No Game No Life

Finished another anime called No Game No Life.  I like it because it’s smartly written and there’s many layers to the story.  For instance, “__” or Blank is the names of urban legend characters in the video gaming world — they are undefeated. The two main characters in the story, the brother and sister team, Shiro and Sora, are those characters IRL.  However, if you combined their name in Japanese, if forms the word “Blank”.  The strength of the two main story characters comes from combining their talents, and their absolute trust in one-another.

The story itself is set in an imaginary world, inhabited by 16 races and where conflict is resolved by games, and the set of 10 “gaming” rules that govern conflict resolution.  Shiro and Sora are forced into this world, where they set out to win against “Tet”, the god-like being that pull them into this new imaginary world.  And along the way, we learn about game theory, Japanese bathing culture, creepy brother/sister relationship (toned down for the TV show, I understand), and strength coming from weakness. For the few outlandish and “anime” moments it has, there’s a intelligence and well thought out strategies behind every game the main characters take on.  The only disappointment about the series, is that it’s too short and leave you wanting the story to continue.