R.O.D. Cast

Summary:
In a small apartment in Hong Kong, there lives about three thousand books stuffed into and onto every available space. And, somewhere amongst the literary mass, three highly unusual sisters: Michelle Chuen, Maggie Miu, and Anita King. So different in both nature and appearance it’s laughable, close in such strange ways you could cry, there’s one other thing that makes them different: they are all three paper users. Born with the ability to manipulate paper to almost any purpose, they hire out as detectives, and somehow, despite themselves, do well at it. But when they successfully save the life of Japanese author Nenene Sumiregawa, things take a different turn. Sumiregawa’s books are renowned, but for years now she hasn’t successfully written a word, and her editor thinks the three sisters can help. So he hires them to ‘watch’ her. And so they arrive in Tokyo – hungry, poor, and book mad. And, eventually, just mad. Because there is a serious threat to Sumiregawa after all – and much more besides. They’re the most mismatched trio of heroes ever assembled – but it’s the bonds that matter. And no one knows that better than they do.

Studio:
J.C. Staff/Studio DEEN

Cast:
Saito Chiwa as Anita King
Hirata Hiromi as Maggie Miu
Yukino Satsuki as Nenene Sumiregawa
Kikuchi Shoko as Michelle Cheung
Goda Hozumi as Joe “Joker” Carpenter
Iwasaki Masami as Drake Anderson
Neya Michiko as Makuhari Nancy
Miura Rieko as Yomiko ‘The Paper’ Readman
Saiga Mitsuki as Junior

Genre:
Action, Drama, Unusual Abilities.

Airtime:
Roughly 2003. Further details appear confusing, but really, does it matter?

Available on DVD:
Yes – in English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, and Chinese. I’m not the only one who approved.

Episodes:
Twenty six. Strongly connected to the OVA, also excellent, highly recommended for it’s own sake.

Review:
One might say that there is a certain amount of self-destructiveness in an anime that hypes bibliomaniacs. I mean, it’s a multimedia, but all the main characters love books and one’s an author and they are always talking about the heart that makes books. I can’t complain though, since I was a reader long before I stumbled onto a bleach episode on Youtube. And I doubly can’t complain, because this series came this close to being a five. The characters are wonderful, and the story they tell is heartfelt. If you’re the sort, like me, who is willing forgive some stretching of credulity in the name of excellent delivery and emotion, then you will have as little to complain about as I do. R.O.D. – Read or Die – rates a four, for being powerful and enjoyable, but just a bit too flat on the end. Oh well.

When I say the sisters are mismatched, I mean it. Michelle – the oldest – is twenty-four, blond, and a bit of an airhead, as in the Empire State building is a bit tall. Clueless, cheerful and open-hearted, she nonetheless pulls some impressive weight when it comes time for action. Lot’s of comic fun on screen as well. Maggie, second sister, is abnormally tall (six and half feet at least), has short cut dark hair, and hardly talks. When she does, it’s very quiet. She’s also awkward, and likes to make little dark places to sleep. She’s also possibly the strongest of them(though power levels aren’t so easy to calibrate here). Finally, Anita, pink haired, short tempered, aged ten or so. Claims to hate books, constantly sniping, but in reality deeply attached to her sisters. She’s not as strong, but she’s much more aggressive and athletic. Told you they were mismatched. Stuck somewhere in the center of the inevitable confusion they generate is Nenene Sumiregawa, a beloved author despite having had four years of consecutive writers block. Having the sisters descend on her peaceful apartment, where she had been spending her days staring at her computer and trying to will some words onto it, drives her to distraction, and she in turns drives them quite a bit in the beginning. She has a strong personality and a strong temper, but she also has a strong need for something to turn things around, and her editor believes that the Paper Users can wake her up. Well, they make enough chaos. Junior is a young silver haired boy, quiet, socially disinclined, and an all around enigma – but an exquisitely sympathetic one. Naming the villains here is a bad idea, but I can say that their portrayal is superb. They certainly aren’t typical – despite the evil of their actions, the show convincingly shows their belief in their actions. Despite that, you know what the ending must be.

The plot comes slowly, but the entertainment stays all the way. The first episode presents quite a mix of touching, comic, and action. Second and third are mostly comic, but also sympathetic, and we learn to love the unbelievable oddness of the paper users, as their presence and their basic relationships are established. After that, the story runs partly on missions the papers take in addition to their Nenene sitting duties (which sometimes more resembled their being sitted), and partly on character development, as the papers make friends, grow closer to Nenene, and reveal more of themselves. We also have a bit of intrigue as Anita makes friends with a reclusive boy she meets about the school who also, unbeknownst to her, is playing a role in their missions – against them. Yet he seems somehow starved for human company…all of this is done well, with the powerful character handling and telling that makes R.O.D the excellent anime it is. But eventually of course, we get the first climax, and start to learn just what is wrong with the picture. As it turns out, quite a lot, some of it rather far fetched. And yet, unless you make a point to think about it, the story somehow manages, through raw storytelling power, to push such considerations completely out of your mind. I’ll tell you this – if the series has consisted only of the first half, it would have been a five. Flat out. After climax one there is a short ‘break’, where there isn’t so much action but a great deal of psychological suspense, as Nenene and the Paper Sisters act on the revelations their previous encounter had brought them. This slowly, steadily, builds into a mountain of plot pressure. At this point, I must re-emphasize that while you can get away with skipping the OVA, this series will have far more impact throughout if you do see it. It’s quite excellent all of its own…though I have to resent, both in the OVA and the TV series, their portrayal of whichever president it is supposed to be as an incontinent – and incompetent – idiot. With a Pavlovian response cycle linking danger, his bladder, and the nearest nuclear warheads. Very insulting. But I digress. The cycle of emotions, plot, and danger is built with astounding, solid weight, which ironically contributes to the series’ one and only major flaw – the ending was, not wrong, but flat. Strictly in comparison. The build up of tension was so powerful, so residual, but the fact that all was well only sank in slowly. With so much on top, you needed a cleansing emotional explosion to relieve it – and there isn’t one. It is resolved without any single, strong, intense moment of right to counter the immense build-up of wrong, and this made what was otherwise a satisfying ending fall flat. Also it felt like at least three hints, character threads or plots got left by the wayside by necessity. Which is annoying. But for all of that, I cannot give this any less than a four. It simply can’t be done.

It bears mentioning that the series contains no small amount of very cool action. Yet another reason why it should have earned a perfect score. In the end, quite a few do that. Casshern Sins would have been a five if it had elaborated on the final scene for just two or three more minutes. The higher they rise, the harder they fall – at that level, a critical misstep is perilously easy. But that should NOT stop you from watching this one. R.O.D is a four, for powerful, superb storytelling with a regrettably inadequate close. Relatively.

Final Rating: 4/5

This review is brought to you by Z.N. Singer

Credits:
Info such as cast and airtime are courtesy of ANN’s encyclopedia listing. All else is and always will be the origination of the author

Summary:
Rokujou’s sole aim in life is simple: to be carefree, free of all cares, and in general, carefree. And he is very good at it. Anything that he is not interested in, does not want involving him, or he just likes better out of sight, he can ignore or avoid with uncanny ease. And then a world that specializes in the arts of stalking and avoiding takes over, and even he can’t run anymore. The world of Ninjas – of Nabari – has for centuries been obsessed with the existence of The Secret Art – an existence than contains all the wisdom of mankind, and that grants that knowledge to its holder, making anything and everything possible. And Rokujou Miharu has it. You cannot ignore, run, or hide from the ninja world – no one knows that art better than they. The only choice is to face them, and rise to the top. His teacher, a skilled ninja of the Banten village, tells him the name – Nabari no Ou – the King of Nabari. Nothing else will bring him peace. Which is no less complicated than it should be…

Studio:
J.C. Staff

Cast:
Saiga Mitsuki as Yoite
Kugimiya Rie as Miharu Rokujou
Fujimura Ayumi as Raimei Shimizu
Namikawa Daisuke as Durandal Tobari Kumohira
Nakata Jouji as Toujuurou Hattori
Okiayu Ryotaro as Kotarou Fuuma
Hino Satoshi as Kouichi Aizawa

Genre:
Action, Comedy, Supernatural, Drama

Episodes:
Twenty-six

Review:
Ninja style anime have taken a beating with the fall of Naruto, first glorified by it and then dragged down along with. And now, right at the point when nearly all the former fans have begun to agree that it won’t come back, a new ninja anime comes on the scene. No, this will not be an eternally running marathon series – twenty six episodes, over and done. And the style is not much like Naruto, though a few things bring it to mind – the opening song makes me think of it, and one or two plot elements did in the beginning – but that ended quickly. But we have the action, we have the techniques, and we have an independently excellent story. Scarred ex-Naruto watchers, give this one a try. It’s not much like it, and that’s the best part about it.

Which is not an insult to Naruto, of course, but the first bad sign in an anime is leaning too hard on unassociated successes in the genre, and Nabari no Ou avoids that well. Characters don’t bear much resemblance at all – in fact the entire art style is different, and takes some getting used to – a world of stick figures, it sometimes seems. Main character, Rokujou Miharu. A gentle looking kid who stares into space unless someone is talking to him – and sometimes then too. Some of the most humorous moments in the show are associated with his ability to tune out anything, to disappear at the most inappropriate times without a care, and his devious tendency to twist almost anyone around his finger. Raimei -”Miharu, you understand my feelings, right?” Miharu – (points at sky) “Ah, look, a vapor trail.” Right. Thobari, his teacher in school, is a ninja who does not like traditional ninja – apparently he was made a part of the Nabari world against his will by his grandfather. Now with too many ties to leave, he tries to practice a more gentle way of life than most shinobi would preach – however, it may well be too gentle, as he cannot even kill people who must be killed. Even for Miharu, who he has sworn to protect and teach to destroy the Secret Art for eternity. Also part of the original team is Aizawa, a white haired classmate who is also a skilled member of Nabari. He is with the village of Banten, unquestionably trustworthy, but also capable of the kind of ruthlessness that Thobari is not. If not for him, people who needed to die never would. Falling into place – literally – in episode two is Raimei, a Samurai, member of a family who has regulated Nabari from the sidelines for generations. Charged with maintaining order and the balance, and more recently with ensuring that no one abuses the power of Shinra Banshou, she has come to fulfill that ancient role. She’s an ally, all right, but her motivations and willpower are her own, at least at first. Energetic, enthusiastic, and with a tendency to talk to the wrong person when she gets excited, she is a very easy character to like. All fun, that girl. Strong too. Her katana is no ornament. For antagonists we have Kairoushu, a rival ninja village that wants the power of Shinra Banshou. However, here is where the depth of the story really begins to show. Because there is really no line dividing up ‘good’ and ‘bad’ sides here. The total count of people you could actually hate as enemies and bad guys are…two. Among primary characters, anyway. And even they are pretty ambiguous at times. Despite what they do, it’s often hard to be sure they are ‘bad’, at least until pretty deep in. All the other members either clearly believe in what they are doing or are clearly not evil, or even both, though they are going along with orders for now. Because, unlike most anime containing a power that can rule the world, no one is actually planning to do it. There are, for a wonder, no megalomaniacs. The camps are those who believe it should be destroyed, and those who believe it’s power should be used to save the world, to make it better. The only way to make evil of anyone is by looking at how they would try to save it. Which lends a dark and twisting strength to the anime, as we find ourselves wondering who to cheer for. Who is right? Would using Shinra Banshou only bring misery regardless of what you intended, or is it indeed a power that can redeem all, one it would be a crime to destroy? Neither view has that redeeming flavor of ‘bad’, that tells us where to go. And so the plot develops…

