Thesis Seikon no Qwaser is one of the most infamous yet misunderstood anime out there. If youre reading this you probably already know this battle anime uses breast milk as a key combat device. As a result the series attracts a lot of novelty attention from people who otherwise wouldnt ordinarily be into ecchi but also people who simply see this as epic jackoff material and think nothing more of it. Over the years this has lead to Qwaser being largely underappreciated as the unique wellrounded and innovative anime it is. Im sure most ecchi/ero aficionados would agree that other borderline H series such as Masou Gakuen HxH and Redo of Healer cant hold a candle to this and in this review Id like to unpack why I think Qwaser has earned such a memorable spot in history compared to its descendants. Overview The story revolves around combat among people known as qwasers. A qwaser is a person with a special affinity for a single element iron copper chlorine etc and can manipulate it at will. Qwasers have finite energy with which to manipulate these elements however and must recharge by drinking a womans soma basically the shows technical term for breast milk. This can come from any woman but the soma is most effective if the woman is close with the qwaser on some physical or emotional level. These are typically women who train and partner with a specific qwaser known as marias. There are different underground organizations who essentially employ qwasers and marias as specops military in a hunt for a powerful artifact that can shape or destroy the world. Thats a lot of wow factor but it isnt the sole reason to why the series is so successful. Much more than that needs to go right for an anime like this to triumph. Production This starts with the production which is of relatively high quality for a 24 episode fringe series. There are more impressively animated series in this genre like High School DxD but there are no major missteps here. Of course most of the animation budgeting prioritizes the elaborate ecchi scenes over the more inbetween moments but the generally well choreographed action sequences are not neglected in the slightest either. Beyond that the artwork is solid and the character designs all stand out from each other in this diverse cast of both females and males. The anime establishes a consistent visual theme which is a slightly gothic and dark Byzantine look with motifs such as crosses churches and dark outfits if you enjoy Bible Black this should also appeal to you. All in all there are few moments where this anime wont have you visually engaged. Characters Writing Qwaser is perhaps a more unique anime than many people think. Im writing this review roughly 12 years after the anime aired and I think its individuality is more obvious than ever. This was a time before High School DxD inspired a dozen clones each year before battle harem consistently appeared as a term and before the genre further homogenized in the isekai realm. There wasnt exactly an established recipe for an anime of this type and the creators couldnt rely on a dedicated niche to pull the sales the way theyd be able to in a few years. Sure it was predated by just a few other partner/battleroyal harem anime like Sekirei and Hyakka Ryouran but Qwaser is still a good bit more unique and unpredictable than both of those titles. This is established up frontwith the leads. The two are quickly interlocked in an InuYashainspired dynamic where the viewer might not entirely be sure who the main character actually is. Sasha the male is the central character but the story is told from female lead Mafuyus perspective. Mafuyu is the normal outsider who is unwillingly swept into the chaos of qwaser battles so she serves as the audiences lens into this crazy world. I cant think of many other ecchi or harem anime that operate with a quasifemale lead like this and it gives the series and its romance subtle intrigue at its core. The strength of the characters and character relationships doesnt end there either as there are many other wild funny sweet and disturbing side pairings and additional interactions that further deepen the scope or at least the entertainment value of the anime. The selfaware creators knew this anime is ridiculous and its good they didnt lose sight of that. There isnt a moment where overthetop sex and violence isnt a central idea. As the anime went on however I personally felt myself become desensitized to the ecchi... or was it that the breast milk concept became just another facet of a great anime? After a while it all starts to become so genuinely well woven into the battles that it hardly feels like a gimmick. This is because the combat itself is interesting as well the idea of elemental powers was fully utilized to illustrate creative fights that might even make a chemistry professor chuckle in amusement. There is also an overarching plot one thats well paced and metered in strong arcs that build into something. Finally the icing on the cake is the ending and the fact there is an actual the end ending that makes every arc and every character worth it in some way. It would be a challenge for me to name another battleecchi with a conclusion this thorough. The Ecchi Factor Conclusion Seikon no Qwaser is a blast and few battleecchi series can boast what this series accomplished for itself and anime as a whole. Its certainly not a show that will beg you to overthink while you watch but also not something that should be laughed off simply because of a wild premise and ridiculous ecchi. Absolutely essential viewing for anybody with an interest in this genre.