Excellent Anime

Written by Jultomte on January 27, 2011 at 12:16 AM

I very much enjoyed the brutal intensity of this anime. Yes it is very gory and explicit, but it does not hide any of the deep and dark aspects of human nature that are portrayed in the characters. This is not an anime with a perfect hero against a perfect villain. This is not an anime where all the main character needs is to level up 100 times before the final episode. There is progression and development, but it follows the success, setbacks, and plotting of human minds and actions rather than the conventions of standard straightforward predictable plotlines.

The story is confusing at first, but that's only because it is partially non-linear. However, that's just good storytelling and it takes some time and interaction to follow. We are used to being spoon-fed a story, but this one takes you along by forcing you to think about what is happening.

The animation and overall artistic style of the anime is fantastic! It complements the plot, characters, and dialog perfectly. They really nailed that. One of the things that I find impressive is how much movement there is and how dynamic the animation is while in reality it is very much like a moving manga page. In other words, there are many still-scenes and freeze-shots yet nothing is static or unmoving. It is truly a strange paradox that they perfectly executed.

What makes this anime so entertaining is the incredible strength and resolve of the main characters. There are no limits to what they will say or do to accomplish their respective goals. Their passions, strengths, and weaknesses are revealed as they pursue their own desires.

I also love the in-depth view this anime presents of the psyche and intricacies of the samurai-type culture and society.

The only flaw, and this is HUGE, is that the anime is incomplete! Although it is listed as complete, that's only because they did not animate any more episodes. I read the rest of the manga (to which the anime is very faithful) and the story continues to be just as amazing and finally ends where it began at the Sword Match at Sunpo Castle. So if you want to know how they got there and what happens, you will have to read the manga. I love this anime, but it is terribly incomplete. I lament the fact that this anime does not finish the series, but it is well worth the few episodes that were released.

This is not for the weak of heart or young of eyes, but it is certainly an excellent story in all respects for those who wish to delve into a deep vibrant story. "This is what happens when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object." That quote is from the Dark Knight and aptly describes this anime.