Summary:
In a village surrounded by high walls that the residents are forbidden to touch or pass, a girl is born from a cocoon after a dream of falling from the sky. Named for her dream, as all born such are, Rakka soon finds herself sprouting wings and sporting a halo as the other members of the Old Home. None of them remember anything but smidgens of a past, but all know they had one. Such are the Haibane, for whose sake the town isolates itself from the outside world. Here they live, working their jobs, accepting no pay and using only things that have been used before. It all seems so peaceful – but no thing in this world is without purpose. There is a reason they became Haibane, and something every Haibane must someday do. And finding what that is – both for her sake and her friends – is soon the most important thing of all.

Cast:
Noda Junko as Reki
Hirohashi Ryou as Rakka
Yajima Akiko as Kuu
Miyajima Eri as Kana
Orikasa Fumiko as Hikari
Murai Kazusa as Nemu

Genre:
Fantasy, Drama, Psychological, Mystery,

Episodes:
Thirteen. There is no sequel of any sort.

DVD Availability:
Yes.

Review:
There are some experiences that are beyond comparison or explanation. You want to try, because something like that begs to be shared, but in the end all you can say is ‘you had to have been there’, or ‘you just have to see it for yourself’. Watching Haibane Renmei, for me, was such an experience: Enchanting, mesmerizing, spell binding, haunting, beautiful beyond words…and none of those are really enough. As a reviewer, I am bound to try and explain the unexplainable, and so I will try to describe the experience of watching this anime. But in the end, you’ll just have to watch it for yourself. It is simply something else.

From the beginning, Haibane Renmei snares the mind with an understated sense of pure magic. Its characters work the same: a soft air of sweetness belies the underlying trials of the heart that are the core of this story. Rakka, the lead, is simply a pleasant, honest, gentle young girl of fifteen or so: somewhat uncertain at first, she spends the first several episodes following the lead of the others as she comes to understand the life expected of her – something that only sounds boring because you have not experienced what simple conversation is like in Haibane Renmei. Life itself, from moment to moment, fascinates and entrances, with gentle beauty that makes you smile and, when the time comes, makes you feel their pain with exquisite directness. The leader of the group is Rekki – tall, black haired, and a smoker, she gives an impression that somehow seamlessly blends biker mom and gentle, nurturing older sister into someone who casually supports almost everything and everyone, especially Rakka, as the newest and least secure member. I suppose the next most noticeable one is Kuu, the youngest. Cute and endearing, with that constant enthusiastic delight in life that characterizes so many children of that age, she shares a special place in the hearts of all who live in Old Home – and before long, an especially close place in Rakka’s. Hikari is blond, blue eyed, and sweet – with a rather rascally curious and irrepressible side that saves her from unholy moe-hood and elevates her to the level of a Haibane character. Kana is black haired, black eyed, and spunky, a tomboyish sort with a cheerful attitude and a quick friendly-cocky grin. Mechanically inclined and gung-ho about it, her complaints about hard work are generally a facade. Last, and oddly suited to it, is Nemu. She is actually the oldest resident of Old Home – Rekki is second. But her quiet, unemphatic nature means that Rekki is the one who takes the lead. Slow, plump, and inclined to sleepiness, she works in the library, where everything is quiet, and she can read and steal naps. Haibane Renmei does not have villains – it is the sort of story where all the enemies are internal. A few outside characters do bear mention though – The Communicator, an old man who wears a mask and communicates with the outside world, is in a way the one who polices the Haibane, but the wellbeing of the Haibane is clearly of real personal importance to him. Old Home is only one of the places in town where Haibane Renmei live – the inhabitants of the Abandoned Factory are a bit rowdier than those of Old Home, a bit street like and tough with a sprinkling of boys in their ranks. Still they’re good hearted, and some have a personal link to Reki – one that plays an important role as time goes on.

The first episodes are pure slice of life – or they would be, if the world we have been plunged into did not softly scream of mystery. Even as we walk, dreamlike, through this new world, seen through Rakka’s eyes, guided by kind, engaging, supportive friends, the fact that something essential remains to be understood about the town and its winged inhabitants – something not quite sinister, but something that, once known, cannot help but bring change – is very clear. And the most important changes in our lives are often, initially, painful. The Haibane are born with no notion of what came before, but they all know that there was something – that they all had once lived lives beyond the wall. The wall that cannot – not should not – be crossed. The truth about the Haibane Renmei – what they are, where they come from, and what they have come for – is the question that drives this story, and there are several layers to the answer. Answers that are both bittersweet and beautiful – and meant to be found. The stories revealed within the story, the truths upon truths, and the redemption hidden within sin, paint in time a world so painfully beautiful as to forever mark the soul. This is the kind of story that leaves a mark on those who see it – you do not forget. And for all that there were tears, you hope that it is real.

