Karneval (TV)

Karneval is a mysterious series. By mysterious, I don't entirely mean it being filled with clues to be solved by some detective. What I mean is how the series comes together through its plot, theme, and most importantly the characters of the mysterious 'Circus'. It spells out mystery in a variety of ways through fantasy and its elegant atmosphere. However, Karneval is one of those series that can be a hit or miss for potential viewers.

The anime series Karneval is based off the manga of the same named written by Touya Mikanagi. With 10 volumes and counting, the manga has received some attention, enough for ... an anime adaptation. So here we are, spring 2013 and the series makes it on to the screen for the very first time.

To me, Karneval is one of those shows where a variety of things happen, some at the same time. The series has that fantasy background with majestic themes. The series focuses on a mysterious group known as the “Circus”. The way they dress seems to fit within this theme but their actions are a bit different. For a variety of reasons, this organization serves a protection force. In other words, they work to ensure that the safety of its people are guaranteed. To do things, it seems that its members relies on teamwork, magic, strategies, and even acrobat movements. It enforces the fact that its members are skilled enough for the task. Of course though, these tasks often puts its members of Circus' lives at risks. There is danger ranging from armed kidnappers to mysterious creatures. Among other factors, the members themselves sometimes has internal factors that prevents them from accomplishing tasks at their best. But at any rate, this mysterious group known as Circus is the drive force behind the series.

Two of the most prominent members associated Circus are Nai and Gareki. There is a lot of mystery going on between these two characters. For one, we learn that Nai is searching for something important. After a dangerous incident, he meets Gareki who saves his life. And here becomes their little adventure as Nai and Gareki becomes friends. On the surface, the two seems to get along but their characters' basis contrasts greatly in comparisons. Nai is portrayed as a boy who is often feels like he is a loner along with feelings of cowardliness around certain situations. We can tell by his face expressions that he is quite nervous throughout each episode. On the opposite of the coin, there's Gareki. His expressions gives off a confident, rough, and sometimes arrogant atmosphere. He is also seen as fearless in many situations and doesn't hesitant to speak his mind to make the first move. Although they seem so different, the two becomes a compatible duo; in a rather peculiar fashion.

The majority of the supporting characters makes up the 'Carneval'. All of them seems to have specialized skills to handle various situations. For example, there is the beautiful and well respected girl Tsukumo who is skilled in acrobatics and is able to take down foes with a calm mind. There's also Yogi, a cheerful young man who is able to evoke fear through his magic. Then, there's the Hirato, the Second Ships' captain with a mind of intellect capable of managing the team through various tasks. The point is that Carneval takes on challenges fearlessly and with precision to ensure its success. They work for the government and takes out the most dangerous individuals out of their world to ensure a place without fear. On the other hand exists another organization, one that opposes Carneval for their actions known as Kafka. They are even more mysterious as we know nearly nothing about them besides that they oppose the government and conducts in illegal activities. Yup, here it is again, mystery...

The story of this anime adapted series is a bit difficult to comprehend. In fact, some fans may be confused to what's going on that may lead to a scratch on their heads. I'll say it out straight: the story is a bit blend and requires a bit of focus to enjoy Karneval at its fullest. Apparently, Nai used to be an acquittance or possible friend of a mysterious young man named Karoku. The accessory (bracelet) is a proof of his past relationship with him. Throughout the series, we also see Karoku make screen appearances but have little clue to his true origin or identity. Speaking of which, Nai's own identity is a puzzle throughout the series as well. His name literally means 'nothing' in English. The way he looks also makes the boy seems quite feminine and his nervousness doesn't help him shape into a more masculine image. He often has to rely on others whether it's the tough bad boy Gareki or members of Circus. This makes the main male protagonist Nai a bit hard to appreciate or respect. He hardly develops throughout the series and becomes more frustrating to watch each episode as the only way he can achieve tasks is with the help of others. There's an old saying that goes 'if you want something done right, do it yourself'. Nai is nowhere near that philosophy yet and becomes a pain to watch.

There's also some confusion related to the other characters as the atmosphere of the show seems to be quite slow paced. Furthermore, it's even sometimes difficult to tell who the real antagonists are. Needless to say, the construction of the characters along with the plot are blend and hard to appreciate. On the bright side though, the action of this series flows quite well with the movements of its characters. Speaking of which, the characters' designs are elegant and beautiful. Tsukumo can be seen as a mascot for this series by the way she is dressed. Then, there are the guys like Gareki and Yogi who gives off an impression with their good looks.

The action of the series remains consistent enough. We can see that some of the adversaries throughout the series are truly dangerous and malevolent enough that only an organization such as Carneval itself can take them on directly. But even so, they sometimes struggle against them whether mentally or physically. In regards to the action, it is fluid and portrays the fantasy theme well. From the first episode, the acrobatic like movements of Tsukumo shows how capable she is. Then, there are the magic that gives off the fantasy vibes and more full throttle action with Gareki and his handy guns. The action is impressive enough to give the series a more serious mood when dealing with cases at least.

Perhaps the beauty of Karneval makes up a large proportion through its visuals. The majestic feeling Karenval left me an impression of the show. The way the architectures are made in this series has that gothic feeling. The way the characters are dressed are also flamboyant especially Tsukumo and Gareki with their outfits. In my stances, the guys of this series are all dressed with a fancy style. Tsukmo is admired for her beauty, Gareki is dressed in a noticeable way, and Eva has that revealing style of fashion along with her straightforward personality. It's fan service in a way but in a more fancy style rather than the typical panty shots, up-skirts, etc.

