Upon release, Guilty Crown quickly became one of the most controversial anime to exist amongst the fandom and still withstands a considerable amount of backlash to this day. Part of it has to do with the huge amount of hype surrounding the talent behind it. Part of it has to do with it airing on the noitamina timeslot back when it was well-respected. A lot of it has to do with its incredibly cliche writing, lackluster/stupid characters, and awkward plot turns combined with a self-serious tone that never once acknowledges its stupidity.
And yet, most people watched it. Most people laughed at it. Why? Because there was something about stupidity taken this seriously that really compelled us. And over time, this reviewer has come to appreciate Guilty Crown on its own terms whilst understanding that it’s less a bad anime and more a well-made show that wasn’t what fans wanted at the time. It’s fast-paced, all the important characters are developed well enough, the technicals are consistently good for the most part, and most of all, it’s a show that seeks to offend on purpose. Guilty Crown is an anime that seeks to challenge the fanbase without losing its identity as a genre piece, not unlike Metal Gear Solid 2. And whilst it’s not a perfect one, shaping your viewpoint in that direction allows Guilty Crown to stand on its own as a solid satire piece in a medium full of weak entries.
It was interesting to see the "fanbases ruining everything" point in the full article. I often try to avoid things for a while if I hear too many people harp on about it, as I find that overhype prevents me from giving it a fair crack. How far does the show go in trying to offend? – mattdoylemedia8 years ago
I have to agree with your take on the series. I wasn't a total fan of the plot when the series was airing, but with hindsight the story was actually more effective than what I initially thought. I was probably too distracted by the audio/visual aspect of the series which still stands with me as being one of the best series I have seen in that regard. – CheesyJ8 years ago