Ranked #2705

X/1999

I'll try to be objective without stating the conditions, my mood and my preferences when watching this movie. I'll just point out that when I wrote this review, I considered the fact that it is actually a summary of TV series compiled of 26 episodes and made in 1996 by CLAMP, a highly appreciated group of manga-ka.

How to define what is a good anime? You consider the story and its development as a main point, the characters' originality and discription, the animation and the drawing (although this can be an subjective point of view) and the sound as a whole - the voice acting and the background music.

The story in this movie, as well as in the series can be viewed only as an average and nothing new, even if we consider that this is an anime from 1996. The (un)conventional view of the ever-going fight between the good and the evil, which is never purely black and white. The moral and the reasons for choosing on one side or the other. The duality of people's choises and the world that we live in. All of these points are represented clearly, though not in a very original way.
The actual development of the story is really different from the one in the TV series, but that's understandable considering the time frame. The story is taking a faster way of developing, it's has more blood-shed, and it's full of conflicts between the actors. And that is about all that is. It looks like it is just one big fight and it's background is depicted in a really hasty manner.

Considering the large number of characters, there practically wasn't any time to tell each of their stories, even in the amount that it was done in a 26 episode series. You get the feeling that all that they're are about is filling up the story with action time and fights of the type everyone vs. everyone. And besides the genders and different fighting styles, there aren't many differences between the characters. So you ask why do you need 7 vs 7? Is 7 really a number that magical? It could've been done with just the main characters and the story would've been liberated of the ever-repeating fights that, of course, lead to the culmination in the last 10 minutes. Which is a fight with lots of blood shed, as well.

The art is really good. From the drawing of the characters to the backgrounds and scenery, it's obvious that a lot of time and affection has been spent on it. The fights, including all the effects from sword slashing to sakura leaves flying around, are really a high point. The only thing that can be considered is the originality and the personal taste of the viewer.

The background music is eerie throughout the movie and wonderfully backing up the blood-shed and the fights. But it gives an even darker light to the whole story and to the enjoyment of it all.

So considering all this and hoping to stay objective to the end, my conclusion will be that this is an average version of a potentially great anime. And that is all.
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This movie is horrible. It is so bad that it's entertaining. If you've never read the manga or know nothing of the characters then it will make almost no sense. If you have however it's kind of amazing to watch it all pushed together. It's almost like watching a movie condensed into 30 seconds. Only it's a long overly complicated manga plot condensed to movie length with lots of barely explained fight scenes.

It's CLAMP, so it's pretty. This is a given. But that's about all it has going for it when it comes to technical merit.

SPOILER!!!

Someone's head gets cut off practically every ten minutes (or at least dies in some gruesome way). They fit the deaths of most of the cast into the movie. Someone should turn it into a drinking game.

I think my mother summed it up best: "Who are these people and why did they just kill each other? It looked like it was important for some reason." read more