Ranked #97

Seirei no Moribito

Seriei no Moribito (or Guardian of the Sacred Spirit), is not your normal anime. It began life as the first in the ten volume Moribito series of fantasy novel written by Uehashi Nahoko, and although these novels were intended for children, they gained many adult fans. In fact, the novels proved to be so popular that they the first volume was adapted into a manga, an anime (directed by Kamiyama Kenji, who directed Ghost in the Shell SAC and 2nd Gig), and even a radio drama. The novel is also scheduled for release in english in mid 2008 because of the immense popularity of the anime adaptation.

Art/Animation

Seirei no Moribito has some of the smoothest and most fluid animation of any anime produced over the last few years. Production I.G. managed to produce one of the best looking anime of 2007, and with it, managed to introduce one of the most unique and interesting female leads in anime.

The colour palette is very "Ghibli-esque" as it mainly uses greens, browns, blues, etc, but Production I.G. has made good use of them for the characters and environements, and the overall effect gives the show a feeling more reminiscent of "Monoke Hime" or "Gedo Senki" than anything else.

Character designs are exceptional throughout the show, most especially the main and immediate supporting characters. Balsa is exceptionally well designed, and far more realistic than many other fantasy female leads. Her character is fairly muscular and stocky, yet without the extremely toned muscles shown in most other fantasies. Facially too, the designers went for realism more than anything else. Balsa is not beautiful, but not ugly either. She's plain (in a sense), and is most definitely a woman, not a girl.

The other characters are also designed very much with realism in mind, and this actually helps to pull the viewer into the show in a big way. It's also nice to see that attention was paid to the animals in the show as well, and it makes a nice change to see a horse in anime that actually looks like a real horse.

One thing that should be mentioned here is the design influences. Many people relate thise series to China and Japan because of the very obvious visual references to those countries (i.e. the palace, the emperor, the ninjas, etc), however this is really only a small part of the whole. In truth, Seirei no Moribito isn't simply based on China and Japan, but is actually based on the greater Indo-Chinese region. This is reflected in the differing facial structures, customs, practices, etc, that are seen in the show. Balsa and Jiguro are originally from Kanbal, a country that shows a number of elements of Northern India/ Kashmir, Nepal and Tibet. This influence also extends to Balsa and Jiguro's fighting style, which is very different to that of the stories other combatants. The backgounds, still scenes, the rural settings, even the mountainous regions and jungles, are very clearly based on a region of South-East Asia stretching from India to Japan, and it's a rarity to find this kind of scope or depth of detail in anime.

The animation quality throughout the show never really lets up, and the action sequences are especially impressive. The fights are swift and well executed, and the movements of the combatants is especially impressive during the action scenes. Production I.G. have also paid attention to the different combat styles used in the show as well, and have managed to include these in the animation, which gives the fights a far more "authentic" feel.

Sound

Each episode opens with a very nice, and rather catchy, J-rock/pop ballad called "Shine", which was performed by L'Arc-en-Ciel but never released as a single. The rest of the music in the show (composed by the famous Kawai Kenji), adds to the atmosphere and overall feel of the show. The dramatic moments, fights, and even the slow-paced scenes are all emphasized with some great background music.

The sound effects are exceptional in this show, especially as this is more of a "historical" fantasy. The background noises, the grunts, clucks, whinnies, and other noises of the various animals, the clash of steel on steel, etc, breathe life into the series, and makes the setting that much more "real".

Characters

It goes without saying that the star of the show is Balsa, the spear wielding warrior woman, and Balsa, as a character, is one of the strongest and most unique female leads in any anime. She is muscular and stocky, possess many skills (not the least of which is her formidable fighting ability), has a strong sense of right and wrong, is very rarely indecisive, and is sensible in many ways. As I've said earlier, Balsa is no beauty, and this again sets her apart from many other female leads, as the designers generally try to make lead women in anime "attractive" to male audiences.

Chagum, on the other hand, is exactly how you would expect a young prince to be, but without the arrogance (which makes a nice change). What makes this series really work though, is the attention to character development that both Balsa and Chagum receive, and how, as each of them develops, their relationship with each other changes.

