Moribito: The Guardian of the Spirit
Alternate Names: Seirei No Moribito
Episodes: 26
Genre: Action, Adventure, Drama, Fantasy
Summary: This story takes place in the land of Yogo. The 2nd prince is possessed by a strange being...and ordered to be assassinated by his own father...the Emperor. Balsa, a wandering spearwoman happens upon him by accident after saving him during a routine parade, and is hired by the prince's mother to take him away from the palace and protect him. Thus the adventure begins. Balsa becomes his bodyguard, in order to atone for her past sins, but gets more than she bargains for. Not only does she have to protect the prince from the entire country...but also from a whole other WORLD...and from the very being WITHIN him.
Opinion: I....LOVED Moribito. Though I have to say this...it might not be for everyone. My brother didn't like it as much as I did for instance. The Scenery is absolutely BREATHTAKING. The animation is comparable to Miyazaki in that respect...and I do NOT say that lightly. The character designs were similar to Blood+, and at first I wasn't too fond of them...but they grew on me. I loved Shuga. XD Now the story...I found it very interesting. It takes you to another world with beauty and legends you can only imagine...and at the same time the characters feel real enough for you to connect with. It's like a mystery at first, slowly being unraveled and drawing you in; just feeling for Chagum and hoping for his victory! After all, you can only imagine how a child would act in his position. Also amidst it all, you truly hope that Balsa can learn forgiveness...for herself. I recommend it, but like I said, it may not be for everyone. Don't stop at the first episode though, give it a try. The slow paced feel picks up, I was on the edge of my seat through the last couple of episodes. XD
--Instead of simply picking the opening, I found a full version with lots of beautiful scenery from the series. I love this song so much! L'arc en Ciel--Shine
--And since the music is so beautiful, here's a bonus song. Nahgi no Uta, it's kind of a theme song for Moribito.--
You can find all the episodes HERE