Wondrous, fascinating, heartfelt, and sometimes sorrowful – I’m afraid this is one anime for which I am unable to maintain my usual level of distance when reviewing. For a perfectly told story that carves its name in your soul, I can only give it that rare perfect score of five out of five. If you are allergic to slow paces or character focused plots, stay away. Otherwise, see this before you die, or regret it all your remaining days.

Final Rating: 5/5

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

Credits:
Information such as cast and airtime are taken from the ANN encyclopedia. Everything else is and always will be the creation of the author.

Summary:
In a world containing both humans and Yokai – beings of inhuman power – friction, and even hatred, between the two is all too common. Standing tall against this trend is the town of Sakurashin. Formed in-between five great sakura trees, it contains the only gateway to the Yokai realm. Originally formed as a place where Yokai could return, it has also become a town filled with Yokai who didn’t want to go, and were willing to live peacefully by human terms. For them, Sakurashin is a refuge, the only place where they are not persecuted for what they are. Fully half the town are Yokai. However, it attracts all sorts in the end, and some are less benevolent than others. Kyousuke the Oni, Ao the Mind Reader, Kotoha the Word User, Hime, Mayor and Dragon Incarnate, and last but not least, Akina, the Hizumi successor, are all members of the Town. Most of the time their duties are relatively peaceful, but when a Yokai runs amok, everyone depends on them. And this time, everything may depend on them.

Studio:
Studio Gong

Cast:
Fukuen Misato as Yarisakura Hime
Kaji Yuuki as Hiizumi Akina
Sawashiro Miyuki as Isone Kotoha
Fujita Saki as Nanami Ao
Ono Daisuke as Kishi Kyousuke
Seki Tomokazu as Hiizumi Enjin

Genre:
Fantasy, Supernatural.

Episodes:
Twelve. There is an OAV, but it is a remake that follows the manga exactly rather than a sequel.

DVD Availability:
Yes.

Review:
There are reviewers in the world of anime who appear to be eternally tormented by the existence of stereotypes and formulas. “Argh, a moe girl with glasses!” They howl in dismay. ‘Oh my g-d, not another tsundere with a too nice love interest,’ they’ll groan later. ‘Why, why?’ Those same people would no doubt take one look at Yozakura Quartet’s premise and break down in frustrated tears screaming ‘not another ‘group of high schoolers with power save the world’ anime! Gouge out my eyes, why don’t you?’ But you know, I’m less cynical about it. Stereotypes and formulas are only horrors when utilized by incompetent people. No point in focusing on them. Yes, Yozakura Quartet is ‘another group of high schoolers with powers save the world’ – or in this case their town – anime. But it is a bunch of likeable, entertaining, sympathetic high schoolers with powers save their town anime. It is a bunch of high schoolers with real, compelling dilemmas and emotional ties and quandaries save their town anime. And it is a bunch of high schoolers who form a tightly knit group and are as delightful to watch interacting as they are fighting or struggling with dilemmas with powers save their town anime. Yes, the premise is formulaic, and I’m sure you’ve all seen it before. So have I. I give it a four anyway.

Akina is – technically, probably – the main character, though he really shares this role equally with Hime. He is the heir to the Hizumi ability to ‘tune’ Yokai, forcing them back to their realm, and as such has quite a bit of responsibility – and heartache. Pleasant, kind, and good natured, his inescapable duty to deal with rebellious Yokai isn’t always easy for him. As a rule, it’s something he lives with, but for this opponent, things might not be so easy…. The Mayor, Hime, is a close friend of his from childhood, along with a third Yokai who seems to have tragically departed. Energetic, confidant, forward, and possessed of inhuman speed and agility (she tracks bullets and bats them aside), she puts her all into her work, as well as everything else. She also has an all consuming passion for pastas of all sorts, and even her perfectionist assistant’s regular accompanying calorie counts can’t put her off (he does not seem to buy her belief that it will all be burned off by exercise). Kyousuke the Oni is, as mentioned, something of a perfectionist. Detail oriented? Maybe even a little obsessive? You bet. Stiff and exacting, and devoted to Hime (not in a romantic sense), he is clearly less than happy with Akina and company as support, considering them far too carefree and unreliable. Despite his constant protests however, Hime overrules him every time. It probably is not helping that Kyousuke’s younger sister has a crush on Akina of the worst kind. Ao the mind reader is the youngest of the group by a long shot, and highly endearing. Young, perky, and cute, her ability to mind-read via her cat ears (she has no tail) has many uses, both social and martial (in addition to being able to find an enemy anywhere in the city, she’s a whiz with children). The missing Yokai who was part of Akina and Hime’s original trio is her older brother. Assigned with making the city’s announcements, her voice is well known to the town. Kotoha the Word User is a fairly unusual being – a half breed. Half human and half Yokai, her personality could also be considered to be half human and half demonic – in an endearing, socially acceptable way. Most of the time. She has chosen to be human, and she cares for her friends – but she sure can get an evil look. Her power could easily have been much too much but manages to limit itself – she makes things by naming them. If she says ‘machine gun’, she gets one – and, apparently, she can then control what she makes by speaking as well, allowing her too – to use one example – summon about fifteen machine guns and set them all off at once. That’s when that evil look comes out. The only other supporting cast really worth mentioning are the local gods – a trio consisting of one shota and two mid-twenties appearing women. Of course, they are all immortals, and their appearance is for kicks, or so one assumes – certainly their real age does not match. The shota is a bit of a perv, but he’s so old fashioned about it it’s more quaint and comic than anything else. One of the women I’m blanking on so she must not have done much…but the third is interesting all right. Dressed as a nun and carrying two magical katanas, she has a very hard time following the ‘hands off’ rule, constantly chafing at bit, enraged by being forced to observe as things go to hell without doing something. As for the villain…ah, this is delicate. He’s a powerful Yokai named Enjin who wants to unleash the Yokai world onto the town. Apparently the Yokai realm isn’t a very fun place – he doesn’t want to go back, but he’s such a very bad Yokai that there is no question of being allowed citizenhood. So he’s gonna do it the hard way. It’s far more complex than that of course, but you’ll have to find out the rest.