As for the soundtrack of this show, Karneval stands out only at average here for me. I'm not exactly sure how the studios handled the OST but it's only noticeable during tense moments or when performances are out in the open. In other words, they only seem to stand out during prominent moments in the show rather than flowing properly. The OP song "Henai no Rondo "by GRANRODEO mixes in way with its fancy displays. Along with its ED song, "REASON" by KamiYU, both of these pieces of music works for the series. However, it's nothing special really, at least for me.

In all, Karneval is an example of a show that can be a hit or miss for fans. Its mystical atmosphere might not be something for avid fans of shounen action or other other genres to get used to. However, its beauty is expressed through its artwork and themes. Despite this though, I still find the story a bit blend and out of place. It lacks the way to make an impact by the construction of its narrative, its poorly made main male protagonist, and weak development. For me, this series is more of a poor dark horse that exceed some expectations but other times drops the ball. Well, that's just me but if you have some patience, Karneval sometimes does have its moments.

I wanted to like this show. Hand to God, really. It was probably one of the most visually unique programs I'd found in recent memory, and its commitment to the visual theme of a circus reminded me of Soul Eater's gothic design motifs in a refreshingly good way.

But having finished its (insofar) only season, I feel exhausted, and yet, content-wise, I feel grossly underfed.

The main problem is Karneval wants so badly to be a big, interesting anime with big mysterious overarching serial plot threads. It wants to do the FMA:B-esque slow, controlled, gradual reveal of information. All of its arcs (save for the one that ... finds Gareki revisiting his childhood home—probably not coincidentally, the show's high watermark by a long shot), aim to pique the reader's curiosity about the mythos and the big picture first and foremost, but lose focus on being satisfying in the moment.

So, throughout its run, Karneval withholds exposition and lore from the viewer, thinking it's being tantalizing, but it crosses the line well into confounding.

So when it comes time to reap the benefits of all these seeds it had sown throughout the course of series—at the cost of its episode-to-episode (or even arc-to-arc) quality and general enjoyability—it fumbles. It simply can't cover them all. It shucks and weaves throughout a giant, chaotic battle climax to touch base on them, and satisfyingly concludes none of them. (Probably the most egregious offender is Nai's quest to find his old friend Karoku—an incredibly enigmatic character, frequently teased by the narrative, whose role and character are both woefully underexplained, even by the show's end.)

I haven't read the manga, but what this smacks of is a poor adaptation, biting off more source-material plotlines than the anime had room to chew. With its lack of conclusions, and so many balls still in the air, characters introduced to hardly ever be used, not to mention its too-optimistic sequel-begging final scenes, I feel like I just finished watching the pilot to a show, not its entire first year (and possibly its entire run).

And sure, the visuals are amazing. The characters are fun to watch interact with each other, even if they are a little short on development (although, with a cast of 24 characters for a 13-episode series, it was inevitable some of them would have wound up a little undercooked—again: overambitious source material selection). But all in all, I'd say unless there's something about the premise or the art that really speaks to you, getting invested in Karneval is primarily a discouraging venture.

The show must go on! No literally, the show should really keep going on. I only recently finished it and I'm already aching for more episodes.

At first, what may appeal to you and make you want to watch the show is the art. After all, it's very colorful, bright, and overall beautiful. It's enticing to say the least, and the first thing that hits you is probably how beautifully animated and drawn it is.

After the outstanding art settles in, the characters and plot may seem lacking. It centers around Nai and Gareki; a dynamic duo who met by chance and chance alone. They're soon ... intertwined into a world of action and danger via Circus, a protection agency whose sole mission is to protect the world from the Varuga and Kafta. (You'll find out more about them throughout the show.) The two soon begin building friendships with some of Circus's members, such as with Yogi and Tsukumo. The show itself is very well paced for such a small amount of episodes. However, the show itself ended leaving a lot to be asked for and desired. Many questions were left unanswered, and that usually doesn't leave a good taste in your mouth, particularly with no promises of a future season.

The music is good. The opening and ending are cute enough and catchy as well. Most of the music and sfx fit well in the show, so I really can't complain.

All in all, I would give this show a watching. With only thirteen episodes, it's a shame if you don't. It's creative, mysterious, and all in all a good time.

Happy Watching!

All flash, no substance. That's what I would say if I had to sum up my thoughts on Karneval.

Just looking at it - either the promotional artwork, the first few scenes of the anime, or the manga artwork - you can easily tell that it's pretty. Characters are drawn in pleasing ways and colours are bright and sharp. The animation of the series is also very well done - everything moves smoothly, action scenes are generally well directed, and CG is used to great effect. I have to admit, even the soundtrack is pretty solid.

That's the flash I mentioned. In terms of substance, this is ... where Karneval suffers.

Let's start with the plot. The story revolves a mysterious boy named Nai who encounters the thief, Gareki, and the defense organization, Circus, in his search for an even more mysterious man named Karoku. Through Circus, the two also get involved in fighting against a criminal organization by the name of Kafka.

It's quite straight forward, but for some reason, the anime goes through the motions of having a plot that's a lot more convoluted. For several episodes, antagonists seem to be plotting something or other, having to do with capturing Nai for whatever purpose, and in the meantime, Circus fights against human-like monstrosities; however, there is no direction or purpose for a long time. Random things just seem to happen inexplicably with no apparent end goal. Kafka as an organization doesn't even come to play until about the halfway point of the series, and even after the finale, I'm still uncertain just what Kafka's exact goals are.

