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Review* Noein by Sean Russell (Naruto) Animation by Statelight Debuted: 10/11/2005 Creator: Kazuki Akane Leave a comment |
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| Genre: Adventure, Drama, Romance, Science Fiction Series Summary Noein starts off with a violent battle fifteen years into the future. The warring parties include La'cryma who hopes to protect humanity and Shangri-La who plots the total annihilation of all space and time. The key to stopping Shangri-la's invasion rests in an object known as the Dragon's Torque. Meanwhile, an organization called the Dragon's Calvary travels through space and time searching for this important antiquity.
In the present, twelve year old Haruka and her friend Yuu contemplate running away. After a series of supernatural events, they meet Karasu, also known as Crow. He gives them the startling news that helps connect Haruka and Yuu to La'cryma, Shangri-la and the Dragon's Torque.
Noein has the promise of being a stand out series both in Japan and in America. Kazuki Akane, creator of Heat Guy J, manages to build a solid foundation for this series with his two lead protagonists. There's definitely a string of complexity in both Haruka's relationship with Yuu and Yuu's relationship with the rest of the world. There's enough character development to know that these aren't your run of the mill flat, lifeless adolescents.
One standout in this series is its use of angles. The majority of the shots, especially in school are shot from the corners of the room or show the characters from an upward angle. It creates the illusion that you're a fly on the wall watching events unfold in real time. The use of lighting also stands out in both dark and well lit scenes. Drinking glasses pop instead of just dress the set. The reflection of the sun finds a way of adding authenticity to the simplest of scenes. It also helps transition between the darker elements of the show and the youthful exuberance of the main characters.
The pacing is on par with the majority of Anime that's been airing the past few seasons. Kazuki Akane, who also wrote the script for Escaflowne the movie, doesn't rush the story. Instead, you are left to figure out the purpose behind the first six minutes of back and forth action. The fighting is somewhat intense, especially without a legend to who is good or bad. What makes up for the seemingly pointless exchange is the misfiring of innocence, seen in the ramblings of the kids in the classroom. Your mind tries to connect the two scenes, creating the curiosity needed to continue investing your time in this series.
The character design was done by Takahiro Kishida, who also did Lain, Heat Guy J and Colorful. You'll notice an inconsistency in the characters as the story shifts from scene to scene. This seems to be a trademark of Takahiro Kishida, opting to display a character's distinct traits in their physical design, rather than just shifting a facial expression or over exaggerating the eyes.
There's an underlining creepiness to Noein that makes it fun to watch. This is seen especially in Yuu and his relationship with his mother. You can't help but feel uneasy when you see how repressed he is compared to the other children. Add the revelation made by Crow and you've been setup for an interesting series. Noein is worth watching just to see how all the pieces of the puzzle fit together.
Noein will make its way to the states thanks to Manga Entertainment. Manga is also behind Ghost in the Shell: S.A.C. 2nd GIG and the Neon Genesis Evangelion movies.
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