You May Not Have Noticed, but Undead Unluck Has the Most Original Fights in a While

Summary:

• Undead Unluck has many appealing elements — from its non-boring, game-like plot to well-done animation.
• Fights are important for Undead Unluck, but not the main part, more an entertaining addition.
• In Episode 14, we saw a pretty good example of a complex battle.

Undead Unluck began airing in the fall season of 2023. Although it hasn't become as popular as its devoted fans would have liked, its ratings and viewership are relatively high.

The title has many appealing elements — from its non-boring, game-like plot to well-done animation and memorable character designs. In addition, the fights in Undead Unluck look more interesting than in many popular shonen.

Anime with gaming elements

Many people admit that Undead Unluck reminds them of an RPG — it has many game elements, such as a large pool of heroes and a variable progression system. The story strongly resembles the plot of a video game — there is an organization that goes on various quests to gather resources and eventually defeat the final boss.

Each member of the organization is free to choose which quests to undertake. Characters (members of the Roundtable) have their own traits and abilities. It seems like a suitable setup for a game, don't you think?

Also, Undead Unluck is a shonen and there are a lot of battles — it's rare to find an episode where the characters aren't fighting each other or some monsters. The fights are important for the story, but they are not the main part, more an entertaining addition.

Nowadays, there's a big focus on battles in shonen in general — many studios are trying to make them more colorful and large-scale. They may look good, but feel very boring and monotonous. Then there's Undead Unluck.

Well thought-out tactics

Undead Unluck impresses not only with the visual component of the battles (in some places they look weaker than those of larger studios like MAPPA), but rather with the interactivity they offer.

Most of the time, these are not individual battles, but group battles where everyone plays an important role. The lead character, usually Andy, comes up with different tactics and unusual maneuvers. The characters' abilities vary greatly, but can be combined perfectly.

In Episode 14, we saw a pretty good example of a complex battle. The characters came up with a plan where Chikara could use his ability to stop Rip without hitting Andy, who would deal the final blow.

Yes, the strategy in Undead Unluck is beautifully done and very entertaining every time. Perhaps Undead Unluck is influenced by the legacy of JoJo's Bizarre Adventure (JoJo no Kimyou na Bouken) — both titles were made by the same studio.