Ranked #4554

Holy Knight

"This cursed fate of mine, is a stigma that can't be erased."

At first, I wasn't 100% sure keen on whether to check out this short OVA or not. After all, it is tagged ecchi on MAL and based off a manga. Of course, OVA adapted from manga can sometimes be a flop and goes straight to hell. Some examples (whether you agree or not) includes Hiyoki, Honey x Honey, and Kyou, Koi wo Hajimemasu. These popular manga that have the potential of becoming a hit series instead became disappointing OVAs that were not appealing. But is this the case for Holy Knight? Hmm, let's put out our heads together and find out.

Holy Knight is a short OVA series consisting of only 2 episodes. Yes, with less than an hour of animation footage, don't expect a strong storyline. Given the fact that Maya Miyazaki is the story writer and artist of the series, you can expect some ecchi, romance, and drama. If you can't take any of these, then STOP. This short OVA will probably be a waste of time for you.

As for a typical vampire style series, Holy Knight depicts some religious themes such as the cross that the main heroine Lilith (or perhaps anti-hero) wears. In the opening scene, we see a dark background of her childhood and what she's been through. It is dark, it is dramatic, and it sets forth that eerie atmosphere in which viewers may or may not find appealing. We also learn that she is the sole survivor of her clan later on and that the ritual is a proof of Lilith's embodiment.

Then of course, there is the protagonist, the lucky or maybe not so lucky Shinta Mizumura. He is the son of the head-priest of a certain shrine in Kyushu where he is attending classes at Saint Ritsumei Academy with his childhood friend. It all seems normal until that is Lilith enters the picture. From there, the lust and jealousy begin and all sorts of strange phenomenon happens. He later learns about the truth of his legacy and the cursed of, a stigma that cannot be erased.

As for the story, it is quite short. I mean, there's only 2 episodes and like I said before, less than an hour of animation footage. Luckily though, the animation is performed well as with most recent series although not extravagant or too artistic. Yet, it does bring out the eerie atmosphere and gothic style. There are also comedic scenes that depicts some of the lighter mood of the story mixed in with some romantic art.

The music and sound of this OVA is quite interesting. The OP song Maaya Uchida performs bears the same name as this OVA but more importantly depicts the lyrics of the story. "This cursed fate of mine, is a stigma that can't be erased" is heard near the end of the song because it is a curse that both protagonists must endure, a curse passed down throughout generations. Also noticeable, is the ED song of the series "Nobodyknows" by 16th Labo. To be honest, it is epic. I actually listened to it several times and is quite catchy.

Overall, my enjoyment of the series is just so-so. With only 2 episodes based off a manga, it's quite rushed. Not only that but the ending is a bit ambiguous. It is understandable that an OVA is not supposed to cover the entire story but it just seems to not to fit together overall. But yet, there is some holy hope in this series. The art, music, and characters style are appealing and those comedic scenes does occasionally spawn a few laughter. And of course being tagged as an "ecchi" series, expect fan service. Ultimately though, this OVA has potential. But this time around, it just seems so-so.

Maybe someday, fate will be tied together again and this OVA will become an official series we can all hope and enjoy. read more

This OVA tries to put a fresh spin on the old vampire anime type. It could have been great™ if it was expanded into a 13 ep series, however it seems it was mostly a marketing ploy to get more audience into the manga.

Story: 7
You will see your usual cliches: sole survivor of some ancient clan, Romeo-Juliette type of romance, the classic childhood friends who develops a romantic feeling twords the main char and a bit of love triangle, etc, etc.
That said, the story is well blended and there are hints about several possible interesting development angles, which (most likely) will be expanded in the manga.
A few things prevent me from giving a higher score:
- the story is unfinished (for obvious financial reasons)
-the author slaps in some Romanian folklore terminology to tie some story loose ends but doesn't understand their real meaning, proving a lack of proper research
-some elements don't quite fit in. Without spoiling too much, I don't know what to think about vampires using 'supernatural' swords ...

Art: 9
The art was good and convincing, up to today's standards. Nothing major to spot here

Sound: 8
Sound effects and lip sinc are ok in the Original language, the music could have been better but that's just me.

Character: 9
While the secondary characters don't get much screen time due to the shortness of the ova, the main characters get plenty of development and background.

Enjoyment: 8
The pacing is well done,high pace action/story advancement is tempered with char development and comic relief. Should provide a satisfying experience

Overall:7
Should be a good anime to watch if not expecting too much. It's unlikely you will be bored read more