Summary:
The town never knew what hit it. One minute it was just another town…and the next, it was home to Kobato, the most enthusiastically clueless girl to ever walk the earth. She has so little concept of even the basics of life and simple common sense that she may as well have just dropped out of the sky – which, in fact, she has. Her mission: with no memory of what came before, or how or why she came to strike her bargain, she must heal enough hearts to fill a special bottle with the conpeitto like fragments it collects each time she succeeds. If she can do this, her wish will be granted, and she will be able to go…somewhere. Somewhere she wants very badly to be. For a girl who – at least at first – can’t even distinguish between people in need and bored kids looking for a playmate, it might well be impossible, even with the help of Loryogi, the bad tempered blue stuffed dog who is actually her fire-breathing guardian. And yet, the almost inhuman sincerity Kobato possesses has a power all its own…a power that just may be able to heal.

Studio:
Madhouse Studios

Cast:
Hanazawa Kana as Kobato Hanato
Inada Tetsu as Loryogi
Maeno Tomoaki as Fujimoto Kiyokazu
Kuwashima Houko as Mihara Chitose
Orikasa Fumiko as Okiura Sayaka

Genre:
Drama, Romance, Comedy, Supernatural

Episodes:
Twenty Four

DVD Availability:
No.

Review:
When I first watched Naruto, the thing that impressed me the most was its capacity for what I dubbed the emotional sucker punch. Again and again, I watched this show pull incredible emotional power out of situations like a magician pulling a rabbit out of a hat. You’d be sitting through a straight up comedy or action sequence, and – wham! – emotional sucker punch. Kobato, needless to say, has very little in common with Naruto. However, like Naruto, Kobato hides a powerful emotional punch that the premise would never have led you to suspect. I came in expecting a series of one and two, maybe three episode sequences of nice, touching stories with a light sweet conclusion. And for quite a while, that’s exactly what I got, plus some truly rib-busting comedy as a bonus. Quality varied, of course, but I thoroughly enjoyed myself all the same. It wasn’t until thirteen or fourteen that I began to suspect something much stronger was lying in wait. As it turned out, it was much stronger in comparison to my expectations of something stronger. Kobato is a series that starts out three and a half, maybe four if I gave more credit for comedy, and then somehow builds itself into something that can go toe to toe with the likes of Kanon, and delivers an epic romance that I can only compare to Kanon. I cannot give the series a five, since the series as a whole was not on this level. But I can and do give it a four point five for an ending that exceeded my wildest expectations. Even the makers of Naruto would be impressed.

As always, characters first. Because I think about them a lot – I’m character focused. First, of course, is Kobato. The usual clumsy and helpless, but sweet and enthusiastic type is given a whole new level of hysterical cluelessness by the fact that part of how her manifestation – for lack of a better word – works is that all the basic common sense that comes of living has been erased from her: it’s almost like a fifteen year old was created out of nowhere with none of the experience of getting there. As such, her innocence surpasses innocence – she’s more or less a baby with the mobility, body, and comprehension (sort of) of a teenager. This does slowly moderate over the course of the story as passing time replaces this lost experience (the story takes place over the course of a year). Which is a good thing, because even really good handling could only stretch the lead character acting the way she does in the earlier episodes so far. While it lasts, however, her antics are to die for, as are Loryogi’s responses. As mentioned, he at least appears to be a blue stuffed dog with a spiked collar. When others are looking, he plays ‘dead’. When they aren’t, his expression goes cranky, his mouth opens and gains some impressive teeth, and he talks in a deep, growling voice that seems distinctly too big for him. Of course, he isn’t really a stuffed animal, and didn’t always look that way, so most likely it fit his original size. Why he is the way he is and why he was chosen for the job actually forms an effective sub-plot: while not intense, it is quietly intriguing and satisfying. The usual ‘grumpy guy softened by cheerful innocent’ is given subtle new nuance by his past, as any quality piece of storytelling will manage to do. In the meantime, Kobato rarely fails to get several furious outbursts out of him per episode, even after she improves. They make a great comedy duo. Next most significant would be Fujimoto, a tall thin college goer with long brown hair in a ponytail. While not in the least ‘street’, he does possess a certain lank ‘tough’ air about him, and is quite strong. Wearing an eternally angry face, he actually resembles Loryogi in some ways. Yes, he’s an ‘acts mean but has a heart of gold type’, but really, he’s handled very well: the realism and subtlety with which these conflicting traits of his are portrayed have nothing of cliché in them. His interactions with Kobato are also amusing, for similar reasons to Loryogi, even though he never breathes fire at her. One big part of his story is his devotion to Sayaka, his adoptive older sister who runs Yomogi Nursery, an old daycare with a dedicated clientele of people who attended it themselves before they grew up and acquired children of their own to send. Pretty, black haired, and bearing glasses, the children are no less devoted to her than Fujimoto is. Kobato ends up working there as well via the typical series of clumsy coincidence that often conspire to keep her sort alive, probably for our entertainment (actually, in the anime world, we know it’s for our entertainment). There are several other characters that make regular appearances but I don’t think they require exposition here.

