Engage Kiss

I went into Engage Kiss expecting very little. In fact, based purely on the name, I was expecting something far more focused on romance and maybe a bit too soppy for my tastes. I'm much more at home with anime like Dragon Ball and One Piece, where the action is turned up to eleven, so Engage Kiss didn't immediately sound like something that would be for me. But after the first episode, I was pleasantly surprised. Set in Veyron City, the story follows Shu Ogata, a struggling demon exterminator who works alongside Kisara, a powerful demon girl who helps him take down the supernatural threats plaguing the city. The more we learn about Shu, Kisara and the demons they're fighting, however, the more complicated things become. One of the biggest hooks is Shu's memories. As the story progresses and he loses more of his memories, you're left wanting to understand exactly what happened to him and why his past is so important. That mystery surrounding Shu, along with the truth behind the demons, became the main reason I wanted to keep watching. I genuinely didn't expect to enjoy Engage Kiss as much as I did. What initially looked like an anime that was going to be heavily focused on romance turned out to have a surprisingly compelling story underneath it. The plot is paced really well, and because the story is contained within a relatively short season, it never felt like it was dragging things out unnecessarily. The mystery was probably my favourite part. As Shu continued losing memories, I found myself becoming more interested in his past and what these missing memories meant. It also created some really good moments between the characters, particularly when Shu was interacting with people and situations he should have remembered. Shu himself is a good protagonist. Watching him gradually lose more of himself makes you want to understand him better, and the more the story reveals, the more invested you become in his character. Kisara was another major highlight. She's a really intriguing character, and learning more about her, what motivates her and what drives her became one of the best parts of the show for me. Ayano also works well within the story and adds another dimension to Shu's relationships. There is a love triangle running through the series, although personally, that wasn't what kept me watching. The romance fits into the plot and I can absolutely see why some viewers would enjoy it, but it's simply not my thing. Give me a good mystery, demons and ridiculous anime fights and I'm happy, and thankfully, Engage Kiss delivers on that front. The action is great, with sword fights, energy blasts and exactly the sort of over the top battles you'd expect from a supernatural action anime. The animation is fantastic too, with detailed character designs and smooth movement that makes the action even more enjoyable to watch. The soundtrack deserves a mention as well. The music works incredibly well with the different scenes and helps give the series the right atmosphere, whether it's building tension, driving an action sequence or supporting one of the more dramatic moments. The villains were another pleasant surprise. They aren't simply there as targets for the heroes to beat up. They pulled me into the story and made me want to learn more about them, while also connecting naturally into the wider plot. My biggest criticism would probably be the supporting cast. There are some genuinely likeable characters here, but I think some of them could have benefited from having more screen time. If we ever get another season, I'd love to see the series explore them further.