This review may contain spoilers
Pretty Men, Punches, Parkour & No Self-Control
(WARNING: Potential Spoilers — I’m Not Saving You from Any Emotional Damage)
Okay, first of all, this show is SUPER EXCELLENT.
There is honestly nothing I can say about it that was wrong for me, and there really wasn't anything I didn't like. I came into this after Weak Hero, looking for action, and High&Low basically said, “Oh, you want action? Let me introduce you to an entire universe of gangs.”
And I was absolutely here for it.
The storyline of S.W.O.R.D. is essentially the introduction to this whole world. We get the history of Mugen, the legendary organization that once ruled the entire city, and what happened after they disbanded. That power vacuum created five factions, each taking over different parts of the city, and those factions became Sanno Rengokai, White Rascals, Oya High, RUDE BOYS, and Daruma Gurentai.
And while all five factions play a major role, the main basis of the story is centered around Sanno Rengokai. We're introduced to their members, their relationships, their history, and how everything begins to spiral into the larger conflict between the different groups.
But I'm going to say it right here and right now:
THE RUDE BOYS WERE MY FAVORITE.
The parkour was AMAZING.
Every single time those guys came on screen, I was immediately paying attention. It was thrilling watching them move through the city, and those sequences gave the show an entirely different kind of action compared to the straight-up fighting. I loved it.
Actually, let's talk about the fight scenes because some of those fights were PURE MAGIC.
I could not take my eyes off the screen. There were moments where I was so invested in what was happening that I waited until I absolutely could not stand it anymore before taking a restroom break. 😂
That's commitment.
But honestly, one of the biggest things that made this show work for me was the fact that every faction had its own identity. They weren't just five groups of guys wearing different clothes and punching each other. Each one had its own personality, aesthetic, fighting style, and place in the overall story, which made the whole thing feel much bigger than a basic gang drama.
And then we have the soundtrack.
OH. MY. GOD.
The soundtrack was phenomenal.
Absolutely PHENOMENAL.
The music was such a huge part of the experience for me. It wasn't just sitting underneath the action; it helped create the atmosphere and made those already-insane scenes hit even harder. There were moments when the music kicked in and I was basically like, Yep. Here we go.
And this is probably a good time to point out something else I appreciated:
There is no romance.
Whatsoever.
Okay, there is some flirting here and there, but actual romance? Nope.
And you know what?
It doesn't need it.
This story doesn't need somebody stopping in the middle of a gang war to have a fifteen-minute conversation about their feelings. 😂 The friendships, loyalty, rivalries, grudges, and relationships between the different factions are more than enough to carry the story.
Honestly, after watching this, I completely understand why High&Low has such a huge franchise around it. This first season feels like an introduction to a much bigger world, and instead of overwhelming me with all of these different groups, it made me want to know more about every single one.
Which is exactly how I ended up continuing the franchise.
Because apparently I have no self-control.
And now I'm watching all of it.
Okay, first of all, this show is SUPER EXCELLENT.
There is honestly nothing I can say about it that was wrong for me, and there really wasn't anything I didn't like. I came into this after Weak Hero, looking for action, and High&Low basically said, “Oh, you want action? Let me introduce you to an entire universe of gangs.”
And I was absolutely here for it.
The storyline of S.W.O.R.D. is essentially the introduction to this whole world. We get the history of Mugen, the legendary organization that once ruled the entire city, and what happened after they disbanded. That power vacuum created five factions, each taking over different parts of the city, and those factions became Sanno Rengokai, White Rascals, Oya High, RUDE BOYS, and Daruma Gurentai.
And while all five factions play a major role, the main basis of the story is centered around Sanno Rengokai. We're introduced to their members, their relationships, their history, and how everything begins to spiral into the larger conflict between the different groups.
But I'm going to say it right here and right now:
THE RUDE BOYS WERE MY FAVORITE.
The parkour was AMAZING.
Every single time those guys came on screen, I was immediately paying attention. It was thrilling watching them move through the city, and those sequences gave the show an entirely different kind of action compared to the straight-up fighting. I loved it.
Actually, let's talk about the fight scenes because some of those fights were PURE MAGIC.
I could not take my eyes off the screen. There were moments where I was so invested in what was happening that I waited until I absolutely could not stand it anymore before taking a restroom break. 😂
That's commitment.
But honestly, one of the biggest things that made this show work for me was the fact that every faction had its own identity. They weren't just five groups of guys wearing different clothes and punching each other. Each one had its own personality, aesthetic, fighting style, and place in the overall story, which made the whole thing feel much bigger than a basic gang drama.
And then we have the soundtrack.
OH. MY. GOD.
The soundtrack was phenomenal.
Absolutely PHENOMENAL.
The music was such a huge part of the experience for me. It wasn't just sitting underneath the action; it helped create the atmosphere and made those already-insane scenes hit even harder. There were moments when the music kicked in and I was basically like, Yep. Here we go.
And this is probably a good time to point out something else I appreciated:
There is no romance.
Whatsoever.
Okay, there is some flirting here and there, but actual romance? Nope.
And you know what?
It doesn't need it.
This story doesn't need somebody stopping in the middle of a gang war to have a fifteen-minute conversation about their feelings. 😂 The friendships, loyalty, rivalries, grudges, and relationships between the different factions are more than enough to carry the story.
Honestly, after watching this, I completely understand why High&Low has such a huge franchise around it. This first season feels like an introduction to a much bigger world, and instead of overwhelming me with all of these different groups, it made me want to know more about every single one.
Which is exactly how I ended up continuing the franchise.
Because apparently I have no self-control.
And now I'm watching all of it.
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