I have a feeling the writers were going for the approach wherein there's a mystery and tidbits of information are gradually given to the audience to heighten the anticipation and excitement. However, as I said, the plot of Karneval is actually quite straight-forward when laid bare, so the added convolution and vagueness makes it feel too confusing for its own good. The worst of it is the whole search for Karoku. By the end of the series, he's even made a few appearances but we still have no idea who he is or why he's important.

To make matters worse is the issue of pacing. Karneval is 13 episodes long, which is relatively short when you have a plot involving mysterious organizations, plenty of action, and missing persons and lost identities to be found. This means that, ideally, every episode should count. However, Karenval squanders away good chunks of its time with having the cast go to parades, put on circus shows, or help a boy find a restaurant...or something.

Now, this might all be a little forgivable if the characters were interesting. All right, they look great and, initially, they all seem really cool, but remember how I said "All flash, no substance"? Yeah, that again.

As the story progresses and each character gets their screen time, I came to realize that there was literally nothing original about any of them. Nai is innocent and cute, but ultimately weak and a crybaby. Gareki is the "Jerk with a Heart of Gold", the guy that doesn't like getting close to people but actually cares for them deep down inside. Also, for being a main character, he doesn't actually do a whole lot, something he actually realizes by the end. Tsukumo is sometimes hailed as a strong female character, and yeah, she can fight, but ultimately she's an emotionless, detached girl who isn't all that interesting. Yogi stands in contrast to Tsukumo - he's cheerful and bright, which is a nice breath of fresh air, but later on in the series, his continued exuberance and idealism make him more of a man-child and I found myself wishing we could see a different aspect of him.

There are a number of other characters in the story, but they aren't given as much screen time as the main four and they, too, suffer from the same lack of depth and/or originality. It's really a shame because a number of them have the potential to grow into very interesting characters.

All in all, Karneval was a huge disappointment for me. Obviously, a lot of work and money was poured into this, but it was wasted on a cast of derived characters and a lacking plot.

I'm very glad that I chose to watch this anime. It caught my attention at the first episode. The scenery, the animation, the style, the characters, the soundtrack, and everything else are all great parts of the series. I see no flaws. I loved every episode. The characters are well developed and the story seems to have set itself up for a sequel. Which would be great. I haven't read the manga yet, but I'm really looking forward to it. Unfortunately I haven't been able to find any US English versions of the volumes (Scanlations not included). I think I will probably just buy them ... from Madman. I'm buying the Blu-rays, which have English subs from Amazon Japan and I look forward to their arrival. I can't wait to continue such a great story. The show captivates me. I really loved the soundtrack as well. It has a great opening and ending. I really can't praise the series enough. I give everything a 10/10. I hope everyone enjoys this show as much as I have.

This anime is a shoujo anime, so if you're looking for an anime about a cute boy this is basically it for you. In fact it's probably one of the best well drawn adorable boys anime out there.

I didn't notice the genre of the anime until the first few episodes when I decided to see where this anime was actually going. The anime's basically a common told story of a boy who has little memories, and his best friend Gareki tags along with him and they join a institution which fights evil.

Simply put, the story's for people who want to stare at an ... adorable boy. The art is absolutely stunning, very high quality.
Looking at this anime from a holistic view, I wouldn't say it's great as it is mostly an anime for physical appeal rather than anything else. Nevertheless, the anime does fill its role of a pretty story with an average plot.

On a side note, the anime has a great OP.

Where do I even start with Karneval. It's literally the most underrated anime in the world because it's so damn good, it could be Black Butler's brother from another mother. People always ask me "What's that anime you keep crying about, what's the story line?" And damn, that's my favorite question to answer.

Story: Cute little Nai is looking for Karoku, and throughout the anime you keep wondering who the hell Karoku is and what the connection between them is. Then enter Gareki, the flawless tsundere bastard with the worst past ever, who robs rich people to support himself. He sees Nai's bracelet, which is a ... Circus ID. Enter Circus, a government organization that fights supernatural creatures named Varuga. Gareki and Nai go abroad the Circus ship, where they meet Yogi, Tsukumo, Akari and Hirato. Then shit goes down.
The story line overall is amazing. At first I was a bit confused with all the supernatural going on, but as the anime goes on you get the hang of things and go along with the craziness of it all. It also follows very closely to the manga, so far from what I've read.

Art: The art differs from the manga because the characters are drawn a bit more blandly than the manga author drew them, which loses her personal touch to the art, but its in no way bad. The animation is great, the fight scenes are executed perfectly and the anime itself is so colorful it makes me very happy.

Characters: Jesus Christ, ok. The characters are what get me in this anime. First of all, the main characters seem like they'd be the basic definitions of tsundere and yandere but there's so much more to them. Nai seems like a shota, with how clueless he is about a lot of things, but he's determined and you're going to find yourself very endeared by him. Gareki is a little tsundere prince who keeps going back and forth between decisions and the entire time he's having thoughts alone in his room you'll be biting your first rooting for him. It's really easy to get attached to this character. Yogi is a bit of a yandere but God, he's flawless. He's adorable and caring and his personality clashes with Gareki's but they work so well together. Tsukumo is adorable and at first it's hard to figure her out, but I got a special place in my heart for her. I could go on and on, but many of the characters tend to disprove your initial impression and your heart warms up to them.

Overall enjoyment: I fell in love with this anime at the first episode. Literally. It sucks you in and you find yourself addicted. It is 100% worth watching or at least giving it a shot. If you like pretty animation, profound characters, a bit of supernatural along with good humour, you're going to love Karneval.

