First Impression: Genei wo Kakeru Taiyou

GENEI WO KAKERU TAIYOU: Finally, a series has come to compete with Madoka Magica for best deconstruction of the Mahou Shoujo sub-genre

I became a big fan of Mahou Shoujo because of Madoka Magica, a series that gave it a darker and more mature undertone. Now, a new series called Genei wo Kakeru Taiyou (Daybreak Illusion), has surfaced to offer the same deconstruction.

Thanks to a recommendation from one of my Youtube subscriptions, I discovered this series very early. The pilot episode came out just recently, and I am curious enough to give it a watch. The first half of the episode establishes the ordinary life of Akari Taiyou, a girl who dreams to be a fortuneteller like her late mother. Even though stasis points could be boring to watch, this is not the case for Genei wo Kakeru Taiyou. There are so many intriguing questions imposed that the viewers couldn’t help but continue watching to discover the answers. Aside from this, certain plot points suggest that they are foreshadows, preparing the viewers for the coming conflict.

            Further into the episode, eerie video transitions and sound effects have been exploited to give the series a sinister atmosphere. What makes them very effective is the fact that the art style of this anime is very playful and childish. They create a good contradiction, and this is the point where the viewers will understand that this is not your typical Mahou Shoujo anime. It is a deconstruction -- much like Madoka Magica.

            After the establishing and foreshadowing, the episode jumpstarts to a battle scene that ask more questions instead of giving answers. Despite this rather confusing feature, the scene has rendered this episode officially dark, for there is much blood and death. The episode ends with an even more extravagant battle sequence, where the viewers will meet new characters with unique powers -- Mahou Shoujos. This sequence has suggested many hints regarding the overall story.

            But the fact that these are just HINTS makes the overall story still unknown. The viewers simply don’t have a clear idea what the show is about. And, somehow, this vagueness has made it even more interesting. There are just so many questions to answer, so many characters to analyze, and so many magical powers to discover. I recommend this series to anyone out there looking for a new series to watch. Genei wo Kakeru Taiyou holds a lot of promise. And, I must add, it even has the potential to surpass Madoka Magica’s deconstruction of the Mahou Shoujo sub-genre.

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