Kobato’s premise, as I said in the intro, suggests a long series of warm hearted one and two episode shots, similar to, say, the Aria shows, except with a goal and conclusion. And at first, that is essentially what we get – with a hearty helping of spanking good comedy. Kobato’s initial innocence-fueled blunders simply can’t be compared to other shows. And that same innocence manages to fuel some very sweet moments as she racks up her first few conpeitto. It takes quite some time to realize something rather larger is building up. As time goes on and Kobato regains enough sense to become a more serious character – relatively – we also learn more and more about the people around her, some of whom have problems she just can’t heal. The nature of her guardian and the reason he’s there is smoothly developed on the side until his personal investment in Kobato’s future is a warm and touching thing indeed. The daycare center is in real trouble, and many people are devoted to it. But it isn’t something Kobato can heal, and the pain it is causing to her and the people around her slowly but surely gains strength and momentum. We see her becoming closely tied to those people, becoming personally invested and enmeshed in their lives as someone who plans to go soon really shouldn’t be doing – except Kobato isn’t someone who can live like that. By the time we reach about episode sixteen, we have a well established permanent cast of surprising size for a show whose storyline seemed nearly episodic at first, all with personalities and roles established. And then…with the startling smoothness of well planned but subtle storytelling we find ourselves in a true, heart wrenching drama that is anything but a short shot. In fact, suddenly, we realize we have a fully fledged emotional web with multiple sub-plots just like any story so driven from the beginning. And one by one, those sub-plots are resolved in an admirable fashion worthy of the best. The resolutions are even surprisingly realistic, ultimately happy but mixed with losses, rather than the simple happily ever after the first episodes would also have led you to expect. And then the primary plot line, Kobato herself, takes center stage, and it is epic. Slowly, carefully, and exquisitely executed, the last four episodes of Kobato are not easily forgotten, and are one of the few examples of any entertainment medium I have wanted to re-watch or read as soon as I’d finished. Normally I am distinctly not a re-watch person. It takes a while after I’ve finished something, no matter how good it was, before I’ll look at it again. The exceptions are few and far between. The last two episodes of Kobato are the first examples I have encountered in anime. Believe in love conquers all? Even if most attempts at this idea bother you, I think you’re going to like this. And if most attempts don’t…you will dearly regret missing this.

Kobato started good in its own way, and ended with amazing power in epic fashion. In a way it deserves higher than a four point five. But then, it’s those little things that make fives such a statement. Don’t miss this anime.

Final Rating: 4.5/5

This review was 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 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.

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

Studio:
J.C. Staff

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

Genre:
Action, Comedy, Supernatural, Drama

Episodes:
Twenty-six

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

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

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

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

Final Rating: 4.5/5

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

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

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

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

Studio:
Madhouse

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

Genre:
Action, Drama, Supernatural

Episodes:
Twelve total, no extras to my knowledge.