Karneval, I had high hopes seeing the logo and art style of the promotional banners, an interesting mix of cheery and gothic. I was sad that the art didn't continue very much into the actual show further than the costuming of the circus agents. The overall feel felt like a brighter version of D.Gray Man. The story was interesting but could have used a little more thought and the characters were decent, (despite Nai's lack of a back bone driving me nuts) but the downfall was the work put into the dub. I cringed every time the main cast entered the ... scene due to the poor casting of Nai and Gareki who both sounded forced and either below or above the actors' comfortable vocal range. The script writing for the dub at first sounded like they were trying to be off-beat and interesting but eventually just looked lazy. The maturity of language was inconsistent, ranging from Gareki saying b**** every other word one minute to awkward childish censorship the next. Lines like "Come on Buckaroo let's kick some tail!" or "Allergies, my left foot!" or just the general use of the word "whatevs," became more and more distracting and irritating as the show wore on. All things considered it was average and worth a watch (maybe not a rewatch) and I hope a second season is in the wings, however, I won't be waiting on the edge of my seat.

I was going to wait until the last episode aired before writing this, but...I can't help it. I just had to write one now. Please note that this is my first review, so please bear with me.

Story: 10/10

Without giving too much away, Karneval is about a young boy, Nai, who is looking for someone who was important to him—in doing so, he gets himself captured. Gareki, a thief, finds him during a robbery and decides to rescue him. Then a series of events occur, blablabla, and they meet a defense organization known by the name Circus.

I found the plot very original and interesting. Let ... me just say now that nearly every episode ended with a cliffhanger. A lot of people don't like cliffhangers, I know, but I personally love them. The point is to make you want to keep watching, right? Karneval certainly does the job with that. There are twists at every turn and I found myself rushing to the next episode. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time.

Art: 10/10

The artwork and animation in this anime is simply beautiful. It's lovely. Amazing. Breathtaking. I need better words. Hang on, let me grab a dictionary...just kidding. But honestly, this is some of the best art I've ever seen in an anime. The character designs are very nice, the backgrounds always catch my eye, and the art in the OP especially was very enjoyable. I don't know what else to say about this other than it's fantastic.

Sound: 9/10

The music is also very good. I loved the OP. The ending didn't interest me as much, but that was okay. The soundtrack didn't stand out too much, but it did its job and added emotion to every scene. I approved of every voice actor—they fit the characters well. Nai's came off as innocent like he was supposed to, Gareki's had the edge it needed, Togi's was humorous, etcetera.

Characters: 10/10

This is one of the only animes I've watched where I love almost every single character. You watch how they are in the beginning, and then you watch them grow and change. You get a chance to see every side and emotion to them, which is huge. Not a lot of animes do that. I absolutely adore Nai—he's the sweetest and most honest little guy ever! I can't stand seeing him sad. Oh my gosh, I just want to hug him. Gareki is rough around the edges, but inside, he's a really caring person. Togi is absolutely hilarious; very lovable. I could go into detail, but I'd be giving spoilers. Basically, I just feel like I really know the characters. They really grow on you.

Enjoyment: 10/10

I wish I could rate this 1000000/10. Karneval is unmatched as my favorite anime. The combination of the incredible characters, the beautiful art, and the intense plot makes it impossible not to love. At first, I had my doubts about it (especially since you're kind of thrown into everything in the very beginning and you have no clue what's going on...but don't worry—all your initial questions will be answered), but this definitely proved worth the while.

Overall: 10/10

I highly, highly, highly recommend Karneval to anyone! It's very enjoyable and I am in love with it. Another aspect is how inspiring it is—the friendship, strength, and determination of the characters never cease to move me.

One of the most annoying trends established over the last decade or two is how some studios will opt to adapt a publishing manga/novel partially. We've seen this happen with shows like Black Butler, Fruits Basket, and Attack on Titan, but they're the lucky ones in this regard. Their source material sells quite well, so there's always going to be a vested interest in making a continuation or indeed, a full-on reboot. Some shows, unfortunately, aren't so lucky. There's a whole host of shows that got one 13-episode season before fading away into obscurity because the BD sales were poor. For every Black Butler or ... Attack on Titan continuation, there's a Deadman Wonderland or No Game No Life condemned to a life of obscurity. It doesn't matter if these shows are accessible outside of Japan either, because the executives who run these studios only care about their bottom line. But what happens if a studio goes bankrupt before establishing a bottom line of any sort? My friends, today we're going to be talking about the tragedy of Karneval and by extension, the inevitable collapse of Manglobe.

Karneval is a show about a thief named Gareki and a mysterious boy named Nai. Both of them got roped into an organisation called Circus that investigates and exorcises creatures called Varuga; superhuman abominations that feed upon complex organisms like humans. These creatures are the result of experimentation by an organisation called Kafuka, whose goal is to spearhead human evolution. That's as best a summary as I can come up with, given how little the show tells us. Karneval as a show has so many ideas, concepts, and plot points that it wants to introduce. Unfortunately, that short season doesn't allow for these things to be fully fleshed out. Considering how the manga is approaching the 140-chapter mark at the time of writing, this only spells out a complete recipe for disaster. Then again, that's probably not an entirely fair assessment to make. The show itself does try to elucidate us on its inner workings; Manglobe did succeed in some regard, but they didn't quite hit a home run, so-to-speak.

