Kari’s Anime Corner: First Impressions of ‘BTOOOM’

Hi! My name is Kari Lane, and I’ve been an anime lover since I was a little girl. Those good old days when classics like Sailor Moon, Dragon Ball/Dragon Ball Z, Card Captor Sakura, Digimon and Monster Rancher were on the most basic of cable.

Over the years, I have expanded my anime repertoire and have attended numerous anime conventions. I’m currently a host on AX Live, a web-based news program produced by the Society for the Promotion of Japanese Animation. Recently, I’ve been watching the first discs of various anime series’, and thought it an excellent idea to write reviews based on my “first impressions”. Of course, you’ll have many unanswered questions after viewing just 4, 5, or 6 episodes, but you can get a feel for the show and decide if you want to pick up the second disc! I hope my reviews will help introduce you to some awesome anime, or help you avoid the more mediocre junk that’s out there!

BTOOOM! is a cross between Battle Royale and the anime series, Sword Art Online. It was originally a manga (Japanese comic) and was made into an anime late in 2012. The 12 episode series is currently available to watch for free on Crunchyroll.com.

The series starts with Ryota Sakamoto, a 22 year old who drops out of school, has not had a job in two years and just stays home playing the online game, BTOOOM! (pronounced ba-TOMB). In the real world, he is a slacker, but in the game he is listed as one of the top ten players in the world and the best in Japan. The gameplay is similar to most FPS (first person shooter) games but your only weapons of choice are bombs of various types. The game world gives Sakamoto everything he does not have in the real world: respect, confidence, success and even a “wife” (only in the game).

Suddenly, Sakamoto wakes up in a tropical jungle dangling from a tree in a parachute. He has no idea how he got there or what is happening. He makes his way to the beach and learns that he is on an island. Later that evening, Sakamoto sees a man approaching and he calls to the stranger for help, however, to Sakamoto’s surprise the man starts hurling bombs at him! It appears that Sakamoto is now playing BTOOOM! for real.

Will Sakamoto be able to play just as well in the real world as he does on the computer? How many people are on this island and how many of them are ready to kill those they come into contact with? How did everyone get there and who is behind all this mayhem? The animation is fluid, and looks good (very detailed and the backgrounds are lovely). I found myself drawn into the show right away and liked Sakamoto even though he has his flaws. The story is intriguing and addresses some extremely heavy/dark subject matter in the game and the real world. I cannot wait to see what happens next!

***Make sure to check after the credits on every episode because sometimes there is an extra scene***