What’s it about? That is the story of two realms within the historical land of Yanato: first, the Lofty Realm, the abode of the gods; and second, the Lowly Realm, the place people work the earth and reside their lives. Princess Sakuna lives within the Lofty Realm because the daughter of the God of Conflict and the Goddess of Harvest, and whiles away her time being as lazy as doable. That’s, till she is banished to Hinoe Island, the realm of demons. Stranded outdoors her dwelling, she units out to construct a lifetime of her personal, combining her inherent nature for combating along with her ability for the harvest…
I first got here into contact with Sakuna: Of Rice and Spoil when it debuted on Change in 2020. I had simply moved again to the States months earlier, however the rice fields the place I had volunteered whereas residing in Fukushima had been nonetheless recent in my reminiscence. It’s honest to say that I rapidly fell in love with this recreation, although a part of that is because of its partaking gameplay and delightfully detailed rice-farming mechanics.
And now, 4 years later, we get to see Sakuna’s story once more.
However bias isn’t sufficient on the subject of a premiere: that is doubtless going to be watched by lots of people who haven’t any connection to the sport in any respect. So how does this examine to watching it as if I had been a brand new viewer? Learn on and discover out!
Episode 1 begins with Sakuna hanging out within the Lofty Realm, the place the gods play, reside, and do their enterprise. In comes a bunch of people who’ve crossed the Heavenly Bridge. They don’t seem to be welcomed, however have someway discovered their approach to the land of the saints. In comes Sakuna, who watches the people’ arrival—and the following wrestle—as if it had been a play.
What turns into instantly obvious is that Sakuna doesn’t take her function as a deity significantly in any respect. Positive, she loves the decorations and the garments and the meals and the alcohol, however… she largely simply treats her life as a luxurious, even providing up the rice her mom—and former harvest goddess—grew up somewhat than consciously tackling the duty on her personal. That’s, till Girl Kamuhitsuki, the ruling deity, provides her an obligation she doesn’t deserve and turns the world a bit the other way up within the following incident.
You see, Princess Sakuna was tasked with eradicating the human invaders. But all she informed them to do was return: they clearly didn’t, and now she’s in hotter waters than she might ever have imagined. Her exalted place is gone: Sakuna is now banished to the Isle of Demons till she will be able to fulfill her duties. She’s going to nonetheless be a god, however within the land under she should discover ways to toil for her return to full godhood.
I admit that whereas I’ve an opinion about it as somebody who pretends to not know the story, I used to be additionally charmed by the nostalgia I really feel for Catastrophe. Our titular protagonist is voiced impeccably, including a particular mischievousness to Sakuna that’s greater than the sum of her elements based mostly on the opening and her instantly plot-relevant one-way journey to the demonic lands under. There’s a quick sense of comedic timing right here that makes for a stable movie adaptation, which, I’ve to confess, anxious me.
You see, I have not had the very best of instances with online game variations. Even my beloved Tales about symphony anime has its flaws, and for me personally this is among the finest. I do not know if it is the change in media, nevertheless it looks as if online game variations, particularly text-heavy video games, go away rather a lot to be desired.
However that isn’t the case with Sakuna: On Rice and Downfall. I believe this can be a actually stable premiere that units up the principle battle – Sakuna’s lack of labor ethic as a deity and subsequent banishment till she will get it going – and invitations viewers to see if Sakuna can ever measure up. She’s fascinating sufficient up entrance, and we get some actually stable, foundational character improvement. Now it is simply as much as her story to develop her into a real goddess worthy of her title.
Coming from the angle of a brand new viewer, I’d say that Catastrophe is compelling sufficient to entice you so as to add this to your listing. It does one thing completely different, it provides the attraction of a mischievous god to the plot of her get-rich-to-poor-to-riches re-story. There’s additionally the layer of how these individuals received to the land of the divine, which is much more intriguing. I believe there’s sufficient right here that you simply don’t have to have performed the sport: it appears like we’re getting a healthily truncated model of the online game story, which can hopefully intrigue individuals sufficient to play the sport for themselves.
As somebody who has expertise with the online game, I’ve to say that I’m an absolute fan of this adaptation. It’s a simple watch and a fair simpler addition to my seasonal watch listing. I’m excited to see how the story develops from week to week and invite others to delve into this really, genuinely fulfilling story. I believe you may be pleasantly stunned by Sakuna’s development over the course of her story.
