eminence in shadow cid fandom the danger in my heart chapter 137
===Part 3: Poseidon Arc===
The final arc of the original anime was the Poseidon Arc, which was a definite step down from the previous two. It did at least try to be less formulaic by not having it's standard opponents be in such a linear road, but that means little when the execution is still repetitive and, unlike with the two previous arcs main group of villains, the Marina Generals are for the most part a major disappointment. Kanon was good due to his role as a manipulator and Isaac was decent due to his ties to Hyoga (though mainly only to serve as character development for Hyoga), yet the rest were completely bland beyond a gimmick or two. It doesn't help that power-wise, only Kanon, Krishna, Isaac and maybe Sorrento felt that impressive, with the rest getting steamrolled pretty quickly once the Bronze Saints got serious.
It was good that the battles required more than just beating the opponent, but it didn't really matter after the first battle since the destruction of the Sea Pillars was no longer a big deal with the Libra Cloth. Having a god as the main antagonist did increase the scale and Poseidon's desire to reshape the world wasn't too hyperbolic from his perspective, though he felt very underwhelming for such a powerful god when he was overpowered twice by the combined power of the main cast (the second time in which he'd gone through a gigantic power up of his own) and coming close to his full power didn't change much overall. It also doesn't help that the sense of tension, like the previous arc's, is nowhere near as great as Sanctuary due to having no solid grasp of how much time Athena had left. If anything, it was worse due to not even being told a solid time limit or constantly shown her physical condition prior to the end of the battle, which in both anime and manga lacked any sort of build up for the next arc (though this is expected with the anime concluding on this arc until adapting the Hades Arc over a decade later). 4/10.
Going back to the aesthetic qualities and expanding on them, it's truly where the series stands out as rule of cool.
Animations/Sound
Mushoku Tensei's setting is animated in rich natural textures with beautifully animated effects. Studio Bind does an exceptional job in incorporating ink-like paintings into the setting all the while maintaining a consistent usage of lighting to match with the tone of every scene. All of these elements combined together not only create a show that is bearable for the eyes, but also immerses you into the unfamiliar world. The music directing in the show is unique in that it incorporates the OP song with snippets of different scenes every episode. The soundtrack is typical of a fantasy show and there is not much to be noted besides the usage of a few arrangements to the last scene of a couple episodes.
Conclusion
Mushoku Tensei is NOT FOR EVERYONE. It prioritizes comedy over dramatic moments and disregards several imaginary borders that most animes would not cross. It is not an emotional rollercoaster that will pull at your heartstrings, do not expect badass fight scenes or numerous amounts of blood and gore. It is better characterized as a comedic adventure rather than a seriously dramatic show. Nevertheless, it is undoubtedly a fun watch for anyone looking for a typical isekai anime that does not fail in its execution.
Two quotes to describe this show:
-"I wish I could've atleast lost my virginity.