Anime Original by J.C. Staff
Simulcast on Funimation

Premise

A young girl who lives with her grandmother receives a card game with the promise that it will help her make friends. She doesn’t wish to worry her grandmother so she decides to take the gift. The twist is that the cards are alive and will grant a wish to the ultimate winner of the game.

Lifesong’s Verdict: Broody and Interesting.

Anime original deconstructions have become their own category of anime at this point. Madoka Inspired them and several anime have tried to follow suit. My first thoughts on this anime are that for better or worse Selector Infected WIXOSS is going to fit into that same category. Seeing Mari Okada is the writer inspires confidence, but ambitious animation projects often fail. What should we expect from this? I hope to see something like Madoka in form. Something that can uses the similarities to catch our attention and then moves in its own more original direction.

This first episode kicks off with character introductions and a quick look at the game they will be playing. It’s all played straight, but the the pacing and atmosphere establish that something isn’t right. The avatar card manages to be both cute and terrifying all at the same time. The atmosphere was dark and foreboding and the card game and cast are all likeable enough. If I am honest this first episode was interesting, but not compelling. What sold me was the next episode preview. That may seem like an odd thing to sell a show, but I feel like I have a good sense of direction after watching it. There is a long list of things that are just waiting to go wrong in this anime and I for one can’t wait to see how wrong they will go.

Jel’s Verdict: Dark Magician Girls

Has “Deconstruction” become its own genre unto itself? Especially after Madoka Magica broke down the Magical Girl genre, I feel like you could stick any kids’ show concept in the formula and make it super DAAAAARK. That’s exactly what Selector Infected tries to do in its first episode, coating the normally innocent card battle game concept with enough film grain and ghoulish imagery to doubt they’re attempting anything else.

Whether that’s a good or a bad thing remains to be seen. It will really depend on how close Selector Infected sticks to the blueprint and unfortunately this episode hinted that’s what it’s going to do. Deconstructions only work when they shock you, and at this point in anime history that’s really difficult. You certainly know the wish concept is going to be a horrible lie, would you be surprised if WIXOSS was actually a method of containment for horrible monsters that feed on human souls? Nope! How about the main girl’s new friend turning on her in desperation to get her wish? I would expect no less! Selector Infected sets up its initial premise well, but I will need to truly be shocked to stay interested.

Marlin’s Verdict: Select Potential

I wasn’t outright wowed with this episode, but it at least did the right things to pique my interest. I hope most avatars are like the spunky girl’s and not Tama. Her weird babyish cries were by far the most annoying thing about this show. Speaking of the girl, am I the only one that caught that her wish is that she wants to get it on with her twin brother? I’m not sure if I’m just interpreting the subs wrong but it seemed like it. The premise and mood gives off some nice Madoka vibes, so while some parts were boring it did have some good moments. We’ll have to wait and see if it can deliver on a more weighty plot, but I’m at least going to give this show a few more episodes.