"Yuki!"

Mirai Nikki, or 'Future Diary' for those of us more English than others, was a show that I started watching based on the amount of show merch that was available through Hot Topic. After reading the synopsis on myanimelist.com, I decided to give it a shot.

It was an experience.

It started of really strong with an intriguing plot and an art style that hooked me and made me want to keep watching. Deus' character design, in particular, grabbed my attention. After the introduction of Yuno Gasai, one of the most infamous anime characters of all time, I knew that this was a story that would hold my attention. And I was right... until the beginning of the second season. 

Around the start of season 2, I could feel my attention span waning under the pressure of repeated plot points ("Is Yuno really crazy or is she just a little off?") and heaping shovelfuls of side-character development. I understand that the main plot of the show is that the characters are competing in a survival game but I didn't feel like I needed to know the entire backstory of each competitor. Especially since most of them died immediately thereafter. Perhaps it was just the way that this character development was accomplished that irked me but it began to drag long. 

There was also the issue of the two main characters, Yuki and Yuno. I found myself almost annoyed by each of them and their respective personalities, particularly Yuki. Yuki was a coward who constantly second guessed himself and Yuno was batshit crazy and became the most frequently used character model for 'yandere'. I was much more captivated by Akise Aru and Uryuu Minene "Ninth" who seemed to be the only characters with half a brain.

"A half moon, it has a dark half and a bright half, just like me…" - Yuno Gasai

However, all of this mattered not towards the end. With about six episodes left in the series, the show turns you on your head and becomes a total mind fuck. I was so caught off guard with the direction the show took that I wondered if I had missed an episode or two. For Mirai Nikki, the twist was just what it needed to redeem it's slow pacing. Suddenly I was completely enthralled by it's story. I wanted to know more and more and more. Yes, it was all a bit convoluted but somehow all the madness really contributed to the Future Diaries appeal.

All in all, it was a fine show. Not my favorite by any means but it had enough 'umph' to really push it over the edge of average. Not to mention, the first season's OP and accompanying song was fantastic. If you like the idea of cell phones that tell you the future or you're looking for something to watch with a dark edge to it, I'd suggest Mirai Nikki wholeheartedly.