Takai
11-17-2009, 03:09 AM
Kurau Phantom Memory
Reviewer: The Guiltiest Gear
Original Title: Kurau Phantom Memory.
Format: TV, 24 episodes, complete.
Year(s): 2004.
Genres/Themes: action, sci-fi, psychological, drama; seinen.
Animation Studio: BONES.
Director: Irie Yasuhiro.
Original Authors: Tominaga Hiroshi.
Number of Episodes Seen: 24/24
Introduction (optional):
Saw the title one day and it just happened to grab me.
Plot and Setting/Story: 7/10
The story takes place in the future. Kurau is the daughter of a scientist (Dr. Amami) seeking out new forms of energy. She visits her father conducting an experiment when a streak of light destroys and recreates her body. The scientists in the facility soon learn that this is no longer Amami Kurau, but a Rynax, binary energy-based life form from another dimension. After Dr. Amami begs for the return of his daughter, the Rynax promises she will return the original owner of the body after her other half recovers its strength.
I liked that while there was action in the series, it was not of the traditional sense.
Truthfully, I thought this series was going to be similar to something like Boogiepop Phantom. Not that I was disappointed, just wasn't expecting a futuristic setting.
Characters/Character Development: 7/10
This series occurs from various points of view. On one hand, we get the perspective of Kurau and her pair Christmas (there is a story behind this name choice). On another, the mysterious detective always spying on them, other Rynax, as well as the Rynax hunting organization GPO and their opinions and views about the events occurring around Kurau. We also see Kurau teaching Christmas what it is like to be human through interaction with various episodic characters who get surprising development as the story progresses.
The Rynax are interesting in that while they exist in separate bodies with their pair, they consider themselves one being. They are each other's moral support; they depend on each other to maintain their sanity. They have a deep understanding of each other. Although not romantic, they share strong emotional bonds.
The Rynax don't understand most human concepts, and Christmas is willing to go to amazing lengths to fulfill her promise of keeping Kurau's body safe by trying to live a normal life.
Art/Animation: 7/10
The art style for this anime was fairly realistic with the way the characters were drawn. Granted, detail dropped every now and then, but you won't be seeing people with color of the spectrum for a hair color. Backgrounds had surprising amounts of detail at times, using a blend of art and CGI. But the best scenes definitely had to be the eerie golden glow of the ethereal Rynax contrasting with the use of dark colors in the background.
Sample Screenshots:
Please click on thumbnails to see the images in original size.
http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a68/vitas_fd/Anime%20screenshots/kurau/kurau02sm.jpg (http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a68/vitas_fd/Anime%20screenshots/kurau/kurau02.jpg) http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a68/vitas_fd/Anime%20screenshots/kurau/kurau03sm.jpg (http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a68/vitas_fd/Anime%20screenshots/kurau/kurau03.jpg) http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a68/vitas_fd/Anime%20screenshots/kurau/kurau05sm.jpg (http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a68/vitas_fd/Anime%20screenshots/kurau/kurau05.jpg)
http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a68/vitas_fd/Anime%20screenshots/kurau/kurau01sm.jpg (http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a68/vitas_fd/Anime%20screenshots/kurau/kurau01.jpg) http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a68/vitas_fd/Anime%20screenshots/kurau/kurau04sm.jpg (http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a68/vitas_fd/Anime%20screenshots/kurau/kurau04.jpg) http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a68/vitas_fd/Anime%20screenshots/kurau/kurau06sm.jpg (http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a68/vitas_fd/Anime%20screenshots/kurau/kurau06.jpg)
Music/Sound: 5/10
This would be the anime's only true weakness. The music tends to cycle between brilliant and unremarkable. At times there is no real background sound, but they somehow make it work surprisingly well.
Additional Comments or Warnings:
This is one of those masterpieces that tend to fly right under the radar far too often. I hated the dub's advertisements for the series; it caused one to assume it's an action packed series about an escaped super weapon/secret agent, or some other nonsense. While there are combat scenes in the anime, they are hardly the main focus. I don't know where they got the idea that Kurau is a master martial artist - she just possesses superhuman strength, as well as a few ghost-like abilities.