There are several other characters who appear throughout the series (Tanda, Touya, Saya, Jiguro, etc), all of whom receive a certain amount of development because of their association with Balsa. The nice thing about the development of the supporting characters is that it is often directly linked to the development of either Balsa or Chagum, or both in some cases. This is most especially true in the case of Jiguro, who was Balsa's guardian and mentor as a child, and is the one who taught her how to fight with a spear. The various references and flashbacks to this character slowly begin to make sense as the series progresses, and with this clarity it is possible to understand Balsa's character even more.

There is a downside to the characters though, in that there are other characters who receive little to no development. In addition to that, the characters who do receive development rarely get it continuously. Strangely enough though, this does very little to impact on the story or the viewers enjoyment of the show.

Story

The story is actually a nice role reversal of the typical "rescue the princess" scenario and, although it's meant to be a serious fantasy action drama, there are some genuinely humourous moments.

The story flows at a nice steady pace throughout the series, and although it does slow down from time to time, these are effectively the times when the majority of the character development happens. The premise was good on the whole, and although the story at times seems more like stock fantasy, there are enough differences, as well as some great character development, sound and animation, to make watching this a worthwhile experience.

Enjoyment

This isn't a light-hearted series, but it also doesn't become overly dramatic. It doesn't focus so much on action that it gives up areas of the story, and it never lets the story become so bland that you get bored of watching. It's an interesting show to watch and the pacing of the show, as well as the slow delve into Balsa's past, serve to ensure that you keep watching.

Although the plot may be simplistic at times, this isn't really a show that suffers from it, especially as the show itself is more character driven than anything else. The main focus of the show, from beginning to end, are the characters. This is emphasized by the fact that the action and drama clearly take second place to each of the characters.

Overall I'd recommend this show to any Ghibli fan, and also to anyone who like shows like Claymore, Slayers, or even Rurouni Kenshin or Sword of the Stranger. It's an extremely enjoyable example of how good a fantasy series can get if you do it right, and because of it's characters, it will appeal to fans of many different genres. read more

Seirei no Moribito was one of those rare anime that I commenced with an unshakeable sense of anticipation and with high expectations. I can never resist the urge to assume a show will be spectacular based on the staff or studio involved, even if my hopes have all-too-often been crushed (as was the case with Darker than Black). So, when I heard that Kenji Kamiyama, who is largely responsible for some of the finer creative inputs for both seasons of Gits SAC, was going to be heading this show with Production I.G, it instantly became my single most anticipated series of the year. By the time the trailer came along I was well and truly brimming with excitement. However, the show that I got was both different to what I had hoped, and also not as memorable or entertaining. On some levels, the show is a resounding achievement, and there are moments dispersed throughout when it reaches remarkable heights of excitement, emotion and splendour. Yet, when looked at as a whole, the show has failings that can not be ignored; most notably, flaws in the pacing and the build-up of the story.

The element of Seirei no Moribito that most screams for attention is its stunning production, and here is where my faith in Kamiyama is affirmed. The entire series has maintained an unprecedented quality of art and animation. It has the look and feel of a (good) movie, with a sweeping cinematic mode of directing that befits the stories’ expansive fantasy world, and stunningly realised landscapes that bring the show to life. More so than in any other anime I can recall, the background art in Seirei no Moribito left a profound impression on me - this could well be the finest example of background art in anime, not just for its level of detail, but for the way it is used to enhance the atmosphere of the show and draw the viewer in to its vibrant and striking settings. On top of this, the cel animation, while it could quite easily have been blessed with a higher level of detail to match its surroundings, is amazingly fluid and vital when it needs to be. The use of cel-shaded CG has been popularised among IG’s producers it seems, and it’s generally put to good use in Seirei, to animate hordes of extras in scenes such as in the towns, or when the palace assembles its army. This means that these scenes are bought to life in a way that would otherwise not be possible with a tv anime budget, successfully avoiding the common anime trap of either having a surprising absence of people in the background, or have large crowds of people inexplicably still. Unfortunately, it sticks out a bit too much on a number of occasions, providing a nagging distraction.