And in the end, it all comes down to Rokujou. The Shinra Banshou is all powerful, and the one who holds it is he; no one can really control him. And so, throughout the various struggles as Banten and Kairoushu try to collect the five villages Secret Arts, the only things that can possibly give a clue how to control or destroy the Shinra Banshou, the one constant note is Rokujou’s struggles, mostly emotional, as he slowly stops being carefree and chooses just what it is he cares for most – and what he will do about it. The action is excellent, but in the end, it is the character plots that make this series great. The profoundness and strength that we are shown over and over throughout have few rivals indeed. Naruto might have had more punch sometimes, but never more depth. What drives the characters, what that means, and how it affects the outcome, all are superbly orchestrated, astounding me more than once. And in the end we have two separate climax – the action climax, where those who should die are finally labeled and finished, and the last mysteries revealed – and the characters climax, as Rokujou make his final decision, and life returns for all – and for most, in a better way. The ending was potent, satisfying, and a little sad – but in a good way, they did it well. Not the way some do (What is Important to Mages, Summer Sky, to name the most recent example I’ve encountered. Absolutely depressing).

Many good series achieve this level at the end, and rate a four. Nabari no Ou achieved this height several times throughout the series, making it a four point five. It was a pleasure to watch, and I hope you agree. Those of you who have become rather sarcastic when it comes to ninja anime, here is your anti-dote. Unlike most medicine, you will not need to hold your nose.

Final Rating: 4.5/5

This review was brought to you by Z.N. Singer

Credits:
Facts such as cast and airtime are courtesy of ANN’s encyclopedia entries. All else is and always will be the original creation of the author.

]]> http://www.boontan.net/2009/03/12/nabari-no-ou/feed/ 3 http://www.boontan.net/2009/03/12/devil-may-cry/ http://www.boontan.net/2009/03/12/devil-may-cry/#comments Wed, 11 Mar 2009 18:01:04 +0000 znsinger http://www.boontan.net/?p=1234

Summary:
He’s faster, stronger, and deadlier than any devil he’s ever met. He’s laconic, laid back and confident, with good reason: he’s never lost. Oh, and he loves strawberry sundaes. Meet Dante, the entirety of the devil extermination company Devil May Cry. There’s no may about it. He’s the best, and not just because he’s the best at it. There’s some might say his love of strawberry sundaes is a truer sign of his character than his twin guns or his skull carved sword. Do you kill things because you hate them…or because you understand their true nature? He is powerful, deadly, and a romantic. He is Devil May Cry, and there is no may about it. Not least because he himself still remembers how.

Studio:
Madhouse

Cast:
Toshiyuki Morikawa as Dante
Akio Ohtsuka as Morrison
Atsuko Tanaka as Trish
Fumiko Orikasa as Lady
Misato Fukuen as Patty

Genre:
Action, Drama, Supernatural

Episodes:
Twelve total, no extras to my knowledge.

Review:
To me, strong action means strong character motives behind it. And to be perfectly frank, I can stand a lot of idiocy in the battle if they’ve got the motivation right. Perhaps that’s why I disagree so emphatically with all of the people who have such a low opinion of this series. I can only guess; to me, it was fantastic, very nearly an ideal. With very strong, cool action headed by a wonderfully charismatic figure, I enjoyed this series to the fullest as a series of excellent one shots that combined the action of Claymore with a contemplative edge reminiscent of Kino no Tabi. It’s detractors are welcome to their opinion, but mine is that Devil May Cry rates four point five, for a series that reaches beyond ordinary four-dom though not quite ranking a five. This one is a must for all character watchers who appreciate strong, dark action.

As a one shot type series, there are not a lot of constant characters to describe. Even among the ones that are constant, most don’t rate an in depth character probe. Dante’s charisma makes up for this. There is something about a tall, white haired, seriously cool guy walking into a dark and dingy bar, sitting down…and ordering a strawberry sundae. He does this every time. He knows those kind of places won’t have it, but he tries anyway. He is laconic, laid back, and incredibly strong, and yet under it all, he’s a romantic. When he’s told to guard a child, he says no…but when Morrison makes it a bet on a coin toss, he doesn’t argue, even though he never, ever wins at games of chance. When it comes to debating semantics, he talks hard bitten – but in the end, he’s anything but. The girl he protects in episode one is a character throughout, and worth mentioning, as she just radiates personality. Devil May Cry would just not be the anime it is without Patty Rowell, a ten year old (roughly) blonde without a dumb bone or a hint of pushover in her body. Whether it’s beating him at cards with ice cream and new clothes as the stakes, badgering him to stop eating pizza and clean up, or just being there in the background, she makes every moment she’s on screen worth seeing. Aside from them, there are two or three other constant characters, but they are good in a 2D way – not meant to rivet or lead, which is appropriate to their roles and screen time. Devil May Cry is an episodic type, and in that, it excels.

Which is why the plot paragraph is the telling one (though my brother, enchanted with ‘metal’ macho, has now declared Dante his ideal, possibly minus the strawberry sundaes). Devil May Cry epitomizes the philosophical fighting series, giving you ten – well, nine really – shots of great one episode stories containing both fantastic action and great character plot, though the proportions of the mix varies. Episode one manages to give a taste of all the best elements to show up throughout the series, though each one is represented better in at least one other episode. However, it makes a great intro in that it tells you all the series is capable of. We then get one that is mostly action but has some good, serious characters, and like even the worst of the Devil May Cry shots, ends with a nice, thoughtful revelation or statement. Number three is just fantastic. Then we get four, the one and only dud. Don’t let it put you off, and don’t worry about skipping through it. Five is much better though mostly amusing – still we have that nice ending sentiment. And that’s the end of the downhill – it’s just one great one after another. Rock Queen, Wishes Come True, Death Poker, the Last Promise – it’s nothing but top of the line stories. Dante himself is a great character who lends flavor to it all, but every single one appearance character is excellent in their own way, carrying their parts with ease. Think Kino no Tabi. It’s not really that kind of introspective, of course, but the resemblance remains. A demon with a human’s heart, a singer who wanted to enchant her audience so badly a demon uses it to infiltrate her soul, a demon that offers three wishes but grants only death, even a demon of poker, who takes the lives of the losers – there is an undeniable philosophical edge to this anime, something that offsets the action in a perfect blend that is rarely achieved anywhere. When the climax does occur, it’s the character aspects that come off best – the action is sort of anti-climatic.  If you are the sort to demand a proper, pounding cool showdown, then it may disappoint. But if you can be happy with just character, than all the right things happen and are said, and are said and done well, superbly well. In my anime collection there is a ‘hall of fame’ folder, where the fives and four point fives go. And this one is now there. There is no such thing as being able to say ‘I can guarantee you won’t be disappointed’…but if you love strong character combined with dark action and introspection, the odds of you being disappointed are, I feel, very, very low.

One more paragraph to emphasize what is,  increasingly clearly, an important point. The thing about Devil May Cry is, it looks like a raw adrenaline pumper – blood and guts and action (and more blood) – but it’s not. Or rather, those elements are there but people who are focused on that are pretty much guaranteed to be disappointed. Few people who gravitate to a guy with a huge sword and two monstrous handguns are going to appreciate the atmosphere of the episode Death Poker, the fascinatingly dark character plays as the players go down one by one. Most people who want to watch someone decapitate and dismember monsters are not interested in the character complexes of two demon swordsmen brothers trained by the same master – Dante’s father. Devil May Cry looks like an action guru, but is in fact more suited to intellectual introspectives, and this deception has cost it dearly. It looks like it’s for people who watch Berserker and Elfen Lied, but is actually for  people who watch Kino no Tabi or Noir or other character focused stuff. It’s a point that cannot be emphasized too heavily, so be sure to take it into account (and if you’d take it into account before you commented, I’d appreciate it – if I’ve already allowed for your likely point of view, it’s tiresome to get piles of comments saying it).

The anime world is made of every sort of series and opinion. Despite what many others, and most notably ANN (who also put down Utawarerumono, if this gives you any perspective), I give this anime the highest rating but one. I hope this review leads to more people, put off by other opinions, to give what I consider a most note-worthy series a try. Devil May Cry is four point five. Go find it.

Final Rating: 4.5/5

This review is brought to you by Z.N. Singer

Credits:
Information such as cast and airtime are courtesy of ANN’s encyclopedia listings. All else is and always will be the origination of the author.

Summary:
Shirahama Kenichi is popular with the big shots – as a punching bag. Nicknamed ‘weak legs’ (a pun on his name in Japanese), he’s pretty much bottom of the barrel. And now he is entering high school – which from some perspectives more closely resembles a school of piranhas. Attempts to change his image in the school’s Karate Club are a disastrous failure…and then a new friend tells him a secret. There is a special dojo in town called Ryouzanpaku, and if he is willing to do what they say, he cannot fail to become stronger. The catch? ‘I can’t guarantee you’ll survive it.’ And thus begins a lesson in human nature – and the dividing line between talent and determination. Kenichi’s body may be weak, but he has depths of willpower that few would expect. And the dojo knows just what to do with it. They are history’s strongest masters. And if he lets them, they will make him history’s strongest disciple.

Studio:
TMS Entertainment

Cast:
Seki Tomokazu as Shirahama Kenichi
Kawakami Tomoko as Furinji Miu
Ishimaru Hiroya as Apachai Hophachai
Futamata Issei as Ma Kensei
Kosugi Juurouta as Koetsuji Akisame
Noto Mamiko as Kosaka Shigure
Ishizuka Unshou as Sakaki Shio
Arikawa Hiroshi as Furinji Hayato (The Elder)
Yamazaki Takumi as Haruo Niijima

Genre:
Action, Comedy, Romance.

