First Squad: The Moment Of Truth – Anime Review

Let’s get down to business with First Squad. I like this anime. Take caution however, when I say ‘like’ I mean I enjoyed watching it and if there is a sequel I might even give that a go. If I were to LOVE it, I would be gushing all over your screen right now and telling you to buy multiple copies. I know what I like, and I like female heroines and thrillers.

The movie begins with a grainy WWII film of the fighting. The story moves along from there as the viewer pretty much finds out information when Nadya does. I like how you are thrown into this storyline with little information, and have to piece things together along side Nadya, a 14-year-old teen with amazing psychic abilities.

First Squad is cool on a lot of different levels: The story takes place in Russia during World War II. The Germans and the Russians are at a stand still on the battle front. The Germans turn to witchcraft and the occult for an other worldly Russian enemy by the name of  Von Wolff to help their chances of victory. Von Wolf seeks his revenge against the Russians after losing a fierce battle and his life at their hands. The Russians have a supernatural team of their own, but it seemed all of them were wiped out in a mass execution by the Germans.  All seems lost for the Russians. Except one person survived, Nayda.

The action sequences are a little short lived. There is plenty of blood and ghoulish things to keep you interested, but a lot of the movie is Nadya trying to figure out what she has forgotten.  I find that climax of the film happens way too fast. But the movie IS short.

I like the drawing style, I like how you learn all the information you need without it seeming forced. Though, take note they did use the age old head trauma to do so. When I watched the Blue-ray I found that it had a long version and a short. Not wanting to miss a thing, I watched the long version.  Even that one is short, a mere hour and fifteen minutes. However, throughout the longer one, you have “historians”, “war veterans”, and “psychiatrists” monologuing throughout the movie in Russian.

I am unsure if the whole Russian monologues in-between the anime was necessary. Mostly because It was not sub titled; so the men were literally speaking Russian and I couldn’t understand a word. In an artistic sort of way it was cool, but only in that way. My friend fast forwarded saying, “Do you mind? We can’t understand them anyways!” Well she has a point.

First Squad is short and sweet. It leaves you with a cliffhanger making room for a possible sequel. Watching the long version cause It drags a little, but if you are a fan of Full Metal Alchemist, conspiracies, and teenage girls with swords (swords???) kicking butt you will like this anime.

Check out the trailer below!