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

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

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

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

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

Final Rating: 4.5/5

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

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

wagaya no Oinari-sama

Summary:
When Noboru and Tooru Takagami arrive at their grandmother’s shrine, they are under the impression they are coming to attend her deathbed. Instead they are introduced to a dizzying sequence of surprises. One: their grandmother, apparently, is just fine. Two: the deathbed bit was a ruse to get them to the shrine where they could be protected from a wood aligned specter that was after Tooru. Three: their family is from a long line of water priests, capable of strong water ki casting, and while a lack of females has meant an end of priestesses in this generation, the power in their blood is still quite attractive to those that feed on water-wood. Thus the danger. Finally, lack of priestesses or not, the present head of the family is Noboru, and some things cannot be done without him. Like releasing the seal on the family’s ancient guardian spirit, an astral fox, imprisoned for centuries for gross misconduct and abuse of her power. She doesn’t seem very reliable at first…but something about the name of their deceased mother seems to soften her. Defeating the wood sprite doesn’t take much effort on her part, but a debt is still owed: can they really simply seal her back for another several centuries? And if they don’t, then what? She’s gluttonous, fun loving, and fey, not to mention having little regard for finesse of gender; ‘she’ is a he as often as not. And yet, inhuman though she undoubtedly is, she does have a heart…and as she once loved their mother, she seems willing to love them as well. And woe betide the specter that wants their blood now…

Genre:
Fantasy, Supernatural, Comedy.

Studio:
ZEXCS

Episodes:
Twenty-four, plus three short short specials. It feels like there could be a sequel, but there are no guarantees.

Cast:
Yukana(female) and Nakamura Yuuichi(male) as Tenko Kuugen
Miyamoto Mitsuru as Haruki Takagami
Hayami Saori as Kou
Mizushima Takahiro as Takagami Noboru
Shimamura Yu as Takagami Tooru
Ono Daisuke as Ebisu

Review:
Fox spirits seems to be something of a fad of late in anime. Thing is, few of them are really presented as the traditional inhuman trickster. Standard approach to non-human animal spirit in the house is, give it a cute girl form, some inhuman abilities and powers, and start talking about human bias and ‘exploring’ whether they are really so inhuman, all the while fostering a romance. Which is a big part of why Wagaya no Oinari-sama impressed me. With the traditional Japanese mythos so faithfully revived in so many areas in the anime, in pure pre-Buddhism style, Tenko Kuugen the Astral Fox is no exception. A true depiction of the classic endearing trickster, she is sympathetic and humane – but never, ever human. With an opening depicting her fox form, her female form, and her male form in equal proportions, the series never strays from this precept, representing the kind of thinking that makes the whole thing work. A small but noticeable crop of fillers mixed among the excellent true arcs keeps this series from a four, but as a three, it is still worth watching. Bear in mind, however, that three is the average entire-certain significant chunks of it are definitely four level.

