MerMerry Reviews: BucchiGiri

I’ve been watching anime a long, ‘LONG’ time (yes, I’m old). One of my top five, all time favorites is Yoshihiro Togashi’s Yu Yu Hakusho, and because of it, I have always had a soft spot for animes centered around delinquent culture. Shows like Tokyo Revengers, Wind Breaker, and Cromartie High School never failed to get me hooked within only one or two episodes.

So when I started watching ‘Bucchigiri?!’, an original delinquent anime from the renowned Studio MAPPA , I came in with high hopes. (sigh) Those hopes, unfortunately, were dashed after just the first episode.
If there is one thing that will always ruin my experience with an anime, it’s an unlikable protagonist. A main character (or MC) who is mean, selfish, shallow, or just an overall garbage individual is often a deal-breaker for me as a viewer, and Bucchigiri?!’s MC, Arajin Tomoshibi, is all of those terrible things rolled into one.

Arajin is, by far, one of most unlikable anime MCs I’ve seen in a while. He is a spineless, shallow, self-serving person who shirks accountability and who routinely cannot spare even an ounce of loyalty to the people who, for some reason, hold him in high regard. There wasn’t a single episode of Bucchigiri?! that managed to make me even slightly inclined to root for Arajin. I did not like him at all.
Now, you may be wondering if I dropped Bucchigiri?! after discovering the protagonist was such a dumpster fire of a human being… The answer is ‘no’… No, I did not. Why, you ask? Because, my friend, in a shocking turn of events, Bucchigiri?! boasts not one, but ‘TWO’ main characters, the second of which is Arajin’s childhood friend Matakara Asamine.

Matakara is everything Arajin should have been. He’s a kind, brave, grounded, and determined young man who is fiercely loyal and conducts himself with honor. He is a member of a gang of delinquents known as Minato Kai and, upon reconnecting with his childhood friend Arajin, attempts to convince Arajin to join the gang. At the very least, Matakara wishes to be friends with Arajin again the way they were when the two boys were younger.
What does Arajin do, however? He proceeds to treat Katakara like dirt for nearly the entirety of the series, despite Matakara’s genuine attempts to be best friends five-ever with Arajin. The show sort of explains why Arajin obviously dislikes Matakara and wants nothing to do with him, but even ‘THAT’ only solidifies the fact that Arajin is kind of an awful person.

The reason for this rift is because Arajin, apparently, feels guilty for abandoning Matakara to be beaten up by bullies when they were younger. Matakara’s bright-eyed and bushy-tailed admiration for Arajin stirs up his guilt for not helping his friend way back when, so obviously the correct and “logical” thing for Arajin to do is treat Matakara like trash and fawn after a girl who, in turn, treats Arajin like trash. I told you, I simply cannot with this guy.
Let’s pivot to some of the things I legitemately did like about Bucchigiri?!, shall we? The supernatural action and classic shounen-style brawls were a delight. Much to Studio MAPPA’a credit, the fight choreography was well animated and entertaining to watch.

The supporting cast were a collection of VERY colorful and quirky characters, and all of them were fun and mostly likable in their own way. Matakara’s two ‘ride or die’ homies Zabu and Komao were a couple of my personal favorites, as well as Senya, The Red Genie.
Then there’s the music. Both the opening theme song and ending theme song for Bucchigiri?! were absolute bangers and I never skipped either one when watching. Also, the show’s ‘TRUE’ main villain turned out to be an interesting surprise. It was a plot-twist that I predicted, but it was still satisfying upon its reveal.

All in all, I didn’t outright hate Bucchigiri?!. It was a zany, colorful battle shounen about delinquents who have pacts with genies in a cool setting that was a melting pot of several different cultures. The cast was largely likable, even if the main protagonist was absolute poo-poo garbage. Thank all that is good for Matakara. For what it was, I had a decent time.

I give ‘Bucchigiri?!’ a 7/10.