The Last Summoner

Chinese "anime" tends to draw inspiration from many sources, and you can really tell in The Last Summoner. It's a hilarious hodgepodge of various ideas, which somehow manage to hold together. There are references to various Japanese anime, as well as American shows (not just animated) that are easy to spot and will make you smile. There is a good balance between moments where the show makes fun of everything, including itself, and moments where things get serious. The characters aren't bad, the animation is okay, and the music is pretty decent too. The story is a bit disconnected, and the narrative style could do with more grace and consistency. On the other hand, it did keep me entertained and curious to find out what would happen next. It may not be the best Chinese animated series I've seen this year, but it's still actually a pretty cool show I’d love to see in the next season. 6/10 (05/07/2022)