Note: Today’s First Impression comes from PicoPrimes, one of my (NegativePrimes’s) kids. With just a little assistance from yours truly. 🙂
Welsh & Shedar is an anime drawn in a style similar to Avatar: The Last Airbender. So far, it’s about two boys, Welsh and Shedar (surprise!). After being injured in a battle, Shedar has a vision in which a dragon tells him about Welsh, and that the two of them are destined to defeat the evil queen Zabel (I presume that’s how it’s spelled). Welsh, it turns out, is the lost and unwitting heir to the throne. Unfortunately, Zabel happens to be Shedar’s mother. Welsh, meanwhile, lives in a village elsewhere, and has a (presumably adopted) mom. Then Shedar tells Zabel about his vision (not very smart), and Zabel tries to kill Shedar!
The art isn’t spectacular, but I’d say it’s better than average. I originally thought the story would be about Zabel, but it doesn’t (well, she’s not the main character, but the story seems to revolve around her as the primary antagonist), which I did like. I like the design of her son, Shedar, and his personality, although I think it was a bit unrealistic that he told his mother about his vision to destroy her. If I had a dream like that, I’d probably tell no one or think that it was just a random dream (and consequently, tell no one anyway). I liked seeing the village where Welsh lived, as well. Overall, I’d say it’s not the best series out there, but it’s quite good, much better than your average isekai, and the lore is exciting; so I’d like to keep watching, and I recommend it if it sounds like your cup of tea.
(A further note from NegativePrimes: Welsh & Shedar is an original French-Japanese anime collaboration set in the Krosmoz, the same universe as the Wakfu and Dofus franchise. However, no knowledge of the previous series or the games is needed to enjoy the new story. Be advised that there are some intense moments, like when Zabel tries to murder her own son, that may not be appropriate for younger children. My sense as a parent is that if someone is old enough to enjoy Avatar, they are probably old enough to enjoy Welsh & Shedar.)
Welsh & Shedar is streaming on YouTube.
