Anime Recommendation: Promare

Promare has saved anime!! Studio Trigger has done it again!!!

I'll never stop saying it: I love Studio Trigger! I'm pretty sure I've made that declaration on every post that I've made about a Trigger anime. Kill la Kill, Space Patrol Luluco, SSSS.Gridman...I treasure these series. I even hold a mess like Darling in the Franxx close to my heart. So it's probably no surprise to anyone that I loved Studio Trigger and Hiroyuki Imaishi's film, Promare.

Even before the movie came out and all I had was some brief clips and images, I was already enamored with the mystery of Promare. I was especially fascinated with the character designs. There was Galo Thymos, a macho firefighter and Kamina-look-a-like, and there was Lio Fotia, an elegant and intimidating leather-clad biker. They looked so different but also complimented each other really well. They were obviously rivals but I was still looking forward to how there dynamic played out on the big screen.

So a few days ago, I actually got a chance to check out Promare in theaters and I was not disappointed...well, maybe I was let down by one thing. Don't worry, I won't spoil anything (even though I really wanna fanboy about a few moments)

Promare takes place in a world where some people suddenly combust and generate intense flames. These people are called the Burnish and only want to be left alone to burn as they please in peace. Obviously the fires started by the Burnish put people in danger and it is up to team Burning Rescue to put out the infernos, save civilians, and fight against a "terrorist" group called Mad Burnish. Galo is a hotshot hero of Burning Rescue and Lio Fotia is the revolutionary leader of Mad Burnish. The film starts with the first confrontation between Galo and Lio.

I really don't think I can get more into the plot without getting into spoiler territory so I'm going to hold myself back and just talk about what I liked about Promare. 

 The soundtrack was great! I know that a lot of people in the anime community are fans of Hiroyuki Sawano and I also enjoy his work. With that being said, I think his work on Promare is some of his best, or at least, it really stands out and is something special. It not only sets the mood, but it's a soundtrack that is just perfect for Promare, I don't know how else to describe it.

I also really really loved how this is a truly Trigger anime. The "Nonsense is how we roll" line from Kill la Kill is the best way to describe Studio Trigger and Promare embraces that philosophy. Literally, anything can happen at any moment and just when you're getting ready to rest, something explodes and you're thrown back into the action. 

My only problem with Promare is that I wanted more by the end of it. I just wanted to learn more about some of the side characters, explore more of this new world, and see more of Galo and Lio's relationship. While I loved the movie, I wouldn't have minded if Promare was a 24 episode series like Kill la Kill. Besides that, I really can't complain about Promare.

If you love Studio Trigger and haven't seen Promare yet, drop everything and find a place to watch it rightaway. If you've never seen a Trigger anime and want to know what all the hype is about, Promare is a good example of Trigger-craziness. If you have seen Promare, go ahead and let me know what you loved about the movie and what was your favorite moment!