Magical Destroyer : Worth Watching?

[@nightmarearcade2663]

This anime can be described in sentence. "With the glass ceiling broken, all the oppressed groups can rise up. Including the most oppressed group of all, GAMERS."

[@brianford4914]

I WAS JUST THINKING THIS!!!

[@uprising4c19]

That sentence is hilarious, and I need to know where it's from XD

[@nightmarearcade2663]

It's a Batman beyond meme.

[@WolzenTwo]

​@@uprising4c19 It's from SBN3.

[@justmeagain4662]

Honestly, this show lost me the second it tried to unironically go for a "nerds are the REAL oppressed group" story, while simultaneously portraying every single female character as either a villain or extremely subservient to the guys. The guys suck all the intrigue and likability out of the show and the actual magical girls, despite being way more interesting from the get-go, are either side-lined or made a cheerleading squad for what is possibly the most boring protag I've ever seen in an anime. And I've watched SAO! I think what would've maybe not saved but definitely improved the show, would have been to make the magical girls the actual protagonists. They do most of the work anyways and with Hero out of the way the writers could actually develop their characters and personalities beyond "They like Hero because somehow his complete lack of rizz is just irresistible."

[@saklasnabal42069]

But the ending and opening is banger.

[@jesterfairy3845]

Single most appropriate use of the "I Took a Pill in Ibiza" Seeb Remix I've ever seen

[@thejudgmentalcritter6584]

Thank you! I was hoping someone would get it! :D

[@jesterfairy3845]

@@thejudgmentalcritter6584 I was obsessed with that song when it was on the radio. So glad to see you included it

[@brainflash1]

The harder they try to make me care, the less I do.

[@haunting_hatter_]

Real, I was kinda obsessed with it ever since it came out but then I watch some clips and reviews and it’s…..something. I can’t really describe it but I don’t think I’ll like it anymore, it’s weird. I expect it to be like a villain like kind of anime because of the name “destroyers” but it’s not what I expected.

[@brainflash1]

@@haunting_hatter_ Because there's no context and no effort. They expect you to like it because your demographic is the one being oppressed.

[@haunting_hatter_]

@@brainflash1 pretty much

[@sailorsagittarius8526]

Maybe we better recommend her Shamanic Princess instead

[@nyhtfall1969]

I recently watched that for the first time. It's really cool

[@coffeecaku3281]

I wonder if Critter has ever seen Smile Precure or Glitter force. It seems up their alley, tbh.

[@Shadow_Hunter_X]

OP is fire though!! Litterally one one of the best ops ever!!

[@MitsukiKazen]

i recommend the vlad love op, it was animated by the same ppl and u can really tell. i havent seen the actual show tho

[@mamacorei]

I don't think I've ever had to ask myself so intensely "What the fuck am I seeing on my screen" while watching this anime.

[@Deadss2796]

The most important thing to know about this show is that it's whole production was a trainwreck as this was meant to advertise a gacha game (that subsequently shut down I think not even a year or so), This sorta explains why the hero is so plain because he's literally the self-insert from the game, Apparently, this has been the director's passion project since his high school year's as a japanese who was raised in California.and so was inspired like most Americans by anime like Steins Gate and FLCL. So, what I'm saying is that Magical Destroyer Kai is RWBY', in a spiritual sense. It's something made from the want to make an anime but only understanding it from an outsider's perspective, only, somehow, the creator was able to get a studio to okay it. It has all the hallmarks: The amateur writing, the cheap and poor animation, the sparks of something interesting gleaming within the former. It's sorta all there. It's like if M&K went to the cheapest anime studio to make an anime . There were some "Montys" who uplifted the material through great animation but that could only get either show so far. Here's the link to some gameplay that immediately explains why it got shutdown. It's pretty mid but it's clearly just as rushed as the anime. kzbin.info/www/bejne/e6qTiouAZ7WIeKs Link to the creator's interview for those interested www.crunchyroll.com/news/interviews/2023/6/23/interview-magical-destroyers-creator-jun-inagawa

[@ladybellaphram5895]

I knew there was a gacha game this was related to but wasn’t expecting… whatever that was lol. It looks like the sort of game that would be in the background of a tv show

[@ladybellaphram5895]