I think this show’s production also excels in a way that people generally don’t give credit for, and that is the expertise with which it is directed - Kenji Kamiyama’s style of directing is a subtle yet effective one. Unlike the in-your-face stylistic shots of Akiyuki Shinbo’s work (Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei, Tsukuyomi MoonPhase, Petite Cossette), Kamiyama has presented this series in a conventional yet fresh manner. The fight sequences, particularly those in the third episode, exemplify this, where the use of camera angles serves to make the fight more engaging while not drawing from the choreography. The wide and distant shots used in and around the palace are excellent at creating its cold, detached atmosphere, and the overall choice of shots is amazingly good at highlighting the show’s beautiful scenery. As he did with his directing work on Gits SAC, Kamiyama has created a visually captivating series.

The music was a surprising achievement from the veteran, Kenji Kawai, whose scores I generally find bland and uninspired. I’m not sure why this anime marked such a great deviation from his usual standards, but the music in Seirei no Moribito is a really crucial contributor to its dramatic impact - from the urgent and threatening battle theme, to the quiet and hauntingly evocative tracks, the music delivers in every respect. I’m shocked to say that his work here was more compelling than much of Yoko Kanno’s recent work, and he wasn’t even creating music with real instruments. Fitting with the visual style of the show, the score music is very much produced in a traditional cinematic way, which does this show justice.

Unfortunately, the show’s content fails to live up to its gloss, and I think this is mainly a failure of the pacing of the script rather than of the story itself (which comes from a novel series). The bare plot is an accomplished exploration of life and adulthood, and of the connection between humanity and nature. It is set in a fantasy world, but at its core it depicts a very down-to-earth, human ordeal. Fortunately, the intricacies and depth to the characters and their relationships is well incorporated into the show - the connection formed between Balsa and Chagum gives the show most of its emotional weight. The other thing that I found to be well written is the development of Chagum himself, as he is torn from his palace life and forced to experience life and shoulder responsibility. It is satisfying to see him grow as a person as the show progresses. Perhaps the egg inside of him is a parallel to his rearing into adulthood. The problem lies in the amount of time the show takes to achieve this development, and in the unsatisfying climax.

My appreciation of a good story stems from its sense of direction toward a climax that brings together all of the crucial plot threads from throughout the show and culminates them in a burst of excitement of drama that pays off the time the viewer has spent watching it develop. Instead, the big event that the show had supposedly been leading up to was a rushed affair with a surprising lack of tension or emotional potency. The show did not have any filler per se, but by the time the conclusion was wrapped up I felt that a lot of the show’s time was poorly spent on redundant subtleties of its character development. The trailer gave a very different impression to what was delivered. Balsa and Chagum living together was nice a pleasant affair, but it lacked a sense of tension or danger that ultimately dragged down the middle of the show. The exploration of Balsa’s character was far too spontaneous and vague for my liking. I did get a strong sense of her character from her actions throughout the show, but I really think she had a lot more potential and that we were never given the kind of insight into her that was frequently hinted at.

All in all, this show left me feeling unsatisfied, like being left hungry after a serving of fine food. The show is of undeniable quality; however the writers behind it failed to capitalise on its full potential, through sloppy pacing that made its stand-out moments seem like a tease, and through its inability to deliver a conclusion that sends off the show at its peak. I recommend this show to anyone with an ounce of patience, as the subtle development of the characters and their companionship is ultimately its most rewarding component. I think this show also succeeds in its fantasy elements - its portrayal of two intersecting worlds is fascinating. Don’t go into this series expecting non-stop, heart-pounding action, because it’s a laidback show about the endearing strength of the human spirit with only intermittent bursts of excitement.
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My favourite anime of 2007. I decided to check this out solely on Production I.G's involvement, those nice guys behind one of the best anime in the world: Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex.

The animation for this show was superb all the way through, which is nice for a TV anime. Each episode looked gorgeous, so I liked the consistency. The unique alternate fantasy setting and protagonist of this series were a nice departure from anime convention.

The main character is a wandering thirty year old spear-wielding woman who bodyguards people for a living. She basically ends up as a guardian of a prince who's possessed by a water spirit. His father, the emperor, orders his death to save the land from a drought, and thus the being-on-the-run-from-awesome-assassins template begins.

