Kemono no Souja Erin final impression
Impression / 2010/03/20 10:56
I watched this series using
Crunchyroll streaming service.
©Nahoko Uehashi, Kodansha/NHK, NEP
I finally finished Beast Player Erin. To be honest, first few episodes didn't look too great so I wasn't going to give it a second look but Kitsune told me that it gets much better after episode 6~7. Oh, and it does. Once Erin gets out of that depressing village, things get much more interesting. The show never shies away from cruelty, despite the fact that the main target audience seem to be pre-teen. I was surprised by the complexity of the story as well. It depicts responsibility that comes with freedom and different responses under oppression in various aspects. Plot really builds up through-out the show and it doesn't leave any unanswered questions, which is probably why the ending felt satisfying.
©Nahoko Uehashi, Kodansha/NHK, NEP
Directing of this series is very unique. I found the overall directing style very classy and live action-like, and at the same time, director Hanama Takayuki effectively uses imageries that's only possible in animation. He really knows how to create memorable scene, too. Episode 31 is a good example. Wow, that last scene gave me goosebumps.
©Nahoko Uehashi, Kodansha/NHK, NEP
Now, this was a great show but there were two glaring problems I could not ignore. Firstly, I really disliked Erin's voice acting. I usually try to refrain from using harsh words but this time, I have no choice. Second major problem was the large amount of recaps. Not only the recap episodes, but the show tends to bring up past scenes very often. It also reuses many of the scenes. I'm guessing it has to do with the limited budget and target audience but sometimes it really affected the flow of the show.
So, what's the verdict? Out of handful of shows in 2009 that I finished watching, this was one of the few shows that I truly enjoyed until the very end. Highly recommended.
I finally finished Beast Player Erin. To be honest, first few episodes didn't look too great so I wasn't going to give it a second look but Kitsune told me that it gets much better after episode 6~7. Oh, and it does. Once Erin gets out of that depressing village, things get much more interesting. The show never shies away from cruelty, despite the fact that the main target audience seem to be pre-teen. I was surprised by the complexity of the story as well. It depicts responsibility that comes with freedom and different responses under oppression in various aspects. Plot really builds up through-out the show and it doesn't leave any unanswered questions, which is probably why the ending felt satisfying.
 |  |  |
Directing of this series is very unique. I found the overall directing style very classy and live action-like, and at the same time, director Hanama Takayuki effectively uses imageries that's only possible in animation. He really knows how to create memorable scene, too. Episode 31 is a good example. Wow, that last scene gave me goosebumps.
 |  |  |
Now, this was a great show but there were two glaring problems I could not ignore. Firstly, I really disliked Erin's voice acting. I usually try to refrain from using harsh words but this time, I have no choice. Second major problem was the large amount of recaps. Not only the recap episodes, but the show tends to bring up past scenes very often. It also reuses many of the scenes. I'm guessing it has to do with the limited budget and target audience but sometimes it really affected the flow of the show.
So, what's the verdict? Out of handful of shows in 2009 that I finished watching, this was one of the few shows that I truly enjoyed until the very end. Highly recommended.
