Ranked #1468

Spiral: Suiri no Kizuna

Spiral was an interesting show. The story grabs you right away, spins you around and confuses you (in a positive way of course) It really makes you want to keep watching to find out what happens next. Unfortunately the story doesn't keep up with it's great start. It starts to slow down and less questions get answered. This is my biggest disappointment with the show, if the story had kept up with the beginning it would have been an absolutely incredible show.

The art work is mediocre and at times poorly done. The colors seem kind of dull. The purple irises always stand out from everything else in the show.

I felt the sounds and music worked well with the show. I enjoyed listening to the opening theme as well as the ending theme. There is a lot of piano played throughout the entire series as well which adds a feeling of uniqueness to the show.

The characters in the show I thought were the best aspect. Narumi was fascinating to watch throughout as he solved and figured out puzzles and traps. Hiyono and some of the blade children were well developed especially Rio, Kousuke, and Eyes. We learn a lot about their personality and care about them almost as much as Narumi.

I for one love puzzles and that made many parts of Spiral very fun to watch. Narumi solves a few detective cases early on, giving a feeling similar to CSI. It then changes to figuring out traps and outsmarting the opponent which reminded me of Death Note. If you enjoy problem solving or puzzles, You will definitely enjoy watching Narumi in action.

Overall I liked the show and wish I could have rated it higher especially for how much I enjoyed it early on. The series as a whole had one particular point it was trying to make and it's easy to understand in the end but I felt let down overall. The ending didn't really answer any questions or even leave possibilities open, it seemed too focused on making the point that it detracted from the reason I watched the show. Also the progression of the story and the answering of questions went so slow that I started watching only for the puzzles and stopped caring about the outcome.

But I do recommend Spiral for anyone who enjoys puzzles or mystery/problem solving type shows. Otherwise it's still a good watch, just don't expect it to be the greatest thing ever. read more

When I finished the first episode, I couldn't help myself to continue on. This anime probably has one of the best beginnings I've ever seen. The plot rapidly unfolds about the relationship between Narumi and the Blade Children, as well as Hiyomi ( the main female protagonist).The audience was entertained with how Narumi used logical deductions to solve crimes, which even the police are having a hard time with, and life-threatening situations designed by the Blade Children to 'test' him. Some romance were evident in the early part of the series, which blends in nicely with Narumi's somewhat inability to socialise.

Having said that, the series has a couple of major drawbacks. Towards the end, the story somewhat deteriorated into filller-like episodes. Moreover, many mysteries were not explained to the audience ( who are the Blade Children, what is Narumi's relationship with them, etc), leaving the audience ( me at least) somewhat unsatisfied with the ending.

Overall a decent series, but the endings could be much better. read more

Spiral is one of those animes that gets a lot of mixed reviews. In my opinion, however, it is one of the greatest animes ever created for many reasons. It's not completely perfect, of course -- I don't believe anything is perfect -- but it comes pretty darn close.

---Story---

"I'm going to pursue the mystery of the Blade Children." This single line, spoken by Kiyotaka Narumi, is the premise for the entire show. Above all else, Spiral is a mystery anime, and it centers around what, exactly, the Blade Children are. It's a fascinating idea, that, most unfortunately, is never fully fleshed out in the anime (I won't give spoilers, but the ending is definitely... not the best). Despite its shortcomings, the plot is gripping, fascinating, and, on a level, horrifying (and no, I don't mean that it's just that bad, although some may disagree. :P). I would suggest reading the manga -- which comes out in October 2007 -- to fill in all the holes the anime leaves.

---Animation---

I was completely overwhelmed by the characters and story so, honestly, the art didn't really catch my attention the first time I watched Spiral. The character designs are all very pleasing, but there's nothing really spectacular.

---Sound---

The music of Spiral, without a doubt, always fits with the current scene. While I thought the opening song was absolutely horrendous, the ending theme is one of my personal favorites. The music definitely catches the mood, going from bouncy to dark and dangerous in a heartbeat.