Had this show been a proper 24-episode season, I'm sure we would've had more shown to us. Unfortunately, that's not the finished product that aired on TV. Instead, we have a foundation for a story to be built upon rather than a narrative proper. That sad fact's reflected in the ending as it implied more is yet to come. Considering how it's been a little over seven years since Karneval ended and how Manglobe went bankrupt in 2015, it's unlikely we'll ever get more. Enough bellyaching about its flaws though, because there's still merit found in what we have. While the story's atrophied in terms of depth and detail, Manglobe provided us with sufficient context for the premise. If a prospective viewer intends to watch this show purely for entertainment without analysis, they wouldn't have much trouble doing so. We never find out much about the backstories of Circus agents like Yogi and Tsukumo, but there's plenty of context surrounding Gareki and Nai to provide some rudimentary picture of their origins. What's more, the bits of the story elucidated to the audience provided a framework for later events to follow during the show's run.

Speaking of which, the Circus agents we're introduced to might not have much in the way of backstory. Even so, that still doesn't stop them from having fleshed out personalities, motivations, and investments. We know that the stress of the job presumably takes its toll on Yogi; that's why he's so dedicated to making the people around him smile. We never learn anything about Tsukumo's past, but her sensibilities on the battlefield and her compassionate demeanour make her a crucial ally. We know even less about the First Ship agents and their dynamics, but mutual respect and rivalry between both teams are readily apparent. Perhaps I may be looking too deep for merit, but these are details are so insignificant that other studios opt to neglect them entirely. The fact that Manglobe went through the trouble to even flesh them out, even partially, shows that there was someone on the writing staff who cared about it.

On the subject of the premise, it's admittedly cliche on some level. However, I'd argue that it's different enough to make this show unique. Unlike other animes like Bleach, D.Gray-man, and Black Butler, Karneval's not quite a supernatural series. The Varuga are indeed superhuman, and their deaths throughout the show come across as if they're exorcisms. However, they're explicitly monstrous aberrations of humanity and not some paranormal force. Their transformation can happen one of two ways: contact with tainted blood or through the use of drugs that spark these changes. Circus agents can fly, have superhuman powers of their own, and can conjure weapons whenever they please. However, these powers come from a treatment which alters their cellular makeup. Karneval may look like some flashy supernatural action flick, but it's far closer to sci-fi than anything else. Think SOLDIER from Final Fantasy VII instead of the Black Order from D.Gray-man.

Moving away from the story and characters (or lack thereof), let's talk about the superficial aspects of this show. Before going bankrupt, Manglobe was renowned for giving each anime they worked on a distinctive look. These were the guys who created shows like Samurai Champloo and Ergo Proxy, after all. Karneval is no exception, as the general aesthetic of the show blends elements of both shonen and shojo anime. That fact isn't too surprising though when you find out that Karneval is a josei manga. Gareki looks like any edgy shonen protagonist, but some of the other characters have those distinctive shojo manga eyes with the gangly proportions to boot. This fact is most apparent with Nai, as he looks like Kaworu Nagisa if he were the uke this time around.

As for the designs of the Varuga, they're all quite varied in appearance and capability. From what I've seen during the show's run, some Varuga can hide their monstrous form while being able to pass for normal humans. Those monstrous forms aren't necessarily the stuff of nightmares, but their transformations can spook a viewer who isn't ready for it. At least, that's what I try to tell myself because that first Varuga in the pilot episode scared the hell out of me when she started transforming. Subsequent transformations didn't catch me off guard, but first impressions tend to stick with you. I certainly can't fault Karneval for having original monster designs.

The animation quality throughout the show is spectacular, but that's no surprise given Manglobe's reputation. Action scenes are fluid and enthralling to watch, especially by the show's end. Manglobe also spared no expense the stupider antics involving the gag comedy or the festival performances. Sometimes the jokes fell flat on me, but they were still lovely to look at regardless. While my formerly keen eye for animation errors has admittedly diminished, I couldn't personally make out any glaring animation errors throughout the show's run. I wouldn't necessarily call this show Manglobe's best from a stylistic or animation standpoint, but it's still quite a cut above average.

The audio side of things is also quite lovely. The opening track, "Henai no Rondo" by GRANRODEO is a bombastic J-Rock track that quickly sets the tone for events to follow. It's fast-paced, it's upbeat, it's incredibly energetic, and it's such a joy to listen to at the start of every episode. Similarly, "Reason" by Kamiyu is quite a catchy and fun ending track. I generally don't like ED tracks that clash with the heavy tone that some episodes end on but Karneval's storytelling is atrophied in terms of depth and detail anyway, so it's not like anything of value was ever lost.

I'm quite late to the party as far as the dubbing "controversy" is concerned, but I can't say I had any problem with it. I'd even argue that the dub is pretty fucking good. Greg Ayres typically plays the 'loveable goofball' character, so I can understand why some people would take umbrage with him voicing Gareki in the first place. Even so, Ayres does quite an excellent job at conveying Gareki's sarcastic and taciturn demeanour. The rest of the cast does a fantastic job too, my favourite performances being Sean Michael Tongue as Nai and Ian Sinclair as Hirato. Sean Michael Tongue does a beautiful job conveying Nai's boundless optimism and confusion at the circumstances surrounding him. Similarly, Ian Sinclair perfectly captures Hirato's nature as a stern yet compassionate commander with a bit of a jovial streak. It honestly is a great dub, and I still find myself confused at all the people who think it's shit.