Yeah I was afraid of this. I LOVE the transformation specifically for Blue, it’s insane it’s edgy it’s cool and the OP is beautifully animated. But almost every clip I’ve seen of the show has just been painful. I love trippy and surreal art but everything I’ve seen says this show is trying to be a comedy first and fails at it miserably. I think the nail in the coffin for me though was a clip I saw of Otaku Hero giving a big motivational monologue that boils down to “Otakus Rise Up” and it was actually painful to sit through T^T Completely unrelated I think Anarchy’s magical girl design is weak. The pink looks weird with the red, her anarchy symbol wand is so on the nose it feels dumb to me, it looks like something I would have drawn in middle school. And maybe that’s the point? Again I haven’t watched much of it. If it was they should have gone further, and if it wasn’t… oof. I also just get the feeling this show isn’t terribly interested in it’s magical girls or their designs.

[@nfilexd]

it genuinely feels like anything involving the magical girls wasn’t made by the guy who just made his daddy pay for this anime to be his self insert fantasy land (that’s real btw)

[@guillermocervisalmeron2209]

Say what?!

[@irisaferg2524]

I really want to look into that thing about the creator's dad sponsoring the anime, but I can't find any sources for it. Could you comment the name of the article or website you learned that in?

[@nfilexd]

@@irisaferg2524 check out the way he speaks in multiple interviews. the creator clearly comes off as someone who wants to seem really deep and meaningful, but just like his previous art, it’s generally void of any kind of meaning, and seems to have come from a very cushy life. if you’re not all that interested in scouring through said interviews, check out the anime slushie podcast episode 4 (their last one before just giving up on the series.)

[@BelBelle468]

@@irisaferg2524 probably cuz it’s not true. I’m guessing they saw that the artist who’s responsible for the show is young and assumed he’s a nepo baby or something.

[@robertfaulkkner5508]

This one’s definitely a “love it or hate it” type of show. I enjoyed it when it was all said and done, and the writing gets intentionally avant-garde later on. It has the feel of a late 90’s or 2000’s anime, where some of the themes of the show are left super vague, and you’re left wondering what happened.

[@pipisochkaaaa]

With the glass sealing broken the oppressed groups shall prosper. Especially the most oppressed group of all: gamers

[@mirramirraonthewall]

If they went for thing where the wasteland was just a fantasy he went into to cope with everyday life or something like that, maybe it could have worked, but this all feels like a very self inserty fan fic some guy wrote

[@orangesabyss4107]

The opinions on this show are pretty mixed. I watched the whole thing and thought it was nothing special, it peaked in episode 2. It really reminds me of 1990s-2000s otaku culture comedies (Comic Party, Welcome to the NHK, Animation Runner Kuromi, ect), which isn't much of a compliment because it feels like Magical Destroyers is a show with absolutely nothing new to say that wasn't already said in another show 20 years ago. The character designs and transformations are cool and unique, but that's really the only new and interesting thing about Magical Destroyers.

[@PenguinWithTheGun]

This show is so abstract that I love it

[@artuzinmk1]

I have watched all of magical destroyers (Spoiler: it only gets worse). This anime tries to be something unique parodying anime tropes and paying homage to older anime studios, just to be an absolute clusterfuck and poorly executed show... It has probably one of the worst plot twists of all time at the end. I want my time watching it back.

[@theshire9173]

Could you spoil the plot twist?

[@MitsukiKazen]

yea like rumble garanndoll pulled off the weebs r the most opressed minority thing better just from protag having at least *some* character traits, the cringey/creepy moments being less extreme, and having any coherence in its story. still wouldnt recommend but damn was magical destroyers awful

[@plant7371]

plot twist please???

[@artuzinmk1]

@@theshire9173 I forgot to answer the comments hahaha So, the main bad guy was a otaku that got rejected by other otakus and started to have his revenge with society. So he made a pact with Origin (basically god) and got powers to start messing with the world. This world is his game. The game that got rejected by the ohter otakus. Then, it's revealed that the mahou shoujo were meant to be the counterpart to the otaku army, they are brainwashed and transform into the Magical Destroyers (yes, i lost my mind in this namedrop). They kill otaku hero. At the end, there's rumours that otaku hero still lives, as a way for the anime to say that otaku hero is an idea, not a single person. In the future, in this dystopic world, will always be a new otaku hero fighting for his people. ALL OF THAT just to promote a fucking gacha game where you try to save this future dystopic world (which I played for 3 miliseconds just to see that isn't good). I probably missed some key points but I think I remembered most of it. And sorry if there's any grammar errors, english isn't my native language.

