Introduction
The year is 320. Under the rule of the belligerent King Andragoras III, the Kingdom of Pars is at war with the neighboring empire, Lusitania. Though different from his father in many aspects, Arslan, the young prince, sets out to prove his valor on the battlefield for the very first time. However, when the king is betrayed by one of his most trusted officials, the Parsian army is decimated and the capital city of Ecbatana is sieged. With the army in shambles and the Lusitanians out for his head, Arslan is forced to go on the run. With a respected general by his side, Daryun, Arslan soon sets off on a journey in search of allies that will help him take back his home.
However, the enemies that the prince faces are far from limited to just those occupying his kingdom. Armies of other kingdoms stand ready to conquer Ecbatana. Moreover, the mastermind behind Lusitania's victory, an enigmatic man hiding behind a silver mask, poses a dangerous threat to Arslan and his company as he possesses a secret that could jeopardize Arslan's right to succession.
With the odds stacked against him, Arslan must find the strength and courage to overcome these obstacles, and allies who will help him fight in the journey that will help prepare him for the day he becomes king.
[Written by MAL Rewrite]
Audience reviews
20 · Sample from the first available page, separate from the total number of ratings.
ThatAnimeSnobRE
When this anime was announced, many expected the best show of the millennia. The reason was the story being written by the author of Legend of the Galactic Heroes and the artwork being done by the mangaka of Full Metal Alchemist. Both titles are exceptional and are even in my top 10. Unfortunately, Arslan is not even top 1000 material. Compared to its predecessors:
- It lacks the semi-realistic character designs of LOGH
- Its cast lacks the charisma and individual importance of FMA characters
- It looks bland compared to the ethereal artstyle of the 90s version of Arslan
Another way to view it is like the 2 Star Wars trilogies. The 70s trilogy was a space opera masked as a fairy tale, thus keeping expectations low and succeeding in the longrun. The 00s trilogy on the other hand was a fair…
Read at the sourceCHANGnosia
I didn't want to watch Arslan Senki but boredom bit my ass and here we are, pals.
It's all about some prince's journey who tries to get his city back because people betrayed him. Nothing new here. This is Akatsuki no Yona minus the romance (but no worries, the harem is still there) meets the Eastern setting of Magi meets Kingdom but without the captivating warfare narrative. I won't say it lacked action because it got plenty but it definitely lacked something that would have made the story enthralling. The mystery behind Arslan's identity was a good start. However, this subplot was not developed fully which left me with lots of unanswering questions.
The characters don't change and are often one dimensional -- there are little development and even less growth. They are pretty much all OP…
Read at the sourcebedamijo
I'll be honest, I was somewhat reluctant to watch this show. I had just finished the amazing show known as Akatsuki no Yona (Yona of the Blushing Dawn) and was not particularly interested in watching another, probably not as amazing, show of similar genre and plot. In the end, I'm glad I watched it though. It's certainly not the most perfect of shows, but it definitely had it's high points. So, ladies and gentlemen, here is my opinion of the show Arslan Senki, aka The Heroic Legend of Arslan.
Story: 8
The plot of this show was surprisingly satisfying. Yeah, it had many similarities to Akatsuki no Yona, but so did Zankyou no Terror (Terror in Resonance) to Death Note, and I still enjoyed that show despite the fact. While at first it may seem like any other story that we've seen thousands o…
Read at the sourceGeddon616
So to start of this is one of those anime there you should watch atleast 3-4 episodes before judging and here is why.
The story is one of those fantasy tales we have heard of in old books about the boy in the high castle learning that life isnt so easy or nice as he has thought all his life protected in the bossom of his parents. That kinda made me become a little wary since those types of stories have either one of those things. It has the most cheesiest plot ever invented to how the main character becomes turn around and becomes the rightfull ruler in his fathers eyes or just keeps behaving like a spoiled child to the end of the anime until he finally realises hes wrong. This anime fortunately didnt either one. Characters i will go back to but story wise thats just a summary that its n…
Read at the sourceLvl10
Arslan Senki captivated me from the moment I began watching. From its music to its diverse and loveable cast of characters, this anime has so much to offer to its viewer that it merits two play-throughs to get the full benefit. There’s already a pretty good synopsis written above so I’ll spare you that and jump right into the review.
Art: 8
While the vast majority of the art is fantastic the CGI is rather noticeable and jarring at times. Though, I do completely understand the reasons for utilizing this technique. They needed to animate massive armies numbering in the tens of thousands. To do so by hand or traditional methods would be tedious and a waste of time/resources. Everything else was spectacular – from the set pieces to the characters themselves. You can easily ascertain the tone o…
Read at the sourcenep-nep
Prestigious parents often bear a burden of expectations for their children. Much to the doteful disappointment of the audience however, “The Heroic Legend of Arslan” turns out to be something of a black sheep. Lovechild of original creators Yoshiki Tanaka (LOGH) and Hiromu Arakawa (FMA: B), Arslan shines a bright glow of mediocrity under the shadow of its peers.
