Welcome to another edition of Tomorrow Reviews where I will look over various movies, shows, games, and anime and break them down Today the topic will be based on the anime Summer Time Rendering *This will be a non-spoiler review* Ah, the infamous time loop plotline. For ages, all types of different media from movies, shows, comics, and games have explored this idea.
Typically they all follow the same formula. Character X experiences some tragedy in their life but mysteriously finds themselves caught in a time loop. Now, with this new power guiding them, Character X will go through a cycle of pain, misery, and heartbreak again, again, and again as they attempt to break the cycle and earn their happy ending. Like the classic love triangle, it has become one of the more known plots a story can incorporate to varying degrees of success. Some stories, only use this idea as a small obstacle to be overcome in a single episode or chapter. Other stories double down on the idea and base their entire narrative around it. Either way, time loop plots have to follow the same key principle as all other stories. The gimmick, hook, or idea doesn’t matter. What does matter is the art of execution. Even the silliest, most ludicrous stories can rise to greater heights as long as the author executes the idea well, coating it with a new, fresh perspective. This is why anime like Stein’s Gate and Re:Zero have risen to such great heights. They took the classic idea of the time loop and gave it a fresh (albeit extremely depressing) spin. Fortunately, another anime has been added to the mix of those greats. Even though it is not done with its season yet, its unique take on the time loop formula allows it to stand alongside those other great shows. This anime in question is none other than Summer Time Rendering or STR. Ironically, the only reason this show caught my attention originally was due to the comparison it was getting to Re:Zero. Now, I love Re:Zero, and it is one of my favorite anime of all time. So, I don’t take comparisons to it lightly. At first, I thought STR was just going to be a cheap knockoff since it has some of the same elements:
So, from that perspective, STR does seem eerily similar to Re:Zero, but despite a similar premise, it manages to form its own identity within the time loop genre for largely three reasons. Different Time Loop Twist Like stories themselves, time loops seem to take on a different genre depending on the elements of the plot. Stein’s Gate’s loop was heavily tied to its science fiction roots while Re:Zero leaned more towards the fantasy side. STR on the other hand begins as a murder mystery, and the resulting time loops contribute to and expand on that scenario. For most good mysteries, their appeal and strength of them come from their pacing as the stories slowly add more layers of depth and intrigue to that initial mystery. That is the beauty of the nature of STR’s time loop. The problem from the very start of the show never changes; it only evolves as more layers of the truth come out, and the stakes get higher. Shinpei Ajiro, the protagonist, thrives in that environment. While he is not a main character with a genius-level intellect to rival characters like Light Yagami and Lelouch Vi Britannia, his calculating view of the world allows his persona to flow naturally with the mechanics of his abilities, using it to unlock the hidden layers behind this mystery. That heavy aspect of deduction is one of the strongest aspects of STR. Every moment within every loop is important as it adds more to the overall puzzle. Even the rules and limitations of Shin’s ability to time loop aren’t just treated as a gimmick. They become essential components of the mystery and a driving force for the story and many characters' actions. Without getting too heavily into spoilers, I love the angle taken with his ability as it continues to evolve alongside the complexity of the story itself. As the story moves forward, so do the nature and mysteries surrounding his strange power. Whenever a story has to deal with the fact that others have incorporated similar plots and conflicts, it is forced to do something different and fresh to make it stand out. Thankfully, that obstacle is one of the best aspects of STR. A deadly game of chess mixed with cat and mouse. Hands down, one of the best elements of the story lies in the conflict between the protagonists and antagonists in the series. Within the scope of the show, the back and forth idea of the hunter vs the hunted, truly allows for the story to become something special. At times, Shin and his allies very much feel like insects challenge giants as they work to unravel the mystery, and that’s what makes the conflicts so meaningful. Every win and loss experienced by the characters carries weight in this expansive game of cat and mouse being played along a chess board. As the story progresses, there is a real sense of tension within each moment as it is impossible for our heroes to know exactly who or what is watching them at a given time and place. Lovable Cast Lastly, one of the most endearing aspects of the show comes from the cast of characters. Whether it is the dry, stoic ones acting as mentors or the quirky, energetic ones bringing a combination of humor and heart to scenes, the unique blend of characters flesh the story out even more, never holding it back. Like a grand puzzle, each character’s involvement within the story brings more clarity to the picture, showing the audience how expansive the networks of twists really can be. While Shin gets the billing as the protagonist, it is the other characters getting involved in the great mystery of the island that adds new levels of depth to the show. Comments are closed.
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Book ListThe Order: Shadows of the Apostles Archives
September 2022
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