Episodes:
Fifty. There is a strong possibility of a sequel when the manga is completed.

Review:
Ah, the fighting shounen series. Young boys will discover unsuspected extraordinary powers within themselves, be trained by the equally unsuspected neighbor, and go on to vanquish a sequence of opponents with unlikely signature moves more reminiscent of x-men powers. Well…not here. Firstly, Kenichi does not have superb untapped talent. He’s just stubborn. Secondly, he’s never heard of the guys who train him before, and would have run like the dickens if he had: there’s no mistaking these fellas for harmless garden hobbyists. And most of all, there are no ‘powers’ here. The level of strength does begin to stretch the definition of human, but not the type. This, combined with a few other things, such as a buxom lead female whose screen shots focus on the head, and comedic moments that manage not to undermine the characters serious sides, make this series a four, and I am very strongly hoping for that sequel.

Kenichi actually doesn’t fit any cookie cutter type. He’s kind and protective, and he isn’t inherently strong or fast. But he really isn’t anti-macho either. He’s someone who at first is inclined to run away – but suddenly finds that he can’t stand that anymore. He wants to be able to protect, and he wants to respect himself. In short, he wants to change, and Ryouzanpaku gives him a way – the hard way. Though it takes a while, he becomes someone you can really respect, as his training and experience change and mature him. The transformation is suitably satisfying. Miu is similar, in that she isn’t a type – she’s Furinji Miu, both one of the nicest, kindest, friendliest females you could hope to find, and one of the best martial artists you could have misfortune to encounter. As expected of the girl whose grandfather is both the founder and undisputed master of the Ryouzanpaku dojo. Her character as a desirable female is in wonderful good taste, something hard enough to find in and of itself. In lots of little way, using little things, the kind of things most series forget altogether, this anime quickly puts her above your average shonen action love interest, showing her as a kind and loyal friend, someone really worth knowing – and possibly loving. She’s also endearing and occasionally silly. Gotta love that girl, though for me it was more fondness than fawning. Third of the original trio: Nijima, who cannot seem to decide whether he is an alien or a demon but is either way definitely evil, and the world’s worst best friend. Originally one of Kenichi’s bullies, he quickly catches on to the change and attaches himself for the benefits his cunning, manipulative intellect can extract. The masters at the dojo make an interesting group. There are five masters, each with their own chosen field of specialty. There’s Apachai, the Muay Thai master. A simplistic giant who loves children, talks to birds, and doesn’t understand the meaning of the words ‘take it easy on him’. Shigure, the weapons master. A dark haired woman with a tendency to hang from the rafters and speak syllable by syllable, she hangs out quite a bit with Apachai. There’s a certain quaintness to the couple I liked, though ‘quaint’ might seem the wrong word when one can fell trees by kicking them and one could give you a shave and a haircut with a katana. Shio is the karate master. One of those big, gruff guys that seem a lot meaner than they actually are – though he’s good at fooling you sometimes. He actually isn’t interested in training anyone at first, but he can’t seem to resist hanging around while the other masters are teaching him. Hmmm. Ma Kensai, the Chinese martial artist, master of all it’s forms. Also know around the dojo as the master of H-type picture taking – though since all the females in Ryouzanpaku are martial artists, this could also be thought of as a kind of training. His skills are undeniable however, and he is actually one of the more patient and dependable of the masters. Finally, Akisame, the philosophical Judo master. His official teacher and primary instructor, though he also seems to have a suspicious affinity for sculpture and almost everything else culture. Oh, and he’s a doctor. Lucky for Kenichi. For villains, we have the local power gang: Ragnarok, whose strongest fighters are known as the Fists and, with a few exceptions, take their names from the Norse gods, whose mythos contains the origin of Ragnarok. We go through quite a sequence with them, as Kenichi works his way from the local thugs to the Fists and then through them, but suffice to say they are all as individual and interesting as their screen time demands, encompassing an interesting range of individual fighting styles, once again without ever slipping into ‘powers’ or, g-d help us, Abilities.

Plot is mostly guided by Kenichi’s progress. We are introduced to him and given a sense of his life and present status while he meets Miu. He’s introduced to the dojo and begins to train, at first with only one fight in mind…only to discover that the strong seek the strong, and now that he has ‘come out’, he can only continue to do so. His growth from pathetic weakling to formidable disciple is conveniently paced by the progressively stronger, higher ranked Ragnarok members that come after him. All of this is, in essence, typical, but it’s execution is not. I have never seen anime so reliably turn staple anime situations that normally make me wince into something worth seeing. All the usual types of scenes and behaviors are here – but they cannot be compared to other examples. They consistently change their approach just enough to make them enjoyable, or more honest, or just better. Every time I thought I was going to groan, they suddenly pulled some shift and proved me wrong. It was an enjoyable and refreshing experience. It takes a while for the comedy to really become second to the plot, but at least the comedy is funny and, most of all, does not undermine the characters in serious mode. You know how anime often seem to have this thing that if it happened while the animation went blocky then it doesn’t count? Not this one. There are limits, of course, but all in all I felt the comedy managed both to amuse and to be true to character. Kenichi’s growth in strength is also more real than many examples I could think of, by showing what he goes through to get it. To get faster results, you do more brutal training, and after seeing what his masters have him do, his power-ups make perfect sense. And that kind of training takes guts. Sure, he screams a lot at first – and at intervals throughout – but in the end, he never really quits, and he could have if he’d really wanted. Miu was even more refreshing than the plot handling. Somewhere in the making of this some director made an unprecedented and rejuvenating decision. Okay, he said, we’ve made a character with incredibly large ‘attributes’ and a cute face, so now we can just leave it to the audience to notice them by themselves, without tasteless close ups, boing boing scenes, pointed ogling, or panty flashes. Hormones will do it without our help. Thank you, whoever you are, you have made my watching experience. He was right of course; guys don’t need the help and I personally enjoyed her much more for the tactful handling. In fact, it may be the first time I have enjoyed watching an over endowed character. The only time the screen focuses on ‘them’ is through the eyes of girls ‘sizing up’ the competition. Even the training itself, when we are shown lessons, are real. They work; they can be done, if you practiced you could actually learn the lessons they teach him. Through and through, this anime manages to be both extreme and grounded in reality, if you’ll excuse what sounds like patent self-contradiction.

This particular anime, as far as strength of story went, took time to build. At first it was more funny than anything else, though you could see potential coming. I decided to continue watching because something about the delivery of the first few made me think that when they got serious, they’d do a damn good job, and I was right. It takes a while, but the strength of the anime could definitely be said to be a constant uphill slope. By twenty, I was really enjoying it (the serious parts, not the anime as a whole – you’re always entertained). By thirty, I was amazed, and the series had actually managed to pull a tear or two from me. I’m not that hard to make cry – I don’t have this macho thing against it – but I’m no fountain either. It has to be good. The ending is an ideal of the genre. Once again, they took something many anime of its type do and did it best. You see, Kenichi, like many other anime, was based on part of an ongoing manga. Timed right, this works well for the companies. If it doesn’t sell, well that’s always a risk anyway and they only invested in half. If it does though, then they can count on a turnout producing the rest of it eventually. But of course they need to end it right: it must both satisfy and entice. Once again I say, Kenichi pulled this perfectly, giving you closure with a strong taste of what could come, if more were to be made. I walked away satisfied…and remain fully prepared to walk eagerly back if and when they animate the rest. The anime covered about one hundred thirty chapters of the manga; it is now up to the hundred eighties or so. In other words, if they were going to make a sequel, it wouldn’t be yet. So, I hold out hope – but there’s no call to push seeing this part off. It really is perfectly gauged.

Kenichi rates a four for simply being an enjoyable, tasteful, and refreshing watch in a genre often none of the three. Hope you feel the same.

Final Rating: 4/5

This review was brought to you by Z.N. Singer

Credits:
Info such as cast and airtime are courtesy of ANN’s encyclopedia listing. All else is and always will be the origination of the author

Summary:
In the Rune-Midgard Kingdom, Roan, a young swordsman, travels with Yuufa, a childhood friend and an Acolyte. Adventuring together after some tragedy befell their old party, they search about for adventures and monsters. Over the course of a few recent travels, they acquire a few new friends, and meet some old ones. And learn of disturbing things. The land is changing. Some shadow grows over it. Dead friends reappear, same in face, horribly changed in soul. And in time it becomes clear that there is a grand journey to be made, the adventure to trump all adventures to be had, the monster of all monsters to stop. Neither Roan nor Yuufa can be allowed to cling to their childishness anymore. Both must grow, and discover strength of the body and mind-and heart. The Dark Lord is pulling strings again, and any darkness, any weakness within, can become an enemy.

Studio:
G&G Entertainment

Cast:
Sakaguchi Daisuke as Roan
Mizuki Nana as Yuufa
Hisakawa Aya as Takius
Momoi Halko as Maya
Nakai Kazuya as Illuga
Arakawa Minako as Judia
Koyasu Takehito as Keough

Genre:
Fantasy, Action, Adventure, Romance, Drama

Airtime:
Ragnarok aired from April 06, 2004 till September 28, 2004

DVD Availability:
Yes.

Episodes:
Ragnarok has twenty-six episodes. A sequel is unlikely.

Review:
Everyone has their own opinions on what makes an anime good. Action, romance, fan-service, strong characters-there are as many opinions as there are people. I’ve always preferred to answer from a more general angle. I say nothing matters more than the story. Tell the right one, tell it well, and everything else-voice acting, color, animation, etc-will cease to be important. Tell it wrong, and a multi-billion dollar budget won’t change anything. I recently had two anime stage an allegory of this on my computer. One was Kaze no Stigma, a slick 2007 production from Gonzo. The other was Ragnarok, a low budget, antiquely animated, square screened blatant RPG rip-off. Ragnarok kicked Kaze no Stigma’s rear all the way to the end, falling only just short of that rarest of accolades, a five out of five. I take great pleasure in telling you why.

