As 2022 is well underway, anime fans have been treated to a plethora of new shows or old ones returning with new episodes. Of the aforementioned new shows, there was one in particular that viewers had been extra curious about and that was Orient. Created by the same author that gave the world Magi, a show that is beloved by many yet criminally underrated by many more, this new series set in a brand new world with a whole new cast piqued the interest of quite a few fans.
Orient is set in a fictional feudal Japan where monsters known as Oni run amok and torment and even subjugate the people. To combat them, humans have formed groups known as Bushi bands where they use blades made from special minerals known as Kitetsu blades that are the only weapons known to be able to effectively kill the Oni.
If this is starting to sound at all familiar, well then you've probably watched another, much more popular "demon-slaying" anime recently. That is, unfortunately, the real problem in this situation: Orient just isn't that original and sadly so far isn't better than its competition. This is a real shame as Shinobu Ohtaka's, the creator of Orient, earlier work Magi didn't have any of these problems. It might have gotten a little weird and convoluted in the second half of the series (which was coincidentally never animated), but throughout its run, it was consistently interesting and unique, especially in regard to its characters and setting.
So far, Orient hasn't been any of those things. Even though the premise and plot so far have been serviceable, there is very little to it that feels special. The characters, while likable, haven't showcased any special qualities compared to those found in other series. Unfortunately because of this, they don't even feel equal to those characters and it actually makes them feel lacking as a result.
Now it should be stated that this article is only referring to the anime adaptation of Orient, not the manga, so it is quite possible for things to get better, but even so, the anime presents its own unique sets of issues. Unlike many of the other shows being released at this time, such as the returning Attack on Titan and Demon Slayer or the newly released Sabakui Bisco, the animation for Orient feels woefully outdated. Even One Piece, which was known for years to have subpar animation, has learned from its mistakes and spent the entirety of the Wano arc showcasing beautiful and fluid animation with a unique style, so this feels somewhat inexcusable.
For a series that is supposed to feature incredibly epic sword fights between samurai and demons, they aren't that exciting to look at. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad if Demon Slayer hadn't spent all of this past fall and winter seasons spoiling viewers with some of the most beautiful fight scenes in anime history, but it did which makes this all the more unfortunate disappointing. It really just feels like a waste, especially as unlike many shows with similar premises, Orient has a lot of vibrant colors that would lend themselves well to creating memorable fights.
This article has been largely negative so far, but it should be noted that there are still good things to find in Orient. As mentioned before, the characters are largely likable. They might be depressingly cookie cutter as far as protagonists go, but Musashi, Kojirou, and Tsugumi are all incredibly likable. The cast might be missing some of the spark that Aladdin, Alibaba, and Morgiana had in Magi that helped those characters stand out but they are still very fun to watch.
Another thing worth mentioning is that while the plot has been pretty stale, even after 5 episodes. that said more recent episodes have started to introduce more of the show's plot. This could be a Naruto situation where the first handful of episodes was very "meh" with the more recent episodes actually being where the true plot and exciting elements of the series start coming into play. Even with these developments, the series feels very standard for a shonen anime. Hopefully, Orient is finally going to pick up some steam and be a show way more worth viewers' time.