Characters first, as always. Leading male, though one could argue he shares that title with Tooru, is Noboru, the oldest in the family. What seems like the stereotype anti-macho lead is subtly altered and redeemed by the fact that, with their true mother dead, he’s basically been filling in for her, both in general household maintenance and where his little brother is concerned. The attitudes that make his type, put against the role he plays at home as the substitute mother, especially towards Tooru, and the fact that he is truly good at it (we see later he has an affinity for children in general), become proper parts of his own personality. His brother, Tooru, is a very endearing child of about eight or ten, young enough to be appealing, old enough to think. His sincerity is his strongest point, and while someone meaning harm to Noboru is still playing dice with a nasty death, it’s Tooru who seems to attract the good will of all he meets, human or not. Tenko Kuugen, or Kuu-chan as Tooru calls her, seems especially fond of him, though it could just seem that way since it’s he who gets into trouble the most. His older brother seems to take after his father more, but the water ki in Tooru’s blood is much stronger. So, Kuugen herself. Though himself is equally accurate about a third of the time. According to her explanation, ‘after a couple hundred years, you forget which gender you were born as, and it doesn’t really matter much to you anyway.’ This seems to be a feature of all spirits of her class, we meet at least one other who is the same. Despite all her time as a captive at the Miduchi clan’s hands, she doesn’t seem to bear a grudge, preferring to leave it all behind and live blissfully in the moment. A true trickster type, loving fun and a dash of trouble, she certainly causes enough-until something threatens the family. At which point she is liable to morph half fox right on her still human shoulders. Apparently if she gets excited or otherwise distracted, she loses control of the transformation to some degree. Anger does the most, but if something catches her interest suddenly enough her ears are liable to pop out (causing no small consternation). She is both fun and sympathetic, not to mention awe-inspiring when her blood is up. Kou, the Miduchi shrine’s present guardian maiden, is the quiet type, in tone and demeanor. Beautiful, determined, and roughly Noboru’s age, she is asked by their grandmother to accompany them, to keep an eye on Kuugen, whom she doesn’t seem to trust much. Her take on this requires some adjusting. Nearly as clueless as someone brought in from the previous century, she is not too sure how the fridge works, how to cook, or what is considered normal behavior in the city; but she is certain that her duty requires her to brave all of these uncertainties daily. Clumsy but well meaning, she responds to every request with ‘yes, even if it costs me my life’, a response that brings sweat to the brow as you realize that not only is she serious (however low the odds of death occurring) but that in the process she will probably accidentally break at least two household items. Quite a bit of fun, but like Kuugen, not to be underestimated. There are no villains in this anime; it’s ‘that’ sort.

There is no overall plot. We have the setting, and stuff happens inside it. The first seven are establishers mixed with one episode fills; we meet people and watch what the basics of life here are going to be like, complete with a few examples of Kuugen’s battle prowess and bond with her human family, both present and past. They are actually a fair bit of fun, sometimes even touching, and it isn’t until near the end of it that it starts to feel like fillers. Which is right about where it switches to an excellent three or four episode arc (hard to say just where it started) that takes a theme I’ve almost never seen done convincingly and, well, does it convincingly. It was quite wonderful, and encouraged me not to give up yet.  A good thing, because there’s another three like the first set before the next good arc starts. Again, the actual arc was excellent, it was getting there that sometimes got annoying. Once that arc ends (eighteen) we never see another like it; some of the fillers were enjoyable and there was one two episode arc that really didn’t compare with the others. Which left me with an interesting conflict of opinion. Most of the arcs and some of the fillers were excellent, but there’s just a little too many of the not-so-good fillers floating around. So in the end I’ve averaged it out to a three, saying that the series as a whole is worth the time to see. But some parts are more worthwhile than others.

Good characters, enjoyable interaction, and some very well told stories give this series plenty of appeal, but the overall watching experience averages out somewhat lower than the value of it’s better parts. But in the end, anything three and higher is a recommendation. I do believe it should be watched.

Final Rating: 3/5

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

Credit:
Information such as airtime and cast are courtesy of ANN’s encyclopedia entries: all else is and always will be the origination of the author.

Summary:
Tomoya is a delinquent. His class attendance is lackadaisical, and his approach to life in general is not much different; he gets most of his thrills from teasing everyone around him. However, he does have a kind side, and it turns out to be his lifeline, as he finds himself trying, ever more energetically, to encourage a lonely girl to make her dream of acting in the school drama club a reality before she graduates. One thing leads to another: whether he knows it or not, a new life has just begun.

Genre:
Drama, Romance, Supernatural, Comdey.

Episodes:
Clannad’s first season consisted of twenty-two episodes, plus two specials; a second season, Clannad After Story, has now partially aired (Dec 17, 2008).