---Character---

Aaaah, here's where Spiral really shines through. In all the anime I have watched, I haven't come across a single one that matches Spiral in terms of characters. Every single one of them is interesting, multi-faceted, and has both strong points and weaknesses. Spiral simutaneously holds my ultimate favorite character (Kousuke Asazuki) and my most despised character (Kanone Hilbert). At some point or another, every character in this show goes through some developement and revelation. Ayumu Narumi, the protagonist, is pleasantly different from most main characters you see in anime.

I must also give a nod to the females of Spiral. There are no weak damsels in need of a rescue here! They are resourceful, brave, and just as good as any of the guys. For those of you who are tired of wishy-washy, constantly-screaming females, Spiral is your answer.

---Enjoyment---

Obviously, I enjoyed Spiral very much. While there may be things about it I didn't particularly like, the sheer pleasure I recieve in watching it far outstrips those little quibbles.

So, my friends, I highly encourage you to at least give Spiral a try. If you haven't seen it, you really don't know what you're missing.

Pros: Amazing characters, theme-fitting music, engaging storyline

Cons: Less-than-satisfactory ending, somewhat corny dialogue read more

The thing most people don't realize about Spiral, and the reason, I think, it has such a mixed review, is that the manga and the anime go hand in hand. Questions that are not answered in the anime are in the manga, points are brought up in the anime that aren't raised in the manga etc.

Most importantly though is the fact that the Blade children's past is meant to be very ambiguous. There are questions that are NOT meant to be answered because they would ruin the mystery of the characters or the show as a whole.

In my opinion, it is one of the most realistic animes out there, with the most realistic reactions. Now, don't get me wrong, I'm a huge anime fan, but we all know animes have bizarre cop-out reations that don't really make sense but we love and don't mind anyway. I admire this anime for having very human, in-character reactions for their characters.

The characters grabbed me and sucked me in right away. I was particularly grabbed by Kousuke and Rio, as well as the other Blade Children, and their psychological depth.

Also, everything--each mystery or challenge presented in the storyline--has a very intelligent and interesting solution. Not to mention, that Ayumu is proved to not be the perfect, all-powerful, superbrain cliche he could have been. He has his own flaws and weaknesses and human misperseptions.

It's also a very pleasing art style and that's always a plus.

Overall, it's really the best anime I've ever come across; not perfect, by any means, but wonderfully enjoyable as a whole. read more

Spiral is one of those series that I really, really want to love. It had the makings of a hit. But somehow, it ended with more unfulfilled potential than it started with, and I felt cheated for watching the entire 25 episodes.

After a bit of exposition when we meet Narumi Otouto (as the Blade Children refer to him) and the other characters, the story poses a question to Narumi, his detective sister-in-law, and the viewers: What are the Blade Children? Almost halfway into the story, we finally learn what Blade Children are, and if you're not watching carefully you'll miss it. Probably better that you should, though, because while the series would be actually good if the secret of the Blade Children was heinous and horrendous, it's actually laughable and anticlimactic. The Blade Children seem to constantly pity themselves as "cursed children who should not be allowed to live in this world". As vague as that notion is, it's also a better answer for what the Blade Children are.

At least half of the series is dedicated to the Blade Children trying to destroy what they believe is their one and only hope for redemption -- a storyline that is, at best, the Blade Children acting out their feelings of confusion, anxiety, and hopelessness. From my point of view, however, it was ridiculous and the writers made no attempt to use logic and reason in writing the story.

Voice actors are some of my favorites, and Suzumura Kenichi did a smashing job as Narumi. Ishida Akira's treatment of Eyes Rutherford was flat and monotonic, but appropriately so for the character. Hiyono's recurrent "weird song", as sung by Asano Masumi, is nicely done as well.

