Shows such as Gate, Argevollen , and Unlimited Fafnir have ushered in a revival of Military type animes. The newest addition for the fall season of anime is Anti-Magic Academy: The 35th Test Platoon. The show focuses on a platoon in a military academy and its interactions with regulating and tracking down illegal use of magic items. The military is portrayed differently in this anime, as the military is made up of people who use both magic and advance technology that has a significant impact on the decisions they make.
This new show focuses on students transitioning to becoming Inquisitors or witch hunters. These students are divided into various different platoons and are sent out on missions dealing with magical problems. The anime focuses on one particular platoon, the 35th Test Platoon, which has not had a successful mission in over 6 months. As a result of this failure they have received a new member, who is a former Inquisitor, Ohtori. Immediately Ohtori wants to work alone as she is out for revenge on the witches who had killed her family and anybody working with her will be in the way. Captain Kusanagi eventually convinces her that this is not the way to achieve justice and is slowly convincing her to be part of his platoon.
This anime exceeds the typical scope of a military genre show as it explores both the professional and personal elements of the students as they transition into Inquisitors. On a professional level Kusanagi is responsible and goes out of his way with Ohtori regarding her taking care of her wounds. Conversely, on a personal level Kusanagi begins to connect with Ohtori as he stops her from needlessly killing and provides her with empathy as she has lost her entire family to the witches. This anime explores new territory in a military themed anime as professional and personal ideologies collide.
Anti-Magic Academy: The 35th Test Platoon looks to add to the already thriving military genre of anime. It is incorporating new elements such as magic that tend to shift the focus of the story from a combat driven anime to an anime that focuses on the drives of soldiers and the effects that the fighting has on them. This anime is exploring new topics in the military genre, while incorporating a fast paced action thus providing a story that is engaging and thought provoking.