[@theshire9173]

That’s so disappointing. I heard great things about post-apocalyptic magical girls. Why did they put a boring, no personality self insert boy? At least make him magical too

[@MrTigracho]

I was thinking maybe he was going to become a Kamen Rider at some point. Wouldn't be the first time Toku and Magical girls are associated.

[@cybercritic8834]

So, judging by the footage shown and a brief trip to Wikipedia, this is likely a parody series. I mean, the mc doesn’t even have a name, all the enemy soldiers have those cat(?) faces for helmets, they’ve got a “cringemobile”, none of the other dudes have any actual names, it’s definitely being made with a “yeah, I’m gonna mock myself and play it completely straight” attitude. Kinda like how power rangers fans can go “yeah, I watch grown people in spandex fight people in rubber suits” while stone faced. And now I’m back to wondering if someone’s gonna convince critter that power rangers can count as a magical girl show.

[@CaitiffPrimogen]

It does not get better. I sat through the whole thing in the hope it would deliver on all the hints of a good story it kept dropping. It did not. The OP and ED are still amazing, but the show was a confusing, muddled, mess that could never really decide if it wanted to be serious or not, and never really got over the nerd harem fantasy

[@stormydiariez3449]

Fun fact: So Japan has had a bad history with otkau’s in the past. And I think that’s what they’re trying to go for but it’s done poorly. Also people outside of Japan wouldn’t know this information so I feel as if this is only made for Japan which I don’t like.

[@BelBelle468]

It’s even funnier when you realize the creator was raised in LA.

[@skyslasher2297]

12:35 huh usually it’s the other way around. Must’ve been one of those new fangled irony cars.

[@yuukianimates3318]

This honestly makes Gushing Over Magical Girls look like a masterpiece compared to this haha 🤣🤣

[@Rat_Witch]

Well, let's face it, Gushing Over Magical Girls at least revolves around what the title is and has more connection to magical girls genre than this one. This show feels like it was rejected even from Wattpad, like the author was so close in episode two of turning into "English is not my first language and sorry for delay, I was hit by bus" but the bus missed and so we're back to poo poo hole in episode 3 onwards

[@yuukianimates3318]

@@Rat_Witch yeah this anime seems to be all-over the place

[@josipbagi]

I mean Gushing Over Magical Girls IS a masterpiece so that goes without saying 😂

[@letrokid1121]

I originally saw the trailer a year ago and I was genuinely excited to see it. The surreal, semi-natural setting and art style made me think it was going to be something that would have ended up being something really beautiful. Seeing how it turned out... no. :']

[@dumbcat3445]

I thought this'd be like Panty and Stocking with fuckin the whole Brief thing

[@plant7371]

If you're taking suggestions, Critter, may I request Tokyo Mew Mew for next year? I used to love that show as a kid, only being able to scrounge through the depths of 2010s KZbin for low quality re-uploads, and I'd like to know what a professional magical girl / anime reviewer like yourself would think about it.

[@plant7371]

YESSS I GOT HEARTED

[@titakristengco]

Anarchy look like Tesla in Honkai Impact 3

[@oakpompano1441]

Fun fact: when this show and the mobile game it’s promoting we’re first getting advertised, they released this beautiful retro styled animated music video for this song ‘kzbin.info/www/bejne/oqSlnaWlmNqBj5Isi=Td-kDWInIl_mBiZS’ but then they unlisted it and it’s pretty hard to find now!

[@andreasskjoldhammer6493]

I actually really found this show to be interesting! Like with anything, whether you find it "good" or not completely depends on your perspective. If you try to view it from the perspective the creator has for it and read into the thoughts behind it, it becomes this wonderfully complex narrative where you can put together all the missing pieces by yourself. There is also definitely a lot of passion behind it which I think resonates a lot with people who have a passion of their own. They want to be able to express their passions and feel free to have them without the judgement of someone else hindering them, a feeling which I think has always resonated throughout otaku culture. Of course, I find it understandable that the show felt confusing from your perspective, but I'd recommend trying to view things differently if you want to enjoy something you find hard to enjoy next time. Sorry if this comment comes off as contradictionary and dismissive in some way, that is not my full intention.

