Anime Aerobics

Hey world, it’s your girl Joye Styk. This week’s addition to my playlist, while I work on my #conbody, is the opening theme from “BTOOOM!“.

Btooom! is originally a manga where the titular character is a NEET (Not in Education, Employment or Training) … such a fancy way to say slacker…that does nothing but play an online game called “BTOOOM!“. As the best player in Japan, things go from online fun to real life madness when he finds himself forced to play the game in real life. Since winning involves retrieving gems that can only be released from a person’s hand when they die, and everyone on the island is armed with one of eight specialised bombs (just like in the game), BTOOOM is worth checking out. The fact that real life doesn’t come with a respawn and characters range from rapists to children, means that BTOOOM is not for younger viewers as the moral ambiguity of killing another to save yourself is a very real consideration.

As an anime offering from MADHOUSE, BTOOOM was given one season of love (and I feel it deserves a second season). There was a recent launch of the mobile game in Japan this February and if it is popular we may get that much needed second season. Creators have stated that if the app makes it to the Top 5 they will release a second season…so finger’s crossed that they do it even if it only makes top 10.

Until then, you can get pumped on the opening track when you try to achieve those ungodly comic-book character proportions and the anime is a fun watch on your rest day or when you run on the treadmill or something.

Let the other gym rats work out thinking “No Pain No Gain”…thanks to BTOOOM! I work out like a gamer… “No Pain, No Game”.