Lead male, Roan: a swordsman whose love for his childhood friend is still immature, just like he is. Good hearted, talented, protective, and yet slightly pathetic, he is the seed of a great warrior-but only a seed. For now. Lead female: Yuufa. Light hearted, cheerful, and even more childish than Roan, the only thing that seems to bring a true shadow to her face is the memory of her dead brother. Seemingly oblivious to Roan’s devotion, she blissfully follows behind eating bananas, when someone doesn’t need her healing abilities. It’s a luxury with a time limit. Sidekick one, Maya the Merchant. A manipulative little thing with a bouncy pink teardrop for a pet, at first she’s only along for the ride, and to collect profitable items she herself isn’t strong enough to reach. However, she isn’t as selfish as she might seem, and establishes herself as a dependable member of the party in time. Takius, the mage. A woman of power, her senses are sharp enough to allow her to navigate the world blindfolded, as she literally does, for reasons known only to her. She is dedicated to the ideal of truth and eradication of evil, as well as her teacher, Zephel-sensei. Later to join are Illuga and Judia. Illuga is an assassin, though he rarely seems it; he is tall, silent, and superbly skilled. Fighting with two blades worn over the backs of his hand, he was once part of a party that included Roan, Yuufa, and Yuufa’s older brother. Playing the part of the imperturbable, he is apparently impossible to affect or move unless he decides to care, a valuable trait when dealing with his partner, Judia. A Hunter(thanks BW) who fights with her falcon and a bow, she’s energetic, direct, has a healthy appetite, and lives largely and blissfully in the moment. She makes strong backup though. On the opposing side are three figures who are somehow connected to the dark force emerging. A demon who’s bitter hate of humankind knows no reason, a mage whose losses have driven him to a mad search of a truth that will save the world, which the dark lord has promised him. And finally, a man everyone in the party knows, but who no longer resembles him; his antipathy is his driving force, believing in hate and cleansing the world of humans, from whom all troubles come. Seemingly invincible, he comes and goes, leaving chaos in his wake, despite the best efforts of the heroes. Until all comes to a head…

Ragnarok’s strength takes a while to see. Until about episode seven or eight, there’s only sporadic hints of the story’s potential, as the group is assembled and some background provided. This is the sole reason for the four point five, instead of a five; I can’t really give a masterpiece mark to an anime who’s first seven or eight are so not, however strong it becomes. Besides for a glimpse of the tip of the plot, it’s mostly so so, and sometimes trying. Hints of the quality they might be capable of are a little more common. Then episode nine happens, then ten, then eleven, and by then, everything has turned around. Plot, whether involving the nemesis or the characters, kicks in like a rocket booster, and everything is level five from there on out. All the most frustrating aspects of the characters become demons to exorcise as the stakes expand and engulf them, leaving no room for immaturity, for weakness, for being coddled, for being selfish, for being blind. Every minute of the ‘trying’ moments I mentioned become fuel for the fire as those faults are faced, made real by all the time we spent wincing through them. Watching growth is most satisfying when you first learn to care about them as they used to be, and the old ‘trial by facing weaknesses in an inner world’ has rarely rung so true. One by one, every character is brought face to face with their mistakes, weaknesses, pasts, and cleansed in fire. Action settles in to stay, as characters learn greater strengths, only in time to match the increased efforts of the enemy. And when the climax comes, it is everything a character strong action climax should be, as everyone’s efforts converge on victory, and even one or two that you never expected to be significant somehow manage, by complete accident, to help save the world. The rising triumph, the screamed refusal to bow to the odds, the final efforts of everyone they’ve fought beside so long, all come together with all the impact you could wish for. One of the most powerful feelings a story like this can tap is the fierce pride in the indomitable spirit of humankind, and Ragnarok does: magnificently. And in the end, though there have been losses, the closing is definitely upbeat-the sun is out. Life continues. And the party moves on.

I was completely taken by surprise by this anime, I could have sworn that kind of power wasn’t there, but at some point it suddenly managed to grip me and never let go. This is the sort of anime where reviews are most useful: where without someone who finished it to tell you, you might not realize its worth. I’m glad to be here to tell you otherwise. Don’t judge this one until ten or eleven, or you could miss something fantastic. Don’t let the blatant RPG elements fool you(character power-ups come in the form of class changes, you don’t get any more obvious than that). Once you get used to them enough to ignore them, this thing is incredible. Remember, this was almost a five.

Final Rating: 4.5/5

This review is brought to you by Z.N. Singer

Credits:
Info such as cast and info are taken from ANN’s encyclopedia listing. All else is and always will be the origination of the author.

Summary:
The Triad vanquished for the moment, Sakai Yuji and Shana go back to living from day to day, waiting for the next Tomogara to come. Yuji’s training proceeds, and unexpected results of the past encounter make that training far more serious, with far greater potential. However, nothing stays peaceful for a Flame Haze, and the same goes for the mistes of the Raiji Maigo. There will continue to be battles, continue to be strife, continue to be conflict. Yuji will continue to gain strength and learn about his new companions, and Shana will continue to rediscover the heart she once tried to throw away. And in time, of course, the Triad must be faced again. Because a being that lives for centuries does not stop pursuing it’s goal so easily. It will only truly end when they are dead-or he is.

Studio:
J.C. Staff

Cast:
Kugimiya Rie as Shana
Hino Satoshi as Sakai Yuuji
Kawasumi Ayako as Yoshida Kazumi
Nabatame Hitomi as Margery Doe
Ebara Masashi as Alastor
Iwata Mitsuo as Marchosias(marco)
Itou Shizuka as Wilhelmina Carmel
Kondou Takayuki as Tanaka Eita
Nojima Kenji as Sato Keisaku

Genre:
Fantasy, Action, Romance

Airtime:
Shakugan no Shana II aired from October 04, 2007 till March 27, 2008

Episodes:
Shakugan no Shana II has twenty-four episodes, and a third is very likely, though as yet unannounced.

Review:
Sequels are finicky things. We tend to have high expectations, but that just makes it more likely to disappoint. I enjoyed Shakugan no Shana, and was more than willing to see things taken at their pace. Unfortunately, the sequel is not nearly as good. Rehashed emotional runs that worked the first time but feel repetitive twice, lack of consistency, and general lack of satisfaction, compared to it’s predecessor, force me to give this anime a low ranking despite what I would like. If the third makes good enough use of the ground laid, I may change it, but for now, Shakugan no Shana II is a two point five.

I’ll assume you’ve either watched the first or read the review, and describe the characters according to their advancement and development in the sequel. Shana, who we all enjoyed watching come to terms with herself and confess before, gets cruelly cheated. Yuuji didn’t hear her, it turns out, and she and Yoshida end up largely re-enacting the same emotional lines of conflict that they did in the final third or so of Shakugan I. What held up fine in the spotlight once doesn’t necessarily have another twenty-four episodes of wear in it: in this case, it was largely repetitive, not to mention frustrating, and sometimes even boring. The one who should have been the focus was Yuuji, who despite it all seems unaware of the battle lines drawn about him, but instead he also plays largely the same role in the girls drama: being clueless . For himself, Yuuji’s biggest role is powering up, as he becomes more and more important in each battle. This should have been more entertaining than it was, but again, it got repetitive. We already know how good his senses and his tactics are, we expect him to excel there. His spell casting, however, is new, and as an established gifted person, what we get isn’t quite what we thought we would. He does go through a few character troubles, especially as Shana and Yoshida’s competition finally begins to break through his bubble, but frankly, those are even worse than the girls. Margery Doe also gets more focused treatment, with somewhat better results, but not that much better. Her two cohorts, as well as Ogata-chan, take a stronger role as well, and do better than all the others, as Tanaka at last faces the fact that he truly is not cut out for this world, and Sato reveals a deep running determination to remain in it, and affect it, somehow. Ogata-chan is a delight to get to know better, with a bouncy charm that, it’s true, I’ve seen before, but to me at least it never gets old. Her relationship with Tanaka is sweetly clumsy. I think that’s everything.

Plot, handling, flow, all that stuff…I really wish I could say otherwise, but it stunk. The structure that should have been fragmented in the first but somehow worked, did not come over whole; what magic ingredient was forgotten I cannot say, but it felt very inconsistent, like a broken vcr or lagging video where things speed up and slow down at random. Actual material, in concept, was fine by and large, but it just didn’t get delivered as well as the first. More accurately, unlike the first, which managed to deliver well, the sequel does not. Arcs and character stretches seem interspersed at random, and the lengths of each and where, if at all, they intermesh, all feel mad-dash and off balance. Again, I hate to say it, but as a viewer and a fan of the first, I was very disappointed.

The thing about sequels is, we’re twice as pleased when they work and twice as mad when they don’t. As a fan, I am definitely twice as mad that Shakugan no Shana II doesn’t measure up to number one. The one bright side is, while it may not have satisfied very well, all lot of ground was laid. A whole series of ground laying doesn’t make for fun watching-and would explain the feel of the anime-however, if there is a third, and the third does make good enough use of it, I might well forgive them for it. If it does work that way, I will edit this review accordingly, so if the third does air, check it when it finishes. For now, however, even giving it a two point five instead of a two is a concession. Let’s pray for a better finale.

Final Rating: 2.5/5

This review is brought to you by Z.N. Singer

Credits:
Info such as cast and airtime are courtesy of ANN’s encyclopedia listing. All else is and always will be the origination of the author.

Plot Summary:
On an ordinary day, an ordinary boy, Sakai Yuji, discovers that he is not ordinary. Suddenly finding himself in a frozen slice of existence with a monster, he is saved by a flaming girl with a burning sword-the contractor of Alastor the Flame of Heaven, a Flame Haze. Discovering that such attacks happen regularly and that the girl’s purpose is to stop them comes with another discovery-he himself is dead. A mere temporary replacement, to ease the disruption to the worlds balance caused by his being devoured in some earlier attack. However, Yuji is something special-rather than going into shock, he accepts it, determining to make the most of his time. It is a more significant meeting than they think. Yuji is not any Torch, but a mistes, and the treasure he holds is something any King of Guze would kill for. Yuji is going to have to learn many things, strength and hardship and battle, from Shana. But Shana, who has devoted herself to her cause at the exclusion of all emotion for many years, may have something to learn as well. Humans were not meant to be empty or alone, and life is full of strange, painful, but wonderful surprises.

Studio:
J.C. Staff

Cast:
Kugimiya Rie as Shana
Hino Satoshi as Sakai Yuuji
Kawasumi Ayako as Yoshida Kazumi
Nabatame Hitomi as Margery Doe

Genre:
Fantasy, Action, Romance

Airtime:
Shakugan no Shana aired from October 05, 2005 till March 22, 2006

Episodes:
Shakugan no Shana runs twenty four episodes, with one completed sequel and a third to follow.

Review:
There are two ways to make a successful story: to invent something new, or to somehow enliven and enrich a know theme. Shakugan no Shana falls into the second category. With a big breasted character who never gets goggled, a female lead who goes through a very real and meaningful transformation of persona, and a powerless male lead who actually has real guts and manages to find a way to influence every battle, it’s a success that safely steers around all the potholes. Unfortunately, impact went down a bit in the second half, so a four I cannot call it, but I can call it a three point five, for standing out quality wise and giving us a satisfying ending even while building towards a sequel.

