"I wasn't particularly planning on getting along"
AARO aka Zen Ryoiki Ijo Kaiketsu Shitsu was a shadowy organization occasionally used by the government when supernatural events were suspected. Working in tandem with the police department they investigated cases that appeared to go beyond the norm.
Amano Koyume is pulled off her position in the PR department of the police department and assigned to the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office aka AARO. With no investigation experience or knowledge of the occult she doesn’t appear to be a natural fit. Deputy chief Okitama Miyabi cuts her little slack as he pushes her along in their cases. The old god Hiruko seems to be making his presence known through social media and gruesome deaths gathering fear and members to his New Genesis plan. Okitama and Amano along with AARO colleagues work to track down and stop the source of the strange cases they encounter.
Supernatural investigators and creatures are nothing unique and AARO didn’t exactly break new ground. Despite strange goings on, there was a repetition of vengeful and jealous women throughout the drama. I kept waiting for Hiruko to be exposed as a female god who had been scorned and was taking it out on humanity instead of the people are horrible especially now that they have social media and must be reordered theme. Nearly every episode at least one person was kidnapped. The producers must have gotten a big box of zip ties on sale and decided they all needed to be used. Waste not want not.
The writing could be terribly uneven. Relationships were hinted at but never explored. Deaths of characters unknown to the viewers were mourned, while horrific mass deaths were scarcely mentioned. The acting was even more uneven, perhaps due to the writing. The last few episodes with the exception of the cliffhanger ending were more compelling and might have been even stronger if everyone hadn’t already been kidnapped or had their life threatened a half dozen times. I kept being reminded of Megamind regarding the frequent kidnapping card. “You of all people should know we discontinued that promotion.” While I’m on a rant, they overused the loud echoing footsteps. It was especially humorous when one character who weighed maybe 90 pounds/40kg was wearing rubber soled boots. One time is effective, four times not so much. I also haven’t seen fight choreography this bad in years.
Even taking my rants into consideration, AARO was an easy watch with entertaining moments. The sad thing is with better continuity and writing it could have been so much more. And 50% less kidnappings.
19 June 2025
Trigger warning: For people who are squeamish there were body parts shown and copious amounts of blood.
Amano Koyume is pulled off her position in the PR department of the police department and assigned to the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office aka AARO. With no investigation experience or knowledge of the occult she doesn’t appear to be a natural fit. Deputy chief Okitama Miyabi cuts her little slack as he pushes her along in their cases. The old god Hiruko seems to be making his presence known through social media and gruesome deaths gathering fear and members to his New Genesis plan. Okitama and Amano along with AARO colleagues work to track down and stop the source of the strange cases they encounter.
Supernatural investigators and creatures are nothing unique and AARO didn’t exactly break new ground. Despite strange goings on, there was a repetition of vengeful and jealous women throughout the drama. I kept waiting for Hiruko to be exposed as a female god who had been scorned and was taking it out on humanity instead of the people are horrible especially now that they have social media and must be reordered theme. Nearly every episode at least one person was kidnapped. The producers must have gotten a big box of zip ties on sale and decided they all needed to be used. Waste not want not.
The writing could be terribly uneven. Relationships were hinted at but never explored. Deaths of characters unknown to the viewers were mourned, while horrific mass deaths were scarcely mentioned. The acting was even more uneven, perhaps due to the writing. The last few episodes with the exception of the cliffhanger ending were more compelling and might have been even stronger if everyone hadn’t already been kidnapped or had their life threatened a half dozen times. I kept being reminded of Megamind regarding the frequent kidnapping card. “You of all people should know we discontinued that promotion.” While I’m on a rant, they overused the loud echoing footsteps. It was especially humorous when one character who weighed maybe 90 pounds/40kg was wearing rubber soled boots. One time is effective, four times not so much. I also haven’t seen fight choreography this bad in years.
Even taking my rants into consideration, AARO was an easy watch with entertaining moments. The sad thing is with better continuity and writing it could have been so much more. And 50% less kidnappings.
19 June 2025
Trigger warning: For people who are squeamish there were body parts shown and copious amounts of blood.
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