The assassins are awesome in this case simply because they get time to develop as characters. Not as much as the main characters, but still depicted as a cohesive unit of honourable and professional men, as opposed to remaining faceless goons who obey orders like automatons. Balsa is usually one step ahead of them but they're hot on her heels for most of the anime and this is due to their skill and cunning, not stupid errors on Balsa's behalf.

This characterization extends to the land most of the story is set in, so you are actually concerned about the impending doom, as opposed to many other generic anime where you really couldn't care less.

The story is laden with feeling. Episode 17 for example has one of the most touching moments I've ever seen in anime, its a very brief sequence but it really put a lump in my throat. But what follows is even more emotional, with Balsa's back story and the inevitable climax...there are really amazing moments spread out through the story, where in any other anime they would be mishandled, but in this production they hit all the right beats. I was teary eyed many a time I'm not ashamed to admit.

Seirei no Moribito has a very well written story, great direction and fantastic fight scenes, while bravely eschewing most anime narrative clichés as best as it can for 26 episodes. It does this because its adapted from a fantasy novel, and I hope they adapt the rest of the books in the series.

Its a testament to everyone involved in this production, from the writer to the animators, that a story can be so epic and yet not even have a typical antagonist. In fact it wouldnt be too far off to say that we dont really see a villain in Seirei no Moribito. Yet the conflict and drama is monumental, which makes it all the more remarkable. Sure there are characters you wouldnt want to have tea with, but the anime steers clear of generic cliches, there's no black and white good versus bad plot, no easy resolution to everyone's troubles.

Seirei no Moribito charts a rites of passage, a life-altering journey, the symbiotic relationship between man and nature. The characters struggle, they run and ultimately have to face their destiny head on. It's inspiring. Why? Because the anime never talks down to the viewer, because it retains its dignity, it doesnt follow the trends of today, it sticks to the source material as best as it can.

The only bad thing I can say about this show is that the beginning credits sequence is bland and the song is too, but then I don't like L'arc-en-ciel at all. The short sequence halfway through each episode signalling an advert break is very cool though, it slowly charts the birth of the water spirit.

If you like the medium of anime at all, you must watch this. If you're looking for tons of action, you'll be disappointed because this has a story to tell, and it will tell it in its own pace designed to develop characters, and yet it still has some of the best action scenes I've ever seen in my life. If you have any taste at all, you'll enjoy this masterful example of Production I.G's contribution to anime. read more

That's right, for my first review I gave all tens. Actually, I belive that it's the best way to show you that this review is worth nothing, but this time I just couldn't help it.
Seirei no Moribito. It's been a year since this anime raced through the world, and now I can see exactly why it did so.
But, let's get to the point.

Story - 10
Seirei no Moribito is fantasy down to the core. You'll find warriors and assasins, shamans and herbalists, emperors and diviners, two worlds overlaping themselves, is there anything more you need? Even if, you'll find it here.
The story is very well paced. It starts slowly, but comes unstoppable to the point where these slow episodes disappears in blink of an eye. It's well thought, and I didn't find even one unnesesary filler episode.

Art
You definitely need to get used to it. I mean, after the first episode my eyes hurt from the number of details and amazing backgrounds. For heaven's sake, this anime has real grass, not green smudges, and skies i would spent my life looking for, mountains and forests, all brought to perfection. Even if heroes are in a cave, walls behind them looks the best it possibly could. If you still don't get what I mean, just watch the opening, and imagine that it's not only for show, that this art style continues and is getting better. The animation is smooth, and the CG that appears rarely is well-rounded.

Sound
The opening and ending themes are fitting the story and the overall feel of this series. Not too fast and not too slow, just like they should be in this case. In fact, they alone would not make me give a ten, but together with background music they plays up the mood in outstanding way. It's well matched, can calm you down or make you sit on the edge of the chair, I found myself completly mesmerized by it.

Character
And here comes the biggest suprise, at least for me. I was expecting nothing much, especially after seeing some of the newest fantasy series in which you can tell when the hero level-up. Characters in Seirei no Moribito are almost alive, they speak and act according to their own character that slightly changes along the way, but it absolutely don't mean that they turn predictible. They develops in their own way, especially Shuga and Chagum, but the rest of them are not left behind. The seiyuu are matching the characters and doing amazingly well.