Characters are strongest in the lead roles. Side characters shine much less than in some, but at least that’s the right order of priority: I’ve known some where every other character was more interesting than the leads. Shana, the Flame Haze and the fighter, starts out a very cold fish. The fighting girl who’s out of touch with her feelings is an old one. However, it’s done to perfection here. You can see the mask made by duty, and you can see Yuji’s nature cracking it. The path from denial so absolute she’s forgotten what she’s denying, to full bloom, is both real seeming and touching, and achieves just what it’s supposed to. Sakai Yuji, the male lead, is, for the moment, powerless, and seems like he is going to be one of those ‘gentle, weak, but compassionate’ types that become the focus of increasingly complicated love geometry. While I’m all for getting away from the macho image(this has nothing to do with my not being macho, got that?), a soft hearted dishrag isn’t really a good substitute. However, Yuji does better than that: in addition to the fact that his compassionate view really is something Shana needs to be reminded of, his empathy does not equal weakness-his strength of mind is equal to Shana’s fighting strength. Someone who will not turn his back on the truth, he first embraces the nature of his existence, and then manages to consistently find ways to make real differences, both to the astonishment of Shana and Alastor. Lacking attack power, he discovers an incredible intuition and grasp of tactics, and no victory is won without his thumbprint. Though I happen to hate love geometry-operative word being geometry-there is also Yoshida Kazumi, an ordinary girl in the school with a crush on Yuji. Though the series would like you to take her more seriously, her feelings never seemed quite as authentic to me. Still, she’s sympathetic, and the manner in which she and Shana collide is in better taste then many. For further interest and a dash of madness, add Margery Doe to the mix. Also know as the Interpreter of Condolences, Flame Haze of the Fang of Devastation, Marcosius. A battle freak whose contracted Tomogara paints a glaring contrast to Alastor’s dignity, she is a drunk, a bimbo, and a powerful Flame Haze. She has her issues too, and occasionally becomes an advisor as well-once she and Shana settle things. Moving on to the villains, that’s a little complicated. The real ones don’t show up in person for introduction until too late in the series; it would come out as a spoiler if I described them here. The earlier stand-ins are interesting, and in the case of the Seeking Researcher, quite, quite weird, in an enjoyable way. However, none really warrant individual description. I’ll leave it that they are well done and not all of them are simply evil, always an important touch for more introspective style anime.

Plot flow, handling, type, choice-it’s a little haphazard, if you think about it, but in the end, it does flow well. The first two episodes are a bit confusing chronology wise, but they straighten out. The first villain’s arc, which plays from one through six, stretches to encompass Margery’s entrance and the early ground breaking between Shana and Yuji. Once resolved, some references dropped during the previous arc are unraveled into the next arc, which lays the ground for two episodes of character, which make the next arc more interesting as the antagonists test Shana’s new thoughts(mercifully, not by lecture, as all too many do-just by being themselves), which leads into more character, plus some detailed flashbacks…you see what I mean? It seems jumpy I know, but the seeds of each arc are laid in the previous, so despite all that, the flow feels natural. And in the end, both character and plot lines are resolved satisfactorily for the moment, even though you can tell a sequel’s coming to pick things back up.

Tells a good character story, has characters you like, and even sincerely respect, and doesn’t leave you hanging-I was very pleased with this one. I hate waiting for sequels-but that can’t be helped. The anime is based on an ongoing sequence of novels, so I’m assuming they’re timed to come out as the next book is released. Trilogies are common; the third will probably finish things this fall. In any case, any series that rates three point five should be followed on, so see the reviews of the sequels, when I make them.

Final Rating: 3.5/5

This review was brought to you by Z.N. Singer

Credits:
Info such as cast and airtime are taken from ANN’s encyclopedia listing. All else is and always will be the origination of the author.

Plot Summary:
Four years ago, Kazuma was the greatest failure of the Kannagi family. An ancient house of fire masters, the strongest in the world, he alone cannot manipulate it at all. In the end, unable to uphold the Kannagi name, he was shamefully evicted. But now he has come back, and things have changed. Having discovered an affinity for wind within himself, he is now stronger than everyone who once stood over him. It’s hard to tell what scars he bears and what grudges he holds, though both clearly must exist. What is clear is that power of his level cannot hold aloof. Now that he is back, he is a player, as the Kannagi’s have always been. There is always work for the strong.

Studio:
Gonzo

Cast:
Fujimura Ayumi as Kannagi Ayano
Ono Daisuke as Kazuma Yagami
Morinaga Rika as Kannagi Ren
Ohara Sayaka as Tachibana Kirika
Takahashi Chiaki as Katherine McDonald
Itou Shizuka as Kudou Nanase
Inokuchi Yuka as Shinomiya Yukari

Genre:
Fantasy, Action, Comedy.

Airtime:
Kaze no Stigma aired from April 11, 2007 till September 20, 2007

Episodes:
Kaze no Stigma has twenty four episodes, and the ending suggests a sequel.

Review:
There are all kinds of taste in anime. Some people really don’t care what kind of action there is or about any suspenseful plot so long as the right boy and girl become a happy couple. Some practically couldn’t care less who’s on what side so long as there’s enough action. I’ve given two level ratings before for anime that others would probably rate much higher. My job is to make sure people can tell if they’ll like it, not to like it myself. However, you can pretty much always tell what an anime is trying to do-and Kaze no Stigma fails. Lacking impact in almost every way, Kaze no Stigma makes the dubious honor of being my first one rating by being not a case of missed taste, but of just plain missing.

First, characters: So much potential-what is actually done with them is almost painful. The male lead, Kazuma, at first seems to be a rightfully wronged member of the family come home to prove it. His attitude, his power, and his use of it, all suggest someone who isn’t quite immature enough to pound on the Kannagi gates and beat them up, but who is all too willing to do so the moment opportunity crosses his path. However, introspection into the shame he suffered in the past ends within four episodes, and what started out an intriguing and understandable figure becomes just an irritating, supercilious, high and mighty character that is wildly incompatible with the female lead, Ayano. Ayano started out equally promising. The thing was, I assumed character flaws presented in the beginning were there to be exorcised, not as their permanent description. To me, the signs were that the series would be about her maturing, growing, and learning about what the Kannagi family’s power really means, what it is for, and when their pride becomes their downfall. Instead, they threw her straight into the ‘insists she hates him while going nuts whenever he belittles her or pays attention to another girl’ stereotype, from episode five on, and that is where development ends. And they make multiple filler episodes focusing on it too. Ren, male side-kick, is both Ayano’s cousin and Kazuma’s younger brother. He hero-worships his brother, and clearly has a close relationship to him-he alone views Kazuma’s leaving only in terms of not having his brother for four years. He is also the only one to have any real character development; the only worthwhile arc in the series actually focuses on him. Oh well. A fiercely in denial love interest must come with ‘wiser’ friends to stand in the background and tease them about it. Ayano’s come in the form of two friends, Nanase and Yukari. Nanase is more tomboyish than Yukari, with short black hair to Yukari’s long blond. Yukari also has a disturbing lean towards being a nosy journalist; this ranges from knowing the oddest school gossip to getting in disguise to follow Ayano and Kazuma and take pictures of ‘the hundred faces of Ayano in love’. Until the climax, however, they are primarily there to giggle whenever Ayano and Kazuma are together, and make remarks about dates and love when he’s mentioned, so that Ayano will yell and freak and clue in any particularly wooden headed watchers. Last and unfortunately not least: Katherine McDonald, a truly horrible ‘rival’ for Ayano that appears in episode fourteen. A fire master from America, big breasted with long curly blond hair(Japanese apparently consider this the only proper representation of a foreigner), she comes to challenge the Kannagi title of strongest fire user family, and stays to make eyes at Kazuma and basically be a forthright Ayano. May I mention that she has this laugh like a third tier actress trying out for the Witch of the West? Thanks.

Okay, plot, general flow, handling, delivery-all royally flops. The series consists of two to four episode arcs sandwiched by somewhat amusing to just plain stupid fillers until seventeen, where the final arc kicks in. The first four are actually quite good, mostly because you assume they are hints of arcs and developments to come. Unfortunately, however, that is the one thing they are not. After that comes a two ep. arc, and then a mildly amusing filler that actually introduces a subject of the next four episode arc: a wind fairy who is by far the most amusing character of the series. Actually, that arc is the only truly good part of the whole anime. It actually brought tears to my eyes, and the comedic interaction between Kazuma and the little sprite is honestly, truly funny. Of course, the tear jerker part all focused on Ren and a character that does not appear again, and the fairy doesn’t appear either, so all the things that made it good stay there. It even managed to redeem the Kazuma x Ayano bit for a while…but once they took the spotlight again, that quickly wore off. It’s nonstop fillers, mostly groan worthy, until seventeen. The final climax, in concept, is actually quite interesting, as is the psychology involved, but that took a back seat to focusing on how it tied to Kazuma’s past, attempts at which came across as unbelievably banal. The facts of a scene are meaningless. You can portray increasingly impressive, dark, portent filled skies with glowing red moons and what all till the budget runs dry, but if you can’t tell the story right, it’s just a lot of colorful high rez pixels. That’s what happens here. Gonzo is known as the top dog of animated eye candy – but they are also known for lousy character, and this is a prime example. All their focus and time spent on it only emphasized that it had no punch. It’s actually pretty hard to produce the climax without a rise of some kind. In this case, I was almost not bored. And there were several almost touching scenes too. It was a step up. If the whole thing had been like that, it would have rated a two instead. As is, one four episode arc that was good can’t really be allowed to change things.

I have always said that neither animation nor voice actors really mattered. What really matters is the story you tell. Do it right, and the watchers will forget everything else. Do it wrong, and nothing can save you. The fact that even as I was watching this, I was enthusiastically enjoying a 640 rez low budget RPG rip-off just illustrates the point further. Gonzo should be ashamed to see it’s competition. Kaze no Stigma is a one. As always, the rest is your call.

P.S. There is actually a bit of what you might call fan service in this anime. Since the animation quality is very high, this might well be considered the best done part of the series. Level ranges from Ayano’s clothes getting torn a bit to seeing her in underwear choosing a dress. I don’t go for this, but like I always say, it’s your call.

Final Rating: 1/5

This review was brought to you by Z.N. Singer

Credits:
Most info such as cast was taken from ANN’s encyclopedia listing. In this case, the airtime is courtesy of wikipedia. All else is and always will be the origination of the author.

