first impression: Kuroshitsuji (anime)

So my first impression of this anime after seeing the opening theme was: "Is this a bit... shounen-ai?" And for those of you who don't know what that means, don't ask, because it just means you haven't been exposed to anime and manga enough.

But I really think that the opening is simply misleading. Were this strictly a romance genre and were the two main characters romantically involved somehow-- despite the boy love ideals that I haven't been able to truly open up to yet-- the opening theme and sequence would have been perfect and very... well, "pretty."

Anyway, the premise to this series is about the Phantomhive family and the butler-- who is basically "super butler max". The story currently centers around Ciel Phantomhive, a young twelve year old master of his home and his business, and his butler Sebastian Michaelis.

The episode begins in a rather dramatic, morbid and twisted way. But as it progresses, the comedic antics and the incredible actions of the butler and the staff of the Phantomhive villa come into play. The story just centers around the devotion of Sebastian to his job as Ciel's butler and bodyguard. Everything Sebastian does, he does with ease and can probably do anything and everything ever tasked to him.

The first episode centers around a business contract and financial issues that need to be resolved by Ciel in order for a company to continue running. The staff, in an attempt to one-up Sebastian, take things into their own hands, but screw up immensely before the guest arrives at the mansion. Sebastian, with his demonic skills, fixes everything with ease and prepares the appearance of the villa, dinner, as well as all service for the guest's arrival.

During this time, Ciel receives the guest but seems to only be interested in playing games with him. As dinner progresses and their negotiations seem to be going nowhere, the guest is found talking about how he hasn't been able to procure the money he needs from the Phantomhive child and we learn that he is trying to cheat Ciel by running away from the factory after getting the money. But little does he realize that Ciel already knew of his betrayal and thus, the little boardgame they'd been playing ends up being reality when the guest loses his legs and is given a fiery demise in the end.

The whole concept of the series is supposed to have a creepy, horror-ish feel to it. And it is successful-- or rather it would have been successful if there weren't so many comedic antics thrown in. This is like an Addam's Family alternative, but without a family and simply a master and his staff.

But I have to admit that I enjoyed every bit of what I watched, even some of the lame attempts at hilarity. Maaya Sakamoto does wonders as a twelve year old child's voice actor-- her monotone and her boy's voice is excellent and as expected of such a versatile voice actor.

All in all, I think I may enjoy Kuroshitsuji, even if it doesn't become one of the best anime of the season. This is sort of like a secret delight for me. Kind of like Wagaya no Oinari-sama was, because even though the anime wasn't all that great, I still enjoyed it immensely.

I look forward to slowly easing through this series, because though good, it doesn't really have me hooked. Not just yet.

featured song: Gravity performed by Maaya Sakamoto

-- ending theme to "Wolf's Rain"



Music: Yoko Kanno
Lyrics: Troy
Producer: Yoko Kanno

Lyrics:

Been a long road to follow
Been there and gone tomorrow
Without saying good-bye to yesterday
Are the memories I hold still valid?
Or have the tears deluded them?

Maybe this time tomorrow
The rain will cease to follow
And the mist will fade into a new today
Something somewhere out there
keeps calling

Am I going home?
Will I hear someone
singing solace to the silent moon?
Zero gravity, what's it like?

Am I alone...?

Is somebody there beyond these heavy aching feet?
Still the road keeps on telling me to go on...

Something is pulling me
I feel the gravity of it all


Thoughts:
I first got this song because it is sung by Maaya Sakamoto and because it was an ending theme to an anime that seems to be very popular. While I haven't seen Wolf's Rain myself, I've read rather good reviews about it-- good artwork, good storyline, good concept, beautiful scenery, etc, etc, etc...

The song in itself is beautiful. Maaya Sakamoto's voice is perfect for Gravity; very pretty and with randomly fluctuating tones at all the right places. She brings the song to life and even enunciates the english words wonderfully. Even without having watched the anime, I can scarcely imagine abstract images of what Wolf's Rain would be like if I decided to watch it, which I'm becoming very tempted just because of this song alone.

