[C] - Episode 1 (It's Not Really An "Economics Anime")

With the monster card battles in [C] being undeniably very similar to Yu-Gi-Oh!'s, [C]'s "uniqueness" has become questionable because it seemed so much like a card game rip-off.

Even as a [C] fan, I have to agree that no matter how you look at it, [C] is like an imitation of those popular card game series. However, considering [C] as merely a card game series rip-off is underestimating [C] too much, in my opinion. I firmly believe, that even based on the first episode alone, [C] isn't just a card game series copycat, and is even MORE than a card game series.

I'm a fan of Pokémon and Yu-Gi-Oh! too... but I don't think they're just shallow kid's card game shows either. What more of [C], which has no plans on becoming a freakin' long episodic series? And even promises to tackle the one thing that affects our lives greatly but anime seldom focuses on, which is none other than MONEY.

[C]'s main theme is obvious and not obvious at the same time: Majority of the opening theme visuals featured nothing but bank notes and currency signs, the newbie Entrepreneur needed cash while his powerful opponent wants to be more loaded, the leading character is in a tough situation no thanks to debt and he's working hard in order to earn a living, and so on. However, it's easier to see the duels, Masakaki being colorful and freaky, the leading character's crush being taken so we've got a love triangle, and so on.... not the meaning (which is related to the main theme) behind those.

If you're expecting this anime to be focused on Economics,
you're just going to be disappointed.

I suppose it's natural for people to see this as an "Economics Anime" because of the money theme and the leading character being an Economics Major. Well, I had been like that too, especially when I learned that the quizzes at the official site were mostly related to Economics.

But recently I realized how wrong I was.

No wonder some Economic majors (or those knowledgeable in Economics) who had seen the first episode were unpleased with it. They were anticipating Economics stuff from this series, but the first episode only presented very few of such! Pearz had broken them into three parts:

1) slight off-shoot of Supply/demand that the professor explains.
2) Mikuni gave a simple explanation of how money changes your perspective.
3)This point is a bit less obvious, but they dabble on the topic. The idea of being lent the 500 million today is worth more to you then the same 500 million in the future. Which he does seem to understand, which is why he is willing to use the money that was loaned to him.

So I stand corrected. [C] isn't a series teaching its audience Economics.

But what I think [C] is about still hasn't changed: [C] is a series on MONEY

I have been repeating MONEY in this post for several times already

...which shows what [C] is. ...... it revolves around MONEY.

Since it's about MONEY, naturally it would somehow cover topics/matters/themes that are connected or related to MONEY.
And that includes Economics.

But....

ECONOMICS != MONEY

Economics isn't concerned only about MONEY while
MONEY related matters aren't just under Economics.

Let's define them first (according to Dictionary.Com):

Economics - the science that deals with the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services, or the material welfare of humankind.
MONEY - any circulating medium of exchange, including coins, paper money, and demand deposits.

What links MONEY to Economics is its economic function. As a medium of exchange, MONEY facilitates trade. MONEY is a means of final payment for goods in most price system economies and the unit of account in which prices are typically stated. (Wikipedia)

But there are other ways to see MONEY, aside from the economical perspective.You can look into it philosophically, sociologically, psychologically, heck, even religiously. There's more to MONEY aside from its economic value.

So in conclusion, [C] only covered economic ideas because they're related to its main theme, not because Economics is its primary focus. It's not an Economics Anime but a MONEY ANIME.

Arabesque has a nice overview of what the series is about:

[C] is really about MONEY and everything related to MONEY. How it affects us as humans, how much value we put on it, how it can control us and the world around us.

I've noticed that [C] also has mythological and religious/cultural references, allusions to hell, and even tackled the truths and myths about MONEY.

So whether [C] shares some economics trivia, shows monster battle scenes, hints religious references, or tells about everyday life.... it will most likely have something to do with MONEY in one way or another.

There are so many interesting ideas in relation to MONEY, [C] is not limited to Economics. I look forward to what other MONEY stuff the staff has included in this very promising series =3