The first five episodes or so switch off between laying grounds for faster paced conflict later on and filler-like one shots that establish and flesh things and people out. As the more patient among us know, these early starts are indeed crucial: they are why you care when all goes to hell. And done skillfully enough, the line is harder to draw – seemingly innocent things interconnect and overlap with sinister suggestion, leaving the point where establishment ends and the plot begins much harder to pin down. Yozakura Quartet achieves this higher level, smoothly intermixing the two from episode one, and the one shot aspects themselves are honestly enjoyable and appealing, achieving their goal of making you care about the characters. Even later on, when the plot is fully in motion, there are moments that unquestionably exist simply for their own sake – and I would change or remove none of them. It is the seamless way in which the cast blends and interacts that is this anime’s most unique and compelling feature. Things hit the point of no return at the end of episode seven: everything is not non-stop battle but the carefree moments are over. The tensions and dilemmas mentioned earlier are brought into focus, highlighted and propelled by events as the efforts of Enjin cause turmoil, and the town itself grapples to find the best approach. Hime, especially, is interesting here, and ends up becoming even more of a focus than Akina – she’s so young and inexperienced, but she is the Mayor, and this is her town. Her emotional journey as she learns what is and is not required of her, and what she truly can and cannot do, versus what she would like to be able to do, is played simple but true, and so is a genuine, if not particularly mind-blowing, success. It bears mentioning that we are given some amount of explanation as to why someone like her is Mayor, which helps things enormously. The unity of the cast shows throughout: they are all, always, in the action, each one essential and playing their role. There is at least one sub-thread that concludes nicely, if predictably – the capitulation of the villain strains credulity a bit. Overall, however, I was very satisfied with the climax and the aftermath. This, in the end, despite all, a ‘feel good’ anime, with a feel good ending, despite not taking the soft route at the end.

Characters that would not be very special alone but together are a pleasure to be with, quite decent action when it comes to it, and a plot and emotional storylines that take the uncluttered route to success, make this anime good enough to go out of your way to try. And that’s my idea of a four out of five.

Final Rating: 4/5

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

Credits:
Information such as cast and airtime are taken from the ANN encyclopedia. Everything else is and always will be the creation of the author.

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

Dear people, its been a while since you’ve heard from me again!

I have been contemplating over the future of boontan.net for quite a while but I have been stuck on the download and the review section for quite a while. It is actually pretty hard to make wordpress the CMS of a site and now more crazy ideas have been running through my head.

Z.N Singer recently put another idea into my head. FANFICTION! OMG. I loved the idea so much that  I wanted to share it with the rest of boontan.net. So Boontan.net will be a Direct download/review/fanfiction hub for all anime fans! Truth be told, I don’t even have an idea how the layout of the entire thing would be. I realized that putting reviews behind the scenes reduces the amount of attention it gets.

So from now on, Any article posted on Boontan.net will go through the front page! So Bookmark the frontpage for the latest articles and the latests news.

Dokumaru! If You’re still interested in being a designer please reply! I intend create the gallery section together with the fanfiction section!

At the same time to turn this idea into reality, we need to recruit authors to write articles as Z.N Singer cant be the only one writing reviews and fan fiction all the time. This would help us attract more members and create a larger community! What are ya waiting for? email me at tboonyao[at]gmail.com.

