Anime Reviews (2010-2019): The Ones Within – The Complete Series (2019)

I do enjoy the series, learning about each character and watch as their backgrounds are revealed through the games is rather interesting.  But with 12 episodes, this series is not complete. So, one can hope the anime series is continued, but with Osora only cranking out one manga per year, when the next anime season will be released is unknown. Nevertheless, “The Ones Within” is entertaining and I do recommend it.

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TITLE: The Ones Within – The Complete Series

ANIME RELEASE DATE IN JAPAN: 2019

DURATION: Episodes 1-12 (325 Minutes)

BLU-RAY INFORMATION: 1080p High Definition, 4×3, English Dolby TrueHD 5.1 and Japanese Dolby TrueHD 2.0, Subtitles: English

COMPANY: Funimation

RATED: 14+

Release Date: July 14, 2020

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Directed by Oonuma Shin

Series Composition: Shimoyama Kento

Music by Satou Junichi

Character Design by Takahashi Mizuki

Art Director: Katahira Shinji

Anime Production: SILVER LINK.

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Featuring the following voice talent:

Yamashita Daiki/Justin Briner as Akatsuki Iride

Sato Takuya/Aaron Campbell as Kaikoku Onigasaki

Tsuda Kenjiro/Ben Phillips as Paka

Iwami Manaka/Kate Bristol as Himiko Inaba

Kito Akari/Kristi Rothrock as Karin Sarayashiki

Nazuka Kaori/Marissa Lenti as Yuzu Roromori

Terashima Takuma/Mark Allen Jr. as Makino Aikawa

Uchiyama Kouki/Stephen Fu as Zakuro Oshigiri

Hatanaka Tasuku/Travis Mullenix as Anya Kudo

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Akatsuki Iride is a popular live streamer for the game The Ones Within –Genome. But when he and seven others are transported into the game, the fantasy becomes a reality. Now, the only way home is to beat each stage and reach 100 million views.

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NOTE: The following being reviewed is the Digital Edition and not the Blu-ray release

In 2014, mangaka Osora created the manga series “Naka no Hito Genome [Jikkyocchu]” which has led to a 2019 anime adaptation courtesy of Silver Link.

And now the anime series will be released in North America courtesy of Funimation with the title “The Ones Within”.

The series revolves around numerous gamers/streamers who are all contacted by an F2P game titled “The Ones Within – Genome”.

Online rumors say that that the game is responsible for strange disappearances happening throughout Japan and numerous teenagers are transported into a world known as 13th Avenue and are greeted by a person wearing an alpaca mask, going by the name of “Paca”.

Each are given a counter on their risk which showcases their view count.  Each of them are given a task and that is to reach 100 million viewers in their livestream where people can die and get injured.  The livestream will be broadcast 24/7.  And are told to play the game as their very life depends on it.

At the end of each game, they can earn a chromosome which is proof of their completion of the game.

But what is it about each of the individuals that were summoned chosen for this game of life and death?

Characters include:

• Iride Akatsuki – A friend and optimistic “Let’s Player” who loves escape games, nature and is always kind, generous and honest.
• Inada Himiko – A shy and kind person and simulation game streamer.
• Kudo Anya – Always angry, cynical and has a violent attitude.  A fan of fighting games, suffers from insomnia.
• Roromori Yuzu – A fan of puzzle games and a genius and is obsessed with Akatsuki.
• Sarayashiki Karin – A beautiful and popular horror-game streamer held and known as “The Cursed Princess”.
• Onigasaki Kaikoku – A Japanese style game uploader and a calm, but deadly fighter.
• Oshiri Zakuro – Stoic and very shy around women.
• Aikawa Makono – A quiet love-game streamer.

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I have to admit that the first thing that came to mind about “The Ones Within” is that this would be a “Danganronpa” knock off.

But in this game where people go crazy and end up killing each other, “The Ones Within” is different.

Sure, people with different personalities and interesting backgrounds are having to take part in a game which they can very much die from but the biggest difference is that these individuals are taking part in a game with cooperative effort.

And there are some actions that you just don’t see coming, especially for the character of Iride Akatsuki.

The first episode features a few members of the group having to flee from a giant panda and then complete a Ouija board game.  While the panda is looked like a threat, Iride ends up befriending it and hugging and petting it.

The second episode features the group raising an attractive girl from an egg to become Lady Murasaki and what ends up hatching is a miniature version of the giant panda who is a girl with afro hair.  Can they help make this panda feel love?

Each episode features crazy challenges, nothing sadistic but at the same time, these games allow each of eight individuals to know more about each other.

Meanwhile, you have this mysterious Paca that everyone loathes, he knows it, tries to be nice at the same time putting on these crazy, dangerous games where people can die.

I mentioned “Danganronpa” earlier and how different these series are and where the former benefited of being a popular video game series, “The Ones Within” is no doubt a bit more happier, crazier, and even delightful.

While there are threats, no one really dies and nothing is sadistic or too dark. Granted, this is just part of the series and who knows how Osora will continue with this series to the end (as the manga is still continuing and only 10 volumes of the manga have been released).

But I do enjoy the series, learning about each character and watch as their backgrounds are revealed through the games is rather interesting.  But with 12 episodes, this series is not complete.

So, one can hope the anime series is continued, but with Osora only cranking out one manga per year, when the next anime season will be released is unknown.

Nevertheless, “The Ones Within” is entertaining and I do recommend it.

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