Everyone has his or her own talents. Whether you're good at drawing, playing a sport, or even making a simple meal, there's a special hidden talent within everyone. For a particular boy named Jun Sakurada, he has a talent too. We should all be proud of our accomplishments right? Well, that doesn't fit the case with Jun because after a particular embarrassing moment in his earlier school years, there's that fear of anxiety that followed him for the rest of his life. Has that ever happened to you before? Maybe but did it ever escalate it to a point where a person almost completely changes
...
from whom they were once before? Probably not.
Despite the title being the exact same name of the original Rozen Maiden series, fan should not be confused with this anime. This series is called Rozen Maiden Zurückspulen but should be seen as an alternate series that follows the events of the second manga from its beginning. Fans of the original Rozen Maiden series of both the anime and manga should be delighted. This is because the series is the first reincarnation of Rozen Maiden since Rozen Maiden: Ouvertüre that debuted years ago.
The first thing viewers might notice is the overview of its characters and themes in the first episode. There's that sense of nostalgia that bites back from years ago if you've been a loyal fan. More honestly though, this series assumes that you are already somewhat familiar with the Rozen Maiden franchise. Even if you're coming into Rozen Maiden completely fresh, it is okay because of the material covered in this series isn't any sort of direct continuation from its prequels. However, the experience might be somewhat lessened to a degree.
As for starters, this series follows two sides of a story. For one, we have Jun Sakurada that plays the role of the main male protagonist. Like many people, he has a talent but it turns out to be something that doesn't fit well for his gender role. The story follows Jun and his life as a seemingly lonely man. He has an average life with an average job and no girlfriend at his age. We get to see from his point of view on the typical life of a young man whom seemingly have no particular goal or dream in life. What he does have though is a terrible experience during his middle school years. That has left a scar in his life that continues to haunt him since today with his memories.
The other side of the story covers a more fantasy field in Jun's life. That comes from the arrival of a strange text message on his cell phone. The twist here involves a bit of fantasy element as the messenger on the opposite side is someone he never thought to be. It plays around the boundary between fantasy and reality because his new situation becomes much of a problem than he had ever imagined before. For now, Jun has to deal with his newfound problem whether he likes it or not.
But the real star isn't just Jun from this show. From the depths of fantasy comes our lovely dressed doll, Shinku. She is not just elegantly dressed but also comes with a lady like personality. Her constant demand for tea and service from Jun is often played on a joke of annoyance. In fact, the master should be Jun, not the other way around considering he is Shinku's maker. The problem isn't that though because Jun can suddenly deal with annoyance in his life. Rather, it's this new twist involving a game known as the Alice Game. In that game, there are seven different dolls identified as the Rozen Maidens each with a different human partner. In order to win the game, one must steal the others' Rosa Mystica through battle and in turn become the perfect girl known as Alice. It sounds difficult. It proves difficult. It is difficult. This is because Jun wishes to win the game without actually taking anyone's Rosa Mystica. This task is considered impossible because it would defeat the purpose of the game. Whoever is because the scenes for this game suddenly won't be happy.
As if unhappy is a word to describe this series, just look carefully at Jun's college life. He's suddenly not happy about his job especially the way his store manager treats him. Not only that, he is constantly judging what others may think of him. The thoughts he forms sometimes borderlines on delusional. But who can blame him right? After all, he's suffered a past that he hopes to never to relive again. In essence, the overall tone of this series spells out a more serious atmosphere as we explore Jun's loneliness as a young man.
