I was pretty thrilled to see that Hoshi no Samidare, or Lucifer and the Biscuit Hammer (that English title is so fun), was getting an anime adaptation. Not only that, but it was getting two cours. Should be awesome, right? Well… About that… Let me begin my rant.
First, let me just say that this was a pretty solidly “meh” adaptation, especially considering it was one of the series I was most hyped for this past summer. Like, the main story is there, and I don’t think they left any major plot points out. The problem is that just following the general plot of the story does not make it a good adaptation (though, conversely, failing to do this DOES make for a bad adaptation usually).
Let’s get the obvious issues out of the way first: the fight scenes. They were pretty awful. The animation for them was bad. The choreography felt janky. The movements looked slow and boring. Nothing about them felt enjoyable to watch at all. While the fights in the manga are pretty cut and dry as well, the way they’re presented makes it feel better.
Now, I won’t say that the highlight of the manga is the fight scenes, because it’s not. The fights are quick and brutal. If you’re hit by one of these golems and their weighty blows, you’re most likely dead. The end. While that part of it was good, it’s what comes after that’s really important, the effects it has on the characters.
What makes this so difficult to explain is that the anime does show the aftermath of these fights, and you do get some emotional moments. For some reason, though, it just doesn’t hit the same way it does in the manga.
Perhaps it was just too fast, not really enough time with them to really feel for them. I admit, I didn’t re-read the entirety of the manga for this, but it felt as though there was something lacking. Conversations between them that were removed for the sake of expediting the story, or just scenes that weren’t well-orchestrated. I honestly don’t know.
It really wasn’t all bad. To reiterate, it DID cover the plot, and followed it pretty closely. The emotional and psychological sides of it were there. Just not to the level of the manga.
At the end of the day, Hoshi no Samidare demonstrates that not all adaptations work out well. I feel like it kind of just serves to advocate for people checking out the manga. If you don’t plan to read the manga, you can still check it out for an interesting story and some deep moments. If you’re fine with either, however, definitely read the manga. Just something about it makes the story hit home harder.