Arslan bases itself on the manga, which in turn bases itself on the original novel, which at last takes inspiration from a loosely compiled set of Persian tales. If you weren’t already familiar with the term “suspension of disbelief”, then you’ll be quite capable by the end of the 25th episode. The story begins climatically as the “undefeated” king of Pars is defeated by the Lusistinian [European infidel] army after Pars is betra…
Read at the sourcevaliantchase
My first impression of this anime is that it reminds me of the novel, Romance of the Three Kingdoms, which consists of the plot surrounding warfare and resurgence.
The graphics is pretty lackluster, but that is easily eclipsed by the intriguing story. The plot itself is pretty direct and there are not much twist, which can be a good thing as it keeps the viewer on track and the easiness to grab the message the creator is trying to convey.
The winning point for this anime is definitely its characters. Character development is pretty decent , and most of them are like-able even with antagonists. Daryunn and Narsus are amazingly done and written. One represents the mind and the other the sword of the MC, Arslan, guiding him through the hardships if warfare and to succeed as a ruler of a k…
Read at the sourceBanjoTheBear
(This has been adapted from my blog/reddit thread. Spoilers ahead!)
This introduction is difficult for me because I have no experience with war. Sure, I have historical knowledge, but I have never taken part in violence of that magnitude. I do not seek out confrontations, instead I seek out calm. I prefer friends over fights as it were. That is just who I am.
I therefore must rely on the words of others here, rather than my own. There are a lot of famous phrases about war. “War. What is it good for? Absolutely nothing.” A famous lyric sung by Edwin Starr. “War. War never changes.” An iconic statement of the Fallout video game franchise. “War is peace. Freedom is slavery. Ignorance is strength.” Irony of monumental proportions, written by George Orwell and taken from his classic 1984. Eac…
Read at the sourcecrimson-oath
As someone who is a big fan of fantasy, Arslan Senki was right up my alley and it did not disappoint me.
I wasn't expecting to enjoy it as much as I did, to be honest. The first episode was kind of 'meh' for me, but I stuck with it, and by the second episode I was like a ravenous beast; I needed more, more, more. I caught up on the show that day and watched weekly after that.
What I enjoyed most was the moral compass this series is guided by, or rather, Arslan is. He's a just, fair young man with a very good head on his shoulders. His growth from a rather wimpy kid who only knows what he's been taught to someone who sees the world without judgement in the sense that if he disagrees with it, it isn't automatically seen as "the wrong thing", he just doesn't agree.
You can't help but roo…
Read at the sourceNatsuDLuffy
Let me just start off with saying this. I just finished this series and I feel pretty happy. Not sad, not angry, or frustrated. Just happy. I think its important to note this because when it really comes down to it, anime, no any art form is supposed to inspire feelings. These feelings are what make our lives more enjoyable and become important pieces of ourselves. This anime made me smile. So if you take anything away from this review, first take away that it is worth watching and will make you feel the spirit of adventure and kindness.
I would say the story is excellent. It is thought provoking, has few plot holes and leaves the viewer with a sense of mystery after each episode. This story really hits the ground running. After looking back from the first few episodes, a lot has happene…
Read at the sourceD4rkn3s5
If you have ever played Suikoden or the old school Final Fantasy games you're gonna love this.An anime set in medieval Persia(Pars) follows the story of Arslan,the boy who shall become the king.The art is similar to Full metal alchemist ,which gives some bonus points.The sound was very nice,I liked all the weapons clashing,horseback riding and the battles having great sound which made it even more enjoyable.Also the openings/ending songs were one of the best of the season.I hope we get more character development of some characters in the next season.
Story 7/10
Art 8/10
Sound 8/10
Character 7/10
Enjoyment 9/10
Overall an 8/10
If you're into historical stuff,this the anime for you.Cheers ^_^v
Read at the sourceGridfire
I think ancient warfare ranks alongside football right at the top of the list of things that bore me to death, so I didn't begin this series with the highest of expectations. Having the source material being shonen doesn't help either. Although the show does depict atrocities you might imagine from this setting, the presentation is bland and sanitised. Furthermore, with army commanders depicted not simply as leaders but practically gods with superhuman strength and fighting ability, this isn't merely a fantasy with strong military themes, but a teen fantasy with all the potentially fun parts of the subject matter (see Game of Thrones) cut out.
Nonetheless, for all the blandness of its setting and shonen implausibility, Arslan Senki tells a compelling story through a medium where having a…
Read at the sourceRajaganja
Arslan has a great premise with a medieval setting thats hard not to like but its like a bowl of boring pasta without the chilli sauce. . . ye get me. . .
The Heroic legend of Arslan or Arslan senki was first a fantasy novel series by Yoshiki Tanaka and was later adapted to manga a second time with illustrations by Hiromu Arakawa. So thats what got adapted to anime in 2015.
Its a story about a naive kid prince who is fated to be a ruler. His comrades appreciate what his ideals are but also know that things wont be so easy, loyalties grow stronger as the prince slowly walks down a righteous path to true royalty and becomes a true king of the people. . . Well i think thats whats up...
