Warning! This show is to be enjoyed without further thinking about it. Take it as it is, or leave it!
16 bit is a wild ride. I started it way back when it was airing, but I dropped it during the first episode because I just couldn’t get through it.
This time, for reasons to me
unknown, I decided to give it another chance. And I am honestly so
glad I did.
The story begins with a girl named Konoha, who buys old bishojo games, that end up getting her transported back to the date where the games came out. There she meets the folks from a game studio Alcohol Soft, whose employees she befriends and even creates a game with them. Which is a dream she had since... always.
Working in a big studio on background characters was nothing like her own game The Last Waltz which is so huge, she ends up altering the future and erasing her own world. Now she has to go back again and try to create a game that would be able to compete with her other one.
It won’t be so easy. Besides Konoha, there are more people who seem fishy. One of them travels in time and meets aliens who are trying to understand what imagination is. (This plot line seemed to be on drugs, but I guess I understand the message? It was so messy...)
And then there is Toya. Who... honestly is such a weirdo I don’t know what to make of her. I want to believe she is a good person... but there is just something about her.
The story takes an unbelievable turn halfway through. Ever since then, it’s a whole different show and it can get messy... but it stays just as interesting if not more. And the ending is more than satisfying - despite not giving us all the answer. Everything else is for us to think about and imagine. And for this specific story, that's how it's supposed to be.
Story:
As I suggested, there are
three main plot lines. Each of them is interesting, but one of them is
incredibly confusing. 2/3 is not a bad scored though.
From slice-of-life, to almost
dystopian futuristic „save the world“ plot line, this show goes places to keep
us entertained.
Art & animation:
Very cutesy. I had some
issues with it sometimes, because it could get lazy... And that always takes you out of the moods or
quality of the show. At least that’s the case for me.
But I loved the 16bit
designs they used in opening sequence.
Animation-wise, this show
doesn’t stand out in any way, but it’s not bad either.
Characters:
It is very unfortunate how
little they explored certain characters and how much they explored those who
seemed not important to the story at all.
What I mean is:
- Konoha is
a main character with no presence. She is there, sure, but she is not
doing much for the world. She is annoying, stupid and childish and she barely
does anything right.
- Mamoru has a whole „out of
this world“ experience and that’s that. They don’t go back to it, he doesn’t
think about it, he does not bring it up again. Not even as an explanation of
how Konoha’s time travel work. Not even his love for PC-98
goes anywhere! They just abandoned what could have been the funniest plot twist
in time travel media.
(And if the conclusion was that 'PC-98 saves the day!' then they really only took it halfway...)
- Toya has so much energy around
her... yet, she is never explored to a depth. She is just used for another half-assed story line. I feel like I missed a chapter or two with her, like I'm supposed to piece the puzzle based on few clues...
But the Alcohol Soft’s manager? We have a whole ass drama about him, your typical „I fucked up, now I’m crying but then everyone loves me again“ redemtion arc. It’s insane how that works!
Music:
Good opening and good ending,
that sound quite nice. But they’re not exactly bops that you cannot skip.
As for the music in the show
itself, it’s barely noticeable.
I do appreciate Mamoru’s
playlist consisting of PC-98’s sounds. Sooo funny!
Entertainment value:
If you’re just looking for
something that’s fun on the surface and will entertain you for 13 episodes,
I highly recommend this one. It’s a good mix of comedy, suspence and
video games show.
If you’re, however, looking for
something deeper, that you can actually think about and give some thought to...
don’t. It is not worth the disappointment.
Conclusion: recommended 👍
Warning! This show is to be
enjoyed without further thinking about it. Take it as it is, or leave it! 8/10.