Edit:07t4ku, I disagree with you the guy who owns this car is a legend!

The Legend

Plot Summary:
Rikugou Tokidoki is a high schooler going through the motions. School, life, they’re all the same: take them as they come, and whatever. His is the way of total apathy-until it’s shattered. What started as a virtual tour of the Bakumatsu Era becomes something terrible and inexplicable, as detachedness and half hearted feelings won’t do: now is one of them.
he is attacked by a monster that is all to clearly real and saved by a swordswoman wielding a katana, in the process of which the virtual goggles shatter, revealing that the sky and horizon are no longer projections. There are two worlds, not one, and for reasons unknown to any but it, the Yue has brought him to the second. Forced to take his adaptive ideology to the limit, he finds himself steadily more involved and steadily more alive. Which is good, because someone who comes from one world to the other cannot help but be different-in ways far from insignificant. There are times and places were

Studio:
Studio Deen

Cast:
Fukuyama Jun as Rikugou Tokidoki
Yusa Koji as Shinonome Kon
Paku Romi as Kuchiha
Nakata Jouji as Shamon
Suwabe Junichi as Bonten

Genre:
Historic, Fantasy, Adventure

Airtime:
Amatsuki aired from April 04, 2008 till June 27, 2008

Episodes:
Amatsuki has thirteen episodes. Judging by the ending, a sequel is almost guaranteed.

Review:
There are a thousand types of feelings an anime can try to evoke, and about the only thing they all have in common is that they are trying to create some kind of effect. Somehow, however, the one emotion I never expected to see was indifference. I doubt it was deliberate. Amatsuki managed to be somewhat interesting in the end, mildly intriguing, and the characters became just passingly real. However, that took until the end of the anime; by and large, Amatsuki scores a constant, steady impression of ‘ho hum’. Not really good enough to get excited, not really missing anything enough to irritate you, most of the first half of the series spectacularly does not create any reaction at all. It did go up, so the sequel is probably worth seeing, just in case, but overall-ho hum. Take your time.

The male lead, Rikugou, is kinda-nothing. He’s the quiet timid type that, barring a harem situation, will seem useless but win the compassion of some emotionally malnourished female warrior, usually tsundere, by being a nice guy. Usually they’ll turn out to be incredibly powerful later, and we’ll go through a toughening(haha) period. Check all those, and his power actually is very interesting, blends well with the explanation of the world and even fits with his character-and yet, response is still half-hearted. The female lead, Kuchiha, is tsundere-that’s about all there is to say. Someone born with a powerful wolf spirit(they call it a dog, but the only thing that monster will fetch for you is your head), she’s been subject to a lot of abuse and ostracism; perfect material to fall for the un-judgmental lead male. The only one she shows her care for openly is Shamon-sama, the exorcist/monk who accepted her possession and raised her. Your typical atypical monk build(ironic how predictable that one is), he’s a drunk, is always ready to enjoy good food, and is known to fall asleep during meditation. However, his spiritual power is great, he’s open minded and kind, all the usual. None of which, as per all, manages to break the tone much. Finally, Shinonome Kon, also from Rikugou’s world, from his school in fact. He was taken to the same world minutes before him, but there’s a time inconsistency involved: from the second world, Kon was there two years before Rikugou showed up. Originally a delinquent who skipped classes and had a tendency to brawl, he’s still something of a troublemaker, though dependable for his friends. Until nearly the end of the series, there is no clearly defined adversary, though full of ‘might be’s', those shadowy types that could be on anybody’s side, assuming you know what the sides are yet. An old and favorite tactic. But whatever.

Yawwn…oh? Hmmm..not bad. I guess. Huh, interesting. Heh. She would say that. Mmm, kinda cute. Hey, who’s that guy? Weird. Whatever. No, I’m not sleeptyping, I’m describing watching the first six or so episodes. How they achieved it I don’t know, but they managed, no matter what the material, to register overall, as ‘mildly interesting’. After that things begin to get a little better, and smoothly upgrade to a somewhat more energetic version of the above routine. Somewhat. Judging by the flow, and the fact that it is probably more accurate to think of this as the first part of a three(or so) sectioned story than as any complete telling of its own, it and it’s sequel are probably worth seeing. If the pattern continues in the next set, this could get quite good before its through. It’s more that the anime takes its leisure than that it lacks the right material. I actually do recommend watching Amatsuki, since there’s a strong chance it will continue to improve come next season, but I also do not recommend rushing. It’s not worth it; take your time. It’s only thirteen episodes, you finish it when you finish it. So long as you’re ready when the next set is, it’s fine.

For now, all I can say is that Amatsuki is a two point five, and that the sequel will probably be better. Watch it at your own pace to be ready when it comes, and we’ll all find out together.