Enjoyment
Why did I enjoyed it so much? This question seemed absurd to me, but after giving it some consideration I just don't know what to say. I don't know if I should talk about the feast for your eyes, the feast for your ears or the feast for your mind. I just know that it was pure joy for me, and I belive it's the effect of combining all this parts together.

Overall
You know, I'm not good at maths, but this one is evident even for me.
So, what more can I say? If you enjoy fantasy, or if you enjoy beautiful art, or if you just enjoy well-made series in both visuals and the story, try it out. I hope you won't be dissapointed with this one, and find it as enjoyable as I did. read more

"Seirei no Moribito" is a beautiful anime, that introduces an amazing world that is full of life and adventure. It is a blend of amazing art and animation with great story telling. If you would like to experience a new world with a nice story then you should definitely give this anime a chance.

Story
Before I started to watch the anime, I had very low expectations. I was expecting a cliche a story with decent characters, however, that wasn't the case. What seemed like a cliche story at first glace turned into a new adventure. From the point I started watching, I was eager to know what would happen next and with each episode my thirst to learn more about the setting and the story grew.

In the beginning, the pace of the story was fast and than slowed down in the middle to get us more into the setting and character development. Skipping these episodes would hurt the experience. For people who would rather go on with the story and don't care about the setting and the character build up, they don't contain anything critical but I wouldn't skip over them and I'm glad I didn't. I was able to learn more about the characters and the growing bond between them.

Ten or so episodes before the end, the pace picks up again, slowing down only in 2 or so episodes. I believe the pacing was perfect, not rushed and no snail. In the end, everything was wrapped up very well. Many times I have been disappointed by the way animes end but this time I wasn't.

Art
The art is amazing. I have never seen such detail and life in anime before other than Ghost In The Shell. Everything had detail, the people, the grass, the trees, the buildings, the animals and so on.

The animation is even better. The movements, speaking and all is good.

The fight scenes are just intense. Even though there isn't a lot of fighting compared to other action animes, when they are shown, they are quite a treat. The moves must have been carefully choreographed because I've only seen such detail in Jackie Chan and Jet Lii movies which involve real people. There are no invisible slashes and there are no "I'm gone, you can't see me." moments.

Character
The characters aren't what I expected at all. I couldn't predict most of the character's actions or thoughts. At first, I thought that the characters were going to be cliche and have the same old feeling but no. They are totally different than most anime characters, specially Balsa and Chagum.

However, of course there are some of the usual characters. The funny granny for one but she is still one of the best characters.

Overall
I deeply enjoyed this anime. I liked ever part of it. The story, the art and the characters. Everything was balanced and well served.

I give it a 10/10. read more

Finishing Seirei no Moribito, or Guardian of the Sacred Spirit is much like finishing a good book that you just couldn’t put down. Once the journey is over, you realize how good the trip was and both enjoy what you watched, and feel sad that it’s finally over.

The characters are the real draw of this particular show. The main character Balsa is quite possibly the quintessentially perfect heroine. The beautiful, middle aged spear wielder comes across as powerful and skilled right off the bat. By the time the final episode comes to a close, Balsa has proven that she’s more than just a powerfully skilled warrior though. Her skill and strength with the spear are tempered by her level headedness, her intelligence and wit. Add to that a deep sense of right, and a motherly instinct towards the young, and the whole package is undeniably one of the best new characters to grace anime in a long while, as well as perhaps one of the best anime female role-models ever in my opinion. Some fans could argue that she’s too good, as she really doesn’t have any character flaws that I can think of. But that’s the way the cast is in this show. Chagum and Tanda are very similar characters. They may not have the same skills with a weapon and fighting that Balsa has, but they each have deep inner strength. If you were to have to surmise the general theme of this particular show, it’d be selflessness, as that’s the trait that comes to be associated with so many of the characters.

