The Best - Period
'Noir' was my introduction into Anime, and I have been hooked on genre it ever since. The artwork is incredible, the music is mesmerizing, and the voice actors (both the original Japanese AND the English dub) are perfectly suited for the characters. This collection transcends anime - it is a presentation that anyone can enjoy.
Which brings me to the story itself. It is spread out over 26 episodes [each approximately 21-23 minutes long), and it plays like one 11+ hour long movie. With that noted, it can feel 'slow' in some areas (especially early on) - stick with it during those 'slow' areas, because every line, every flashback, adds to the overall building of a story-line that crescendos into a magnificent finale. By the closing episode, you'll not only be satisfied with the conclusion - you'll wish it had never ended.
Be advised, however - if you are one of those who lives only for anime that is chock-full of mecha and fan service, you will be disappointed...
Adult Anime--An Assassination Plot Driven More By Character Development Than All Out Action Mayhem
I'm pleased to see that the 2001 anime effort "Noir" is being re-released in the DVD market after having been unavailable for too long a period. With so much anime product (of vastly varying degrees of quality) hitting the home entertainment arena, it's nice to be able to recommend a piece that has always felt distinctly different amongst its competition. I would contend that "Noir" is a thoughtful, introspective, and moody series driven as much by character as by violent mayhem. In as much, it may not be the top choice for today's most action oriented viewers. Methodically paced and driven by a haunting score, this enigmatic tale will likely hook you or lose you from its earliest episodes. Unraveling its central mysteries like a fine novel, I was instantly intrigued by this show--and, although it wasn't exactly what I expected, I found this to be a top choice for adult viewers looking for a richness and complexity lacking from some other mainstream titles.
Ostensibly a...
A great anime...Every moment counts
Watching Noir is an amazing experience. It's a great mixture of character, mystery, action, music and art direction. The anime has so much going for it:
Great characters:
Kirika--the amnesiac Japanese high school girl who knows nothing about herself except that she's an exceptionally-skilled killer who feels no remorse. She's searching for the answers to who she is and desperately hoping there's more to her than cold killing.
Mireille--a young but accomplished professional assassin living in Paris. She's the hard-edged strategist who prefers to work alone and only begrudgingly accepts Kirika as an assassin partner in hopes that unlocking the keys to Kirika's past will help them find the people who executed Mireille's family when she was a child. Mireille is angry, stubborn and bent on vengeance.
Chloe--A strange third young assassin who shows up half-way through the series claiming to be the "True Noir." She knows more than she's telling,...
Click to Editorial Reviews
No comments:
Post a Comment