Bradley's Thoughts:

While the smart money for "new series most likely to be awesome" rests on Durarara!!, Sora no Woto was the one anime I couldn't wait to see. This is the first animated series of TV Tokyo's new project Anime no Chikira ("The Spirit of Anime"), which promises to get "spirited creators" to make original works that showcase the strength of Japanese animation. That's the kind of thinking that brought us masterpieces like Cowboy Bebop, and if they only deliver on half that promise it would still be the best thing to happen to anime in a long time. Especially because the staff of animators in this skews young, we could also be looking at the future of anime as we know it.

However, the first episode of Sora no Woto hardly feels avante garde, obviously comfortable with the cutesiness of today. While the comparisons to K-On! are shallow at best, the series does have some cute antics, embodied in the sweet nature of Sorami, with a glimpse of future characters promising more to come. Even so, the series has a dark edge to it, not only in the fascinating legend of the demon and the Fire Maidens (Director Kanbe, whose previous work includes Elfen Lied, gets another chance to make a beautiful tapestry) but in flashbacks to a war that might still be ongoing.

There are other details that deserve mentioning. The animation looks terrific, especially in a memorable scene when Sorami falls into a lake and sees the golden bones of what might be the legendary demon. The series is set in a vaguely Eurasian locale that somehow manages to look familiar and new at the same time. Fan favorite composer Yuki Kajuira does the music here, including an insert that's lovely despite not quite fitting the mood of the scene. While all these pieces don't feel like an entirely cohesive whole yet, I wouldn't be surprised if it didn't take long for this to become the standout series of the season.

Summary

Despite a weak opening plot, this is a promising start for a series to keep an eye on.

Reviewed By: Bradley Meek
Directed By: Mamoru Kanbe
Animation Production By: A-1 Pictures