[@KinoFlexReviews]

As someone who loved the opening and ED for the anime, I was incredibly disappointed that the anime didn’t live up to the hype.

[@MrTigracho]

Man this show had such an interesting start, but at the end came out as very lackluster and uninteresting.

[@mysteryxio9957]

I guess someone on the team was a fan of Dumbo

[@joshuajohnson4431]

Does seem kinda a shame that you didn't finish the show in it's totality. It is most certainly a spoof piece on the traditional magical girl genre with small of hints of the "do what you enjoy"/"be true to yourself" messages hidden amidst the comic craziness. The animation can be spotty at times, and the story definitely has its mountains and valleys, but on the whole, I did enjoy this show for what it is.

[@kriblar98]

i thought this was gonna be an actual magical giro show

[@nocturnalcove9736]

The OP had no reason to go that hard!

[@selena44842]

I saw the opening theme one day on youtube when the anime first came out, the style reminded me of that older style of animation of anime from like the 80s-90s so it seemed intriguing, then I read summary and thought the story sounded...odd. Sounds like I dodged a bullet

[@alexandercollins5704]

Clicked on this video for Red Miku

[@causticsneeze3425]

The surrealism seems real cool

[@tenshi7549]

Its almost june and no maroka magica video ? Am crying

[@thejudgmentalcritter6584]

You'll never guess what video I'm currently editing ;)

[@tenshi7549]

@@thejudgmentalcritter6584 Omg finally

[@peterclaymore2239]

this anime was FIRE. its so out there and bat shit crazy that it held my attention from start to end. Oh and the reveal on who the villain is was worth the watch. Also the don't touch my mustache joke had me in stitches

[@39ban9]

I think the point was totally missed - the magical girls are distinct, unique, and individual where the otaku army is a bunch of expendable men that elevate one of their own. A random dude. I think there’s some commentary on gender but I can’t explain it good with words. It is absolutely a parody of harem anime.

[@dragz4life422]

haven't watched yet, but the animation for the opening and ending just seems.... really high quality for the actual content of the anime. im really curious who were the main animators for both op & ed + the people & singer behind the ending

[@chansyanne8945]

I think the whole thing about the stry having plotholes, badly written and overall sort of lazily carried the closer you got towards the end is kind of explained in the end, in how the tv head dude was given the power to create a whole world to amuse god, but even before he was given those powers, he was just an awful and bad developer, who did not create anything special, which is why his hatred for otakus and nerds was born

[@BramTheDemon]

Ngl, I enjoyed this. Most because it wasn't yet another dark magical girl show, which I've grown to loath.

[@skyslasher2297]

3:54 See that kind of iconography makes me just want to watch Akibaranger instead. Because unlike this pile of grease that shows actually fun. I mean you have two Zyurangers show up with American flags plastered all over them talking about how they’re powerful rangers what’s not to love.

[@brosephthejoe9433]

I don't want to be a nitpicker and sorry if I'm confusing things but, there are some female characters following Pink, (you can see them in 9:56) wouldn't they count as female otaku?

[@thejudgmentalcritter6584]

I wasn't sure if Pink's followers counted as "otaku" or not? Because she specifically said she wanted to stay away from the Otaku... so I'm not sure????

[@guillermocervisalmeron2209]

I watch the op as a recommendation of youtube it was marvelous and even though it was a movie... Now wtf its this?

[@zeroconnect5910]

I guess the only thing that I am interested in is why are the otaku being persecuted to begin with.

[@wazzupyuwu]

there is, sincerely, no faster way to make me lose interest in a magical girl show than having a man as the lead character. maybe that's close-minded of me, but considering the magical girl genre is SUPPOSED to be about embracing embracing femininity and inspiring young girls and women, i just can't be bothered to care when a man takes center stage instead. it also doesn't help that every show that does this is just poorly disguised way of worshipping pretentious nerd men, while all the women are either sidelined or demonized. i'm so tired. so, so very tired.