The best part of this series is the artwork. Although Spiral was made in 2002, making it 10 years old at the time of this writing, the style of art is almost the same as anime series currently airing. Other series from that period would have typically looked much different, I believe, with gigantic female eyes much larger than today's eyes. Narumi especially is attractive, with a style not found in contemporary anime. As a sign of the times, many of the male characters are wearing tons of ear jewelry and hair is even more elaborate.

Overall, Spiral could have been something great, but it didn't even try to be. As a result, the whole series suffered terribly. That one decision could have made my review better by 2 stars. read more

"The melody of logic always play the notes of truth." Indeed, Spiral plays a very soothing song; it plays a song that intrigues the mind, provoking thought, suspense, and some critical logical ideas that harmonizes well, but has a bitter aftertaste.

Spiral focuses less on animation and much more on the dialogue and the events going on. It becomes more apparent as the show progresses, showing some nice art but static motion. That is not really a problem. If this were some action fighting shounen, then yeah, Spiral would have been very poor. This isn't the case, however. The point of Spiral is to drive home thoughts about key topics in the anime, such as the infamous question that goes on in Spiral which is, "what are the Blade Children?"

A key to an enjoyable mystery is to have the audience stumped, but not to the degree of impossibility. Spiral finds a nice little spot in between impossible and the possible. In Spiral, the world functions at a higher mindset level, having the characters aware and smart enough to predict their opponents options, motives, and actions. It acts similarly in a way of chess, where the player must actively keep track of what their opponent can do and what the player him/herself can accomplish. One glaring thing about this game of chess in Spiral is that it often times unclear or completely unreasonable. Honestly, the cast often times overcomplicated things to unrealistic circumstances and attempted to justify them with keeping the strategic mood of the anime.

While there are many mysteries to Spiral, unfortunately, many of them are never solved in the ANIME. In fact, the anime stays true to the manga to a certain point and then strays into some BS trail that spits on the face of the viewer. It's as if the preludes and foreshadowing of the anime were in vain which is very disappointing. Nonetheless, the anime on its own not contrasted with the manga is decent, but definitely could have done better.

The characters each have their own traits unique to them. Hiyono is a very bubbly girl which is made funnier by being acquainted with the antisocial Ayumu. The heavy-logic characters were made to have a "badass" feel to them, similar to a challenging boss in a video game. However, because the anime didn't answer many things, these characters' character development is severely stunted or it simply drifted in the wrong direction.

The main characters of the anime all have similar goals (except maybe Hiyono...) but contrasting ways they plan on accomplishing them. The Blade Children are testing Ayumu for some salvation of some sort while Ayumu is trying to pry more knowledge out of the Blade Children to track down his missing brother. It's a simple matchup and both sides are too stubborn to give up their part of the bargain which causes much more drama. Overall, it's executed well and is very entertaining. Their little "games" are one of Spiral's highlights; they're captivating and fun to predict what will happen next, just like in any mystery.

One thing I have to applaud Spiral for was its very fitting music. This is a mysterious and dramatic anime so it would not make any sense if they played some upbeat song. No, Spiral's score includes some ambient tunes to harmonize with the suspenseful scenes. Sometimes there was no music playing at all! There are some catchy, upbeat songs as well, such as Hiyono's song, Twinkle My Heart, and they don't feel out of place.

Ultimately, Spiral had lots of potential but fell out of tempo towards the end. When compared to the manga, it's obvious that the anime fell far from its grace, but on its own, it is a little more than mediocre. The mystery and drama is sufficient enough to keep the viewer watching but it does shy away from a satisfying conclusion. read more

This is probably one of the deepest and most enjoyable anime shows I've ever watched. The story revolves around the viewpoint of Ayumu Narumi as he pursue the mystery of his brother's disappearance who's last words were "I'm going to pursue the mystery of the Blade Children." This story evolves to include many of the blade chidren and goes in depth to who they are and the strifes of being 'cursed children'.
Spiral starts out fast paced and doesn't seem to stop until the very. While the ending may seem abrupt and incomplete, not trying to spoil it, but after going over it a second time it made sense for me and brought the whole series to a close. I was hooked to this series from the beginning and I almost felt like crying after it was over.
Overall the characters are very well done, the story is deep and entertaining, with a very good rewatching value. The story had some pretty funny moments mixed in for good measure as well as some great background music.

