La storia della Arcana Famiglia

After actually finishing this series I have two words to describe this anime: Complete disappointment. It had so much potential from the first couple of episodes but, unfortunately, it just kept getting worse after that. The plot became very drawn out and, to be honest, just plain boring. The animations were very cheaply made and the fight scene animations were just a generic set of reused punching/sword-fighting actions. I mean, come on, what would this anime be without a good fight scene, not much. It certainly didn't make me empathize with the characters, or feel any sort of emotion at all for that matter. What really put the icing on the cake, though, was the fact that the plot really did not go anywhere throughout the series. There were ten episodes - following the initial two - that were completely dedicated to character development. And what did we learn about the characters? That Pace, Debito, and Luca had some major BEEF with Jolly, that Jolly was actually very kind hearted man with some weird social issues, and that Nova and Liberta had some childhood issues that they really needed to work out. Don't get me wrong though, I'm all for character development, but what we have here is just unnecessary. Ten episodes of character development that was supposed to funnel into one important part of the story, the climax, just did not happen… at all. Did all that information really need to be that drawn out? No, or what i should say is: yes, but only if the ending didn't SUCK!
All the cheaply made fight scenes and drawn out close ups of Liberta and Nova are minor trifles compared to what the ending did. Those things could have easily been forgiven if the writers had any sense of closure. I don't know what the cause was: low funding (not enough for another season), or if they really did intend it to be that way. All I know is that the ending was a complete mess. In a generic storyline, actions/developments are supposed to build up suspense or emotion to be finally released at the climax of the show (no sexual innuendos intended :P), which, thereafter, is cooled off in the conclusion so that the audience may have some sort of closure, something which this series did not have much of. Ten episodes of development to have a climax in the final episode? And what was the climax? A short compilation of "duels" where the characters were shown to charge at each other, and then WHAM, immediately the fight was over… WTF, no ACTUAL fight?!!?? The goal of the entire series, up until the final episode, was TO SEE THE DUELLO ARCANA!! What did we get? Horse shit. The fight between Liberta and Nova was nothing more than them crossing swords for 5 minutes while we listened to their consciences recaped what they had just learnt. Supposedly, in the reality of the show, this charade went on till dusk where they finally decided, "OH! I guess we should finally finish each other off with an attack that we could have used a couple hours ago!" They shouted, the clashed, and the screen went white. Some fight right? Wrong. They could have made an entire season on just showing the duels alone, along with new abilities, new gear, new mindsets that they could have gained from the ten episodes of development. I understand that they might not have had a second season greenlit, but, in that case, why draw out the development for ten episodes, or, better yet, why even make the anime in the first place? I would have much rather sat through an anime of purely "cool fight scenes" than have a build up for nothing. It's like having foreplay and no sex. (sexual innuendo intended :D)
To end my rant while I have the opportunity, I just have to say, what a disappointment. Not that I had any high expectations or high interest in the first place, but, jeez, why waste such good art and potential. I have to say that I was very attracted to Felicitia, but didn't get to see any relationship progression with ANY of the two set mates. The series left an open ending and, quite frustratingly, also neutral relationship status between Liberta and Nova. Which is another aspect to criticize. After all, the show did make it clear that Felicitia needed find a lover. All that way to not decide, all that way to have it abruptly stop. To sum everything up, this show's motto should have been, unfortunately: "All for nothing". I gave it 3/5 stars, but, more accurately, I wanted to give it 2.5/3.