[@PenguinWithTheGun]

Okay so I fully watched it and I will say she really misunderstood the show but I understand it's because she never watched all the episodes, but a quick explanation is that the show tries lots of things but quickly drops it without explanation into a lackluster finale. If you think the second episode is good you should press on because the beginning is slow but it does pick up and become more focused later on.

[@seabass5892]

She didn't "misunderstood" the show, the show failed to make an engaging impression in its first three episodes, which is more than a fair shot.

[@beatriceh.5666]

anime slushie did some great episodes about this show including coverage of interviews by the author. i watched all the episodes and it's just a gross fucking mess. you didn't miss much. it's only deep if you're the kind of person who thinks shota likers and incest fans are oppressed classes. people seem to think that if you have a thin veil of irony/self-mockery that it's insightful, but sorry: that's just 4chan. it's an anime for 4channers.

[@kykeee2487]

Saw the op and loved it. Disappointed that the actual anime is apparently garbo

[@GE-0530RN]

I love CV makoto furukawa🙏

[@GE-0530RN]

this has nothing to do w the video i just really like makoto furukawa who voiced the main character

[@Willow.the.creative]

How are you finding the most random magical girl anime 💀

[@lemonking4232]

Magical Destroyers is worth watching. Its fun after some time, especially closer to the late-middle part of the show

[@Neeverseen]

RIP Cringe car driver guy

[@slimeycorp]

The show does get good. But for some reason has the weirdest ending ever. Like it’s so lackluster and delivers on none of the buildup the series was leading up too. Otaku Hero actually becomes a character and they even give him a whole arc about like- his fucked up mental state? I forget the specifics, AND THEN HE DIES WHEN HE FINALLY BECOMES A CHARACTER. Really I’d honestly skip it cause it’s just going to leave you disappointed by the end. It’s like Bee and Puppycat or SvTFOE levels of disappointment.

[@mesken653]

girls have amazing designs (especially blue and slayer), incredible opening and ending but besides any of that this anime is hot garbage ⚰️

[@EinherjarV]

after watching the show while it was airing. I'd say yes. but you better be in for 90'sish/trigger style insanity and nonsense/fanservice.

[@nave365]

so much of this series looked like its tong was implanted so far in its cheek that it could taste the wallpaper. i was expecting a third act twist where it was actually a scathing takedown of the insular self congratulatory mastorbatory nature of otaku culture that yes you can like what you like but you cant make liking one thing your entire personality and you cant use "liking what you like" as an excuse to be a fucking creep. something like that would have redeemed the series but as the final episode came to a close there was nothing but the same self congratulatory mastorbatory tone there is an episode that sexualizes minors (nothing explicit but everything about the visual language of how it is shot is attempting to convey sexualization) not even in a "well in japan age of consent is-" no im talking the otaku actively find a 10 YEAR OLD boy in female swimwear more attractive than blue fuck this show its about the scummy nature of alot of otaku culture but rather then saying we can like what we like but we need to improve as people we cant just hold up in a corner blaming everyone else for not liking the things we like it says nothing if it had risen up if it had the balls to say we need to improve as a community it could have been something instead its a garbled mess with a banger opening

[@FirePuncher183]

This one was kinda a disappointment ngl

[@spooderman6312]

anyone else really get sad when really interesting character designs and animation styles get wasted on boring shlock like this..

[@Pooya_Krypton]

2 month later..... did u really not like this show?

[@thejudgmentalcritter6584]

Yes? Why would a short amount of time change my mind?

[@Pooya_Krypton]

@@thejudgmentalcritter6584 idk. Maybe u gave it another chance? Honestly it was not good but I had fun watching it. If u ever wanted to give it another shot I suggest last 3 eps.

[@eryalmario5299]

This anime is schizophrenic

[@nijepodlibelu]

If anybody is interested in a darker series that is a good both parody and love letter to otaku I recomend 2kawaii4comfort. It's a short KZbin series that talks about escapism and is highly based off of the author's experience as an autistic man who'd frequent cons with his autistic friends. I think it's a very clear example of a story being both critical and rooting for its protagonists at the same time, and it just so happens that it was about people with niche Japanese media interests too. Not a mahou shoujo show but it's good.