The only downside to the show is the real lack of an antagonist. Balsa is a truly masterful warrior, and while we get to see a few glimpses of how great she is, the series doesn’t fall back on fighting to keep the viewers entertained, which means there aren’t a great deal of fight scenes. That’s a shame, because the ones that you are given are incredible. Production I.G. really made the fights with the spear a thing of beauty. The fights are pure art, and one of the few complaints against this show is that there just aren’t enough of them. But that again falls back to the lack of an antagonist in the show. Much of the series revolves around fighting fate, growing to accept ones responsibilities and maturing. Those battles aren’t ones that can be won in a fight. Some might complain that it’s a rather slow series, and in the middle it’s hard to argue against that. There’s nothing wrong with a more intellectual series at all, but when your main character is one like Balsa, you really crave more fighting, just to see her in action.

Aside from the characters, the presentation of the show is top notch. Beautiful and scenic views are presented a lot in the early and later episodes, when you’re introduced to new places. The middle struggles with this a bit as well, as the show hunkers down in one location for a bit. But the animation of the characters is smooth and quality throughout. The music is good, but doesn’t stick with you after you’ve finished watching the show. Sweeping musical and orchestra portions do well to highlight a lot of the development going on and fit the time and location well, but this isn’t a show that really lends itself to having a lot of catchy music that people will be singing afterwards.

In the end, Seirei no Moribito is a truly fantastic show. The story is a solid one, although it tends to lag a bit in the middle, and lacks an antagonist that the viewers will want to see the heroes overcome. As a more coming of age/fighting your destiny type of story, this show works great. It’s a shame we didn’t get more scenes of Balsa fighting with her spear, as they rank amongst some of the best anime fights I’ve ever seen. When it’s all said and done, Moribito leaves you with a good feeling, and a sadness that the journey is over. Hopefully, as it’s based on a series of novels, we’ll see Balsa again in the future for more travels. read more

Seirei no Moribito is a Fantasy, Action, Adventure about the journey faced by a female warrior and prince and their growing platonic relationship. It is undeniably a great series offering a well-written adventurous experience however this isn’t as action-packed or spectacular as some may hope to be.

The story follows a female warrior (Balsa) who has been hired to protect the Prince of Yogo (Chagum), whose life is in constant danger. The main story is nicely crafted in the first 6 episodes, where a lot of developments occur and some back story is given on the characters. From then on the pacing of the story changes dramatically, as it moves onto slow character building and plot filling. Sure there are some fairly pointless or dull episodes but they all have a purpose in the progression of the storyline. Later on, when the foundations the for the ending has been laid and everything has been explained, the series reaches it’s climax and is able to bring things to a reasonable ending that many anime series fail to do.

The series has a satisfying batch of important characters that cannot be simply described as people on the side of good or evil, but rather be described as people on the polar opposites of society that are striving for what they believe in. Balsa and Chagum are the central roles, which the story revolves around and both of them develop equally well throughout their adventure. Balsa, a sort of affectionate Lara Croft (Tomb Raider), is one that will leave a huge impression on you even after finishing. The rest of the characters aren’t as well developed but they all bring something to the story and their voice actors do a good job on them as well.

With Production I.G. behind the making of this series you’d know to expect great things in the animation & sound department. The visuals are splendid; with lush greenery environments, incredibly detailed buildings and well implemented CG effects. The character designs are also very realistic and the characters themselves move so fluidly.

As for the sounds, due to the historical setting this anime utilizes a variety of ambient sounds perfectly and the SFX are great as well. The music is also impressive and exciting to listen to when there’s some action, and not to forget the adorable, traditional insert song later on.

Overall this adventure anime managed to fulfill its purpose in creating a fantasy world for us to observe its characters experience it. Certainly this is an experience I greatly enjoyed and even with a few dull moments, here and there, I was pretty satisfied with what I got. Sadly once the journey is over and the series ended it does leave one with; to some extent feeling empty inside, after the anti-climatic ending. Nevertheless that shouldn’t deter anyone from watching this superb fantasy adventure.

