Is the Fire Force anime worth watching?

When Fire Force was released in 2019, I was hyped to watch this show for two big reasons. One was the flashy trailers that caught my eye, and the other was that David Productions took care of the animations. But after watching all these current seasons and catching up with the manga, I’ve heard one question asked again and again: Is Fire Force worth watching?

The short answer is yes, Fire Force is absolutely worth watching. However, it's recommended to watch it as a standalone show, rather than comparing it to Soul Eater. I get it. The moment people hear “from the creator of Soul Eater,” expectations skyrocket.

Both shows have very different narrative styles, but each has a unique payout for sticking around. For what it’s worth, Fire Force is more than capable of standing on its own. I believe that if you let go of those comparisons, you’ll start to see how unique and entertaining it is.

This anime is based on the manga of the same name, and it is illustrated by Atsushi Ohkubo. Fans have loved the story as this was the final work of the mangaka. The story of Fire Force starts off a little slow, and it takes time to build the foundation of the series, but after that, the pacing takes off.

There’s also a strong mix of action and comedy, though I’ll admit the fanservice can get a bit ridiculous at times (Tamaki’s "lucky lecher lure" gag wears thin fast). That said, episodes like the Fire Force calendar one had me genuinely laughing out loud.

The anime offers good character development and quality animation

When it comes to shounen, characters are everything. At first, I wasn’t fully sold on the cast. Shinra had potential, sure, but the rest of Company 8 felt underdeveloped. Fortunately, the second half of the season takes things up a notch.

Characters like Vulcan, Benimaru, and Arthur began to shine. Benimaru, in particular, became one of my favorite characters; his episodes are some of the best in the entire series. His powers, backstory, and personality just hit differently.

If I talk about the animation of this series, it can be described as gorgeous. David Production knocked it out of the park. The way they animate fire is stunning. Each flame has weight, movement, and emotion.

Additionally, since fire is the main theme, you get these amazing contrasts in dark settings where characters are illuminated only by their flames. It’s atmospheric, stylish, and totally unique.

The story of Fire Force introduced a new concept in the Shonen genre

Fire Force is a show that introduces a cast of supernatural firefighters. And it’s not just the concept. The show explores themes like faith, grief, redemption, and the corruption within institutions. The Holy Sol Temple isn’t just a backdrop—it’s a symbol of how power and belief can be manipulated.

The only downside of the show is that it offers a lot of unnecessary fan service, and the pacing during the start could have been tighter. This anime has ambition. It’s stylish, bold, and builds a compelling narrative over time. And most importantly, it gets better the longer you stick with it.

Final thoughts

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I believe Fire Force is a new generation shonen anime that needs to be given a chance. It might not grab you immediately. It might frustrate you with its jokes or slow start.

But if you give it the time to unfold, you’ll be rewarded with a world unlike any other, some of the best animated battles in modern anime, and characters who slowly but surely win you over.

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