closing tip: I had a bit of trouble following the subbed version. The dub was not only easier to follow, but Funimation did a great job with the dubbed version. Definitely watch the dubbed version if you can help it read more

This was probably one of the worst anime adaptations of a manga, ever. It started off well, kept me going for a while, but I made a huge mistake and didn't look into this anime before watching it all. The ending was very weak. This was one of those animes that was created for a season and if it responded well it would have gone on for a second season- only it didn't do well and it ends rather poorly. The entire story revolves around the mystery of "Who are the Blade Children?" and the disappearance of the main character's older brother. Buuuuuut, if you actually want to know any of that you have to stop watching this anime and go read the manga. The anime was a huge tease and it ends before they actually start investigating into the main plot.
My recommendation if you HAVE to watch this is just watch it in Japanese and save yourself from the shrill voice of the main female protagonist in the English dubbing. I mean, it's hilarious because it's exactly what they were going for (annoying, hyper, and pain in the ass), but it's rather painful after a while. read more

Spiral is one of favorite animes. It's a very good mystery/detective anime. Many parts of the series are just amazing and suspenseful. After Watching the first episode I had to watch the next. This series just leaves you thinking "How could anyone figure his way out of this!?!?" Unfortunately the series leaves many questions unanswered but all the answers are in the manga and the is another manga coming out that will further explain but its not done yet.

When spiral first started out, I thought, "Wow! this is great! and im lost in a sea of confusion..." lol yes folks, spiral can be somewhat confusing, but you'll get use to it soon enough...

The story line is great and rather complicated. It seems like a nice little simple story from the outside, but really, it is a rather complicated and crazy. Sorry, not allowed to give spoilers so i cant say why its so complicated but you'll find out soon enough in Season 2 ~.^ and if you dont know it by then, then you can come complain to me and ask me what you dont get kay? Anyways, the only part i do not like about the story line is that everything starts out half way and they throw in characters left and right and they change some character's names and it also does not match up with the manga....i was like "whats going on here?". Yah, so for all the people who are reading the manga, dont even bother to TRY to relate it to the manga...it wont work. Just a little advice. Other than that, the story line is fine.

The art was really great and all, but some of the voice acting really sucked!! like some of the voices were really girly when they were suppose to be the voices of guys (uhg!! lol) and Eyes's voice actorfor the English version wasnt all that hott either. Man....it sounded as if he just hit pubertiy (sorry Eyes-kun, i really hope your not reading this like you said you would, no offense!! gommeno!! ai wo ni >.<'' lol no joke oaky?? seriously, ai wo ni)

As in for the characters, they were all really really great! Some of them have some pretty twisted personalities (not saying who, find out everyone!!) and that just makes everything oh so much more fun!! yay!! XPPP *throws tons of bombs*

In the end, the movie was VERY enjoyable and my over all rating is a 9. This season wasnt all to great cause they didnt work on some of the episodes like i had hoped they would. But oh well!! All's well and great cause the second season will be out soon enough and we'll be able to see how things take their wild spin like they always do....and here is just a little something that might help you understand why the creator of this anime ends it the way he/she did (i cant remember if it is a girl or a guy=.=''' lol)

FOR THOSE WHO HAVE NOT FINISHED THE ANIME!!! Do you know who is leading the three blade children?? he has silver hair and is British....but...my question for you is...WHY is HE the leader?? it cant be just that he is smart because they are all smart....there has to be some other reason right??