Studio:
Kyoto Animation

Cast:
Nakahara Mai as Furukawa Nagisa
Nakamura Yuuichi as Okazaki Tomoya
Nonaka Ai as Ibuki Fuuko
Kuwashima Houko as Sakagami Tomoyo
Noto Mamiko as Ichinose Kotomi
Hirohashi Ryou as Kyoiu Fujibayashi
Kanda Akemi as Ryou Fujibayashi
Sakaguchi Daisuke as Youhei Sunohara

Review:
One man’s favorite novel is another man’s gag-fest…or something like that. I’ve been on the receiving end of a disapproving review of a favorite anime more than once. I’ve never forgotten what it felt like when I saw a seventy percent rating on Anime Library for Sola, my personal all time star…so I guess I feel just a little guilty about this one. Still, I can’t change my opinion-but I do know your pain, I really do. I am aware that Clannad is the darling of thousands of anime fans, all of whom were enthralled by it’s-well, truthfully, I have no notion what it is they found so enthralling. My overall reaction, as a watcher, is that it is an utterly-and sadly-unsuccessful attempt by the team that made Kanon 06 to ‘do it again’. Kanon was a masterpiece: this is not. Ranging from reasonably touching (the first arc) to absolute rock bottom (the second arc), Clannad rates, by my judgment, a one-barely. I will do my best to explain myself objectively, but no matter what, I can only judge an anime from one viewpoint, and that is my own. So if I am tearing apart an image that means a great deal to you, I am sorry…but only because I’ve been there. The series itself, I feel, does not deserve my pity.

As always, characters first – though in some cases, I could just refer to Kanon counterparts. Tomoya, the main character, is given many features directly opposite to his predecessor, Yuuichi, no doubt to prevent what happened anyway: he reminded me of Yuuichi. Despite all the technical differences, when watching him I just thought, ‘he reminds me of Yuuichi.’ And that only gets worse as time goes on and his kind side becomes more dominant. Nagisa, the female lead, does not have a close enough counterpart plot-wise to suffer the same fate. However, her design (appearance) is no more or less than a mature sized Ayu. Picture our uguu girl at the proper height for her age and properly developed all around, and you know what Nagisa looks like. She’s also easily the most bland of the cast, far and away outshined by just about everyone else, including her parents. Sweet, but flat, that’s her. Despite numerous attempts to make her something more like, well…Ayu? Tomoya’s best friend, Sunohara, is Kitagawa, Kaori’s best friend in Kanon. That’s it. Just a carbon copy with a couple situational differences. He even looks like him. Fuuko, a little girl who looks and acts elementary age but is actually high school age – another Kanon carryover – is actually a bright light in this litany: she is absolutely hysterical, and in a style utterly her own. Makes Ayu look like a lecture on agricultural statistics. Her arc is the only one of worth in this anime (more on that in it’s place), and I’d gladly have watched the full twenty-two episodes as focused on her just wandering about, and rated it high too. That doesn’t happen, of course, but if Clannad succeeded at anything it attempted, it was the comedy. I shall keep the first ten episodes for nothing more than the gut-busting fun, and begrudge not a megabyte of the space.  Then there’s Tomoyo, a long silver haired girl with a gentle manner and The Kick of Justice. Forget the long hand of the law – worry about her feet. She’s actually quite a good, interesting character, and my easy favorite. Unfortunately she doesn’t get nearly enough screen time, and her role for most of the series is to add bulk to the crowd of enamored girls who all want Tomoya (g-d knows why).  Actually, most of the girls serve this role more than anything else, because there are simply too many of them to give them proper arcs of their own. Even the ones that do get short ones, besides of course for Nagisa. There is something intrinsically wrong with the taste of any drama that tries to have more than three girls interested in a guy at one time. You just can’t give it proper weight, and the whole situation is incredulous, to say the least. Clannad gives him five. Right. Someone get me the name of his aftershave. Two more of the five are the twins, Kyou and Ryou Fujibayashi. Kyou is loud, long haired, and violent; Ryou is quiet, soft voiced, and short both in hair and self confidence. The usual Yin and Yang thing that producers seem to see as a shortcut to interesting. Not that it’s a tactic with no hope; Kyou is actually a lot of fun, and my second favorite character. Ryou fades out as your typical moe shoujo, but this is enlivened by the fact that anytime she is particularly overwhelmed, Kyou is sure to show up to give the perpetrator hell, something she excels at. These two never have their own arc but simply add their presence alongside all the others; truly purposeless but for flavor and to bring the number of ‘candidates’ to a gratuitous five. Last and possibly least, depending on the angle, is Ichinose Kotomi, the series’ monosyllabic, an introverted genius girl who somehow was once a friend of Tomoya’s and who he has now forgotten; all in all, she completes the list of characters who are factually nothing like Kanon characters, but remind me of them anyway. Kotomi-chan, while an excellent comedic character, reminded me of Mai somehow, and so does her arc, which is also quite short. In that she has one, she takes precedence to the twins; in how much her own affections are presented, she loses by such an extant I have no idea why they bothered at all. Amount of screen time in which her feelings (romantically speaking) are a factor? Total well under ten minutes, possibly even five. I thought she was just a friend till near the end. Or rather, hoped, since there were too many in that category already. I’ll end the character bashing here; disgust seems to have made me wordy(er).

