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Arslan Senki is one badass anime

Spring 2015 anime has already been ongoing for awhile, and I've been watching these titles:
  • Owari no Seraph
  • Nisekoi S2
  • Shokugeki no Soma
  • Arslan Senki
  • Plastic Memories
  • Ore Monogatari
Out of all of these, I would have to say that Arslan Senki is my favourite! 


Ok with as little spoilers as possible...

Arslan is the prince and apparent heir of the throne in the undefeated Kingdom of Pars. His father, King Andragoras, is the king known to have led his army to victory at every war, making his army formidable and seemingly without equal. But of course, going undefeated makes the kingdom and the king full of themselves and eventually led to a crushing defeat in the war against Lusitania. The king is nowhere to be found and the kingdom of Pars is just about to be invaded by the swarming armies of Lusitania. 

Also, a little of backdrop, Lusitania is a country which believes in a god (forgot the name) and abhors the idea of slavery. Their religion speaks of equality and freedom for all. Pars, on the other hand, is pretty much secular, and as you might have guessed, think that slavery is a very important part of their human civilisation (be it in economic sense or just social structure, or even as a means of living.)

That's enough I shall stop here.

What makes this anime so interesting? 

The story itself is really powerful. I may not have read the manga, or I may be overreading into this whole plot, but I feel it does tell us a lot about human nature and the contradictions in the things we say and do. 

Of course, with slavery as viewed as such a backdated idea, just the thought people still practicing it makes it cringeworthy. You have the social hierarchy and slaves (mostly captured soldiers from neighbouring kingdoms during wars) form its foundation. What an awful practice! But that does not make Lusitania any more good willed. The religion they practice preaches of love, compassion, equality and freedom. Yet, they are visibly unforgiving when it comes to heathens (as they call skeptics of their religion and God). They torture and kill heathens and proudly proclaim "THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS TO YOU WHEN YOU DO NOT BELIEVE IN OUR GOD", as if they were gods themselves.

Woah woah woah, what ever happened to love, compassion, equality and freedom, Lusitania?

And here comes the irony. Often we feel that religions whitewash any being of evil deeds. They justify them using religion. But did religion really teach them to do such things? 

Mirroring our world today, religion does not always deliver goodwill. Any powerful entity can be a double-edged sword. Would any religion call on followers to deliver vengeance to non-believers? Would a mighty, compassionate, loving and understanding God do that? I suppose not, and I hope not. Yet it is sad that some of us claim to know the words and intentions of God. 

Human nature at its worst, playing God. 

Not that I'm religious or anything, but neither am I against religion. (please don't go hating me). 

Back to my point, Arslan Senki does bring out the complexities of human nature and the ethics we have in our world today. Heck, not just today, throughout history lasting till now, and probably into the future. Through Arslan, the one to inherit the throne but not one to act like his father, we get a better glimpse of philosophies (as so given by our dear Narsus) and world order. Strategies as well of course. Narsus is quite the strategist! Together with Arslan, we grow and learn new things, and hopefully can see moral failings in society. Perhaps, this story was to provoke us into acting against them? 

But yeah, I hope I'm not complicating the story too much. Just my very humble review. 

A 10/10 for me, thoroughly enjoying this anime so far.

Arslan Senki is one badass anime
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