Would I say that I enjoyed watching Karneval? The answer to that question is a resounding "yes," and I'm not ashamed to admit that in the slightest. I'd even go so far as to recommend that you watch it, were it not for the fact that this is sadly a glorified trailer for the manga. Unfortunately, the entertainment value I got from watching Karneval isn't enough to override my critical faculties. Karneval is an unfinished product when push comes to shove; I honestly found myself craving a greater sense of resolution than what we ultimately received. With that said, the anime certainly left a positive impression on me that does give me an impetus to check out what the manga has to offer. Of course, other people might not be as forgiving, so your mileage will undoubtedly vary.

Lastly, I want to take a moment to reflect upon Manglobe as a studio and what they brought to the table. My introduction to Manglobe's works was obviously through Samurai Champloo, as it was for hundreds of thousands (if not millions) of other people. I certainly had my gripes with it, but it was a fun, stylistic show with a fantastic soundtrack and dub that I still adore to this day. With this in mind, I feel like Manglobe might have shot themselves in the foot with such a strong debut. Their subsequent shows never quite managed to achieve the same level of success that Champloo did, so I'd wager that they relied heavily on short seasons to offset any potential losses that their shows might bring to the table.

Unfortunately, those short seasons never managed to produce anything of substance that would keep the company afloat. Everything in their repertoire after releasing Champloo consists of either failed experiments like Ergo Proxy (a show that I do like but consider far too obtuse for its own good) or unfinished adaptations like Deadman Wonderland and Karneval. The only adaptation they committed to was "The World God Only Knows," and that's not necessarily a series that would appeal to a mainstream audience. Their final show was Gangsta, and while I've never watched it, a cursory glance at reviews posted on websites like MAL or Hummingbird reveals that it suffers from many of the same problems that plagued Deadman Wonderland and Karneval. It's quite a shame too given how Manglobe always had an eye for creating stylistic shows that manage to leave some impact on the minds of their viewers.

Karneval might not be Manglobe's best work, nor would I consider it to be a definitive "must watch," but it's still a fun show that brings some unique ideas to the table with lacking, yet serviceable execution. If you're perfectly comfortable with watching this show knowing that it's a glorified manga trailer, you'll enjoy the hell out of it. If you're curious about what the manga is like, you'll get a good idea of what the manga's like and then find out whether or not you want to read it. If you're looking for a show that's a paragon of quality, look elsewhere. Either way, let's hope that Twin Engine and Geno Studio have better luck than Manglobe did.

Karneval is an amazing series. Almost all the characters have good depth and a sad/interesting back story or feature. The art just blew me away, watching characters fight (Spoiler; especially between Uro and Tsukumo) was just mind lowing, very lean and elegant whilst also deadly.

Story; The storyline is very interesting but sometimes there will be a lot of space between action. the story has this sort of air of mystery surrounding it, and you can never really be to sure if a character is evil or good, which makes it even more compelling.

Art; The art is very happy, colourful and interesting. A ... lot of detail in every drawing and very clean. The characters were all drawn beautifully and having their clothes changed regularly was a welcome change. If anything, the art should definitely make you want to watch this, even if the characters are almost all "bishounen"

Sound; Thank god the main female characters don't have a high pitched cutesy voice! And Nai who is presented as a cute, young innocent male actually sounds like a boy. I was very impressed.

Characters; As aforementioned, each of the characters have depth and different personalities. The actual character development was very interesting to watch, whether it was Gareki struggling with where he fit into the picture, Nai learning about the world and growing up or Yogi getting stronger as he protects the people he lobes.

Enjoyment; I couldn't stop watching this series and with the last episode coming out on the 27th of June I am so pumped! Whether it was the character development, the stunning fights or the simple fun of Circus, I couldn't stop watching.

Overall i just want to say that this is fast becoming one of my favourite anime series. I can't wait to see how it finishes and I really hope there will be a second season. Fingers crossed!

I Love Much Karneval..

The Story Is Make Me Happy,Fun, And Sad When Gareki Think He wasn't able doing anything to protect nai,yogi and others..

Best Anime in my life,,,

I Hope Season 2 will be soon.. :)

This might actually be one of my favorite animes, and I doubt that that is the case for many others. But it was as if this anime was designed to appeal specifically to me. The look, characters, mythology, story, it all works wonders for me. The best things about this anime is twofold. First, the animation is absolutely stunning. The colors are bright without being garish, and help with the atmosphere wonderfully. The character designs are also very well done on all fronts. This show has a very, very distinct look to it, which I appreciate. Secondly, the cast of characters is very solid. The ... interactions among them and subplots that result are written realistically and executed well. The story is somewhat thin, but the story isn't what really matters. If Hayao Miyazaki directed an anime, it would be Karneval. I would highly recommend.

This anime is not a Yaoi! It can contain little bits of Shounen-Ai. Mostly just friendship between characters.

PERSONAL ENJOYMENT -10
Fully enjoyed watching this series. So much so that I am currently reading the manga. There was not a single sigh or eye roll during my watching.

STORY -9
The story it's self I rate a 9, mainly because it leaves you wanting more at the end and that it's humorous yet it still has a sufficient and some-what serious at times plot to keep one entertained.

ART -10
I find that the characters themselves are animated beautifully and very close to the original manga. I find the backgrounds to ... be well done too.

SOUND -8
Voice actors did a fantastic job in Japanese (no dub yet) yet can be a little quiet at times. I found myself watching both the ending and the beginning music. The music through out the show gives off the right tone for that specific scene.

CHARACTER -9
Considering it is only 13 episodes of the main story in total the characters are pretty well done. There just isn't sufficient time to flesh every character like the manga is able to do. That is not to that they are left as empty shells so to speak but there may not be enough character development for the more picky viewer.