FOR THOSE WHO HAVE FINISHED THE ANIME!!! Do you remember how someone purposely kills himself (the blade children tried to help him)?? what did he say before he killed himself and why?? hmmm...i think that is a big give away and that there is more to the eye or ear can see or hear dont you think?? also...a little info on the second season providing that is follows my guidelines. The info is MY NAME!! It is a big give away........DUN DUN DUN!! whats going on now?? and who knows what is actually happening to the blade children?? who knows who they are?? who is keeping it a secret from them?? find out in the second season!! read more

When I first saw it...it was my most favorite anime.
but then with the time I knew it's not SO good...
because I knew there is NO perfect anime even if you say there is...
I don't even thing my most favorite anime is perfect.
but I really could not accept people say it's a bad anime.
I think spiral have some thing in common with Death Note...
and not only the mystery thing.

well the story...now that I look at it there is no really much of a story..
I didn't really understand what the point there O-o" I mean...
I know the point are the "blade children" but I don't get theyr story well..
but that is not what importent XD
anyway the idea that it's kinda hard to understand the point bother as well.

well the animation was not so good...even a little bit bad i'll say...
it had no really good talent in it -.-
and I don't know I didn't really loved it.

Sound *trying to remember* what? I saw it last time years ago!
umm well...OH YEAH! the sound what pretty good!^^
I remember how I was walkind in the city listening to the OST of it...
that was really fun ^-^ there where some really great ones!
specialy the piano songs of eyes.

characters..the best thing in spiral~!
the blade children are really great characters!
they are really different from each other...
but they have something in common-They are very very interesting!
and they are pretty intelligent as well~
(oh but Kousuke was pretty dummy in the funny way XD)

I can't say I didn't enjoy the anime...all the cases about the blade children
are just amazingly interesting! and thanks to that I'm into logic now~

Overall I'll say the anime is really good! don't get me wrong I don't
want to say that I want to show the bad things of this anime because
like I said it was my favorite anime for years!
and I really loved it and I still do thanks to the manga of it that I read.
so I think people should try this anime...it's a really nice one~
so umm..enjoy! read more

spiral has a very detailed story line.and its really interesting. ayumu narumi he's a very curious young boy and smart at that. when ayumu's brother left saying that he is going to persue the mystery of the blade children ayumu got mixed up with all the situation going on about the blade children. ayumu's brother told the blade children that ayumu can change the horrible fate that the children hold. i dont have a lot to say about spiral eccept that it is truly a wonderful anime. and i hope the reader does too.

I'm a bit surprised at the mixed reviews this anime has received, I personally feel it was very entertaining and I enjoyed it greatly. When I first watched it it indeed grabbed my attention, and I must say I was addicted! Yes, there are quite a good amount of flaws but beggars can't be choosers, and nothing can be made to perfectly suit ones taste, but this one gets fairly close. I finished this anime back in 2009 so this review is VERY late. :o


STORY:

If you are intrigued by the idea of mystery and problem solving, boy you are in for a treat! Not to give anything away but the plot has to do with one main question, who exactly are the Blade Children? It's a original idea I must say, but sadly it isn't fully understood in the anime. My only true complant is the ending of the anime, it was rushed and very unresolved, but do not let that turn you away just yet. I myself loved the plot so much I finished the entire manga, and it gets only better! Not to say the anime wasn't entertaining, it's just that most anime tend to cut a lot off from the manga. I highly recommend to watch the anime then read the manga, and you will be quite satisfied


ART:

Maybe it's because I enjoy watching older animes (huge fan of Yu Yu Hakusho, Ranma 1/2 art) But I actully liked the art style, it's something I find conforting. The only real complaint I could give would have be hair being see-through when overshadowing the eyes on this one specific character and I just found that bothersome.
.

SOUND:

I found the background music was always suiting to whatever was happening at that moment, so that would be a plus. Though I really disliked the opening song, it was too annoying for my taste. -.- Though the ending song was cute.

