Season 1
6 episodes May 18, 2023 7.5
Overview
With Earth colonized by a superior alien civilization, Akira's only chance at a better future is to enlist as an expendable Yakitori foot soldier.
Seasons
1 listed- Status
- Ended
- Seasons
- 1 season
- Episodes
- 6 episodes
- First aired
- May 18, 2023
- Last aired
- May 18, 2023
- Network
- Netflix
Latest episode: S1 E6 Yakitori (May 18, 2023)
Cast
8 people
Reviews
4 min readThe Disposable Heroes of a Cosmic Meat Grinder
I kept waiting for Yakitori: Soldiers of Misfortune to punch me in the gut. Six episodes in, I was still waiting.
That’s not to say the Netflix anime lacks ambition. Set in a future where Earth has been colonized by a superior alien civilization, the series follows a ragtag unit of human soldiers—dubbed "Yakitori" for their expendability—sent to fight in an intergalactic war with a 70% casualty rate. The premise alone should be a pressure cooker of moral dilemmas and visceral action, a Starship Troopers for the algorithm age.
Instead, it feels like a series caught between two impulses: the desire to critique war and the compulsion to glorify it.
The dual-timeline structure—flipping between the unit’s brutal training and their even more brutal deployment on the planet Barka—should, in theory, deepen the characters’ arcs. In practice, it diffuses them. The flashbacks to boot camp are meant to humanize these soldiers, but the writing often reduces them to archetypes: the hothead, the strategist, the reluctant leader.
Akira Ihotsu, the protagonist, is supposed to be our moral compass, but his internal conflict is telegraphed in broad strokes. One moment he’s questioning the war’s purpose; the next, he’s executing orders with grim efficiency. The series never quite decides whether it wants us to root for him or recoil from him.
That ambiguity might have worked if the show committed to it. But Yakitori keeps pulling its punches. The soldiers commit war crimes—summary executions, torture, the kind of acts that should haunt them—but the consequences are either glossed over or framed as necessary evils.
Buzz & Rumors
Public reportsNetflix’s Yakitori: Soldiers of Misfortune Brings Carlo Zen’s Sci-Fi Novel to Life—But Is It Worth the Hype?
Netflix’s 2023 anime adaptation Yakitori: Soldiers of Misfortune has sparked curiosity—and controversy—since its May release. Based on Carlo Zen’s novel series, the show drops viewers into a dystopian future where Earth’s military deploys soldiers in an interplanetary war with a staggering 70% casualty rate 
. latestnetflix.com's take is that the premise alone promises high-stakes action, but early reactions suggest the execution may not live up to the ambition.
From Page to Screen: The Novel’s Rocky Adaptation
Carlo Zen’s Yakitori novels, illustrated by so-bin, debuted in 2017 under Hayakawa Publishing . The series quickly gained a following for its brutal, unflinching take on war and survival. When Netflix announced an original net animation (ONA) adaptation, fans were eager to see how the studio Arect would handle the source material’s gritty tone.
However, the transition hasn’t been seamless. Reviews have been mixed, with some critics calling the adaptation a "colossal waste of time" . The series, directed by Hideaki Anbo, splits its narrative between two timelines—a creative choice that may have fragmented the story’s impact. While the novel’s reputation for relentless pacing and dark themes could translate well to animation, the adaptation’s reception suggests it may have lost something in translation.
The Cast: A Mix of Veterans and Rising Stars
The voice cast for Yakitori: Soldiers of Misfortune brings together a blend of seasoned actors and rising talent. Taito Ban voices protagonist Akira Ihotsu, a young man who joins the doomed interplanetary military unit and eventually rebels against its authority . Asami Seto, known for her roles in Re:Zero and Sword Art Online, plays Yang Zihan, while Tetsu Inada (One Piece, Attack on Titan) lends his voice to John, a key figure in the series 
.
The ensemble also includes Kenjiro Tsuda (Jujutsu Kaisen), Wataru Takagi (Detective Conan), and Akari Kito (Demon Slayer), adding star power to the project. But with the series’ lukewarm reception, it’s unclear whether the cast’s performances can salvage the adaptation’s flaws.
A Spectacle or a Misstep?
Early buzz positioned Yakitori as a return to classic Japanese animation’s "brutal spirit and rhythm" . The series’ premise—a near-future military unit fighting in a war with astronomical casualties—has drawn comparisons to Mobile Suit Gundam and Legend of the Galactic Heroes. Yet, some viewers argue the execution falls short, with pacing and narrative structure undermining the potential for a gripping sci-fi epic .
Netflix’s decision to split the story across two timelines has been a particular point of contention. While non-linear storytelling can add depth, critics suggest it may have diluted the series’ impact, leaving audiences struggling to connect with the characters or the stakes .
**What’s Next for Yakitori?**
As of now, Yakitori: Soldiers of Misfortune consists of six episodes in its first season, which premiered on May 18, 2023 . Whether Netflix will greenlight a second season remains unconfirmed, but the mixed reception could make renewal a tough sell. For fans of Carlo Zen’s novels, the adaptation’s struggles may serve as a cautionary tale about the challenges of bringing dense, dark source material to the screen.
For now, Yakitori stands as a reminder that even high-concept sci-fi anime can stumble when the execution doesn’t match the ambition.
Entertainment rumors and trivia aggregated from public reporting. Treat speculation as unverified unless a cited source confirms it.
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