Is Netflix's Yakitori: Soldiers of Misfortune Worth Watching?

Summary:

• Yakitori: Soldiers of Misfortune is Netflix's CGI anime, released in 2023.
• The series received a lot of criticism.
• The characters are the weakest part of the anime.

Yakitori: Soldiers of Misfortune is a sci-fi action original net anime (ONA) based on the novel series of the same name by Carlo Zen. All six episodes of the anime aired on May 18, 2023, and are available on Netflix.

If you're a fan of space, Yakitori has something interesting for you. Akira is tired of his boring life on Earth, so when an acquaintance of his approaches him with an offer to join an infantry unit and take part in a Trade Federation orbital drop, Akira accepts.

CGI Anime Aren't Usually Met With Excitement

When the series came out almost a year ago, viewers weren't really hyped about it. The thing is, Yakitori is a CGI anime, and fans tend to get really skeptical when they hear the phrase "Netflix's CGI anime."

Don't get us wrong, there have been successful CGI anime on Netflix before. Take, for example, Ajin: Demi-Human, which fans truly enjoyed even despite its 3D elements, but we can't blame them for worrying since we've seen too much weird-looking CGI in various series.

However, when Yakitori aired, fans admitted that the CGI was far from terrible. The anime didn't do any wonders and couldn't surprise viewers with a unique style, but it was fairly watchable. There was nothing special about it, but it wasn't as off-putting as you might think.

The Series' Characters Were the Main Problem

There were other issues with Yakitori, though, that had nothing to do with graphics and animation. Fans agree that the story was lacking creativity and didn't even make sense at times. The constant time jumps were confusing, and the editing only made it worse.

But the weakest point of Yakitori is its characters.

• Akira must be one of the most insufferable anime protagonists of 2023, according to fans.
• He's just an angry guy with little personality, who you're supposed to root for, but can't. Akira's selfishness and inability to work as a team with others was annoying.
• Character development in the series is almost non-existent, and fans found it really hard to actually sympathize with anyone in the story.

It was challenging to invest in the story because the characters are supposed to be the heart of it.

Yakitori: Soldiers of Misfortune has a score of 6.44 on MyAnimeList, and fans think it's deserved. The series doesn't bring anything fresh into the genre and will hardly surprise you with outstanding plot twists and breathtakingly beautiful animation.

Still, it's impossible to say that the series is a complete failure. If such a premise really interests you, you'll surely find something enjoyable in Yakitori, and might even have a great time watching it.

But if you're a fan of deeper stories with compelling characters, a lot of development and intricate plots, you might want to skip this one.