Story: After a seeing a loved one and his entire dojo killed, Tor Kokonoe enrolls in Koryo Academy in order to get stronger and get his revenge. Koryo Academy gives its students injections that allow them to summon a weapon that is a manifestation of their soul. This weapon is called their blaze, and the students work in pairs called Duos, with the ultimate goal reaching Absolute Duo. Tor however is an irregular, as his blaze happens to be a shield, and not a weapon, making him an irregular. As students get stronger, they get an additional injection allowing them to level up and become even stronger.
Themes: Harem, Fanservice, Action, Revenge
Where and When to Watch: Full season subbed streaming on Funimation. Dub premiering on Funimation March 16th and will air Mondays at 2PM ET.
Trailer:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zoo81KIhxQc
Review: Anime News Network had some harsh comments on the opening episode of Absolute Duo, and their review of it is accurate and I agree with what they said. I did find the show to be fun though, with some comical moments, and at times hinting at a much more serious story. The series did pick up later in the season as well, only to fall flat at the end. The main problem with this show is that it doesn’t fully explain things. Its not until well into the season that you see some of the character’s motivations, or the real reason for the school. Hell, you don’t find out why most of the characters enrolled, or exactly what Absolute Duo truly is, nor the reason for trying to achieve it. There are some outside powers that are introduced later one, but it only really touches on one who ends up making attacks against the students as it uses a different means in reaching absolute duo. All in all, I did enjoy the show, especially in the later episodes, but was disappointed with how it ended, and what it didn’t achieve through out the season.
Season Premiere: