It’s the fourth of July. Happy birthday America! And I should be at Anime Expo with all those other lucky bastards. But I’m not. I’m sitting here at my computer while the temperature’s rising outside – it’s 84 degrees and supposed to get up to 103, pretty balmy for Phoenix this time of year.
So what is an unlucky otaku living in a sauna of a desert to do when they can’t go to the biggest freaking anime con in North America (and it’s only a 5 hour drive away)? They watch anime on Netflix in the air-conditioned comfort of their own home. Yep, that’s right. I’m on a quest to find something akin to Gundam 00, or Fullmetal Alchemist, or even Death Note in it’s anime greatness.
I don’t know yet if Requiem for the Phantom fits the bill entirely, but it’s pretty close. Let’s dissect it, shall we?
The opening song, Karma, by Kokia is really cool. I’ll probably download it by the end of the day:) Here it is:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hn2vBaO1q5E
The Plot:
A Japanese traveller witnesses an assassination and becomes caught up in a web with an underground organization called Inferno. They take his memories from him and because he possesses extraordinary animalistic survival skills, they train him to be an assassin. The one who trains him? A girl called Ein, the very assassin he witnessed in the beginning. The organization gives the traveller an new name, Swei, and a new life. He’ s told that he’s not a slave, but if he decides not to kill, he’ll be killed.
The Trailer:
My Take:
I’ll preface this with how I grade a good anime:
1. Hot heros (why watch of they aren’t?)
2. Romantic tension in the sub-plots (because I’m a chick, LOL).
3. Angst factor (I just like angst.)
4. Good mix of action versus, well, action in the romantic tension parts.
5. Good music is a plus. It means I get to find more great JRock artists.
So, the main character in this anime is hot. Swei is both naive and can wield his gun, well, like a good assassin should and he only gets hotter as the anime progresses (sort of like Vincent Law in Ergo Proxy). He’s made to live in a couple situation with Ein and there is a good bit of romantic tension in all of this – she likes to take her clothes off in front of him and for the guys out here, she’s got nice jugs;) At the same time, a romantic triangle evolves with an upper echelon member of Inferno, named Claudia, and Swei is seduced by her – really seduced – something you don’t see in a lot of animes. There’s even a hilarious line in one of the episodes, “He’s only staying with you so he can suck on your big titties.” Or something like that. At first I said to myself, “Did I really hear that?” I had to replay it. Yep, I heard it. And guys – she does have big titties, LOL.
Now for the angst factor. You’ve got a guy with no memories who’s being forced to kill people. Think he’s okay with all this? Hell no. Lots of angst.
As you can guess, with all this Mission Impossible-style killing going on, the mystery of who Swei really is, the underground mafia, the seduction and growing romance between Swei and Ein, I’d say there’s a good mix of action in all directions.
For the music, although I like the opening theme song, the ending sounds like carousel music gone insane. I have to turn it off immediately, I dislike it so much. It’s Jigoku no Mon by Ali Project. I won’t bore you with a video;) No, I won’t be uploading it to my phone, LOL.
I give it: 4.75 stars
So there you have it. If you’re at home wondering what to do while lucky anime fans are toodling around at Anime Expo and you’re not, stay home and watch this anime! Let me know what you think of it.
