With the trailer pulling a fake-out by advertising a cute café slice-of-life series, fans were certainly surprised -- and thrilled -- to discover that Lycoris Recoil offers so much more. This cutesy secret agent thriller produced by A-1 Pictures and directed by Shingo Adachi has captured the hearts of fans, making it one of the highest rated series in the Summer 2022 anime season.
As an original series a preexisting fan base, Lycoris Recoil has had to depend on its own merit. The anime follows bright and spunky pacifist Chisato who not only works at a traditional-style Japanese café and sweets shop, but also is an elite agent known as a "Lycoris." Takina, a level-headed sharpshooter, is transferred to the café to work with Chisato after disobeying orders, beginning an endearing partnership filled with adorable antics and plenty of high-octane action.
Perhaps the most captivating aspect of the series is its well-rounded and lovable characters. Many of the characters are somewhat archetypal -- with the hot-and-cold pairing of energetic Chisato and no-nonsense Takina as well as the hopeless romantic Mizuki who is desperate for a boyfriend -- but their personalities are much more interesting than run-of-the-mill clichés. The engaging banter and bits of character development and foreshadowing give the series its charming energy.
Fan-favorite Chisato is a shining example of how the Lycoris Recoil's characters contribute to the series' success. She may come off as a "genki girl" with her high energy and bubbly positivity, but subtle clues suggest a more mature character with a difficult backstory and a possibly even more foreboding future. This complexity endears her to viewers while also creating gripping suspense around her character, keeping viewers enthralled. As one of the most beloved female characters of the Summer 2022 season, it comes as no surprise that Chisato's popularity has made Lycoris Recoil a must-watch.
Another factor in the series' success is its stunning art and aesthetic appeal. The brightness of the character design and scenery complements the series' darker themes and intense fight scenes. The art is not so peppy that it jars viewers, but it does provide a lightness that balances the slice-of-life feel of the series with its action-forward plot. The animation itself is crisp, allowing both the gunfights and cute interactions between characters to shine. Lycoris Recoil's success in capturing its dual-tone aesthetic has set the series apart even more.
Though the characters and art are certainly reason enough to love Lycoris Recoil, its handling of its story is what makes the series truly remarkable. Many anime fans may have not expected to fall in love with the series, especially since it originally advertised itself as a run-of-the-mill cutesy café slice-of-life. However, its fresh take on cute-girls-doing-cute-things blended with a thrilling action plot that is not over-the-top provides viewers with an experience that is simultaneously charming and thrilling. The story is framed by a relaxing pace and wholesome content, but there is also enough suspense and action to excite fans and keep them on the edge of their seat.
While there are already a few anime series that do artfully combine genres, the sheer success of Lycoris Recoil during the Summer 2022 proves that it's capable of seamlessly capturing two opposing genres to create a series that appeals to a wider audience. Action fans and those who prefer slice-of-life anime alike can find something to love about Lycoris Recoil. Because the series handles the balance so well without seeming lopsided or artificial, it deserves far more popularity than its garnered so far.
Almost unexpetedly, Lycoris Recoil proves that an original anime without a preexisting fan base can rise to the top based on its own merit. While many successful series benefit from hype built before the premiere, every aspect of this Summer 2022 dark horse is handled so well that the series has built its own excitement episode-by-episode, making it more than deserving of its high reception. It is truly a binge-worthy watch with something to offer every anime fan.