Engage Kiss First Impressions

“But… you’re not all by yourself right now. It looks like someone is feeding you. No matter how I look at it, you won’t be dying in solitude.”

What was that? I wasn’t even sure I was going to watch or review Engage Kiss until just now, as I’d originally figured I’d be busy writing up a review of RWBY. However, Birdy is taking a look at that show, so I figured I’d take half an hour to check out what I assumed, based on the promo image, was probably just a milquetoast romance series. I don’t know what Engage Kiss is, but it’s not that. I don’t know if this first episode is bad, but it isn’t a good introduction into this series, because I was thoroughly confused as to what was going on right up until the ending. Plenty of shows start off by making circumstances ambiguous, so as to create intrigue and get the viewer invested in finding out what is going on. Baccano! was a series that used this strategy effectively, but Engage Kiss feels more like it couldn’t be bothered to lay out an explanation for the viewer. I can’t say I expect anything great from this series, but it seems to me that this first episode is a poor glimpse into its potential and fails to sell itself. I may end up following Engage Kiss to see how it develops, but I can’t recommend it to anyone based upon the quality of this premiere.

The show follows a peculiar deadbeat named Ogata Shu. Despite the episode kicking off with him in a business meeting, it takes a while for the narrative to reveal what his “job” is. We’re merely told that he quit working for a larger organization a while back to become an independent contractor, but it has been a few months since he took on a job. He goes back from his business dinner to his apartment, where his girlfriend Kisara, who is evidently in high school, had broken in and made him dinner. This proved challenging, given that he hadn’t paid his electric bill, but she informs him she will pay his utilities for a while. Shu then joins a VR meeting where several individuals are bidding on a contract to kill a demon. If you feel that took a hard turn there, welcome to the club. Evidently Shu’s job, which the episode had been so cagey about going into the specifics of, was none other than that of a demon hunter. The episode goes on to follow the process of hunting such an entity, but so much is thrown at the viewer through the course of the episode that it’s a little hard to piece it all together during the first viewing. Part of the problem is that the premiere is firmly focused on Shu, and that leaves little opportunity for the series to take a more macro view of its world and offer exposition. Thus, even if there is a logic to the sequence of events, the viewer is privy to none of it, because they don’t understand how the world operates.

A-1 Pictures is handling the production of this one, and I suppose that makes sense. They’re good when it comes to flashy visuals, but less stellar when it comes to quality control. The visuals look crisp, so if future episodes could provide some clarity on the storytelling front, this may be an enjoyable romp. I wouldn’t put my money on it being a particularly deep one, though, as the entire production has the feel of a pulpy action series. It’s also worth noting that the relationship between Shu and Kisara feels more than a little awkward, given that we know she’s in high school and, as far as I can recall, we’re never told his age. This is part of a mixed-media project, with a manga coming out this same week, and a mobile game in development by Square Enix. These types of products can often feel a bit messy, so I suppose that may account for the uneven qualities of the narrative, but we’ll see. The staff didn’t really stand out to me. The writer was the creator of the light novel series Saekano, but I only know of that series by reputation. Though once again, that tidbit of information does appear to offer additional information about this production, as that pedigree explains some of the otherwise incongruous harem elements which pop up towards the end of this episode.

Before I wrap up, a few Notes and Nitpicks:

• Shu is an unpleasant character in this first entry. Despite his lack of income, he’s quick to pridefully suggest he will live his own way without regrets, though others are equally quick to point out that he’s still depending on people to feed and sustain him.
• It seems this series may be tied in with another mixed-media project named Deep Insanity, though I can’t recall if I’ve heard of it. There was an anime two years ago, but it doesn’t ring a bell.
• Despite having heard of Saekano and its multiple adaptations, I legitimately had no idea what it was about. Evidently, it’s a harem anime about game design? That’s a strange combination.
• The show employs that irritating trope of having two female characters fight each other because of a male character while simultaneously fighting off a larger threat. It was mildly cute at first, but grew old within seconds.