OVERALL -10
You should watch it if you like to see beautiful characters and a colourful story. I have no complaints except that its short.

I'm so lucky to have been introduced to this manga and anime series by a friend, since it is not as well known to others. I will say now: This anime was completely amazing. The art was beautiful (the eyes, wow.), the characters were all so unique, the sound was just so realistic, and the plot was just too great. Now as I have seen many negative comments on how slow the story was in the episodes, I will say now: why base this wonderful anime off how they choose to advance the story?
This anime was mainly one of mystery and fantasy, so if ... you are a fan of Kuroshitsuji, D-Gray Man, or Arcana Famiglia, you will enjoy this story greatly. You will also enjoy every scene with the beautiful art. If you haven't watched it, then please do!

Too sum it up, the anime is like a pretty candy that leaves disgusting aftertaste.

In my opinion it really doesn't matter how wonderful the art is if the plot is pathetic. And in this anime the plot is pathetic, it is so very boring and predictable. There is absolutely nothing to think about, just a collection of pretty pictures. The worst part is you get hooked and watch the next episode because you want to find something interesting and mysterious to think about, but the next episode is just random dialog and flashy scenes.

Karneval was one of the most vivd anime's I have ever watched and to be really honest this enticed me. I found myself loving the use of colours and also the contrast in colours when looking at characters. For example, Nai is blonde and usually dressed in light colours showing how pure he is, on the otherhand Gareki is always dressed in dark colours, creating this kind of mysterious air about him, we are constantly left thinking that Gareki is a pessimist, no matter the situation.

One thing that did displease me though was the fact that it was slightly predictable and Gareki, the character I ... fell in love with, seemed to be the only character who was not 'special' in some sense.

I suppose this created a more real feel to the anime as Gareki is constantly the normal and Nai is the strange.

I expecially loved the character development and how the relationship between certain characters such as Nai and Gareki seemed to blossom through out.

I would recommend this to anyone, including a younger audience. For example I suggested this to my nine year old sister because it is borderline childish and simplistic but also interesting as well.

I was immediately attracted to this anime because of the gorgeous character designs. The intricacy of the details and the unique appearances...so, very confused by the lack of information on the plot, I began Karneval, expecting a lot of beautiful characters and an equally wonderful story. However, I have to say that Karneval is one of those animes that begins with a great premise and then fails to fulfill the expectations that it builds.

Story :: 6
Unfortunately, I was disappointed by the story. It started out interesting, albeit not that unique, and became even more fascinating when Circus showed up on the scene. As the ... multiple plot lines began to build, I became excited to see a climax, a resolution, how the entire mess would turn out. The problem is, there isn't a resolution. Karneval just keeps getting more and more confusing until there's no possible way out. The last episode served a mediocre ending, and, for me, created even more issues.

Art :: 9
To reiterate, the artwork is what attracted me to Karneval. I think this anime is one of the best I've seen in terms of artwork. It did get a little too sparkly at times for my taste, but just take a look at it on Google Images, and I'm sure you won't be disappointed. The character designs are incredibly richly detailed and everyone has such a unique design that there's no way that you could get confused between the characters. The animation itself does fall down a few times, but overall I was so entranced by the designs of the characters that animation errors didn't bother me that much.

Sound :: 6
Other than the ED, in my opinion, the music doesn't stand out. The OP is very fitting for the series, however.

Character :: 7
The characters each had attractive, individual personalities, but they really needed a lot more development. I feel as though the anime only scratched the surface of their true personalities. A little bit of background on the characters, maybe a few flashbacks, might have been helpful to the plot as well. Some of the characters received such inadequate development that I knew barely anything about them when the series ended, even if they were characters that were central to the plot, such as Karoku and Akari.

Enjoyment :: 6
Looking back on it now, I think the only thing that kept me attracted to the anime was the artwork [ and the constant desire to listen to the ED song ]. It could have been so much better. A season 2 where the plot is developed would be a great help to this anime, but unfortunately, it doesn't seem as though there's one planned.

Overall :: 6
It was alright. Karneval doesn't stand out for anything besides the art. I didn't dislike it at any point, but there were a lot of errors and plot holes that could have been ameliorated in some way. I wanted to like this, but I couldn't.

After watching this anime, I can surely say that it is by far one of my favourites yet. This is one of the very few that I've enjoyed almost every, if not every single episode to the point that I had to absolutely binge it. I kept on putting myself off of the anime as I've been wanting to watch it for about a year or so, and I don't regret watching it at all... I kind of regret waiting this long, aha. Ironically, the reason that I decided to finally watch it was because I was looking for new inspiration to glisten up my ... account, and straight after the first episode, I loved it to pieces.

Story: 8/10
While the story may be confusing for some, I do admit that it can be, but to be fair, you have to have a very high- *coughs*
...sorry.
As confusing as the story may be, the depth that the anime goes into basically blinds the confusion and treats the manga well.
In the first minute of the first episode, you'll already question what you just discovered, but it'll sure get you hooked once you realise what happens.
The amount of depth that gets put into characters to develop their own or others' persona is quite unique, and it always has a way to make it feel fresh and new: to make you feel happy or sad.
The plot can simply be put into 5 words: Nai wants to find Karoku. But of course, it's much more complicated than that. Throughout the anime, new characters get introduced to develop mixed emotions towards the watcher and help the characters to grow in the present and to help us understand their past.

