You know, when I first got hooked on Idol Master XENOGLOSSIA, I was at a loss to explain why the show appealed to me as much as it did. So, it was with some trepidation that I continued watching, expecting it to eventually morph into something not at all to my liking. I was waiting for the other shoe to drop.
Except, it never happened. And, even though I still can’t explain why the show pushes all the right buttons, I can at least breath a sigh of relief, seeing as it has indeed turned out to be as enjoyable as I hoped it would be, if not more so. If you put me on the spot, however, and asked, “What gives? How can you be so enamored with a show everyone and their brother likes to rag on?”, I’d have to say this…
It makes no pretensions.
And that could very well be why the show hasn’t been particularly well-received. Anime fans have a tendency to expect more than simple entertainment from the shows they watch. So far, however, Xenoglossia has offered its viewers little more than simple entertainment. Hence, it’s rubbish. Right? Obviously, I don’t think so, but I’ve spent enough time within the fan community to know that this sort of sentiment is common among anime fans of all stripes. Even I’m guilty at times, I’m sure.
However, seeing as Xenoglossia is neither a blockbuster or widely adored title, should it be elevated to “hidden treasure” status? Beats me. It seems like an odd way to describe a heavily marketed Sunrise series loosely based on a ridiculously popular video game that swept Japan by storm. And, seeing as the show makes no pretensions, I feel like I should do the same. Although, I will admit that, when I read negative comments about Xenoglossia on blogs and message boards, I usually just chuckle and roll my eyes. Ah, conventional wisdom, what would we do without you?
But, at the same time, I don’t see any reason to defend the show. I enjoy it, and that’s good enough. And I have friends who enjoy it, so I at least know I’m not suffering from some sort of brain injury. I can fanboy about Xenoglossia all day long and still sleep at night. I do wonder, however, how the show would have been received had it not been preceded by Mai-HiME and Mai-Otome - two shows that, while having their legions of fans, have not necessarily aged well.
Is Xenoglossia suffering undeserved backlash as a result? Perhaps. The funny thing is, in my opinion, Xenoglossia is better than its two predecessors. It’s clearly less absurd. And it’s far more deliberately paced. Whereas the pacing in Mai-HiME and Mai-Otome left me with whiplash, the pacing in Xenoglossia is surprisingly natural. The writers have planted the seeds, and now it’s time to watch them grow.
And I’m happy to do just that. In fact, for all the cries of, “more action, dammit!”, I wouldn’t mind some filler episodes right about now. There’s a great ensemble cast lurking in Haruka’s shadow at the moment, and nothing brings out side characters like simple, entertaining fluff. So, I’m hoping Xenoglossia will do its best to piss off its detractors even more in future episodes.