Plot Summary:
When a red moon rises, Emulators, creatures from a world contained within our own, descend to prey on man. The source of all Earth’s legends of magical monsters, they are only combatable by magical means: that is, the Night Wizards. Shihou Elis knows nothing of this-yet. Then an old tree by her new school seems to call her, and in the middle of the night, everything changes. A treasure awakens to her voice, an Emulator arises to stop her, and she is rescued by two young up and coming Wizards: Akabane Kureha, an all too enthusiastic girl a year older than Elis, and Hiragi Renji, a skilled swordsman who battles Emulators daily at a frenetic pace in the vain hope of attending school and curbing his steadily rising absent rate. Both good friends and good wizards, she’ll need both, because she hasn’t just become involved-she has become a focal point. The rate of invasion by Emulators has been increasing steadily(just ask Hiragi), and Anzelotte, eternal leader of the wizards, has decided to take action. Which means getting the Seven Jewels of Virtue, which will only respond to Elis, which means she will definitely need strong companions. And true ones. A turning point in the fate of the world is coming, and aside from faith in friends, few things are certain.

Studio:
Hal Film Maker(Aria the Animation, Boys be, Saber Marionette J)

Cast:
Yanagi Naoki as Hiragi Renji
Kogure Ema as Akari Himuro and Anzelotte
Satou Rina as Akabane Kureha
Miyazaki Ui as Elis Shihou
Goto Yuko as Bell Zephyr

Genre:
Fantasy, Action, Comedy.

Airtime:
Night Wizard aired from October 02, 2007 till December 25, 2007

DVD Availability:
None. You’ll have to use the donators section(heh)

Episodes:
Night Wizard is a thirteen episode series.

Review:
Some anime are comedies. Some are not. But every once in a while you get something special, a kind of transmutation, where the comedy of one episode brings tears to your eyes the next. I started watching Night Wizard for light relief from whatever heavier anime I was presently watching, but in the end I was treated to a pleasant surprise.

Characters aren’t especially dazzling, but they are very endearing and easy to like. Elis(Alice, possibly, in English) is your typical cute, short haired, timid, caring shoujo lead, but Night Wizard employs a special light touch to their characters that redeems the spark in every stereotype: without any real innovations, she will make you smile. Who wouldn’t want to protect her? Kureha’s your very bouncy, enthusiastic, energetic go getter. Long haired, long clothed(she dresses as a shrine maiden) and with a long history with Hiragi, she’s a large part of the anime’s comedy, and like everyone else, is very easy to like. Akari, who takes a little longer to show up, is your ‘balanced’ quiet girl-meaning, she doesn’t have a tragic past, or some other psychological issue. She doesn’t need a cure, she’s just monosyllabic. She actually talks a lot more than most of her type, and has a subtle but complete range of expression, lending her considerably more character. Rather than only say the minimum necessary, usually in response, she actually volunteers to speak, occasionally making low voiced observations or comments, and always speaks in full sentences, instead of the minimum necessary for comprehension. In any case, cast against Hiragi’s noisy nature and Kureha’s enthusiasm, she makes a good counter, as the final part of the core group. The villains are rendered with similar treatment; there’s a touch to their evil, which isn’t really innovative, which makes them enjoyable to watch. Maybe it’s that they don’t try to shoot the scene as if they actually are unique, tragic, or intense. They simply let them be. In any case, for the first eight episodes, thanks in no small part to this, a better light anime has never been.

Plot: ah, now here is where we get to the really good part. I usually mention flow, but Night Wizard did something a little special. Stories gain power by making you a part of them; they draw you in, make you part of the action, put you in the middle, and by doing this, make it meaningful. Most try to put you in the shoes of their characters, showing why the story matters to them, but there is another way: to make everything matter to you; to show you just what everything is, why it’s important and precious, so that when everything goes wrong, nothing matters more than that everything, in the end, be right. Utawarerumono did something similar. Because I wanted everyone to be okay, the plot itself only had to be adequate; I did the rest. For the first eight episodes, Night Wizard seems the model role for all light comedy action anime. Enjoyable with some slightly sweet moments, I was very satisfied. Then the transmutation occurred. Without my realizing it, a base had been laid, and the last five episodes became something else. It never felt like I had been suddenly dropped in another anime. Unlike Gurren Laggan, the essence itself didn’t feel changed. But…I was really, truly affected by it, and was much, much more involved I had expected. It was a pleasant surprise, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

And so in the end, Night Wizard gives us the best of both, in a way that seems natural, and the thoroughly sunny ending is the icing on the cake. As a series that I would heartily recommend, this series rates a four.

Final Rating: 4/5

This review was brought to you by Z.N. Singer
Credits:
Info such as cast and airtime are courtesy of the ANN anime encyclopedia. All else is, and always will be, the origination of the author.

Plot Summary:
Balso the Spearwielder, a skilled female warrior, hires out as a bodyguard on a personal quest to save eight lives for the eight that once died for her own. She has returned to her home for a rest, and to have her spear serviced, but things do not work out so smoothly. What began as an almost knee-jerk reaction to a near drowning becomes the intro to a nest of imperial vipers. The boy she saved is the second son of the Emperor, and the skills she exhibited catch the attention of his mother, the Second Empress. The boy has been possessed by some power, and the Emperor has reluctantly decided that the rumors will do more harm to the royal house than he can afford to weigh his affections against: he must be assassinated. And so the Second Empress gives Balsa her eighth and final charge-protect my son till the end of his days. And so begins an adventure that is even bigger than it sounds, if possible. For the nature of Chagum’s possession may not be so simple, and Balsa is not one to turn aside. Whatever it is necessary to do, she will do, and protect Chagum every step of the way.

Studio:
Production I.G. (Aria the Natural, Azumanga Daioh)

Cast:
Mabuki Andou as Balsa
Naoto Adachi as Chagum
Kouji Tsujitani as Tanda
Hirofumi Nojima as Shuga
Ako Mayama as Torogai
Mayumi Asano as Touya

Genre:
Medieval, Fantasy, Action, Drama

Airtime:
Seirei no Moribito aired from April 7, 2007 till September 29, 2007

DVD Availability:
The license, originally belonging to Geneon, has been rescued by Media Blasters and is currently in production. DVD release should be sometime soon, but no release date has been announced.

Episodes:
Seirei no Moribito is a twenty-six episode series. No sequel is expected.

Review:

Most anime, whether we fans like to admit it or not, is really aimed at a somewhat younger crowd. There are certainly those with a more mature feel, however, and Seirei no Moribito is one of them. A well told, well animated tale with good characters and some of the most dizzying displays of true martial skill-not battle, skill-that I have yet seen, make this anime a solid four.

The characters are not so much innovative or brilliant as they are strong, real feeling, and likeable. There’s even an ugly character-yes, a truly ugly one playing a strong supportive role. Hooked to a pretty girl, no less. Not so uncommon in novels, but pretty damn rare in anime. He’s good, too. Balsa, who shares the lead with Chagum, is a wonderful depiction of a female warrior-meaning she plays her role convincingly without being gung ho, showing a tough warrior exterior, or any of the other tried-and-tried-again types. I actually don’t have a problem with those on principle, but Balsa’s avoidance of them for something far more natural lends a great deal to her presence. Her skill is also well portrayed-without ever over-dramatizing, she quickly establishes herself as a formidable warrior who loses to no one, and her resourcefulness is equally impressive. No one was ever better suited to a one man mission like this(one woman, whatever-extra-military feminist comments not allowed!) Chagum, the prince, is also refreshing; rather than the ‘spoiled brat who learns compassion by seeing the lifestyle of peasants’, which I really do think is overdone and tired, he’s simply a good kid who, however sheltered he may have been, comes pre-installed with a backbone. A very bright child, he understands what is going on, and that there is no place for whining. He wins you over quickly, and continues to play an excellent lead alongside Balsa. The royal family and the people they send after him follow a similar trend: the Emperor mourns his son even as he tries again and again to kill him, portraying him simply as a good man with a responsibility larger than himself, and who knows it, rather than fiddling with pasts and family troubles. The men who chase him, the tutor who loves him and searches for the truth, all are given simpler faces that make them, and the anime, a far more impressive work.

The plot is well done, and the flow is good though not precisely fast paced. If this seems like a pattern in my reviews, it’s because these types appeal to me. The initial arc of escaping the guards moves smoothly into the investigation into the nature of Chagum’s possession, then blends back with it again. You do need an appreciation of character type animes to enjoy this story fully, without feeling like there are frustrating lulls. While there is plenty of action, it is not non-stop. There are several episodes in the middle that seem like fillers, covering little sagas in their lives while the imperial hounds have been, for the moment, lost. However, in some way, most of them turn out to have implications for the long-term plot. In general, it’s smooth, it never suddenly twists into something unrecognizable, like some have done, and the resolution comes very naturally, with plenty of action. Few anime do action like this one does. Have I mentioned that?

Well, now I will. After the character and plot paragraphs comes whatever feature I think merits separate mention. In this case, I have to mention the superb portrayal of battle. When one on one fights occur-hear this-you could watch them in slow motion, blow by blow, and be no less impressed, if not more. I can’t say that about any other anime I know of to date. In every other anime I’ve seen, the pace and fancy fast cutting with scenes and shots play a big part in the impact. Not so Seirei no Moribito, it’s scenes win with awe-inspiring sequences of blows between masters. You can barely follow the strikes, but you know you are seeing an epic clash of skill. I know of nothing else like it. Comment if you think otherwise, I’d love to know.

As I mentioned earlier, you do need to have an appreciation of character stories to truly enjoy this one. Chagum’s relationship with Balsa, his bond with his mother, and even more so his father, and several other personal threads weave an excellent counter-melody to the over-all plot. And in the end, both are resolved well, giving Seirei no Moribito one of the best balanced endings I know. The climax of an anime is supposed to be the height, emotionally, of the watching experience: Seirei no Moribito achieves that. I say again: I hate tragedies. While the ending to this one might not seem ideal to all, the necessity is understood, and it is clear that the characters all have what they need to move forward. Contentment will be theirs, if not euphoria.

Giving a very solidly made and told story, that achieves all goals and makes a smooth, enjoyable watching experience, Seirei no Moribito rates a very good four.

Final Rating: 4/5

This review is brought to you by Z.N. Singer

Credits:
All info such as cast and airtime are taken from ANN. All else is and always will be my origination.