Final Rating: 2.5/5

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

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

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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.

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Summary:
Takamachi Nanoha, a third grader, is just a little girl with two close friends…until Yuuno arrives. A boy from another world with a heavy responsibility, he doesn’t like to get anyone else involved in what he sees as a problem he has to solve himself. But his magical skills are relatively slight, and when he is wounded, he has no choice but to send a call to whomever in the vicinity has the magical power to hear him. Nanoha hears him. All in rush, she is the possessor of a magical computer orb called Raging Heart, she is attacked by a fierce creature that becomes a small gem when sealed, and she has been introduced to Yuuno, the shape-shifting ferret. An honest, empathetic girl, she quickly adopts the cause, determined to seal them all before they cause more trouble…and the entrance of Fate only encourages her. A powerful mage, long haired and beautiful, and Nanoha’s own age, despite fighting her again and again, Nanoha can’t help but notice the girls eyes: the most beautifully sad, tragic eyes she has ever seen. She isn’t just doing it for the town anymore. There’s a story behind those eyes, and Nanoha wants to know it-and comfort the one she knows, whatever she might say, is suffering.

Studio:
Seven Arcs

Cast:
Tamura Yukari as Takamachi Nanoha
Mizuki Nana as Fate Testarossa
Mizuhashi Kaori as Yuuno Scrya
Kuwatani Natsuko as Arf
Donna Burke as Raging Heart
Kevin J. England as Bardiche

Genre:
Magical Girl, Fantasy, Action, Sci-fi, Drama

Airtime:
Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha aired from October 01, 2004 till December 29, 2004

DVD Availability:
Yes.

Episodes:
Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha has thirteen episodes, with two sequels to date.

Review:
Magical girl type animes, mostly thanks to Sailor Moon, have a reputation for over-cutesifying, improbable attacks, and earnestly shouted simplistic ideals that are just constantly recycled truisms. I’m glad to say I’m reviewing no such anime: that would indicate I’d watched one. Nanoha actually does come close to OD-ing me in terms of cutesy-ness(ironically, when describing too much cute, you invent words a lot by adding suffixes, which is also associated with too-cute children). BUT-it really does tell a true and sweet story, even a deep one, and the characters are very enjoyable. Without ever being heavy, the plot line is strong and touching, and even though the first time I watched it was in my early years of anime watching, when I re-watched it recently, I found my opinion had only slightly changed. I, a twenty-one year old male, do recommend this series, recommend the sequel, Nanoha A’s, even higher, and rate it a four, my ‘very good’ number.

Nanoha, the lead, is not what I’d call unique-but she is endearing. So very normal, and so very determined. Adoring and adored by her family, she still feels some distance, which makes her all the more determined to reach Fate. Her way of being a ‘do your best’ sort works well-it’s made by showing, not shouting. By and large, the series succeeds by simplifying. The emotions, of her and most of the other characters, are true and uncluttered by complicated inter-relationships or sub-plots, and so they come across well no matter who it is. Fate is your quiet-through tragedy type, and shares a deep bond with her familiar, Arf. You can tell from the beginning that she herself isn’t evil, and it isn’t hard to feel as Nanoha does-especially since the show doesn’t restrict you to what she knows. We do see her life, and get a clear sight of who she is, who her familiar is, and why. It doesn’t take much from there to praying for her to find release. Arf, her familiar, is very protective of Fate, and will do anything for her, gladly. Someone who is clearly inclined to be ‘dog happy’, as her familiar form makes appropriate, seeing her pain on Fate’s behalf becomes no slight presence in the story. Chrono, a talented mage on board the patrol ship Asura, is conscious of his dignity, or tries to be, but his mother, the captain, and Amy, the navigator(I think, hard to tell what her official role is) make this very difficult for him. The captain, Lindy Harlaown, seems a bit of a lightweight, but she knows her duty and she knows command. Amy is similar, but younger and more energetic. As for the antagonists-yes, it’s very good. Evil and pitiable at the same time, you pray for her redemption almost as much as you pray for her demise. I’m not telling which it is. Just watch it.

Plot flow is slow, subtle, but always enjoyable. While the nature of the search means that at first each episode is a stand alone, it becomes one piece as the characters are built though them, and we come to see the bigger picture, and how much more is really at stake. The climax is meant to be a climax of emotion, and climax it is: perhaps not the ideal ending, but a good one all the same. Fate does find peace, I’ll promise you that. That’s not spoiling, that’s assuring against a nasty surprise. Oh, and it’s not just emotions that shine: the magical battles are excellent. The attacks, defense, and how they’re done, all of them are great. Proper spell casting battles are very cool, and Nanoha does it well-there is some very serious paranormal pounding here too.

