Valkyrie Drive: Mermaid - Guns, Swords and More

Valkyrie Drive: Mermaid is one part of a three part japanese media video game franchise by Marvelous. The series was released back in the winter of 2015. Production of Valkyrie Drive: Mermaid was done by Studio Arms a company known for Ikkitousen and Queens Blade. And it shows.

Valkyrie Drive: Mermaid as you would expect leans on the ecchi, fantasy side and its not afraid to show it.  The show certainly is not trying to be the next big anime thing yet is surprisingly still entertaining. So if ecchi and yuri is your thing then read on.

Valkyrie Drive: Mermaid is about a bunch of girls infected by the A-Virus that are exiled to this island called Mermaid. Here the girls are divided into two category. The Extar, those girls that can transform into weapons and the Liberators, those girls that can wield said weapons. This is where the silent Liberator Mirei and the timid Extar Mamori met and their chance encounter will determine the faith of Mermaid island.

The plot is certainly nothing that hasn't been done before but it's decent enough if you get pass the ecchi part and the idea that Extars turn into weapon by being aroused. Yes folks that's how borderline H this anime will get and folks will see that every time they fight. If this is your kind of thing than you will certainly enjoy this anime.

It has some character development, some comedy elements and some touching moments in between that ties it all up together for a grand fight scene in the end. In fact I think the series could have been better if they concentrated on the plot instead of the "plot" (<--- yes I did the thing) of the series. But this is Studio Arms and most folks don't watch Studio Arms anime just for the story.....hue hue.

As far as character development goes Mirei and Mamori has most of the character development although there is some character development from the other side characters here and there. Plus the fight scenes are really good specially when you top it off on how well the characters look. I mean Mirei has that rebellious student outfit that gives her the boyish attitude but with the body of a model. And yes I think this needs another season.

While it certainly won't get points for originality on it's characters transforming into weapons *cough* Soul Eater* cough* it i still fun to watch specially on how well drawn drawn the characters are. The fight scenes are decent enough although there is the occasion drop in quality here and there. Also the last few episodes felt a bit rushed for me then again the folks at Marvelous wanted this anime to promote their video games so they left a lot of stuff out storywise.  

Overall Valkyrie Drive Mermaid is a highly entertaining anime if you don't mind the ecchi and yuri elements this series has in abundance. The fight scenes is certain worth watching it as it is. I certainly wouldn't recommend this for kids under legal age as this is a bit too much. But for anyone above 18 years I'd say this series is something everyone should watch at least once.