^_^ read more

At first look, Seirei no Morbito may seem like a repeat of a story that has been told over and over and over...but it is not. Yes, there a million + one stories out there where the lead protagonist is rescuing and saving the life of others, and half of such characters may end up being women, so in this respect the series is not very unique. It's the overall story, terrific animation, and strong character designs, that make Seirei an interesting anime.
With a fictional, historical setting, the story takes place in a time when Emperors rule the people, and mythical beings rule the lands. Through a twist of faith, Balsa -the protagonist - is approached to protect the life of a young prince whose life is in danger. Nothing new right? That's true. However, the reason for the young prince's fate is not because of a struggle for the throne as we see quite often, and it is not because he is hated...it is actually quite the opposite. And at first, the job, though one with many obstacles in sight, seems fairly simple enough...but it later becomes quite complex as Balsa and her crew learn that the Emperor is not the only one after the boy's life. I won't go into any more details and ruin it, but will say that storyline is fascinating.

The Art is Outstanding. It is sharp, colorful, detailed where it needs to be, and a pleasure to watch. There is always better out there, but for this series I truly believe it was more than sufficient. I especially liked the creator's different sketches of Balsa that is shown at the start of each episode, as it gives a glimpse of his work "in progress".
My absolute FAVORITE thing, is the way the fights are drawn and animated. It's nothing short of awesome. The combat moves, spear and sword manipulations, and other maneuvers, are VERY FAST, but...you can see every single movement. Every single one. There is no blur, and no "what the hell just happened" moments that usually spring up when you can't visually follow along, Everything is seen in detail, as fast as it does go by, and it really pulled me in. There are so many shows out there, that should take a page from this.
Loved it!!!

The music is good. I am not particularly fond of the opening song as it just sounds like 99.9% screaming. There are not that many varying scores within, and you probably won't walk away humming anything, but those heard are very fitting and suitable.

The Character design and development is Great.
Balsa is not your typical beautiful heroine who just happens to be talented with a spear. She's strong, and she looks it. In all honesty, there is nothing very special about her personality or attitude, but she still carries the story well.
My interest lies in the other supporting actors, such as Shuga - the young star diviner who owns a look that is not typical for white haired anime guys. He is an intriguing character to watch out for as a guy who pushes himself to do his best, despite his position.
Then there are the emperors assassins who surprised me with their unique talents and characteristics. It's not often that these type of characters are usually shown to be more than "muscle". It was good to see how unique they each were, despite not being main characters.
Then there is Touya with his bucked teeth, the Shaman who is a bottle of sake away from being a true alcoholic, Sagum the older prince who you WILL NOT be able to dislike, and many more.
Their designs are all nicely created, and together they "do good"

I enjoyed this series immensely. Don't pick it up if you're only hungry for fighting scenes, nor expect it to be very deep with twists at ever turn...because it's not like that. It's just a nice series to kick back and relax to, where the few fights are pretty intense, and there is a great deal of emphasis on how characters interact and associate with each other. read more

Title: Seirei no Moribito

Novel, Anime: Seirei no Moribito is adapted from the first volume of the ten-volume Guardian series of the same name, and was written by Nahoko Uehashi and released in Japan in July of 1996. Scholastic has translated it as Moribito: Guardian of the Spirit and released the translated novel in June of 2008. The translation of the novel was honored with the Batchelder Award for outstanding translated work at the 2008 midwinter conference of the American Library Association.

Seirei no Moribito is a twenty-six episode anime directed by Kenji Kamiyama (who also directed everything in the Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex series, including the TV show, OAV, and movies) and produced by Production IG (known for their work on the Ghost in the Shell series and xxxHOLIC). Moribito aired on Japanese TV from April 7th to September 29th of 2007. It was originally licensed almost immediately after the production announcement by Geneon, who soon after went defunct. The license was picked up by Media Blasters, and was translated as Moribito: Guardian of the Spirit, with the third volume due to be released on February 24th of this year. It also aired on Adult Swim in a fairly convoluted run, starting in the 12:30 AM (central time) slot starting on August 24th of 2008, but was then switched to the 4:30 AM (central time) slot in early September, with the first ten episodes being aired twice before being pulled from the schedule on January 16th of this year.

Story: Balsa, a spear-wielding wandering female bodyguard, is passing through the New Yogo Empire, and happens to save the second prince, Chagum, from drowning in the river. As she is saving him, she notices a bright blue light surrounding them both. That night, in the middle of the night, she is called to the palace by the Second Empress, who wishes for her to flee with and protect the life of Chagum, who the Emperor, his father, believes is possessed by a water demon that threatens to destroy the Empire, and is determined to kill at all costs. Balsa, who works as a bodyguard to atone for a past sin, agrees, and takes Chagum and flees. However, all is not what it seems...

