Bokurano

How would you react when you are told that the fate of our Earth lies in your hands?

This is a question which I hope I never have to face even if it means that I get to be a SuperHeroine. It's seriously not fun to be entrusted with such a big responsibility.

In Bokurano, 15 middle school kids are tricked into participating in a battle to protect Earth. At first look, Bokurano looked like a typical mecha series with huge mecha fighting one another. However, that's completely not true as even though Bokurano is a mecha series, it focuses much more on the human side.

Story: (10/10) – Awesome
During a summer camp, 15 middle school kids, 8 boys and 7 girls, found a cave near the beach. Deep within the cave, they discovered working computers and some electronic equipment. Momemts later, a man called Kokopelli appeared and he claimed to be a programmer working on a brand new game, in which a large robot has to defend the Earth against alien invasions. He persuaded the children to test the game and sign a contract.

Around 1-2 episodes are dedicated to each kid who is chosen to be the next pilot to fight on Earth’s behalf. Each kid has a story to tell, a conflict of some sort to work out before they fight.

I've nothing but good words for the story. It's very unique and beyond my expectation. Even though the story is super depressing, it actually makes it more realistic.

Characters: (9/10) – Very Good
There are at least 20 important characters in Bokurano. Despite having so many characters, the series managed to develop them and tell their stories beautifully. Some of the characters appeared really boring initially, but I can't help but to like or empathize with them as the series progressed.

It's difficult to pinpoint who my favorite characters are but I personally like the back stories of Daiichi and Maki. Their back stories really touched me a lot.

Daiichi

Maki

Ushiro is probably the character with the most development and I enjoyed watching his development.

Ushiro

Art/Animation: (7/10) – Fairly Good
I quite like the character designs for the humans but I can't say the same for the mecha. The mecha which the kids are using is called Zearth and it looks pretty cool but I can't say the same about the other mecha. On the other hand, the mecha battles are animated quite well.

Music: (7/10) – Fairly Good
The Opening theme is "Uninstall" by Chiaki Ishikawa. Personally, I don't quite like this song but I have to say it does fit the depressing mood of the anime. Chiaki Ishikawa also sings the 2 Ending themes, "LIttle Bird" and "Vermillion". Both themes are more light-hearted and I personally like them better.

Enjoyment: (9/10) – Very Good
Bokurano did not make me laugh but instead, it made me cry many times. Nonetheless, I enjoyed it as it's really unique and thought-provoking. The internal struggles and pain which the characters went through are very realistically portrayed and I can't help but to feel for them.

Overall: (9/10) – Very Good
To sum it up, Bokurano is a mecha series which focuses more on the human aspect. One of Bokurano's appeals is its depressing theme so don't expect any fairy tale endings as there's none of that. If you are in the mood for a depressing slice-of-life anime, watch Bokurano!