It's a very lonely, very sad feeling that you get listening to the music and the lyrics, but it seems that the road that is being followed is eventually leading somewhere. Loneliness won't last long, but as the first line says, it's still "a long road to follow." The song itself is full of hopes of a better day to come, and from what I know of the synopsis of Wolf's Rain, this song perfectly represents the feelings of the main characters and their desire to be able to roam freely once again as wolves and not have to hide anymore.

first impression: World Destruction (anime)

The idea behind World Destruction: Sekai Bokumetsu no Rokunin is a Final Fantasy-like RPG turned anime series. What drew me to consider this series in the first place was actually a very superficial reason: Maaya Sakamoto. I'm a fan of hers and I'm the type of person who will check out a specific series because of certain people. As the voice for the main protagonist of World Destruction, I couldn't help watching the trailers and then anticipating the series' release.

The gist of World Destruction seems pretty straight forward.

This is a world where there are humans and then there are beastmen. Humans are enslaved by beastmen at this time and have learned to fear them. Because of this, our protagonist, Morute comes into play as the heroine with a mission to "destroy the world." Due to this, Morute is continuously chased by the beastmen of the "World Savior Committie" who have conveniently dubbed Morute as the "World Destruction Committie." And she likes this name.

In her possession, after all, is an orb known as "Destruct Code" which Morute claims is an old human secret weapon that has the power to destroy the world.

Along comes Kirie in the first five minutes of the first episode, disguised as a beastman for the sake of survival, and then is abruptly revealed to be human when Morute tries to take him hostage. The two make their escape from the "World Savior Committie" and find themselves in yet another debacle when they take refuge in a small human village. Here, because the beastmen Boundary God has been angered, a human must be sacrificed, but the village doesn't want to give up one of their own and so attempt to replace their little girl with Morute. At this time, Morute has already left the village and so the humans have no choice but to use Kirie who is already drugged and very unconscious. Morute learns of this and returns to save her fellow human.

Enter Toppi, a beastman in the form of a teddy bear who claims to be a hero from a hero's guild. He had been hired at the behest of a boy from the village to save his big sister who had been the original human sacrifice. The "World Savior Committie" joins the scene and a whole big fight sequence takes its toll. Morute threatens to use "Destruct Code", trips and loses the orb which in turn rolls its way over to Kirie who picks it up innocently, thus somehow activating it bringing on a massive quake to the area.

By the end of the first episode, the official "World Destruction Committie" has been reluctantly established. Of the three, Morute seems to be the only one passionate about destroying the world with her power and Kirie wonders why they don't just try to be heroes and save people. Poor Toppi is stuck being mistaken as part of the "World Destruction Committie" and thus has nowhere else to go. And it seems that Kirie just might have something to do with being able to trigger "Destruct Code's" power.

My impression of this first episode is rather weak, to be honest. Maaya Sakamoto can prove to be a strong voice actor... or sometimes the wrong one. For some reason, I'm not feeling her as a hero -- not quite yet. Of course, I'm also not quite sure what Morute's whole business with destroying the world is yet either. Sakamoto holds her own very well, however because she has one of those versatile voices. She can either be extremely monotonous and manly, be cool and calm... and manly, or she can be really girly and cute. In here, it seems that she's going for a semi-manly and half-girlish tone. It's sort of working.

In contrast, her co-seiyu Miyano Mamoru -- who voiced Suou Tamaki of Ouran High School Host Club fame alongside Sakamoto -- did very well in conveying the almost ditzy, carefree, eccentric attitude of Kirie. He brings out the shine that is Kirie and tops it off nicely with his boyish attractive voice. He's almost like Tamaki without the princely smugness.

The characters are in the progress of being developed through the story and will probably continue to develop more as the adventure moves along. Morute holds a deeper, hidden mystery of her past; there are reasons why she feel so strongly about destroying the world and why she carries with her the one item that can do such a thing.

Kirie is kind of flighty and spastic; I assume he's alone and surviving alone. Right now he's a bit of a pansy and I hope he'll toughen up as the journey continues and doesn't end up hiding behind a rock everytime Morute fights, as the opening sequence suggests.

There he goes.
There he is.
Toppi is supposedly a hero even though he's tiny; I've seen very little of his abilities as of this first episode, but he'll probably grow on me. He's also really preachy.

Overall, the first episode is quite good. Imagery is good, graphics are good, the artwork is worthy of any RPG turned anime, and the storyline feels a little wacky what with the cats worshipping the Boundary God, and some of the funny looking beastmen. The character design is beautiful and sharp and the clothing is a good fit with each character. The theme music is catchy and I really enjoy the ending theme.

I will continue to give World Destruction a good viewing as it comes out, because I have a feeling it'll live up to my expectations.