BTS Anime ‘Bastions’ Delivers Weak Premiere

Billing Bastions as a BTS anime is a ploy to attract viewers. Celebrities are like superheroes to us. We find the work they do impressive and are in awe of how they get the job done. Bastions uses this idea by setting itself in a world where superheroes are the norm. Heroes are idolized, and compete against their peers for popularity amongst the public.

The draw for this new Crunchyroll show is the new music from K-pop superstars, BTS. This is their first group project since their last album, Proof, was released last June. But once fans hear the opening track, there just isn’t enough substance to keep them tuned into this BTS anime.

The title refers to a trio of superheroes who are just starting out in the business. The series opens with a well-established superhero duo, Miki (Kim Yeonwoo) and Michi (Lee Kyungtae), stopping a runaway truck. What they don’t realize is that the truck is filled with toxic chemicals that are starting to leak out. Cue the Bastions, comprised of Digger (Han sin), Almon (Kim Sinwoo), and JJ (Kim Minju).

They help clear up the mess and shoot their way to the top of a weekly hero rankings list based on socials media views, likes, and follows. This concept is not unique to this show; it can be seen in series like The Boys, My Hero Academia and One Punch Man. But unlike those great media sources, Bastions doesn’t do anything interesting with it.

While the episode tries to paint our heroes as rookies, they seem to be in control of their powers and already have great teamwork skills. The only “rookie” aspect about them is when they’re shown practicing dance choreography outside their hero work. What are they training for? This is just one of the many unanswered questions in this series premiere.

The first episode of this five-part series clocks in at 14 minutes and 33 seconds long, and unfortunately we don’t get to learn much about our lead characters or the world they live in. If I’m being honest, I wouldn’t be able to tell you the characters names off the top of my head. The Bastions’ powers are rarely showcased in the premiere, making it difficult to understand what exactly their limits are.

As an introduction to an original anime, this episode lacks anything to invest myself in. The animation is nothing to write home about, either. When I first saw the images, I was thrown off by the 3D animation style, but I held judgement until I saw it in action. But after seeing the flat environments, jarring character designs, and awkward movements, it’s like watching cutscenes from a PlayStation 2 game.

The only saving grace for me is the K-pop music in the series; but the songs are officially released, so there really is no reason for me to continue watching. As a superhero fan, it’s unfortunate that barely anything about this show stands out to me. I could maybe see younger kids enjoying this, but there are far better things for them to watch.

If you’ve watched the series premiere, let me know your thoughts. Will you continue with the rest of the episodes? Keep up-to-date with the latest content on the Agents of Fandom socials and stay tuned for more Agents of Anime!