Anime Reviews (2010-2019): Laidbackers (2019)

I do feel the film would have benefited from an actual series but nevertheless, with more story to tell, one may hope there is a sequel or series (manga or animated) that is being considered.Overall, “Laidbackers” is worth giving a try!

Purchase this Anime on Blu-ray on Amazon

TITLE: Laidbackers (レイドバッカーズ-)

FILM RELEASE: 2019

DURATION: 60 minutes

BLU-RAY INFORMATION: 1080p High Definition (16:9 HD Widescreen), Japanese 5.1 DTS-HD MA, Subtitles: English

COMPANY: Sentai Filmworks

RATED: TV 14 VD

Release Date:April 13, 2021

Chief Director: Kiyomitsu Sato

Directed by Haashimoto Hiroyuki

Script: Uezu Makoto

Music by kz

Original Character Design: Suzuki Jiro

Character Design by Tsuchiya Kei

Theme Song: Kizuna Ai

Anime Production: Studio Gokumi

Featuring the following voice talent:

Akaneya Himika as Mai Maisaka

Naganawa Maria as Valvaran “Ran”

Hidaka Rina as Harami Mitsuno

Taichi Yō as K. Kusanagi

Fujita Saki as Yuko Saginomiya

Uchiyama Yumi as Arnelia

Hanamori Yumiri as Honamanuma Kumi

A funny thing happened to Kumi when she moved to Kyoto to take over her grandmother’s sweet shop. While she does find a store that sells cheap snacks, the supposedly empty adjoining residence is instead inhabited by three other girls: Harami, Mai, and K, plus a dog, who claim to be legendary heroes reincarnated into our world! However, that’s not as exciting as it sounds, as the Demon Lord they were seeking never showed up, so they’ve just been hanging out, waiting for something interesting to happen.

That’s when ANOTHER cute young girl, Ran, shows up, and it seems that she WAS the Demon Lord, but botched up her own resurrection and now wants to make amends for the things that she did in the past. But in order to do that, she’s going to need a little demon-hunting help from the Laidbackers!

Back in 2016, writer Uezu Makoto, “Flying Dog” and Studio Gokumi began working on a concept. While Chief Director Sato Kiyomitsu who wanted to create an anime storyline with comedy.

But instead of creating a TV series, they decided to make an animated film. Animator Hashimoto Hiroyuki who had worked on many series was given the opportunity to direct a film. Hashimoto was surprised because he went in thinking he would get part-time animation work.

But the Sato, Uezu and Hashimoto worked on what they called a “strange animation” as a result of working with a free flow and enjoying the work they were doing.

And it was announced that the animated film would be released on April 5th and that Virtual YouTuber Kizuna Ai would perform the song.

Prior to the release of the film, a manga and novel were released. But many of the staff hope that a sequel, may it be a series or an animated film would be created. And the cast has had a few events in Japan featuring seiyuu Akaneya Himika, Naganawa Maria, Hidaka Rina, Fujita Saki, Taichi Yo, Uchiyama Yumi and Hanamri Yumiri.

The series revolves around a college student named Kumi who moves to Kyoto to take over a candy store which she inherited form her late grandmother.

But when Kumi arrives, she discovers three scary women: Harami, Mai, K and their dog, Arnelia.

But these scary women (and their dog) are not just freeloaders, they happen to be heroes which have been reincarnated from their world to the present modern world.

In their world, the heroes must collect demon king shards to go back to their world. While the fight is not as intense as their homeworld, as the modern world that Kumi lives in is quite peaceful, once in awhile, demons do show up and the four must be ready to fight.

But the four must get accustomed to this world, while their leader Arnelia (who has been reincarnated as a dog) worries about the Demon King who has been reincarnated as a kind girl named Ran

“Laidbackers” is an animated film that is entertaining but something you may feel is best if it was an animated series leading to a buildup for an animated film. But the creators wanted to create an animated film and if fans love it, then it would be deserving of an animated series or film sequel.

The animated film is about heroes reincarnated (more like displaced) from their world to this modern world in Tokyo. Harami Mino is a video game fighting/TV fan and stays home (and happens to be their best fighter), Maisaka Mai is the second best fighter but she has always been a fighter and now, in this modern world, chooses to be an idol singer. Kusanagi K is a huge fan of yaoi and other than that, she is quite mysterious and no one knows what she does for a living. But the three follow Arnelia, their leader who unfortunately was reincarnated to a dog and for Arnelia, she wants everyone to be on their toes to fight the demons but most of all, to keep their eye on Valvaran “Ran”.

Ran is the most ruthless demon king but somehow when she got reincarnated, she was reincarnated to a young girl and living in the modern world, she has been a good girl and finds school work to be more difficult than her previous life.

But what happens when a powerful demon arrives and threatens all humanity? Who will be there to stand up against this demon?

If anything, through the character design, I wasn’t sure how this animated film would be. And if it would be more of a low budget animated film. But in the end, it turned out much better than I expected.

It was no doubt a popcorn action film with humor and if anything, something to watch and be entertained for an hour.

I do feel the film would have benefited from an actual series but nevertheless, with more story to tell, one may hope there is a sequel or series (manga or animated) that is being considered.

Overall, “Laidbackers” is worth giving a try!

Purchase this Anime on Blu-ray on Amazon

More from my site