Plot Summary:
In present day Tokyo, Kurenai Shinkurou, an orphan, works as a dispute mediator at the age of fifteen. Rough as the job is and as young as he is, Shinkurou is as yet not fully developed, and knows it. All the same, he wishes to achieve the strength necessary to be trusted with bigger jobs than the ones he gets now. He gets his wish, as often happens, in a form least expected: He is asked to be the bodyguard of Kuhoin Murasaki, a seven year old girl raised in complete isolation and luxury. Sensing something bigger than he is but unable to abandon her, Shinkurou finds unexpected fulfillment-and more expected exasperation-in fulfilling his job, as Murasaki becomes, like a family member, a treasured part of his life, as eagerly adopted by the other occupants of his apartment building as by Shinkurou himself. Murasaki, a good girl at heart, learns quickly, and life gains a new shine…but the Kuhoin family is a strong and mysterious force, and in time, Shinkurou must find out whether his early intuition that the job was too big for him was right…or not.

Studio:
Brains Base (Kamichu, Soul Eater)

Cast:
Aoi Yuki as Kuhoin Murasaki
Miyuki Sawashiro as Kurenai Shinkuro
Sawa Ishige as Juzawa Benika
Takaya Kuroda as Kuhoin Renjo
Ryoko Shintani as Yuuno Hozuki
Aiko Okubo as Inuzuka Yayoi

Genre:
Drama, Comedy, some Action

Airtime:
From April 3, 2008 till June 19, 2008

DVD Availability:
As of this review, series finished airing too recently to have been released.

Episodes:
Kurenai consists of twelve episodes. There’s no mention of a sequel, but it is based on a series of novels, and only covers the first. Fingers crossed!

Review:
Animation has grown. Lines are smoother, color is richer, and in general anime producers seem happy to bask in the glorious fulfillment of modern day animation. And in the midst of this, Kurenai, with muted colors and muted sound, dares to make an art of understatement. Well made and enjoyable, Kurenai nevertheless is startlingly quiet in execution. Even the previews are done with no sound and the upcoming title is announced in a leisurely, laconic baritone. But it is definitely a success.

Character could well be said to be one of its strongest points. A drama driven largely by the people in it, Kurenai successfully makes merely watching the members interact entertaining, even if the art takes getting used to. The faces seem downright ugly at first, but given time, they grow on you, and you get a feel for the way they show expression. Shinkurou clearly has the potential to be very strong, even as he is equally clearly not there yet(and remains so throughout the show-no power-ups, sorry). But once off the job, he becomes a soft spoken person all too easily put off balance by the other boarders in his apartment, his friend Yuuno, and sometimes Murasaki as well. Murasaki herself is as adorable as any seven year old lead could be asked to be, even as she learns what living in the real world means. Spoiled though she may be, she’s a good girl, and watching her grow and learn is a large part of the attraction of the early episodes(it’s a can, Murasaki, you need a can opener). Tamaki and Yamie, the other boarders, make some odd ducks: Tamaki is blond, happy-go-lucky, and something of a bimbo; though she hides a vulnerable side. Yamie dresses in black, wears a skull on a long cord, and seems the more normal of the two, until you realize she can’t tell the truth to more than five questions in a row. Both, in the end, are clearly good hearted, and come to look after Murasaki as well, in their own way(very own way. As an older brother seven times over, I didn’t find all of those scenes funny-but I’ve promised myself never to let a review become a rant, so that will be all on the subject.). What with their characters, the veracity with which Murasaki absorbs information whether it’s creditable or not, and Shinkurou’s constantly being blindsided by one, the other, or both, the first half the series makes a warm and entertaining experience, and the second, a personal one.

As for plot…well, it’s almost secondary. While it can’t quite be classed as one of the genre, Kurenai has a strong feel of a slice of life story. The series more depends on entertaining, endearing, and drawing you in, episode by episode. At some point, the hinted at turn that would force a showdown and close happens, and when it does, it is strong, but because of who Murasaki, Shinkurou, and the Kuhoin family members are, not because of startling twists and revelations, or betrayals, or tense action. There is some action, but Kurenai’s style means you can’t really say tense. There is no adrenaline rush or heady power surge that brings the almost impossible victory to hand. Characters stay at about the level they begin. But again, don’t think that means it wasn’t strong. It was strong for different reasons. Character reasons. And in the end, we have a very reasonably happy, and very touching, ending. It’s complete, though you can see where you might like things to be taken further someday. Kurenai is based a series of novels, but the anime only covered the first, so if this one was successful enough, a sequel isn’t all that unlikely. Lets hope.

Kurenai rates four out of five for a very enjoyable watch with a good, touching ending. A unique style, well worth watching for anyone who thinks they can do without vivid colors and a quickening of pace and pulse. It has its own beauty.

Final Rating: 4/5

This Review is brought to you by Z.N. Singer

Credits:
Information such as cast and airtime were taken from ANN’s encyclopedia listing. Everything else, a.k.a. everything in the summary and review body, are and always will be the origination of the author.

Plot Summary:
In a rural village in a world set in some approximation of medieval Japan, the apprentice healer finds a man horribly wounded, unconscious in the woods. No one knows him, and what’s more, when he wakes up, he has no knowledge of himself. Strangest of all, he is found wearing a mask that cannot be removed, and that he can explain no better than his past. He soon adopts the healer’s family as his own, and is adopted in turn, becoming an accepted man of the village. Proving to be a man of strong character, charisma, and intelligence, he soon finds himself the leader of his village, then an army, then a country, always preferring peace, but never able to refuse responsibility for the lives of those who trust him. A leader of the truest sort, he is someone who attracts the best and the brightest to his banner, easily winning the trust and loyalty of even the most independent, while never himself knowing why. With a gift for military strategy, strong supporters and an acute sense of justice, it seems as though he might well change the world, despite himself. But in the end, the thing that may make or break him is the truth of his mask, whose purpose he can’t remember, and which cannot be removed.

Original Creator:
AQUAPLUS

Studio:
Oriental Light and Magic

Cast:
Rikiya Koyama as Hakuro
Ryoko Yuzuki as Eruuru
Daisuke Kirii as Oboro
Mai Nakahara as Yuzuha
Miyaki Suwashiro as Aruuru
Daisuke Namikawa as Benawi

Genre:
Medieval Japan, Fantasy, Action

Air Time:
Utawarerumono aired from April 4, 2006 till September 25, 2006

DVD Availability:
ADV films has released it in full.

Episodes:
Utawarumono is a twenty-six episode series. A sequel, while a pleasant thought, is unlikely.

Review:
Some stories are driven by plot. Some by a few strong central characters. Some by raw action. Utawarerumono (deep breaths, don’t panic) is, not so much driven, as powered by, wonderful character evocation. Never have all the stereotyped roles of anime seemed so natural, so perfect. From the gentle and supportive love interest to the the brash up and coming champion, all fail to grind on the nerves whatsoever. Given three episodes, the characters will win you over and make any plot work, and for this-along with doing most other things pretty well, of course-Utwarerumono rates a four.

As I said, the series goes ahead and uses the types we know, but redeems them wonderfully. Eruuru, the love interest, has a knack for saying exactly the right thing at the right time, not just for her Hakuro, but for others too, and it’s a pleasure to see. Her support is no contrived thing either-Hakuro truly needs her. Not even knowing who or what he is, the one reason he can stay sane is, without a doubt, Eruuru. And oh yes, the crowning touch: unlike her infamous counterparts, she is never a hobble. No being a hostage, no distracting him at a crucial moment in battle-I think we’ve all seen too much of that, deshou(right)? Yuzuha, the invalid, has a sweet demeanor that tugs your sympathy, and an impressive sensitivity to those around her. Oboro will demean himself for her (his sister) as for no one else, and his loyalty is unshakable, to the extent that no matter how badly he wants to do something hotheaded, he will stop for Hakuro. Thank goodness. As for Hakuro-sama himself…after three episodes, if someone asked you if he should be king of the world, you’d say ‘sure, good idea.’ He makes the typical twist of becoming ruler strong, because he is so clearly suited for it. Benawi, the samurai leader, is quite an interesting fellow; even stronger of mind than of body, he gauges his opponents with deliberate accuracy, and infuriates the hell out of Oboro with his assessments. Describing the other ‘good guy’ characters could be considered a spoiler, since they appear past episode six, or even ten. The villains are just as well done as the protagonists. Due to the nature of the plot (I’ll get to that), there are several who have the limelight at one point or another, all demanding individual and convincing personalities, and they all have them. They range from revolting, juvenile, self-centered indulgence, to monstrous cruelty, to just plain disturbing, but what they never do is make you roll your eyes. Like all the others characters in this series, they make their part of the story alive and immediate by being, perfectly, the people they are meant to be

As I’ve said, the characters carry what would normally be the conceptual strength of the series. All that’s left is for the plot not to insult your intelligence, which by and large it does admirably. There are one or two places where it doesn’t explain nearly as much as it should, though. When that happens, there’s nothing to do but grit your teeth and forget it, but it’s no biggie. And at the end, the explanations of the world get a little kooky. I advise just ignoring all the sci-fi references, it spoils things, not to mention being less than airtight. All you really need to get from them is the basic explanation of events, cause and effect, and the emotional implications. I didn’t consider this a big downer, since it was aside from what really drove the series. It actually consists more of five or six episode arcs, usually with one peaceful episode as a bridge, also usually used to introduce a new person, lay some ground, and then end with a hint of the next obstacle to come. Nearly every arc ends with a new ally, but Hakuro’s character negates the cliché of it. While seemingly disconnected, they are never random, the way monster of the week formulas can be, and often turn out more relevant than you thought. And of course there is the constantly escalating mystery of Hakuro’s mask, which is well paced, and conjures exactly the feelings it should, beginning to end. The end is a bit sad, by the way. It’s not an ‘everybody is all right and in their ideal position’ type. There have been some losses, but I assure you that I hate tragic endings, and tragic this is not. The phrase ‘I’m sure we’ll meet again, one day’ has never rung so true. It really could be.

Oh yes, one other thing. You don’t have to be entirely character focused to enjoy the series. The anime actually has quite a bit of very good action, so if you can’t get by on character alone, this is still worth a try. My brother is more interested in action, and he liked it. There’s even a touch of superhuman, since some races have abnormal abilities (my g-d, is Karura carrying a sword or an edged support beam? Its hurts, that’s for sure)

So, all things considered, Utawarerumono tell a nice story about people that you want everything to work out for. The experience rates four, for being an excellent, enjoyable watch with a touching, poignant end.

Final Rating: 4/5

This review was brought to you by Z.N. Singer

Credits:
All info such as cast and airtime are taken from ANN. All else is and always will be the origination of the author.