Overall Anime Rating: 7/10
Reviewer: The Guiltiest Gear
Original Title: Kurau Phantom Memory.
Format: TV, 24 episodes, complete.
Year(s): 2004.
Genres/Themes: action, sci-fi, psychological, drama; seinen.
Animation Studio: BONES.
Director: Irie Yasuhiro.
Original Authors: Tominaga Hiroshi.
Number of Episodes Seen: 24/24
Introduction (optional):
Saw the title one day and it just happened to grab me.
Plot and Setting/Story: 7/10
The story takes place in the future. Kurau is the daughter of a scientist (Dr. Amami) seeking out new forms of energy. She visits her father conducting an experiment when a streak of light destroys and recreates her body. The scientists in the facility soon learn that this is no longer Amami Kurau, but a Rynax, binary energy-based life form from another dimension. After Dr. Amami begs for the return of his daughter, the Rynax promises she will return the original owner of the body after her other half recovers its strength.
I liked that while there was action in the series, it was not of the traditional sense.
Truthfully, I thought this series was going to be similar to something like Boogiepop Phantom. Not that I was disappointed, just wasn't expecting a futuristic setting.
Characters/Character Development: 7/10
This series occurs from various points of view. On one hand, we get the perspective of Kurau and her pair Christmas (there is a story behind this name choice). On another, the mysterious detective always spying on them, other Rynax, as well as the Rynax hunting organization GPO and their opinions and views about the events occurring around Kurau. We also see Kurau teaching Christmas what it is like to be human through interaction with various episodic characters who get surprising development as the story progresses.
The Rynax are interesting in that while they exist in separate bodies with their pair, they consider themselves one being. They are each other's moral support; they depend on each other to maintain their sanity. They have a deep understanding of each other. Although not romantic, they share strong emotional bonds.
The Rynax don't understand most human concepts, and Christmas is willing to go to amazing lengths to fulfill her promise of keeping Kurau's body safe by trying to live a normal life.
Art/Animation: 7/10
The art style for this anime was fairly realistic with the way the characters were drawn. Granted, detail dropped every now and then, but you won't be seeing people with color of the spectrum for a hair color. Backgrounds had surprising amounts of detail at times, using a blend of art and CGI. But the best scenes definitely had to be the eerie golden glow of the ethereal Rynax contrasting with the use of dark colors in the background.
Sample Screenshots:
Please click on thumbnails to see the images in original size.
http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a68/vitas_fd/Anime%20screenshots/kurau/kurau02sm.jpg (http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a68/vitas_fd/Anime%20screenshots/kurau/kurau02.jpg) http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a68/vitas_fd/Anime%20screenshots/kurau/kurau03sm.jpg (http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a68/vitas_fd/Anime%20screenshots/kurau/kurau03.jpg) http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a68/vitas_fd/Anime%20screenshots/kurau/kurau05sm.jpg (http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a68/vitas_fd/Anime%20screenshots/kurau/kurau05.jpg)
http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a68/vitas_fd/Anime%20screenshots/kurau/kurau01sm.jpg (http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a68/vitas_fd/Anime%20screenshots/kurau/kurau01.jpg) http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a68/vitas_fd/Anime%20screenshots/kurau/kurau04sm.jpg (http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a68/vitas_fd/Anime%20screenshots/kurau/kurau04.jpg) http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a68/vitas_fd/Anime%20screenshots/kurau/kurau06sm.jpg (http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a68/vitas_fd/Anime%20screenshots/kurau/kurau06.jpg)
Music/Sound: 5/10
This would be the anime's only true weakness. The music tends to cycle between brilliant and unremarkable. At times there is no real background sound, but they somehow make it work surprisingly well.
Additional Comments or Warnings:
This is one of those masterpieces that tend to fly right under the radar far too often. I hated the dub's advertisements for the series; it caused one to assume it's an action packed series about an escaped super weapon/secret agent, or some other nonsense. While there are combat scenes in the anime, they are hardly the main focus. I don't know where they got the idea that Kurau is a master martial artist - she just possesses superhuman strength, as well as a few ghost-like abilities.
Overall Anime Rating: 7/10