It’s not superb but not decent either. Plenty much for slice-of-life comedy genre, well, since there are battle scenes of airsofter players, it is appealing and enchanting just enough. I had my taste being satisfied there, not much of sololiquies but when it comes, it comes beautifully. I moved by its story, the relationship between them and their love to their game. The slow motion sequences are touching.

For music part, I said before that I decided to pick this show to watch after watching “#10 Best Anime of Summer 2015” on YouTube. That’s when the OP is used on its video to present the Aoharu x Kikanjuu series is up to my ears. OP “The Bravest Destiny” by Toy☆GunGun (トイ☆ガンガン) is fit to the series. I rarely like anime theme songs which are sung by low-voice men, but this one is an exception. Still listed on my playlist nowadays. The ED, “Gunjou Survival (群青サバイバル)” by Mikako Komatsu and “Tic Tac (チクタク)” by Mikako Komatsu (for ep 8), are great too! In addition to this, you ought to try the insert song “Locker” also by Mikako Komatsu whose melancholy vocal is remarkable.

​ This series focuses on the friendship between them. The slice-of-life as team is the central of it rather than the sports (survival game) aspect. Therefore, their development much more on the relation between them. The strength of their friendship and visualization of survival game are worth 8.
Pros:
Music & Seiyuu(s)
Nice visualization for more-to-slice-of-life series than sports
My enjoyment when watching this, I like the comedy parts too
Cons:
It’s not too unique (storyline). But, I like the airsofter theme here. They need to elaborate more about the airsofter itself (I wanna know moreee!)

hoppe.johnathan - 2015-11-13 07:51:06

A brilliant, exciting anime that is bound to keep you on the edge of your seat. With a touch of traumas, secrets, combat and hot men- there is no doubt that the art, characters and plot are all fantastic and something to look forward to. The only complain that I have against this work is the amount of the episodes it currently has- surely, 12 episodes cannot be enough for this lovely story! Eagerly anticipating and impatiently sighing, I definitely and confidently recommend this to all. 

xlang - 2015-09-21 06:24:28

Aoharu X Kikanjuu, a cross between Ouran Highschool Host Club and a sports themed toy gun...something or another. It was relatively funny but it really lacked a lot of story depth and character development. 
Another huge flaw was the actual toy gun fights. They weren't really that well planned out, and ended up feeling really rushed. But nontheless, the series as a whole entertained me enough to finish it at least.

And because of the ending (won't spoil anything) it made me want a second season. -.-" (If you've seen it you know what I'm talking about.)

ngrimes - 2015-09-20 23:44:02

Pretty decent show, I hope they do a follow up season 2 though because I feel like not all problems were resolved at the end of this 1st (?) season.
If you like pretty animation, anime boys (and girls), guns, sports this one will probably please you. I think one of the strong points of this anime stands in its animation and also its diverse cast. I really loved the fact that the main character is totally androgynous, that she fights along with a host and a pretty anti social mangaka, they aren't alike at all but still get along it's nice for a change of pace. Won't say anymore because spoilers but yeah, nice diversity in this one. :)

tressa.brekke - 2015-09-08 16:10:01

A lot of action, lot of comedy, slow and fast paces and best of all the addiction to Survival Gun Games. New genre for me. Recommend this to those who liked Maid-sama. A prism of personalities in its charas make this whole for me.
NOTE: no romance / zilch.