Rage of Bahamut ramblings
I said I’d dump my thoughts on Rage of Bahamut: Virgin Soul (that’s a mouthful) sometime, and though I barely have the mental capacity right now to put two words together, I need to rant. So it’s bullet point time about an obscure 2017 anime series (based on a random mobile game card I think??) to list all the reasons you, like me, might have overlooked this show at first glance but could actually love it if you knew what’s actually about.
AND IT’S A FAIRYTALESQUE LOVE STORY BETWEEN ENEMIES.
— First things first: I know there’s a season 1 called Genesis. Did not watch it, and I’m not particularly interested in doing so because, from what I’ve seen, they’re quite different. Watching Genesis isn’t needed to enjoy Virgin Soul since both seasons are standalone despite sharing characters (and Nina or Charioce are not one of those). I came to Bahasoul for the romance, and that’s where I’m staying. I understood everything that matters from Genesis from what they explain, and Favaro gives me the impression of working best as a mentor character.
— Ok, now, what is the pitch for this? On the outside it looks like a generic fantasy adventure story. But in reality it’s a fairy tale romance with enemies to lovers where a dragon shapeshifter heroine and an evil ruthless king (who deep down has a noble goal and a softer side) fall in love. Also the king has kind of a curse too, and he’s saved by the heroine. Sprinkle some soulmates’ vibes as well. It’s never explicitly said, but it’s there between the lines from the first moment they touch hands.
— The romance is NOT a subplot, it’s central to the main story.
— There’s a variety of characters, and most are quite good and I enjoyed them a lot! But Nina is front and center the main protagonist, she’s the lens through which we experience everything, so her story with Charioce is integral and a main source of internal conflict and events.
— And Nina is an amazing main character, compassionate and kind but also protective and fiery and with a feisty side sometimes. She’s not just a cheerful, carefree heroine. The show goes beyond that and explores her character in detail, her struggles, her pain. She’s extremely relatable and you connect with her a lot.
— Charioce works perfectly as both the charismatic and enigmatic villain with hidden motives, and as Nina’s love interest. The romance works so well because, despite their differences, they’re treated as equals and both find something that was missing inside them through the other.
Now to the more spoilery stuff, though I don’t go into any plot details.
amandla
kianamaiart
tangentwithtanner
pixelskylines
turnnoffyourmind
