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Anime Review: Megalo Box


Anime, sometimes I don't love it like I used to. It seems like a lot of shows are the same these days, Depressed edgelord hero, accompanied by a little girl with some magic. But she isn't a little girl. I've seen Black Jack and Black Bullet. Turning every anime into a magic girl anime doesn't interest me. Thus, I've fallen out of love with anime and only keep up with my classics. Despite that, I managed to stumble onto a new anime. I thought it was an old anime for a few minutes, but I was mistaken. This new anime? Megalo Box.

The anime centers around Junk Dog, he's a boxer, in the underground. Boxers in this universe use gear to enhance their abilities. Some makes you hit harder, others help you predict movement. Junk Dog's gear is garbage, and that's okay. Mainly because he's been spending his entire career throwing fights. That is until he sees a commercial for Megalonia, where all of the world's best Megalo Boxers will fight to be crowned champion. Unfortunately, Junk Dog isn't a citizen, so he can't compete. However, his shady trainer has a way in. After that, it's a race to the top by any means, even if it means abandoning the gear that all boxers wear.

I love the story here. There's fun, drama and suspense all throughout. The story doesn't just revolve around boxing, but there's some mob involvement and corporate espionage as well. The thing that really got me is the story takes place in the ring for large portions. That's normal in sports anime but the way Megalo Box depicts it isn't just "I know how to get around this defender," or whatever. There are moments when we witness a boxer fighting PTSD more than anything else. Yuri, another boxer, rarely faces a challenge in the ring. Instead he's fighting against his gear to prove he's a great boxer, not just the AI installed in his gear. Sure, there's a lot of story that happens outside the ring but inside the ring is where we get more information than nearly everywhere else.


The thing I loved most of all was the animation style. I honestly thought it was an older anime, and that was a purposeful style choice. The thing that gave it away was the first time someone took a heavy shot in the ring and I watched sweat fly from them in highly detailed slow motion. The fusion of new and old styles is great and it might be one of the most beautifully violent anime I've ever seen.


I honestly don't have anything bad to say about this one. I think it's beautiful. The story is a simple yet great retelling. There's gut wrenching moments where bodily organs are removed. There's heart racing war scenes as well as touching moments that I won't spoil. I do have one complaint. We know who wins the final fight and how, but they never show us the actual closing moments. I suppose we'll get that in season two. Just watch it, the show has something for everyone. Unless, magical girls are your thing. There's Sacchio, but I don't think he counts.

You can check out some of my fiction at 12 AM Fiction or follow my web serial Exsanguinate and of course hear me on the Powerbomb Jutsu podcast.
Darrell S.

Hey, I write stuff, a lot of different stuff, that's all.

2 Comments

  1. Dopeeee. I feel you, it is hard to find anime that hits as you grow older. Vinland Saga, Kimetsu No Yaiba, and Sword Art Online :Alicization were the only anime I really vibed with recently.

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  2. Loved this one. The anime is new but the manga was turning 50 years old, that's why they mixed new and old styles. I wish the last adaptations of Berserk used a similar technique.

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