An anime that dodges all the worst things attributed to ‘mahou shoujo’ titles, the only thing that could have made this better was a series of equally good sequels-which we have. Good strong characters, equally strong plot lines involving them, and quite excellent magical action make this a success that bears continuing-here’s to the Lyrical Nanoha family: this is just the first one. Thumbs up!

Final Rating: 4/5

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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Plot Summary:
Kino, a young girl, travels the world on and with an intelligent motorrad named Hermes. Determined to see as much of the world as possible, she goes from town to town, and stays three days in each, no more. There to see, not to judge, but to see as much as possible, together they observe all the shades of man, from wonder to selfish to blind to evil. Man is as varied as life, and the strangeness, the horror, and the beauty are as unlimited and varied as they are deceptive. But in the end, they are simply the colors that make life, and life is beautiful.

Studio:
Studio Wombat

Cast:
Maeda Ai as Kino
Aigase Ryuji as Hermes

Genre:
Philosophy, Drama, Psychology.

Airtime:
Kino no Tabi aired from April 08, 2003 till July 07, 2003

Episodes:
Kino no Tabi runs thirteen episodes, plus a special.

Review:
I once read somewhere that a popular complaint about Gundam Wing is that there was too much philosophy being discussed in mid-battle. In other words, they wanted action, not why the action was happening. There are plenty of adrenaline rushers for action lovers out there, and some that mix action and introspection. But introspection is usually playing second fiddle. Kino no Tabi is a fascinating exception. Imagine a very real, gritty set of Aesop’s Tales made not to teach a lesson, but introduce a question. The true purpose of Kino no Tabi is to present a series of what ifs. What if a country found a way to make everyone be able to sense each others feelings as their own? What if a country advanced so far that no one actually had to work to get things done? What if a country that felt a deep historical attachment to their land learned a precise date when it would be obliterated? The parade of sociological and psychological conundrums produced are deeply, deeply fascinating. No other anime has had the nerve to serve no other purpose than for you to think about it, and they do it well. I’ve given Kino no Tabi a five for well honed uniqueness, more than anything else. Oh, and because I love to think about things like these.

Sigh…my usual format doesn’t work very well here. Kino and Hermes are literally the only constant characters. For any other to appear in more than one episode is truly rare, with the only exception of the members of the Coliseum arc, the only one to take more than one episode. Kino is a young girl, soft spoken, who seems to enjoy teasing Hermes. Coming as a sightseer, she consistently refuses to take part, interfere, or judge what she sees. Hermes has a high, nasal voice something like a child, and sometimes seems to feel as if he helplessly lives at Kino’s whim. The relationship is trusting, though. Kino observes, and Hermes comments and asks questions. Lot’s of questions, most common of them being ‘why did you do that?’

There is no plot to speak of; the series is episodic. Sometimes one episode will cover several unrelated situations. However…if you are a thinker, someone who tries to see into the psychology of the characters you see, someone who really gets into the debates of ideologies that sometimes occur in them, or wish you could get into them but find them kind of simple minded, and besides you’ve hear them before…you will love this anime. The anime is famous for the phrase ‘The world is not beautiful. Therefore, it is.’ If that sentence intrigues you, watch it. If it made you go ‘huh? Is this some kind of zen thing?’ then go watch Naruto or Bleach or something.

There really isn’t that much more I can say without going into details of episodes. It’s an anime dependent on an inclination of though. I’ve done my best to deliver the feel, and the goal. All else I can say is that I am such a thinker, and as such, I give this anime a five.

Final Rating: 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.

]]> http://www.boontan.net/2008/08/06/kino-no-tabikinos-journey-the-beautiful-world/feed/ 2 http://www.boontan.net/2008/08/05/zero-no-tsukaima/ http://www.boontan.net/2008/08/05/zero-no-tsukaima/#comments Mon, 04 Aug 2008 19:28:26 +0000 znsinger http://www.boontan.net/?p=450

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Plot Summary:
In the Treisting school for magic, the name of Louise Francoise is famous – for failure. Without one successful attempt at magic to her name, everyone eagerly awaits what spectacular unwanted results will come of her attempt to summon a familiar. And as far as everyone can tell, she lives up to her reputation: instead of a creature of some magical nature, she summons Saito, a Japanese boy of her own age. A human, and therefore not bound to her will as a proper familiar, he is every way the failure anticipated, and she takes it out on him unmercifully. But the marks on his hand aren’t normal either, and some of the staff think they know what it is. If so, there are a lot of surprises ahead for Louise, Saito, and everyone who thinks they know them. Especially Louise. Summoning a human familiar is bad enough, but falling in love with him is just ridiculous…right?

