So I'm a Spider, So What?

There are a lot of things I like about So I'm a Spider, So What?, plus some things I am not too keen on, but I feel the positive things outweigh the negative aspects in the end. I am going to start with why I like the main protagonist. First of all, I am very happy that it is a spider because I find it a very original idea, and I appreciate it as much as, say, a slime, or a six-foot-tall skeleton. Just about anything that is not a generic main protagonist already has my undivided attention, and I welcome it with an elated feeling that cannot be deflated by the fact that I am a bit of an arachnophobe in real life because thankfully that did not manifest itself when I was watching this. I also have to commend the Japanese voice actor behind the main protagonist, who gives an incredible performance here, stealing all the scenes for herself, managing to have such great inner monologues, and even dialogues with herself that are very refreshing and entertaining. It seems incredible that one voice actor can show such a wide range of emotions, making the main protagonist’s journey unforgettable. Another great thing I have to highlight is the narrative style. Okay, I understand that at first you might be a bit taken aback, and things might not make much sense, so it is difficult to grasp exactly what the story is, and what the relationship between the two plotlines (Kumoko and Shun) is, however, it is revealed after a short while, and I consider the use of two different timelines to be again a very original and good idea. Next on my list of things to commend is the balanced use of the action scenes, especially as in the Kumoko storyline, something is always going on, it is a constant fight for survival with thrilling twists and surprises. The last positive point is the overall vibe of this anime series. It is pleasantly entertaining, and also enjoyably action-packed with a well-executed mystery surrounding their world, and who the good guys and the bad guys are. Well, so much for the positive aspects, and now onto the things that I feel were not so good. I did not find Shun's plotline half as interesting as Kumoko’s, I did not think it was as entertaining and well-executed as the one around Kumoko’s either. Most of the characters around Shun were pretty generic and I had a hard time liking anyone around this protagonist, and even Shun himself was not exactly what I expected and who I wanted to get behind. There were quite a few discussions in which people mentioned to have regularly skipped Shun’s timeline, and even though I did not go that far, I kind of understand why others did. Luckily, the ending tied most of the loose ends, revealed the few remaining mysteries and both timelines finished strong. Luckily, the ending was supercharged where both plotlines were concerned, everything was connected in the end somehow, and so the last few mysteries were revealed as well. Due to the strong finale, the weaker storyline makes sense to me, however, if the entirety of this anime series had been just about Shun, I think it would have been an average show at best. The other thing I thought was really terrible was what the CGI monster models looked like, and how their movements could sometimes ruin the overall impact of even the most intense fight scenes. If you found their use of CGI alright, good for you, I found it really awful in places. Now, to sum up, So I'm a Spider, So What? is a really well-produced anime series with an excellent plotline concerning the spider (five stars), and a mediocre plotline around Shun (three stars), the graphics could have been better and made me grind my teeth sometimes, however, I liked the soundtrack, story-wise it definitely has something to offer – I think 7/10 is adequate. (03/07/2021) (less) (more)