English Dub Season Review: AYAKA: A Story of Bonds and Wounds Season One

Overview:

Yukito gets sent to live a normal life after a volcano erupts on the Ayaka Islands. Ten years later, he returns to the islands and fulfills his destiny in becoming a ley master.

Our Take:

Yukito Yanagi has been living a normal life for the past ten years. Well, not exactly normal since he doesn’t have any friends. He always keeps to himself and goes out of his way to avoid everybody. One day, he is told that he will be returning home to the Ayaka Islands. Once he gets there, he learns that he is meant to become a ley master as his late father wished.

He can’t control his water powers, which is why he secludes himself. However, Jingi and others help him better control his powers. he learns about his father and his students. he encounters Ara-Mitama and has to help pacify them.

This show does a decent job at world building. It explains enough about the important islands and their history to understand their significance. The same can be said about the Ara-Mitama, and why they must be pacified.

The characters are mostly okay, but I can’t say I really connect with any of them. It’s nice to see Yukito go from being a loner to having several friends. He definitely grows the most of any character in the series. His childhood friend and teacher, Jingi, is my least favorite. I don’t think he’s a bad character per se, but I just don’t find his drunken slacker persona charming. He has his moments, but nothing that pushes him over the top for me.

I like the aesthetic for the most part. Some of the characters look a bit too pale, which makes the look washed out because of the lightning. Other than that, I like the visuals. I think the overall premise is also interesting. It’s just unfortunate that the execution leaves a bit to be desired.

My main issue with AYAKA is that it takes a long time to really get going. It drags on for more than half the season with barely anything significant happening. The show proves that it can be compelling with its story and action, but it just chooses not to do so most of the time. There’s a lot of dialogue that just feels like fluff. If this were cut down, the show could be a lot more enjoyable.

Overall, AYAKA is a fine series. It has an interesting premise and some good ideas. Plus, it has some enjoyable character interactions and appealing visuals. The slow pace is its main flaw, but it still manages to have a few captivating episodes.