Studio:
J.C. Staff

Cast:
Kuyimiya Rie as Louise Francoise Valliere
Hino Satoshi as Hiraga Saito
Inoue Nanako as Kirche
Sakurai Takahiro as Guiche
Horie Yui as Siesta
Inokuchi as Tabitha
Kawasumi Ayako as Henrietta de Tristain

Genre:
Romance, Comedy, Fantasy, Adventure

Airtime:
Zero no Tsukaima aired from July 02, 2006 till September 24, 2006

Episodes:
Zero no Tsukaima has thirteen episodes, plus two sequels. The second, at the time of this review, is in the midst of airing.

Review:
Ah – unexpected love. It comes without our realizing it, softly changing our lives – not. Unexpected it may be(to the characters), but it is neither soft nor subtle, heralded by hissy fits and bouts of beatings with a riding crop and orders of extra laundry duty. Frankly, I found the representation to be kind of tasteless. However, if you find blatantly oversized female accessories a plus rather than a gag, the constant presence of perverts and half-assed sexual passes amusing rather than wince-worthy, and you are okay with a lead male character that not only allows a petite pink haired little tyrant to beat him with a horse crop, but cringes and runs around the room when she tries, you might like it better. Personally, however, this series rates a two.

Okay, characters first. Female Lead: Louise Francoise. Long haired, short tempered, and very proud, her attitude is actually pretty sympathetic when you consider that she has had to spend a year already as the ‘Zero Louise.’ Mocked by everyone, befriended by no one, her pride has been all she had to stand on for some time. Male Lead: Saito. Tousle haired, taller in height but shorter in personality force when compared to his temperamental taskmaster, his attitude, and what he is and isn’t willing to put up with, seem to change depending on whether the producers want to be comic or serious. He has a way of switching between being your typical spineless harem male and being a guy with few options but still conscious of his human pride. Kirche – enter the fan service. Flame haired, a flame familiar, and a flaming approach to dating, she fall into steaming infatuation with Saito the first time he does something right, and tags along ever since. When she’s not trying to seduce him – and she is equipped for the role as only an anime character can be – she can actually be quite useful, and she certainly isn’t always a shallow, shameless competitor to spur on Louise. Tabitha – extreme quiet girl, and for some reason, best friends with Kirche. Go figure. A very powerful mage, her silence helps conceal the fact that she is probably the strongest student attending. And finally, Siesta – the real competition. A maid, so no airs, and pretty (aren’t they always?), whose very honest liking and admiration of Saito is something that attracts him all the more for the fact that his default status with the aristocrats and his mistress is something like a dog that can understand English – er, Japanese – and carry laundry. The rest you can meet in the show, if you watch it.

Plot flow, and general handling…oy vei. It takes till episode eight for any hints of an overall plot to show itself, which is the point where it actually intrudes, since of course there isn’t much time left at that point. That’s supposed to be where the climax starts, not the emergence. To compensate, the emergence and climax almost blend together. That itself isn’t necessarily a problem. After all, the series precept leaves plenty of room for some nice character development, as Louise and Saito pitch basic human dignity against the utter disappointment and humiliation he represents to her. You could have easily made seven very nice episodes dealing with all that – but Zero no Tsukaima opts for filling them, by and large, with episodes that have all the substance of cotton candy. The first two episodes are actually the best. The entirety of the first episode is taken to cover up till the summoning, actually a good thing, since you get a clear snapshot of Louise’s life and standing. Thanks to that, you have the basis to understand why she treats Saito the way she does. The second episode does a good job of establishing both Saito’s situation and allowing Saito to establish his human dignity. You need to be able to respect your main characters, and episode two deals with this well. Unfortunately, the rest of the series took such a shallow approach that not only does this not do any good, but it could even be considered a waste of airtime. All that those two episodes took such pains to establish went to pieces when put against the repeated use of the horse whip. It crosses a line of human dignity that simply cannot be passed off as comic. Someone willing to use a riding crop on a human so constantly for such petty reasons is someone I cannot sympathize with, and someone who not only allows it but cringes like a puppy, I don’t want as the hero.

Eventually, the plot kicks in and puts an end to the horrifying fillers(three through five, seven), but depth of any sort never quite makes it to Zero no Tsukaima. The handling as a whole was blatantly geared towards a sequence of sequels, and characters relationships advanced to the dance routine ‘one step forward, one step back.’ That is, every ‘resolution’ was almost immediately taken back so nothing would change. We’ve all seen this before: I hate it. And I certainly have better things to do than watch two sequels rehash the only worthwhile part of the story concept until even it loses all flavor.

Fan service, blatant sexual humor just within acceptance for the targeted audiences age, comedy based on being bossed and tossed around by every pretty girl in the area – does this series miss a trick? I am aware there are people for whom this is the description of a dream anime. To them I say: have a ball. But the rating in this review is a two.

