Date A Live
2013
Original language: Japanese
- animation
- sci-fi & fantasy
- comedy
- action & adventure
The story
Thirty years ago a strange phenomenon called a "spacequake" devastated the center of Eurasia, claiming the lives of at least 150 million people. Since then, smaller spacequakes plague the world on an irregular basis. Shido Itsuka, a seemingly ordinary high schooler comes across a mysterious girl at the ground zero of a spacequake and learns she is one of the "Spirits" who are the real cause of the spacequakes that occur when they manifest themselves in the world. He is recruited to make use of his mysterious ability to seal the Spirits' powers thus stopping them from being a threat to mankind. However, there is a catch: to seal a Spirit's power, he must make her fall in love with him and kiss him.
What it’s like
Bright, saturated cel animation with clean sky-blue school days, pastel classrooms, and sudden bursts of lightning-lit spectacle when the battles begin. Spirit armour glows in hard white and violet, and the spacequake sequences stack debris and light in dramatic wide shots. Camera work leans on lingering, flirtatious close-ups and bouncy comedic cuts, and the soundtrack alternates peppy J-pop openings and jaunty incidental music with orchestral swells during fights. The vibe is cheerful, flustered, and playful, with a light romantic-comedy warmth that tilts toward the teasing. Intensity sits at moderate: frequent ecchi fanservice and suggestive situations, plus stylised action with explosions and property destruction but little gore and few genuinely frightening moments. The pacing is episodic and gag-driven, with a steady stream of awkward confessions and harem-style rivalry. It suits a breezy weekend binge or a lighthearted watch with friends, and it is for viewers who enjoy anime romance comedy with mecha-flavoured spectacle and don't mind a generous helping of fanservice.
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