Panini: Gray Raven

战双帕尼尼 (Zhan Shuang Panini)

6.6(244)

MAL Score

Ranked #6716

Popularity #15897

Action
Comedy
Military
Super Power
Survival

Episodes: 12
Status: Finished Airing

Synopsis

In a world ravaged by a punishing force, a group of elite fighters known as the Gray Raven team rises to confront the chaos. These skilled warriors, each with unique abilities, band together to combat an overwhelming enemy that threatens humanity's existence. As they navigate through intense battles and confront their own pasts, camaraderie and resilience become essential to their survival.

Amidst the action, moments of humor and lightheartedness emerge, showcasing the bond between the team members. The journey is not just about fighting; it's also about understanding each other's strengths and weaknesses, ultimately revealing the power of friendship in the face of adversity. With stunning visuals and dynamic storytelling, this tale of courage blends thrilling combat with engaging character interactions.

Otaku Consensus

Panini: Gray Raven lands as a niche but functional chibi companion piece: its best asset is the brisk 12-episode gag pacing, which lets Big Firebird Culture turn Punishing: Gray Raven’s severe action identity into quick comic contrast. The modest reception metrics, including a 6.61 MAL score from 244 votes and AniList’s 61/100, reflect the main criticism: it plays better as franchise dessert than as a substantial stand-alone anime.

Why You Should Watch

Watch Panini: Gray Raven if you want the Punishing: Gray Raven cast in snack-size, chibi comedy mode rather than a lore-heavy campaign adaptation. It scratches the same side-dish itch as Isekai Quartet or Attack on Titan: Junior High: familiar fighters are compressed into exaggerated reactions, quick bits, and low-stakes timing, while the action genre remains present as flavor instead of homework. The 12-episode run makes it easy to treat as an after-session cooldown for players or as a curiosity for viewers tracking Chinese anime spin-offs. It is not the entry to choose if you need a full dramatic arc, polished worldbuilding, or a stand-alone gateway into the franchise; its appeal is in watching a severe sci-fi action brand loosen its jaw and become a compact character gag reel.

Key Characters

L
Lucia
Lucia is the franchise-facing lead whose usually composed action-hero image becomes the central source of contrast in the chibi format.
L
Liv
Liv stands out in this version as the softer emotional counterweight, making her reactions and timing especially suited to short-form comedy.
L
Lee
Lee’s appeal comes from the dry, analytical energy he brings to group bits, giving the ensemble a sharper deadpan rhythm.

What Makes It Stand Out

1
The production is credited to Big Firebird Culture, placing it in the Chinese donghua orbit rather than the usual Japanese TV-anime pipeline associated with many game adaptations.
2
AniList’s strongest tag for the series is Chibi at 73%, making the super-deformed presentation a defining feature rather than a one-off visual joke.
3
Its Action and Comedy genre pairing is unusual because the action material is reframed through miniature character business, not expanded into a conventional battle-anime structure.
4
The series is a completed 12-episode run, which gives it the shape of a compact promotional/companion anime rather than an open-ended franchise installment.
5
Its MAL popularity rank of #15897 and AniList favourites count of 16 underline how under-circulated it is even compared with better-known mobile-game anime tie-ins.

Fun Facts & Trivia

Fun fact 1: The title is also listed as Zhan Shuang Panini, tying it directly to the Chinese naming lineage of Punishing: Gray Raven.
Fun fact 2: MAL records the show with only 244 score votes, so its 6.61 average is based on a much smaller viewer pool than most mainstream seasonal anime.
Fun fact 3: AniList gives the anime a 61/100 score, closely matching MAL’s middling reception and suggesting a fairly consistent cross-site verdict.
Fun fact 4: MAL lists no specific theme category for the anime, despite tagging it under Action and Comedy; its identity is driven more by format than by a standard thematic label.
Fun fact 5: The show is marked Finished Airing with 12 episodes, making it a self-contained watch rather than a currently running promotional short.