Plot and delivery time. For the first eight or so episodes, Clannad actually did very well. I was honestly interested, and eight ended strongly. These plus nine made the first arc, Fuuko’s arc, minus the first two and a half or so which are general introduction, with the seeds of the arc to come dropped casually in the midst. The humor was great, the emotions of Fuuko’s dilemma were strong-and to be honest (aren’t I always?), that was the last time I thought favorably of the series. It is a little hard to describe what was wrong with the arc’s conclusion. Here’s my best attempt: while fan-service by default means ‘privileged angles’ (cough*panties*cough), it can actually refer to any element of an anime made for the watchers rather than for the story itself. Those who prowl fanfiction.net have probably seen more badly spelled examples of ‘fiction for fans’ (rather than by fans, a critical distinction) than they care to remember. This was by professionals, but it still felt like it was designed to fulfill the fantasies of the greatest number of watchers – just instead of hormonal fantasies, the ones they were fulfilling were plot based. It was made to tug the maximum number of heartstrings, not to best conclude the story they were telling, and this is always a turn for the worse. Though I didn’t have the words at the time, I knew that it had disappointed me. And it only went downhill from there. Kotomi’s arc starts out as a return to the top notch comedy (starfish FTW!), but after two or so episodes it starts to become serious; only, somehow, it failed entirely to get me serious. And then we got to the conclusion…okay, look. I have standards when I write. I believe strongly in making the story you tell as strong as possible. I also feel the truer the tale, the more it will touch. And I have never, ever, ever watched a worse conceived scene in all my experience in anime, and I pray never to again. It’s very hard to explain my absolute abhorrence without spoilers. I’ll try by saying that once again it tried to pull every single heartstring they could, pulling out revelation after revelation-except this time, not a single one had the slightest ounce of plausibility. I snorted in disgust at the first three, and then proceeded to skip my way through in hopes of some redeeming moment later on. That’s right, I skipped my way through most of the high point of the arc. And I never found that redeeming point either. I stopped watching cold for months. I have never stopped, without intention of continuing, so deep into an anime before (G Gundam was a fifty episode series, so it’s different). The only reason I kept it on my hard drive was because I have a friend who has trouble downloading, and he was interested in it. Eventually I decided that having gotten that far, I should finish, and review it. You may not be grateful, but too bad. I did.

There is a short arc on Tomoyo after that, which was nice but not nearly as in depth as I would have liked. She was an intriguing character, but after they were through she was not much more than part of the ‘Unrequited Lovers of Tomoya’ club. It takes three to form a club in their school; at five members, they honestly qualified. After that we go back to full time ‘revive the drama club’ mode, focusing on Nagisa and Tomoya. We have one or two fairly stupid ‘problems’, solved in equally stupid or implausible fashion, and then the kicker. The whole issue with his dad, instead of being dealt with (it deserved to be, it wasn’t bad at all as a premise), is used as a gimmick to put Tomoya in Nagisa’s house. That’s it. It’s the last time the series acknowledges it. It’s also rather hentai-esque, and I find it rather ironic that of the three, Clannad, Kanon, and Air, only Clannad was not adults only as a game, but only Clannad as an anime suggest hentai roots. There’s really not much more to say; this deep in, explaining things in detail is pretty much impossible, and none of it made much of an impression in any case. Right up till the much awaited confession. The series never managed to move me again. Flat, mundane failure. Some moments were enjoyable, but that was it.

