Moribito: Guardian of the Spirit: Series Review

I enjoyed this 26 episode series quite a lot. Although many who have reviewed it have complained that its pacing is slow and that the middle episodes are boring, I quite enjoyed the slow pacing--it gave me plenty to time to take in the beautifully rendered landscapes.

Story and Characters

The story is a very simple one, and the series is definitely not a plot-driven series where you are dying to know what happens next. In fact, you pretty much know what will happen. What was interesting to me was the relationship between Prince Chagum and Balsa the Spear-Wielder, the main characters. I felt that the series was done so that you could barely notice the changes in Chagum from beginning to end--as if you were watching a child grow. And yet, if you took a step back, you could see immediately how much Chagum developed over the course of 26 episodes. The Jiguro/Balsa/Chagum relationship was just endearing to watch unfold, no matter how slow the pacing and how "nonexistent" the story. Balsa's English voice actress was phenomenal. Finally, a woman in an anime who doesn't shriek or speak in high-pitched tones! Hers was a fierce, strong, and yet warm voice--an ALTO! YES!

Animation

The animation in this show was stunning. The backgrounds and backdrops were done beautifully and with painstaking care. Everywhere our heroes traveled, the trees, the grass, the sky, the water--everything was just beautifully drawn and beautifully colored. The colors are brighter than I tend to like, but they were so crisp and perfect that I didn't mind at all. There weren't many action scenes for much of the middle chunk of the series, but the action scenes that did happen were very well done. Spear-fighting scenes are very different from sword-fighting ones.

Music

The music was very fitting--contemplative, I thought, just like the series. I liked the Mikado's themes and the composer's use of gongs and airy flutes. I didn't care much for the opening theme, though it was quite catchy, but the ending theme was pretty good.

Overall

Overall, as I said, I enjoyed Moribito: Guardian of the Spirit. It's hard to compare it to shows like Samurai Champloo or Rurouni Kenshin because it is so different. My favorite thing about the show, of course, was Balsa. Finally, a strong woman in anime that kicks ass with her spear, isn't a clumsy klutz, and doesn't speak with a high-pitched squeal! Balsa is the best female character I have seen in an anime. I suppose I will leave it at that.