Anime Review: Rust-Eater Bisco Episode One

Rust-Eater Bisco

Studio: OZ

Genre: Fantasy, Action

Streaming: Crunchyroll

The first anime produced by studio, OZ, Rust-Eater Bisco is originally based off a light novel series which won Silver in the 24th Dengeki Novel Prize, and placed first in the Kono Light Novel ga Sugoi! ranking in the best light novel category in 2019. The series follows two very different protagonists: a gentle doctor called Milo Nekoyanagi (or Panda due to his strange shadowed eye), and the elusive criminal Bisco Akaboshi across a strange post-apocalyptic Japan. Here, in  this strange future, great expanses of the land have turned to desert with a terrifying rust like disease spreading over it’s surface and infecting the people. The cause of this event is believed to be mushroom spores and, but together the unlikely duo will look for a particular type of mushroom rumoured to cure the effects of the rust.

This anime hooked me right from its’ initial promo trailers for it’s sheer absurdity – crashing music, chaotic visuals and a very bizarre note really made it make a huge impression and it stood out amongst the series other influx of fantasy and action series. The series is weird, and that’s honestly what makes it work. It’s also refreshingly mature and adult in tone compared to the more standard shounen fare out there. The world it’s set in is dark and gritty, with danger and crime around every corner. Milo is refreshingly gentle and sweet compared to the city he lives in, but there are hints early on at much more going on beneath the surface with him and his dedication to finding a cure pushes him to the wrong side of the law quite easily. Bisco remains more of an enigma in this first episode and honestly, this works – it allowed time for the episode to build out the world more, to develop Milo as our other protagonist and show hints as to how the world got into the state it’s now in.

Visually this anime has got gorgeous production values – despite the grim world, the scenery is memorable and striking. The music is one of the huge highlights of this show, really setting the more action-packed and gritty tone of the series. Character designs are a little bland (Bisco in particular very much just looks like a typical shounen protagonist, unfortunately) but bright and colourful. The ideas are so off the wall they really make an impact – an archer whose arrows grow gigantic mushrooms,  a giant crab, hippos with machine gun cannons and giant flying snail airplanes make up just some of the insane inhabitants of the world. Despite the relatively unknown anime studio, the series has its fair share of creditable names attached to it – it’s scripted by Sadayuki Murai (Cowboy Bebop, Perfect Blue), and directed by Atsushi Ikariya (his directorial debut but he’s worked on such popular franchise as Fate/ Unlimited Blade Works and Kill la Kill).

Overall, Rust-Eater Bisco gets off to a bombastic start and is sure to be one of the best action fantasy series of the season if it keeps up the pacing and character development seen in this first episode. A definite must watch for anyone who is interested in something a little more outside of the box, or wanting to try out a new action show.