I mentioned that the series seemed to suggest hentai roots, right? It’s a statement demanding a bit of explanation, I know. The scenes I’m referring to range from a questionable scene involving Tomoya locked in the gym storage shed with Kyou to various scene shots that emphasize girl’s ‘endowments’ a bit too deliberately to ignore. And one or two inbetween. Perhaps not, in itself, a flaw, but it is reminiscent of what is missing throughout Clannad: a lack of taste or sense of proportion. Even the traditional definition of fan-service makes some form of appearance.

What can I say? No matter what anyone else thought of it, only the comedy and the first eight episodes keep this at anything more than zero. I did warn you not to read this if you were already a fan. However, for the record, I’ve always been conscious of the lack of counter-opinions in the review selection here. I’m the only one for now, so it can’t be helped, but if you want to make a sort of ‘mini-review’ in response in the comments section below, that is more than fine: just make sure that it is detailed and specific. It should be able to help someone who is wondering whether they would agree with me or others more. Don’t say ‘I loved it’, say why. That’s all. But by my account, Clannad is a one.

Final Rating: 1/5

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

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

Plot Summary:
In Tokyo, an impenetrable field known as “Hell’s Gate” appeared ten years ago. At the same time, psychics who wield paranormal powers at the cost of their conscience also emerged. Hei is one of the most powerful of these psychic agents, and along with his blind associate, Yin, works for one of the many rival agencies vying to unlock the mysteries of Hell’s Gate.

Company:
BONES

Cast:
Hidenobu Kiuchi as Hei
Ikuya Sawaki as Mao
Masaru Ikeda as Huang
Misato Fukuen as Yin

Genre:
Drama, Mystery, Science Fiction, Supernatural

Air Time:
Darker Than BLACK aired from April 05, 2007 – September 27, 2007

Episodes:
Darker Than BLACK is a 25 episode long series. There is also an OVA which has yet to be released at the time of this review.

Review:

I started watching Darker Than BLACK with high hopes, coming from BONES who has made some amazing anime in the past (Full Metal Alchemist!) I found Darker Than Black to be an enjoyable experience but it didn’t live up to my high expectations.

Darker Than BLACK boasts crisp, detailed visuals. The backgrounds are are dark and grungy and they give character to Tokyo, where the anime takes place. The character designs are simple but effective, everyone is distinguishable and has their own unique characteristics and physique. The action scenes between Contractors are animated excellently and are extremely fluid. Overall, I would say that Darker than BLACK is probably one of the best looking animes this year.

The story of Darker Than BLACK starts off fairly slow. Most of the anime is made up of “missions” which are usually 1-3 episodes long. These missions help build characters and explain the backstory behind the world of Darker Than BLACK and the beings known as contractors. Eventually an actual plot develops but it feels somewhat confused. Darker Than BLACK skips a lot of details and doesn’t explain stuff as well as it could have, which is unfortunate. The world of Darker Than BLACK is an amazing one, and it feels like it has a lot to offer. The ending is also very vague, but hopefully it will be cleared up with the upcoming OVA.

The music in Darker Than BLACK is above average. On the whole though, the anime is fairly quiet. The action scenes sound great considering all the explosions and powers flying across the screen. The characters are all well cast and their voice actors do a good job.

Darker Than BLACK was an interesting anime for me. I had high hopes at the start and I felt that it kind of went downhill during the middle episodes, but made up for it at the end. The action in Darker Than BLACK is probably the main reason for watching it, the Contractors all have pretty unique powers which allow for super-epic fight scenes.

Ultimately, I enjoyed Darker Than BLACK for the great production quality and the unique action. I had hoped for the story to be a little better, but it’s still good. If you’re looking for something with action that’s new and a little different definitely give Darker Than BLACK a try.

Final Rating: 3.5/5

This review was brought to you by Ondema!

Credits:

• Anime News Network (ANN)
• Wikipedia