What Jon’s Watching: No Game No Life

I suppose this is more of a “What Jon Watched,” cause there’s only 12 fu***** episodes! I know there is a movie. Haven’t watched that yet. But I have seen a bunch of mixed reviews about it. Some saying, it’s really creepy, pervy, and gross. Others said things like it was really neat, and the story was interesting. And after watching the show I can confirm that all of these things are true. I mean, I don’t know what’s happening to anime, but I’m getting tired of the brother/sister love-thing.

Anyways, the show follows Sora and Shiro… And that’s really all you’re told about them. I mean, they don’t even get a last name. Moving on. These two have shut themselves off from the real world to play videogames all day. However, they are transported to another world that revolves entirely around playing games. We then learn that they have super human intelligence, and they direct all that thinking power to playing whatever game is happening at the time. 

*Warning: Spoilers ahead*

I think the thing I like the most about this show was how clever their strategies were. The line, “The game has already begun,” is used a few times throughout the show, and I really enjoyed that view on things. Even when not playing an official game, the two protagonists are always observing and learning to gain some sort of edge later. Playing on their obvious weaknesses, and finding a way to make it a strength. I’d have to say my favorite example of this is when Sora literally takes the planet apart to win a game he had no chance of winning in the first place. I didn’t even notice he was doing it until they played his cocky recap. Things they do are always there, it’s just a matter of if you notice it before it’s too late. 

However, the world itself is quite neat. The idea is that there was a fight between all gods. At the end of it, the only god left was the one that didn’t take part in the fight. The god of play, and they set out new rules for the world that ends all the killing.

That’s where the neatness ends and the creepy perv stuff comes in. On the surface, it’s a show about a brother and sister who can’t be in different rooms from one another without a complete mental and physical breakdown. She’s always in his lap, and she demands that he doesn’t replace her. Yet five minutes later, she’s giving him the thumbs up at the possibility of losing his virginity to the first girl they meet in the new world. I laughed at some of the stupid jokes, I cringed at a few, and I enjoyed the celeverness. It’s sort of a bumpy ride, but I did enjoy it. Though I’m not sure I’d suggest it to just anyone.