Character dynamics are explored throughout this series. There's two sides to it as well. First comes the more realistic side once again with Jun. In this series, Jun is works at a local bookstore where he doesn't seem to be happy. The store manager always seems to play the role of a bully. In many ways, Jun feels the scars of what he has suffered in the past as in the form of humiliation. Luckily though, there's some hope with his fellow co-worker Saitou. As someone who has a talent in the field of acting, she is sympathetic for Jun. The relationship between Jun and her is typical. It crosses between the lines of both friendship and possibly even romance. On the other side is the relationship between a human and doll – Jun and Shinku in this case. The series leaves their relationship as ambiguous. There's a sense of annoyance, appreciation, and bonding that can be all packaged by the duo's relationship. On other other hand, Shinku has rivals in form of antagonism towards another doll in the series – Suigintou. It can be seen as serious and comedic the same time; take it how you receive it. Unfortunately though, there's not much exploration of the other dolls with their masters besides Shinku and Suigintou.
Although the premise sounds interesting, there's a sting in its pacing. What I'm referring to here is the story and its main purpose. The Rozen Maidens are designed to fight each other for the title of Alice but the premise itself doesn't engage itself as well as one may hope. In fact, the majority of the first half adapts more of a slice of life tone that can be repetitive to watch. In particular, this relates to Jun and his life. Then, there's a problem with the other characters as the show seems to only highlight two particular dolls for the majority of its run. The series details the Alice Game so each doll should have its purpose. Instead though, this series only gives them a minimal amount of screen time. Not all the dolls gets their own spotlight and some may feel disappointed. The sense of emotions might also not be as strong as one may hope for due to a lack of exploration in the other dolls' backgrounds. Perhaps the amount of episodes could be a problem here but that shouldn't be an excuse for its pacing. Finally, the concept of fighting for a grand title or accomplishment isn't new in the anime industry. Other shows such as Mirai Nikki, Mai-Hime, Fate Stay Night, and recent Crime Edge has adapted such themes before. It's been done.
The artwork for the series suddenly feels a bit different. By different, I mean in terms of realism. The place that Jun is living at is designed to look very simple to give viewers an outlook on his average life. There's not much fancy going on in his life besides Shinku. The way his character is designed also looks plain with his face and figure. On the other hand, the Rozen Maidens are designed with fashion. Shinku's red clothes is covered with elegance and that lady-like atmosphere that matches her personality. Others such as Suigintou is designed to give off her darker personality through those lolita golita style of clothing while two other Rozen Maidens in the show has noticeable colored eyes.
Because the show is more serious and covers a more realistic side of Jun's story, viewers should also expect a more straight forward soundtrack. There's no funky beat or rock style music in this show. Instead, it has an eerie like OST that often depicts a more moody side of the story. Also, remember that Jun is isolated with himself. Therefore, viewers should expect the soundtrack to also convey that feeling of loneliness. The OP song, "Watashi no Bara wo Haminasai" by ALI PROJECT gives off a feeling of mystery and possible foreshadowing as well. As with the ED song, there's the sense of eerie loneliness once again.
For whatever reason you decide to try out this show, just be aware that it can feel a bit different from what you might be used to from the original Rozen Maiden series. By different, I don't mean as necessarily an unpleasant experience. Instead, it conveys a different and more realistic side of Jun and his story. The boy is not in kiddy clothes anymore but lives a new style of living. Although it's not pleasant, there's also some signs of joy. The lines of reality and fantasy are often crossed throughout various times. This can also bring on a different feeling for viewers. But more importantly, patience should be a key to deal with this adaptation. Rozen Maiden is often interpreted as a girly show because it has dolls. But for Jun, making dolls isn't just about fun. It's about a talent and his way of life.
Alternative Titles
Japanese: ローゼンメイデン (2013)
More titlesInformation
Type:
TV
Episodes:
13
Status:
Finished Airing
Aired:
Jul 5, 2013 to Sep 27, 2013
Premiered:
Summer 2013
Broadcast:
Fridays at 01:58 (JST)
Producers:
TBS
Licensors:
Sentai Filmworks
Studios:
Studio Deen
Source:
Manga
Demographic:
Seinen
Duration:
24 min. per ep.
Rating:
PG-13 - Teens 13 or older
Statistics
Ranked:
#25432
2
based on the top anime page. Please note that 'Not yet aired' and 'R18+' titles are excluded.