CHARACTER:

My personal favorite, they have so much dept to them it's diffcult to NOT like them! Each and every one of them have their own layers, weaknesses and strength to them. If I could I would give an 11 just because it is VERY hard these day to find a strong willed female, best of all theres a bunch of them! I have serveral favorite characters, and typically I'm a bit picky when it comes to choosing more then a few. Another plus in this anime is that all the characters do develop a bit, and that doesn't happen very often in short cut animes. You will be rooting for the main character, and I have yet to come arcoss someone like him again.

ENJOYMENT:

As you may have noticed, I really loved Spiral, and though I really disliked how the ending was made, I can't help but to add this anime into my personal favorites. :) I would also like to blame the manga for making it even more loveable then it already is.

To you guys debatiing out there, it never hurts to try! Really anime viewers Spiral is highly refreshing and better then your run of the mill anime! Perhaps you will find your new obsession! read more

Spiral; Suiri no Kizuna., is a brilliant anime series. It offers mind breaking plot and plenty of interesting characters! the truth is., I just love Ayumu!!! I almost wanted to marry him!!! :PP He was so damn hot, talented( musically gifted, great cook), clever, handsome, and had a mind as sharp as a knife!
I was really 'awed' by his cleverness during his 'mind battle showdown' w/ Rio., when Kousuke took hostage of dear Hiyono.
Though I admit., I wasn't really pleased w/ the whole series. The mystery of Kiyotaka's disappearance remained indefinite., even the case w/ the blade children., so I decided to read the manga. I wasn't disappointed. All my questions were answered. So, I just hope there will be a second season for this.
Yeah., finally., Ayumu x Hiyono moments!!! :PP read more

The story is about a high school student Ayuma Narumi who has a knack for solving cases, just like his older brother. About a year ago his brother vanished without a trace, leaving Ayuma with his sister in law (who is a police detective) and a phone call that he explains to Ayuma that he is going in search of the blade children. And there, this anime begins.

This anime has everything. Suspense, mystery, comedy and even a bit of horror. It is one of my all time favorite animes and one of the first I watched. So it has a special place in my heart, it is so good!!! The mystery is great, but the ending did leave a lot out, I know they explain more in the manga, which I hope to read someday I must find out more!


Take Care Everyone. read more

So common for me - I had a lot of anime planned to watch, but finally came up with this random pick – Spiral. Well, after all detective / mystery is my favourite genre. What about Spiral – if you enjoy watching some mystery gets resolved on the background of character’s personal story while some humor involved as well – you should watch this anime.

Indeed, I couldn’t help myself but to like most of the characters of this story. The main character’s (Ayumu Narumi) lifestyle seems quite odd considering his age: he is very introverted, doesn’t like to talk much, doesn’t have any good friends at school (at least during the first episodes)… But soon we learn the main reason of his behavior – Ayumu is hidden in the shadow of his genius older brother, who has suddenly disappeared two years ago, leaving some strange message about the Blade Children and no clue whether he is going to come back. Since then Ayumu lives with his brother’s wife and has a great inferiority complex, since he has never been able to overcome his brother neither at piano play nor at mental abilities. As the mystery about the Blade Children revolves, having Ayumu Narumi at the center of it, we learn about his unique abilities and sharp logic. The only obstacle that makes him hesitate with his deduction is an incapability to believe in himself as a sequence of eternal comparison to his older brother.

Another thing that amazed me in this anime was the music. I mean, not the opening and ending themes, but rather the soundtrack music, especially one called “The Melodies of Logic must be played Truthfully”. It’s so BEAUTIFUL; each melody greatly matches the mood of specific moment and measures the flow of the story. You just have to pay attention to the soundtrack if you plan to watch this anime. I immediately downloaded Spiral OST after watching the anime – thing I never did before, even if I considered certain anime to be a Masterpiece.

Well, nothing more to say… Spiral is of course detective and mystery story, but I’d say it has something of drama as well. I really enjoyed watching this anime; characters and music are great.
Mm… I think I should put here my favourite quote from this anime:
"The melody of Logic always plays the notes of Truth." – Ayumu Narumi
Now, that’s it! =)
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