Kunon the Sorcerer Can See – Episodes 1-2

What’s it about? Kunon was born blind and always felt like a burden to his loving family.  That’s why he became determined to learn more about the world by learning water magic and using it to navigate the world around him.  

This didn’t deserve a double premiere.  If anything it made me care less for Kunon as a character and I’m not particularly invested in his quest to learn magic.  The most frustrating aspect about this show is that I think it has the potential to say something thoughtful about the ongoing struggles of blind people through a fantasy setting.  The problem is Kunon and the other characters are simply too boring, and there isn’t anything truly unique about the world-building that makes it stand out from the usual flop we get every season.  Kunon is the usual genius child who masters everything quickly and impresses everyone around him.   

Kunon’s family and acquaintances are fine on paper, but it mostly feels like everyone is following their assigned roles for the story without any sense of depth.  The only thing worth mentioning is the idea of Kunon using magic to create a more accommodating world for disabled people rather than “needing to find a cure.”  That’s a nice message, especially since there aren’t enough stories like A Sign of Affection that center disabled characters.  Aside from that, the animation is bland and the pacing is painfully slow, especially in terms of trying to get the viewers interested in Kunon’s struggles.  The double premiere speeds through Kunon’s character arc so quickly that it makes me wonder if there’s some amazing material that it’s trying to fast-forward toward. 

If that’s the case, then it feels like a real lack of faith in the production, since it isn’t invested in building a solid groundwork.  The only enthusiasm radiating off the screen is Kunon’s maid named Iko, who fluctuates between being super supportive or just being a downright creep who makes inappropriate comments to Kunon.  It’s a miracle she hasn’t been fired yet for her transgression, but the plot demands for somebody to look after Kunon while he follows his dreams.  It’s a shame that there’s literally no passion in this series because I like the main message it’s trying to convey and it’s just a major bummer that such a good idea is wasted on this series.  

I’m not asking for everything to be the next Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End, but if there’s one thing that the series mastered is the art of conveying profound ideas in quieter moments.  I think this show could’ve absolutely done something similar to that instead of being such a drag to get through.  In short folks, I kept checking the time because I was extremely bored and wanted to move on so badly.  If you are looking for a simple fantasy story to follow this season then look no further than this, but pray to your lucky stars that you don’t end up falling asleep in the process.