Popularity:
#2394
Members:
78,760
Favorites:
241
Available AtResourcesStreaming Platforms | Reviews
Filtered Results: 15 / 15
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Your Feelings Categories Oct 7, 2013
Everyone has his or her own talents. Whether you're good at drawing, playing a sport, or even making a simple meal, there's a special hidden talent within everyone. For a particular boy named Jun Sakurada, he has a talent too. We should all be proud of our accomplishments right? Well, that doesn't fit the case with Jun because after a particular embarrassing moment in his earlier school years, there's that fear of anxiety that followed him for the rest of his life. Has that ever happened to you before? Maybe but did it ever escalate it to a point where a person almost completely changes
...
Jul 6, 2015
~~~~PLEASE READ IF YOU HAVE ALREADY WATCHED THE ORIGINAL TWO SEASONS OF ROZEN MAIDEN~~~~
This review is to shed some light on the direction of the anime as it is very different from the original plot and story, but it's so good and I don't want people to be discouraged by the first episode like I was! I really loved the original story of Rozen Maiden. It was so addicting and I was completely on an emotional roller coaster, especially once the Alice Games really started. When I saw that they had made a new anime of it, I assumed they were doing what they did with ... Sep 28, 2013
Because I'm feeling awesome today, I'm gonna write a review of Rozen Maiden: Season 3. May include minor spoilers. I edited a few typos.
I'm pretty sure most people are aware that Rozen Maiden (2013) is not really a season 3, but because most people called it that, I will leave it as Rozen Maiden: Season 3 for easy identification. Story: 7 Let's begin. To those people who have watched Season 1 and Season 2, you will realize that season 3 has nothing to do with Season 1 and 2. Because, Season 3 is based on the Jun who did not wound the key. (Hey, at least that ... Jun 27, 2014
“Will you wind it?”
Story ----------------------- Fans of the Rozen Maiden series are already familiar with what happens when Jun circles “Wind”, but what happens when he chooses “Do Not Wind”? That is what Rozen Maiden Season 3 (as people are calling it) answers. We now see Jun grown up as a university student, with a job, and even a love interest. Personally, I enjoyed observing Jun’s life outside of his room. Based on the second series of the Rozen Maiden manga, I love the fresh take Peach-Pit took on this classic series; yet, in a genius way, they were able to tie together the older Jun with ... Aug 26, 2014
Il try to leave as minimum amount of spoilers as i can
Everyone who is a fan of Rozen Maiden would agree it was nothing but in short as a miracle that this show was even made in the first place, considering the time gap between the last series which was over 7 years ago. Also what is even more amazing is that this one actually goes back and follows the Manga's plot and original story. The first 2 seasons were great but had a few flaws, one of them being that they deviated from the main manga storyline and the other is the major cliffhanger the ... Nov 3, 2014
Rozen Maiden Zuruckspulen appears to function as a sort of reboot on the Rozen Maiden franchise as we are reintroduced to Jun and the Rozen Maidens as they deal with an enemy threat in the form of new Maiden Kirakisho and crossing into a parallel timeline where an adult Jun never gave life to Shinku. Before I address the new content of this addition to Rozen Maiden, I do want to address the major issue of this series coming with familiarity of viewers to the franchise. The show's creators make it under the assumption that you are already familiar with elements and characters to the
...
Oct 25, 2013
Rozen Maiden, a very perplexing anime. Firstly let me say that this does not feel like a sequel to Rozen maiden, ill explain later. My rating will be very different from yours if you have not seen the original series.Now to the review.
