"A cry in the forest. Deep are these wounds... What we can do to heal them? A caring hand and an even warmer heart..."
Creator: Isuna Hasekura
Genre: Fantasy, Romance, Thriller
Year: 2008
Age: 12+
Episodes: 13
First to start of, this is only the review of the first part and season of this anime. Second one will be done separately.
A fun, entertaining, romantic, yet serious anime set in the history of real world combined with the folklore tales... If that is the anime that you are looking for, the look no further, you just found one. The overall presentation of this anime is something that should be praised. Mostly because of their characters, their deep personalities and the world that is surrounded by them. Now we get here some negative things behind it. This anime may be confusing to some and boring at first. But even then, this anime only requires some basic history knowledge for you to actually understand it. You can try to portrait yourself where the world is set, how the church works there, what are these heretics, what is the main purpose of the merchants and the system in which they work, how the currencies change and so on and so on...
One of the other things which could be noticed by many viewers is the actual approach of the characters. Characters at first develop too fast and too sudden for some, but actually everyone, take a closer look after a few episodes. What is the relation between Horo and Lawrence? Can anyone say? Well you can guess, but not give the true answer, because you are not sure yourself. But that what you know is somewhat nice resting in you. You know in what will become, but when always there is a situation to show that it just skips. To some it may be annoying, but just give it time. Give it time, later everything comes on it’s place and for fast paced growing storyline it actually falls on a careful and calm one. And soon you will noticed what Horo actually is and her feelings and personality. Yes, that’s what it is good here. Not many characters, no no. But definitely it is given a lot attention to those are there, especially two main ones. You will at one moment even feel like you are in that fable, you will quite enjoy it.
When I mentioned historical knowledge, I really meant that. You have to understand the world that it is set it. It is much realistic and a good presentation of the real medieval world. That might become boring, because just when you think that something might happen, everything goes calmly. Here action doesn’t take place with swords, powers and magic. Here… it takes place with economy, swiftness, logic and mind. Can you enter that mind? Well it is your choice to find out!
Set in the fictional renasanse world, the story follows a girl Horo who is a sage wolf and a guy who is a merchant named Lawrence.
These are some of the good aspects of the anime. The story itself mostly focuses on those two characters and their traveling. The world that the story is set in, is very nicely and best put to actually explain how the world at that time functioned and the people that lived there. Mostly these two characters. What is special about them is that both are different in their own personality. One is human, other is wolf. Both of them are met by a strong bond and set on a wide journey.
You will find it interesting how Horo is always the smart one and always get them out of the situation, while the Lawrence is more experienced one though in most cases he doesn’t act like that so he gets help from Horo, while actually both of them are pendent of each other.
One thing that may lack here is how the story slowly and fast progresses. This may sound weird, but it is just because it is. The story itself may sound confusing at first, but as you more watch you will begin to understand. What may take you for that are some of the historical knowledge, especially from that era. How classes were formed, beliefs, faiths, currency and such. But that all may prove it to be even more confusing to most audience, because later when you just figure one thing from there, another comes which takes whole episode of explaining and you might just end more and more confused. Until later you actually find out what really happened. When I wrote this review I first watched few episodes and to be honest I was a little disappointed on how the story progress. Later though I became liking it more and more. It truly is something special and different. No, better to say unique. What most might hold you is the suspense when Lawrence needs to do something. There are always challenges, always something behind the angle that you might miss, but that might later come. The suspense will keep you for actually looking at the screen and just waiting and waiting impatiently what will happen next. It is something not seen in many anime, but presented here. That all is build even more by good detailed camera angles and music that covers that all up. The only bad thing is that all this might be the result that would keep someone away from watching and enduring it, but few of them would actually stand up after getting caught in one of these scenes. Other thing I have to mention is that many characters become easily forgotten, even the ones that you might think might get more screen time. There are always new characters by each town they visit and always new adventures. Then again, there is a good thing behind it that it leaves more space for the main character and their strong personalities, but it is just matter of taste.
The overall graphics in this anime, to get it out at the beginning, are on an average level. Both the animations and the drawings are like that. There are not many chances in the beginning where you can actually see some changes with animation, since they are mostly just walking to one spot to another and talking and so on. Now this anime has some interesting habit. It gets better from episode to episode in terms of the overall quality that it is made. While it also gets more confusing with that, but that’s for something else.
Even if the drawings are average and not something special unlike many other animes, there are some things that I should praise. Those are the color blending and the classic-ness that is presented here. The colors are very nicely done. You can notice that by all the periods that change, as well by the nature and the details of surroundings and even the characters too, though in their cases they are more sharp, but that is normal.
When I mentioned that this anime has classic drawings, I didn’t meant overly classic. When I see it, I see a combination of the style that is used in 90-is combined with the style of the newest animes. It gives a good impression of the overall anime and it is one of the best styles that could be used for this type of it. Though there is one thing that I have to mention about graphics and that is cuteness. Yes, they are quite cute, especially with all the actions that Horo does. Some may think that it comes from the presentation section, but it is the animations actually that make that possible.
Now this is the part that might be different for different viewers. And that is the overall OST. You will feel almost not even noticing it through the whole episodes. You might, but actually thinking about it would not get too much attention, only later though. Only later you will remember all these nice little songs that very with it, but they are still on the average side. On the other hand this also has some interesting things behind it. And that is the opening and ending song. While to some it may be a little slow and not suited for this anime, I think that it is actually very well done for this short anime. Especially the ending song, you will always stay wanting to hear it till the end, because it really gives the impression like it was made just for this anime.
Now there is another aspect why the OST may not be so needed. It is the sound effects. They are very well done here and you will even notice some small like horse riding to those of wolf cry (or song or whatever you want to call it). Even the voice acting is tried to be done the best it could be to match the people from that age. And by that I mean Europeans, because the overall surrounding looks like it is set in renesanse Central Europe. And yes, that’s what’s really good. Not only outstanding voice acting, but also music that accompanies that. To some poor, but actually it gives a good medieval effect around it. Though this is not really the medieval age, it could be said that it is the late one and still it gives a nice touch to it. Sound effect are also on a good level, from carts moving, horses, running and all other things. You will find all that maybe not that noticeable, but very enjoyable.
Graphics and animations: 7/10 - nothing spectacular, but will keep you entertained
Sound: 7/10 - Voice acting does the job, old classic melodies and good effects.. But may not please everyone
Story: 8/10 - From back and for it will keep you in knowing what will happen next
Presentation: 9/10 - the strongest aspect of the anime that proves its uniqueness
Overall: 8/10- An anime that is warm to the heart and cold in anticipations.. Something that will definitely keep you entertained.
NOTE: I have gotten a little more harder on reviews and even if I like this series very much and it might even be now my second favorite anime, I still give overall mark based on all viewers. I also put reviews on minitokyo, so I try to keep the mark the same as it is there.
The main weapon in the anime.. Merchants and trading surrounded by love
This ending is just too cute