Summary:
In a dark, dreary, smoky city called Calm where there is never any wind, Zed, a teenager, is a belligerently independent enigma. More than anything else he wants to be free to do as he likes. Unfortunately, he also has a strange obsession: Whenever he sees a door, he destroys it. All he can explain is that he feels there’s someplace else that should be there, on the other side. While he gets some leeway for his mother, a mobile vegetable in the local hospital, his constant vandalism means neither the school he is supposed to attend nor the police are willing to allow him the freedom he craves. And then one day, all hell breaks loose, and somewhere in the midst of it, Zed, running, finds his door: A glowing greens circle in the air, that opens before him and closes after, leaving his pursuit behind. Zed has entered a new realm, with different rules: gone the technology of Calm (essentially ours), this world, and the three realms adjacent, are both connected and governed by the power of Shard. Faced with a new world and a new source of strength, Zed struggles to find his place and purpose in the place he has always sought. And he needs to hurry. Because every world knows conflict, and in a realm where the greatest powers originate within people themselves, those people must inevitably stand in the eye of the storm, and it is they who determine the tides of fate and war.

Studio:
Madhouse Studio

Genre:
Action, Fantasy, Drama

Airtime:
Kiba aired from April 5, 2006 till March 24, 2007.

DVD availability:
ADV Films acquired rights in march of this year, so it’ll be a wait. It’s in the donors section here at boontan, however, in the meantime.

Episodes:
Kiba is a fifty one episode series, with no extras, movies, OVA’s, or sequels to date.

Review:
I have a very clear idea of what number ratings for what. Five for rare beauties, four for excellent watches, three for decent, etc. Decimals are for ones that don’t quite make the next level, but undeniably stretch beyond the first. Kiba, however, is an enigma. In concept, it’s brilliant, all the way through. Whether it’s plot, character development, or character design, everything is top notch and innovative. The problem is that, somehow, in the production all of this brilliance became somewhat inaccessible. Browsing through watcher comments on anime-eden, the most common sentiment seems to be ‘I have no idea what happened, but wow, what a great series!’ Tragically(in my opinion) this does basically sum the experience of watching Kiba. An enjoyable series as is, it should have been twice as much.

In terms of character and character development, Kiba is very satisfactory, and occasionally awe inspiring. Zed himself makes a very good heroic main character. The way he combines the prerequisite values of a heroic main character-a sense of justice, a wish to protect, you know, the really indispensable ones-with being a gruff, insular person makes for a refreshing lead role that, equally refreshingly, manages to never make you wince. He makes mistakes, of course, but you don’t wince. At least not once the ‘training stage’ is over, which doesn’t take nearly as long as some do. Heck, Naruto’s still pretty stupid. Roiya, the love interest, is an enjoyable spunky female lead, and very cute, in a way that I actually believe I have not seen before. Yes, it’s an actual original design. Endearing, cheerful, and quite a strong Shard Caster herself, she, like most of her types, insists on being with Kiba, but unlike them, is strong enough to excuse it. Not that she never gets beaten or captured, but anyone can be overpowered. It’s the difference between being outdone and just asking for it. Jiko-sama, the ‘old wise mentor’, who raised Roiya, is about four feet tall, with big round cherub eyes, a penchant for fishing, a tendency to be fishing when he should be doing something else, and a hiccoughing hohoho laugh that generally means he has just been a very naughty old man. He can also pawnz anyone who doesn’t have a Key Spirit(no, watch and find out). The villains(sounds bad, I know, but ‘bad guys’ is worse) are equally interesting. The lead antagonist’s type is pretty well known-speaks quietly, unhurriedly, is cunning and constantly planning and manipulating, utterly ruthless, not to mention skilled. But I’ve never believed there was actually anything wrong with stereotypes. They become that because they have power. If the story is its own, the character will follow. There are quite a few other supporting roles, good and bad, but at least on the antagonist’s side, the cast doesn’t show it’s complexity until too far in the series: describing it here would give away the plot. It’s enough to know they do a good job.

Plot flow is good. That antagonist fellow is everywhere, constantly stirring things up and making use of events that should have been unrelated in pursuit of whatever his goal is. He’s sly about it too. Every time one clash is over, everyone goes home, Zed grits his and vows to make the next one count, but submits to the fact that for political reasons, he can’t just head over to Jimoto and cut his head off. Then something else comes up, but where there is trouble, there is this particular arch-villain. Often things start out as helping someone else, but trouble of that scale always seems to trace itself to whatever grand plan the antagonist team have in mind. It never feels like fillers, and that’s the important part. There are two fillers, spaced out, but one at a time twice shouldn’t put anyone’s hackles up.

There’s plenty of action, and its very good. Come to think of it, if there was anyplace this series’ Achilles Heel would have the least effect, it would be there. Zed’s growth in strength is both believable and satisfying, even exhilarating. He is not constantly being rescued(one common sore point), but he isn’t all powerful. This is mostly because shard power isn’t like magic;it’s constant. Your Spirit’s power depends on your potential, but aside from that, the swords, the balls of elemental power, are the same from person to person. In other words, power is still skill, and done right, few things are more impressive than a display of true battle prowess. This series, in that area, shines multiple times. The female lead, Roiya, also strong, is successfully shown as good but not in Zed’s league. She pulls her weight, somehow managing to need occasional rescuing without you beginning to wonder if maybe she shouldn’t be waiting behind with a handkerchief? All round good stuff.

So, everything sounds perfect, doesn’t it? That’s why I say the series is tragic. With this kind of material, the series should’ve been an easy four, maybe even a rare five. But…somehow, the delivery of all this brilliance got muddied. The nuances of Roya’s relationship with Zed, and its shifts, are good; if you discount that they are often barely detectable. There are several points where the series ignores the classic solution or twist in favor of a more innovative one, but despite coming up with good-no, excellent-substitutes, the scenes still lack the power they ought, by right, to have. The part involving Noa, his friend from Calm, is, psychologically speaking, perhaps the best part of the whole thing…but first you have to understand what it is, and unfortunately, this is where inaccessibility really bites. Character motivation and general psychology are the subtlest part of any anime, and when they are as muted as they are here, you have to be really good to get it. I am that good(or so I tell myself), but it still always took about ten episodes of seeing the results and musing. Noa’s part is one of the most universally not understood in the series, despite being one of the best conceived.

In the end, Kiba is a masterpiece crippled by inadequate presentation and execution. Despite that, it definitely rates three points, and a little more, making for three and a half. If you don’t mind what I mentioned before, then it’s probably a four. Even if you do, well, I still enjoyed watching it, and I don’t regret the time I spent. So if you think it might work for you, or aren’t sure, then it’s worth your while to find out. One way or the other, it’s an enjoyable watch. Just be prepared to re-watch the final episode a couple times in order to understand what happened.

Final Rating: 3.5/5

This review is brought to you by Z.N. Singer

Credits:
Info such as cast and airtime are taken from ANN’s encyclopedia listing. All else is and always will be the origination of the author.

I decided to follow alphabetical order when I list the new animes in my posts now. XD

D.Gray-man HD 88
Code Geass – Lelouch of the Rebellion R2 FHD 07-09
Allison to Lillia 10
Code Geass – Lelouch of the Rebellion R2 FHD 11
Crystal Blaze 10
Da Capo II Second Season 12
D.Gray-man HD 86-87
Kanokon 12 (End!)
Monochrome Factor 07-08
Neo Angelique ~Abyss~ 09
One Piece HD 358
Persona -Trinity Soul- 23
Toshokan Sensou HD 11

Plot Summary:

Nearly a decade has passed since the fateful day that Japan was overtaken by the Britannia Empire. Japan, now a land that has suffered countless casualties, is stripped of its honor and renamed as Area 11. With the use of Knightmare Frames (big ass-kicking machines), the Britannia Empire continues to demoralize the “Elevens”. Every now and then, there are a few sparks of rebellion from the Elevens who have had enough. However, they are but only a tiny nuisance to the Britannia Empire. But…

One genius, Lelouch, stands up to this seemingly impossible task once he gains a power by making a contract with a certain woman. Will his intelligence, new found power, and extreme hatred for Britannia be enough to help him over throw this oppressive country?

Company:
Sunrise

Cast:
Jun Fukuyama as Lelouch Lamperouge
Takahiro Sakurai as Suzaku Kururugi
Yukana as C.C.
Ami Koshimizu as Kallen Stadtfeld

Genre:
Action, Drama, Mecha, Military, Science Fiction, Comedy

Air Time:
Code Geass (1^st season) aired from October 05, 2006 to July 28, 2007.

Episodes:
25 Episodes for Season 1. Season 2 is currently being produced. Season 2 is said to air early or late spring in 2008.

Review:
Story: 9/10

Code Geass is a well thought out anime that grabs the viewer’s interests with the very first episode. Unlike many other series, Code Geass goes at a very decent pace; where one can still catch on with what’s happening, and at the same time be entertained and enticed to watch more. The story develops around a young boy named Lelouch who uses a new found power he gains to fight for power and a so called “justice”. At times however, the “plot twists” tend to get a bit annoying. The producers seemed to have wanted everything to be too “perfect/cool” and have forgotten to make it a bit more “realistic” (then again, this is just an anime).

Lelouch is on the left, and the woman on the right is the one that gave him his power (you’ll know what it is after watching the first episode)

“I will give you power, if you grant my wish. You will be a human, but something more than a human at the same time…you will be a king”.

Art and Music: 10/10

The style of the art and animation is truly something to take into consideration. The smooth flow of the animation and the clear crisp colors are a little bonus that make this anime even more enjoyable than it already is. Unlike most other anime that contain mecha, Code Geass sticks with the fluid animation and even does an awe-inspiring job on the “Knightmare Frames”.

The OP, EP, and background music are unique and fit Code Geass extremely well. The background music does not get repetitive and has a strange charismatic power (I can’t get the tunes out of my head!!). Kudos to the composer J.

Character Development: 9.5/10

The producers did a fabulous job in giving the viewers a chance to look deep into each of the character’s pasts to get a better understanding in the motives behind their actions. What I find most interesting, is how the producers are able to make us feel either sympathy or hatred for each character. At times, I just want to completely tear Lelouch up…at others, I almost feel that he is just misunderstood and truly “just” (although the way he carries out certain plans are a bit maniacal). However, there are just a few characters that are so annoying and useless that they brought down this rating to a 9.5.

Overall: A spanking 9.5/10!!!

This is without doubt on my top 3 list of all time favorites. While being a “non-mecha fan”, this anime has really changed my views on the Mecha genre. Ultimately, the well thought out plot, fast paced story line, and the bits of comedy here and there form a memorable masterpiece that will keep you on the edge of your seat wanting more.

With this godly power, I command you to watch this anime!

This review is brought to you by Miroku2192!

Credits:
Anime News Network