Art: 10/10
I'm not really that appealed into art styles as I focus on everything else and my own personal enjoyment, but there are always some things that make me cherish that specific art style. Detail.
By detail, I mean what makes the character look unique: accessories, outfits, hairstyle, body language... and the eyes.
Eyes are the main factor when it comes to anime because of the emotions expressed through them and how diverse they can be. For example, I love Ciel's dark blue eyes due to how perfectly shaped they are with those appealing bottom eyelashes; Karneval is no exception. The mixture of colours used with the eyes is mesmerising.
The outfits are absolutely beautiful and creative to the point that the outfits themselves serve as a substitute for the entire meals in Food Wars. I'm not even kidding. The outfits, especially Nai's, give me the same satisfaction of wanting to wear them. They are so diverse and are colour-coded absolutely perfectly, alongside the similarity of the eye and hair colour of many characters such as Karoku and Yogi to compliment the designs even further.

Sound: 9/10
To begin with, the mandala in the OP is beautiful and so are the rectangular lights that scatter across the screen behind the pretty animated characters. I really like how the song is rock as I'm quite a fan of that. It's a really catchy song once you've listened to it a couple of times. Plus, it's Granrodeo so what's not to love?
The ED is so colourful and bright that it sometimes doesn't even match with the ending of a few episodes, but regardless the song is calming and mesmeric.

Character: 9/10
I was very meticulous when it came to the characters, and they sure did something perfectly. Each character feels human, even the side characters that only get mentioned for a couple of episodes develop some sort of backstory for the main characters and bring sympathy to us watchers, such as the two twins developing Gareki's backstory even further. The small hints of Nai's abilities and persona really bring him out as a character that actually acts how they actually are to the point that it's smart yet absolutely adorable. With each character having some form of social weakness and a unique personality, plus the backstory of the characters and their reasoning, you could really make them feel special.

Enjoyment: 10/10
With some subtle areas of comedy and pureness, I just couldn't resist Nai. In every episode, I'd laugh at even the most minor things just because of how certain people reacted, such as Gareki talking all unenthusiastically in bright moments. And not to forget how cute Nai looks, I mean, just look at him.
I absolutely loved the plot, characters, and ideas. Almost everything unanswered was eventually answered throughout the anime. Every episode was a rollercoaster whether it be of joy, melancholy, or pure excitement.
The only thing that disappointed me was the cliffhanger at the end with the Karoku theory, but I swear that must continue with a sequel.
Since the manga is still ongoing I'll read that while hoping for a second season. I'd rewatch it anytime without a doubt.

Overall: 8/10

9.7/10

The story was pretty good, with the two main characters Gareki and Nai getting involved with Circus, as well as the Varuga and Kafka. The pacing was done well, but even though it was only a 13 episode anime, I personally feel that it wrapped up quite nicely. Even though you are still stuck with the question of "What happened to Uro? What about Palned?", the future for characters like Gareki are shown, and thus end the anime without too many loose ends. I liked the story line, and the humor they put in every once in a while was enjoyable. The main characters, Nai, ... Gareki, Yogi, and Tsukumo, spent a lot of time in the hospital, though. But when they go out on a mission, something very entertaining always happens.

The art was amazing. It was really colorful without being gaudy. The animation was fluid and not bothersome to watch at all. The way the characters were drawn, from the eyes to their outfits was outstanding. Even extra characters, like the nurses and children, were drawn meticulously and looked great. The way the Varuga were drawn was done very well. The fact that they are colored black makes it obvious when someone or something is a Varuga and it is a nice contrast to the constant colors.

The music and voices in this anime are on-point. The opening is Henai no Rondo by GRANRODEO, who also sang many openings for Kuroko's Basketball. The graphics are great in the opening. They immediately show all the characters, and show the relationship between Gareki and Nai. It was timed well and after they show the characters, they all get 2-4 seconds to show their abilities. The ending was nice, because it was a little Niji (you'll learn about them in the anime) running up as all the characters that showed up, even in only 2 episodes, are slowly scrolled down. It is a very pleasant song called Reason by KAmiYU. The soundtrack was great. I liked listening to it and some of the songs consisted of a piano or some string instruments. It did a good job of setting the mood and it was enjoyable to listen to it. The voices were on point. Gareki, being the cold person he was, was played by Hiroshi Kamiya (Noragami: Yato, Durarara: Izaya Orihara). Nai was played by Hiro Shimono (Kami nomi zo Shiru Sekai: Katsuragi Keima) and had an innocent tone to his voice. Yogi was played by Mamoru Miyano (Death Note: Yagami Light) and he brought Yogi's character to life. Tsukumo was played by Aya Endou (Lucky Star: Miyuki Takara) and portrayed Tsukumo's character as a Kuudere very well.

The characters were very interesting. The design for each of them was unique and different. However, with so many characters, some of them were not developed as much as one may like. The character development for Gareki was done well as Gareki went from a cold person who thought of people as enemy, prey, or nothing, to someone who cared about his friends in Circus. Nai's soul became stronger while he was still kind to people around him, easily considering one he just met a friend. Yogi went through a sudden transformation in one of the episodes, resulting in a deeper character than one may think. Tsukumo became more social and more friendly towards people on the Second Ship.

I really enjoyed this anime. It is one of my favourites. I was first attracted to it by its art style, and I really enjoyed watching the characters go through many ordeals with the Varuga. I don't have a favourite character (because I love so many of them) but I do have a least favourite. The action scenes were well paced, and the animation was top notch. The story was interesting and had a small but shocking plot twist at the end, and the soundtrack was one of the nicest one person can hear, in my opinion.