Gods’ Games We Play has potential

Gods’ Games We Play is okay, but it has the potential to be so much more.

One of the things I’ve tried to do with the AJnet Anime Club is cover lesser-known anime.

Don’t get me wrong, I watch the popular stuff too. I’m looking forward to the next seasons of Jujutsu Kaisen, Demon Slayer, Spy x Family, Vinland Saga, and Solo Leveling just like anyone else. I was also very pleased to see Mashle gain much more notoriety after season 2 (most likely because “Bling-Bang-Bang-Born” is catchy af). I covered this amazing series last year after its first season, and I didn’t expect it to actually gain as much traction as it has.

Anyway, my unofficial goal with the AJnet Anime Club is to bring a bit of exposure to some lesser known anime. There’s a lot of good anime out there, and it’s easy to get so caught up in the top titles that hidden gems often go overlooked.

Gods’ Games We Play is one of those hidden gems.

Alright, so “gem” might be going a little too far. Maybe it’s more like a hidden $20 bill. It’s not bad, but it’s not perfect. It definitely has a lot of potential though, and I think a lot of people would enjoy this series if they knew about it.

Like many other series I’ve covered, I found Gods’ Games We Play when Crunchyroll suggested it to me for several weeks straight. The style of the logo and the vague plot description gave me the impression that this series would be kind of like Death Parade (which I’ve covered already), with humans competing in random games while god-like beings watched on.

Needless to say, I was off by quite a bit.

Gods’ Games We Play, which is based off of a light novel series, takes place in an alternate world where the gods have grown bored and decided to challenge humans in various games, known as the “God Games” or the “Play of the Gods”. Selected humans, called “Apostles”, face off against different gods using magical powers (“Arises” as the series refers to them). The gods have set the objective that any human who manages to win ten times will receive their any wish granted. Unfortunately, nobody’s won ten times yet. Not only are many of the games ridiculously hard, but the rules also state that humans are disqualified from playing after three losses.

The anime follows an Acolyte by the name of Fay, and a former dragon goddess named Leoleshea. When the series opens, Fay is a promising rookie, undefeated with three wins under his belt. Unlike many of the other Acolytes, Fay has a genuine passion for playing games, and it’s this passion that earns him Leoleshea’s respect. The two eventually team up with two other Acolytes, a girl named Pearl who can use her Arise to generate portals, and another girl named Nel who is really good at kicking things (seriously, she relies a ton on her legs).

Throughout the series, Fay shows himself to be a master tactician, often dissecting the gods’ tactics and developing highly effective counter strategies on the fly. Fay even manages to defeat a previously undefeated god, Ouroboros. This cunning in conjunction with Leoleshea’s insane strength, Pearl’s teleportation, and Nel’s agility makes the group a near unstoppable force amongst the Acolytes.

The games the gods have the humans play are varied. From playing a highly destructive game of hide-and-seek with a kaiju, to the intense aerial battle with the serpentine Ouroboros, to navigating a gigantic labyrinth in a Dark Souls-esque RPG where they learn by dying countless times, every game feels adequately intense. Most of the games require a combination of physical ability and critical thinking, and each game has its own set of rules. The gods often divulge part of the rules while expecting the humans to figure out the rest. Though the games may seem unfair at times, they’re not unwinnable (except for the giant dungeon technically, but- you know what, I’m not going to spoil that one), and most just require the correct amount of analysis and proper strategy to beat, which of course is Fay’s specialty. None of Fay’s victories seem like ass-pulls, he legitimately earns every victory with his intelligence and perceptiveness. You’ll probably find yourself saying more than once “How the hell did he come up with that?!”, but not in an annoyed way. Fay always explains in great detail how he came to his conclusions, and then it makes perfect sense.

There is one problem I have with this show though, and others might definitely find it off-putting.

The show frequently borders on ecchi territory, and it gets annoying quick. Pearl is very well-endowed, and this becomes the subject of multiple jokes, particularly from Leoleshea. Frequently the former dragon goddess remarks about Pearl’s enormous breasts in jealousy. Pearl also suffers a “wardrobe malfunction” during a fight, and the show focuses on this for an uncomfortable amount of time. In another scene the girls all change into swimsuits and frolic in a giant waterfall while bathing puffy creatures.

The show also has undertones of being a harem. Fay is currently the only male on his team of four, and two of the girls are seemingly obsessed with him. Then on top of that, Fay draws the obsession of Ouroboros (who is also female), to the point where she grows tired of waiting for him to return and pursues him across the other gods’ realms.

I’m no prude, I have no problem with a couple of sexual gags being thrown into an anime here and there. Jokes about women being jealous of each other’s breasts are typical in Japanese media (anyone else remember the infamous deleted scene from Pokémon with Team Rocket and Misty?). A series can have elements of ecchi and still be good. Case in point, Gantz is one of my favorite manga of all time. But after a certain point it just becomes too much, and Gods’ Games We Play definitely reaches that point about six episodes in. The ecchi stuff detracts from an otherwise fun series, and I fear the next season may lay heavily into the harem theme, which would bring the series down even further. I’m not judging those who enjoy ecchi and harem anime, but it’s not my cup of tea.

Overall, Gods’ Games We Play is an enjoyable anime with decent characters, entertaining battles, and a fun story. While it could stand to tone down on the boob jokes and the harem stuff, it’s definitely not a bad series and has the potential to draw a moderate fanbase if it can reduce the ecchi and grow the story. I grade this series a 5/10.