Story: Frankly, if you've come to watch rozen maiden (2013) just because of the story you will be disappointed. In the entire series, it looks like the story is just like one chapter. It tell you nothing of what you want to know and frankly there is nothing that you want to know. There are no twists but that has its own advantage. The ... Sep 27, 2013
** WARNING: this review may contain spoilers **
I was excited when I found out they were gonna remake Rozen Maiden... I always wanted to watch it but never found the time to do it. I expected witchcraft, creepy scenarios or at least an eerie soundtrack... and honestly, I've never been so disappointed since Another. Here's why. Story: 5/10 Like I said, the plot revolves around the Alice Game, that it's supposed to be a way to encourage the dolls to fight between themselves and find who's the most capable of becoming a perfect doll/girl. But they never explain why, or for who. They talk about some 'father' but ... Oct 16, 2015
I don't expect anyone to enjoy this show as much as I did. Fans of the previous manga or anime may find jarring the shift from slice-of-life/comedy to the moody atmosphere that this season presents. However, this was just the type of show I was looking for, so I suppose I fill a certain niche.
The story follows Jun as a young adult attending university (if only the bare minimum attendance) and holding down a job at the mercy of his douche bag manager's verbal abuse. This is quite the refreshing change of setting from his life as a hikikomori elementary schooler. We get to see ... Mar 9, 2016
Have you ever made a decision you regret? Something you wish you could go back on, now that you’re able to see the results of it through the power of hind sight? Maybe it’s something major, like you married the wrong person. Maybe it’s something a little less major, like a tattoo that you wish you could painlessly remove. Maybe you just don’t like the breakfast you ordered this morning. Maybe you wish you could take back that one comment you made that wound up having disasterously severe consequences. Well, you can’t take back your mistakes, but it may comfort you to know that when
...
May 25, 2016
The day I'm writing my first review had finally came, therefore don't judge me too hard.
I was never a big fan of Rozen Maiden. In fact, I've dropped it when I first attempted watching it years ago.As for today, I've seen all the seasons and still have multiple friends worshipping this anime for reasons I don't understand. Do I need to say I was reluctant to watch this new Rozen Maiden related thing? Because I truly was, and if not for my OCDs regarding anime kicking, I wouldn't. But, god, to think what a loss would it be! The very first thing I've noted upon starting ... Feb 3, 2021
Dollfie Dream. Azone. Parabox. If you know exactly what I'm talking about, then this anime is definitely for you. Truth is though, there's something for everyone in Rozen Maiden. I don't remember a show succeeding at so many different things all at once. And with such class and charm, too. It's a show about ball-jointed dolls that come to life thanks to little pieces of a gem called Rosa Mystica. Each doll has a piece of the gem and they battle each other in a competition called Alice Game to collect all the pieces and have a chance to meet their dad, Rozen, the fabled
...
Apr 3, 2016
Plot: 6/10
Rozen Maiden: Zuruckspulen has a plot that is a bit more complicated than the previous Rozen Maiden anime. While this definitely makes the plot line more interesting, dealing with multiple worlds, as well as providing a bit more backstory about the nature of the dolls’ existence, it does not handle these concepts as elegantly as one might expected. There is a very rushed introduction episode, which unfortunately assumes some prior knowledge of the manga, and the first few episodes have slowed down, but still very fast. There is also considerable time lapse numerous times in the early episodes, which can feel like chunks of ... Jul 10, 2014
Rozen Maiden 2013 is an interesting case.
It is a well done, solidly directed series with a beautiful gothic atmosphere and interesting exploration into the hikikomori issue. Based on its merits, this series should deserve a bigger audience, but unfortunately its format makes it inevitable that this series remains inaccessible to a large number of people. Few anime series that are adaptations are lucky enough to be able to adapt their source faithfully from beginning to the end. Many times the anime is forced to create their own material to finish the story. If the manga is popular enough , it may ... Jan 1, 2023
I gave season 2 of Rozen Maiden a "Mixed feelings" rating because it seemed to me that the producers of that season either did not know how to tie up everything nicely at the end or simply couldn't for financial or other reasons. Well, they did it again! The first episode, as another reviewer notes, is a bit rushed and will probably disappoint seasoned viewers. However, the subsequent episodes put those doubts to rest and prove to be much more interesting and intriguing. The story moves slower and feels more mature and grown-up in comparison with seasons 1 and 2. I especially appreciated the character
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