After looking at the 2015 spring anime chart i thought daymn arslan has some competition, will it be one…
Read at the sourcefemto999
So I'm back to anime and I decided to start by reviewing Arslan Senki. An anime that I was really hyped for basically because of the name ''Arakawa Hiromu''. For the few people that might don't know she is the creator of one of the most successful manga of all time called ''Fullmetal Alchemist''. But she doesn't stop there as sh is also the creator of the really interesting school life ''silver spoon'' which is a title that makes you want to drop everything and attend an agricultural school. So generally speaking Arakawa has a really respected name in animanga community and seeing her new title called ''Arslan Senki'' getting an anime adaptation I believe lots of us were more than excited to see the results which were... utterly disappointing. And here are the reasons.
''Arslan Senki'' st…
Read at the sourceZephSilver
**this review will contain minor spoilers**
Yoshiki Tanaka, you may not recognize his name but you've undoubtedly heard of his highly acclaimed behemoth Legend of the Galactic Heroes; a seminal war epic that influenced many series in its wake, with a legacy that still ripples through the world of anime and manga to this very day. When I heard that another one of his creations were going to get the anime treatment with Arslan Senki, my interest was immediately piqued. I was expecting another grand series with rich themes of political warfare, larger-than-life moments littered throughout and a far-reaching cast of developed personalities to carry it through. I was expecting a show that handled its content with a sense of gravitas, leaving no room for shortcuts. I was expecting something wit…
Read at the sourceChuunibyou_Rika
I was afraid that when I began Arslan Senki, I would find myself comparing it to it's mangaka's other work "Fullmetal Alchemist", but as soon as I saw the first episode, I knew that that would not be an issue.
The main things I adored about Arslan Senki were the plot, characters, and music. I have a love for medieval style anime (the genre of medieval in general as a matter of fact), and I enjoy fight scenes. Arslan Senki gave me so much of that.
Prince Arslan went through a time of maturation and development that you could progressively see throughout the entire series and you were rooting for him along the way. I hope there is a season 2 and I will continue reading the manga. I hope the video game comes here to the States. If you haven't seen Arslan Senki, I highly recommend you do.
Read at the sourcem-i-c-h-a-e-l
The Heroic Legend of Arslan is an adventurous tale of how a young prince is driven out of his own kingdom, and how he must become a man worthy of leading his people to reclaim his kingdom. The whole series is about war and its stratagem. This show exceeded my expectations in several areas, which is why I felt compelled to write a review.
Story:
I want to start with the plot since it is what impressed me the most here. It is very rare to come across a historical and non-supernatural war anime that is this good. Each battle scene is carefully planned out. This is one of those series like NGNL or Log Horizon, where strategy is the most interesting thing about the story. But on top of that, there is plenty of revenge, betrayal, and other plot twists that keep the story’s edge sharp.
Another…
Read at the sourceRikuson1
Arslan Senki (TV) アルスラーン戦記 Review
Story (7/10) Good
More Specifically (7.5/10)
The story for Arslan Senki isn't anything amazing but it's not bad what so ever. My expectations for the story weren't really high especially have reading some of Kingdom (sorry low blow yeah I really should even mention Kingdom this is about Arslan Senki...) Anyway like said before the story is good but I did feel the pacing for episodes 17-23 could have been a bit better because I did indeed loose quite a lot of interesting in the semi-slice of life in a army they had going on during those episodes. Which is why I personally can't give this an 8 so a 7.5 will do.
Art and Animation (8/10) Very Good
The art is very good and the animation (at least for episode 24 that is was amazing) everything else as far a…
Read at the sourceKirie-san
I like anime with action and mystery, but it is my first time seeing an anime about war and knights, so I didn't expect too much for Arslan Senki. But it was absolutely great !
Story : 9 / 10
The story is really interesting. It shows the war in its very aspects, such as barbarity, the motivation of both sides : Pars and Lusitania. Neither of them are clean, since Pars use slavery and Lusitanians kill those who don't believe in their god. The young prince Arslan will have to restore its kingdom, but it won't be easy. The different battles are epic, sometimes violent, but they were well-done according to me. Moreover, the anime is not just about war, we have some magic into it (although it wasn't well-developped), mystery, and also funny moments. Plus, the relationship between the characte…
Read at the sourceStark700
When thinking about Arslan Senki, I tend to think of this show as a mixture of fantasy adventure, war drama, and a story that really emphasizes the journey of a young prince. Arslan Senki (The Heroic Legend of Arslan) is a show that chronicles more than just the making of a hero. It delivers a tale of adventure that should be remembered like a legend. For its themes and storytelling, I can safely say that this show is one hell of a ride.
Based loosely on the novels and adapting the plot of the manga written by Yoshiki Tanaka, Arslan Senki is essentially a war story. In a role that requires more than larger than life dimensions, it is epic in an old-fashioned sense. And how does it achieve that? By its sheer ability to show its rich story.
The setting takes place in an alternative version…
Read at the source