Final Rating: 2/5

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

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

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Plot Summary:
Yokito, a white haired near twenty teen, travels from town to town making money with a doll and telekinetic abilities. For generations his family has searched for a girl with wings, who flies endlessly through the sky in a haze of tearful dreams. He stops in a town, thinking it would only be for a little…but one thing leads to another, and he soon finds that not only does he not want to leave, but that leaving may be the worse choice he could make.

Studio:
AniVillage, Kiyoto Animation

Cast:
Ono Daisuke as Kunisaki Yukito
Kawakami Tomoko as Kamio Misuzu
Hisakawa Aya as Kamio Haruko
Tamura Yukari as Michiru
Yuzuki Ryoka as Tohno Minagi

Genre:
Drama, Fantasy

Airtime:
AIR aired(hehe) from January 6, 2005 till March 31, 2005

Episodes:
AIR is a twelve episode series, with a thirteenth summary episode, and two specials.

Review:
AIR is a powerful drama with strong characters and a very touching, personal plot. In every way exemplary, it’s only fault is to fail to finish the story. For those of you who find the act of witnessing a bittersweet, last minute desperate love(parental, in this case) and death fulfilling in and of itself, instead of the dark before the dawn(i.e. the climax and turnaround, emotionally if not plotwise) then this could well be the best you’ve ever watched. If you prefer a more upbeat ending, however, look elsewhere.

The characters are very strong and endearing. Yokito seems gruff at first, but soon shows himself a compassionate man with a sardonic sense of humor. Misuzu is an excellent rendering of a childlike middle school girl-good natured, clumsy, and cute. She makes both an excellent comic and serious role, each element wrapping naturally around her as she smiles, trips, gets up, and smiles again. Misuzu’s mother, a semi-bimbo who loves Misuzu more than anything, even as she tries not to, quickly shows what place she should have in her heart – though getting there will take time. Kano, though she doesn’t take center role for long, is as endearing as the rest, in her own way, and makes a good job of those episodes that focus on her. As for Minagi and her sister, Michiru, their arc is strong enough to justify a series all by itself: Minagi, speaking in tones that never rise, with her own unique approach to conversation, and Michiru, unable to curb her enthusiasm enough to blow a soap bubble without breaking it, make an endearing duo, and their story is a strong one. All round, an excellent cast of characters.

Plot flow is typical of such series types: a series of mini-arcs of increasing intensity, increasingly closer to the elements that will make the final arc, the ones involving the lead characters. As a twelve episode series – the thirteenth is a summary, however that’s supposed to make sense – there are two initial arcs, then the final. As usual, the mini-arcs serve the dual purposes of building the main characters themselves in preparation for their spotlight hour, and building an understanding of the plot itself to follow. The characters are indeed built well, but understanding, in this case of the fantastic element that drives the series, is ever vague. Done right, the wonder and mystery is enough; understanding is secondary. In this case, however, understanding does indeed take second place, but only because it turns out the ending you expect is never shown. It could be said that AIR simply never finished: imagine if Full Metal Alchemist had ended right after showing that Ed was alive on the other side of the gate. All the pieces are in place, you know some victory is supposed to happen, and you’ve been given enough clues that you might guess how – but unless that situation itself somehow gratifies you, you wouldn’t be too happy, even if you did know what would probably happen. If the series doesn’t acknowledge that it happened, or will happen, then it’s no good. By the time things get really bittersweet in AIR, you’ve been given enough clues to know what’s going on, and why, that something is different, and that it’s important. But…the series suddenly seems to forget about all that and just plunge headlong into the tearful sunset-tinged misery of it all. Wallowing in the grief and cheated opportunity, its purpose seems to become nothing less. Despite having been given every reason to believe that there was a purpose to what you were seeing, and that something, something long cheated, was going to come of it, AIR chooses the path of tragic drama, and the resolution is left as an in-passing mentioned eventuality.

So, while powerful in the extreme, AIR is definitely not for people who want happy endings, or even just some sort of purpose for the sacrifices that occur. We all know that the death of a beloved character can be the catalyst for an immensely powerful climax – sometimes the greatest good can only be gained through the greatest loss, and it’s the price of things that make them valuable. However, watchers should be warned that this is not what AIR is: it’s purpose, in the end, is the death. I am here so that you can decide whether or not you personally would want to watch this anime, and I have done my best; however, as a reviewer, I have one personal privilege. And so – By the power vested in me, as a Reviewer of Boontan, I do declare said anime, AIR: A two(that felt good). You, of course, should make what you will of it.

Final Rating: 2/5

This review was brought to you by Z.N. Singer
Credits:
Information such as cast and airtime are taken from the ANN encyclopedia listing. All else is and always will be the origination of the author.

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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.

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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.