This action-packed survival anime series with a mystery and supernatural theme by EMON features a group of bloodivore teenagers who attempt a daring bank robbery in broad daylight to save their orphanage for abandoned bloodivore children. The orphanage is facing a hostile takeover and gradual evacuation due to growing fears and increased hostility towards bloodivores by the civilian population and by the Bureau of Special Threat Management (BST).
Above: Cover artwork at Emon Animēshon (Japanese official website of Haoliners Animation League)
The BST is a paramilitary force consisting of uniformed and non-uniformed personnel tasked with neutralizing bloodivores, keeping non-bloodivores safe and safeguarding the corporate interests of the drug company which produced a drug to treat insomnia and also caused some users to become bloodivores. Bloodivores are people who have developed fangs, an appetite for human blood and also sometimes fall into an uncontrollable frenzy to attack and kill other people. Hence, all bloodivores are made to wear a collar tag to identify them as bloodivores and to send a GPS signal to reveal their location whenever any hostile act is committed.
After failing in the bank robbery where Mi Liu and his friends are apprehended by the BST, and are framed for the murder of 15 civilians who were present at the bank at the time of the robbery and sentenced to death. However, while en-route to an unknown location, all 4 bloodivores are ambushed by the BST and ended up at a prison complex in an abandoned city ruins known as Aori with many other convicts on death-row, all with numerous weapons. They are soon attacked by a horde of monsters, where Mi Liu must rely on his wits and his newly discovered supernatural ability to stay alive with Zo Anji. Win Chao and Chen Fong decide to part, go separate ways and follow a different ally in order to survive in such a hostile environment.
Meanwhile, the detective assigned to investigate Mi Liu's crimes Lai finds the circumstances surrounding Mi Liu and his friends' disappearance under police transport and Mi Liu's denial of the murder charges suspicious and decides to do some investigating on his own. As he gets closer to finding out about Mi Liu's past, he also realizes that a powerful organization is equally determined to prevent him from finding out the truth about Mi Liu.
Each episode is approximately 24 minutes in duration and has at least one action-packed scene. The opening theme song is sung in Japanese for episodes 1-6 while it is sung in Chinese for episodes 7-12 with the same ending theme song being sung throughout in the end credits at the end of each episode. The BGM is pleasant and stirring to match the different settings in each episode, with fast tempo music being played during action and battle scenes while slower and more melodic BGM are being played when Mi Liu is with Zo Anji during safe and quiet moments. Animations are great, displaying the appropriate facial expressions of each character in the action scenes.
On the minus side, there are inconsistencies and plot holes in some of the episodes shown in this season. I spotted two inconsistencies - the first one being the main theme song lyrics are displayed as Japanese subtitles while the song is being sung in Chinese during episodes 7-12 and the second inconsistency is during episode 1 when Mi Liu and his friends are apprehended by the BST, a big screen display will incorrectly mix up Win Chao and Chen Fong's displayed name below their mug shot. Among the plot holes, it is not shown or explained in this season's episodes why Mi Liu and his friends are brought to Aori and how they were brought there after being gunned by numerous BST troopers. Neither is there any explanation on who or what is the mysterious blue and black feminine figure that appears at the end of episode 5. Lastly, the final episode of this season also ends on a cliffhanger ending with the appearance of a mysterious woman and the main characters still in a dangerous situation.
Overall, the first season of this anime series is recommended only for those who enjoy watching an anime series with survival, horror, mystery, science fiction and supernatural themes in a ruined urban setting. There are numerous action-packed scenes and great soundtracks. Note also that there are a few inconsistencies with plot holes, and a somewhat unsatisfying ending at the end of the last episode of this season.