Probably the most interesting thing about this show is the characters themselves. None of the characters are simply good or evil, even those who would pursue and kill Chagum; they're all fleshed out as human beings, with reasons behind their decisions. What's even more interesting is that when these characters make their decisions, they actually make sense, and are even smart, given the situation, which is something that is lacking among most main characters of anime these days. Take Balsa, for instance; none of her actions or decisions are superfluous or over the top or done to point out the fact that she is a woman and a bodyguard - she simply does her job, nothing more, nothing less. It's wonderful to see a female character of this sort.

It's also an incredibly well-built world. Various aspects of how the empire runs, culture, history, different ethnic groups, religion, city and country life, just about everything that could be thought of is fleshed over the course of this series. The level of detail in general is amazingly intricate, and it's here that it's very evident that the source material for this show was originally a novel.

Seirei no Moribito is one of the most solid stories I've seen of this type in a good long time. It has one of the most common threads of sci-fi and fantasy anime at the core of its story - protect the special child! - but the way that it actually executes the plot is well done. And, by my standards, I should really like this series.

But, here's the thing. I assumed, from the first episode on, that Seirei no Moribito would be a show of high standards; when it lived up to that, I wasn't that surprised. To some degree, though, I hoped that it would go beyond my expectations for it. And it didn't, which is probably why I'm not all that into this show.

It's a solid series with good plot, characters and a well-built world, yes, it just leaves me with a meh feeling. It probably works better as a novel, honestly.

Art: The art for this series is extremely high-quality. Backgrounds are intricately detailed, animation is well-done, and character designs aren't incongruous with who the characters actually are - Balsa looks like she's a bodyguard, Chagum looks like a prince in hiding, etc.

However, where this series really shines is in the action scenes.

Think of any animated action series you might've watched recently, or one you know really well, doesn't even have to be anime. Keep that series in your head, and go and look up Moribito fight scenes on YouTube. You will notice the differences instantly. There is no skimping on the details, or shortcuts; every moment of the fight is animated, from beginning to end. This series is probably going the standard on which I base all fight scenes on; there's no excuse for other shows not being able to get this level of detail in their fights.

Music: The music was very unobtrusive for the most part; I really only noticed it if it was going out of its way to be heard. There's a folk song towards the end of the series that ends up becoming integral to the resolution of the plot, and is a nice little song that I'll go out of my way to listen to here and there. The OP (done by L'Arc en Ciel) and ED (done by Chagum's VA) are nothing too special. Overall, decent music, but nothing outstanding or anything.

Seiyuu: There aren't any names I really know from any other productions in this series, but overall, the seiyuu do a wonderful job.

Length: I never felt that this series was too long or too short, in the end. It might've had more impact on me if it had been shortened by a few episodes, but, at the same time, we wouldn't have gotten information that we did otherwise.

Overall: Overall, this is a solid series with good plot and characters, a well-built world, beautiful art, and wonderfully done fight scenes, but, in the end, it doesn't leave you with anything more than a "meh" feeling. Maybe try looking at the novel instead?

Story: 8/10
Art: 9/10
Music: 8/10
Seiyuu: 8/10
Length: 7/10

[b]Overall[/b]: 40/50; 80% (B-) read more

This is very strong and well-written story with characters whom I find quite unique. From the first episode I have greatly admired Balsa, a woman with determination and skills. And unlike most women in anime, she is not 16, nor teacher.
Even if the story is simple by itself, the anime tells it well and every episode (I've seen till 19) is interesting and the story progresses well. No fillers, no unnecessary stuff, but still no feeling of haste, rather the pace is telling is really well thought. Every episode reveals new facts to the plot, develops the characters and their relationships.
Not only Balsa, but also other characters are interesting, and add well to the tale. There is not really bad and good guys, just people with different opinions or different knowledge on matters, they are acting from different, understandable reasons. So it's easy to see why someone is doing something.
The elements of fantasy and history are woven well together, the voice acting, music and animation are all enjoyable. Also the balance between action and talking works well for me.This is one of the best anime series I've watched. read more