Ranked #1446

Kurozuka

It's often strange how some anime can divide opinions on how good it actually is, and the reasons for these divided opinions are often logical and plausible. In the case of Kurozuka however, there is a definite misinterpretation of the story as a whole.

Kurozuka began life as a novel written by Yumemakura Baku, which was later illustrated by Noguchi Takashi in manga form. The manga was serialized in Super Jump magazine from 2003 to 2006, before being turned into an anime by Madhouse in 2008.

The story in Kurozuka is where many of the divided opinions stem from. Many people consider the story to be confusing, especially at the very end, however this can confusion can somewhat berectified by watching the first five minutes of the first episode again.

At heart Kurozuka may seem to be a story about vampires, love, betrayal, and revenge, however I found it to be more than just the sum of it's parts. Kurozuka is very much a "what if" tale, and the ending is actually very appropriate when considered in this light. There is a lot of action in the story, and the viewer will sometimes wonder what the hell is going on (as I did), but if you stick with it then you may find the story strangely captivating.

The art and animation are top notch in this show. Madhouse pulled out a lot of the stops when designing the characters and animating the show, especially during the numerous action sequences. CG is incorporated very well overall, with only a few minor faults that are barely noticeable. The characters are designed very well on the whole, and I especially liked the incorporation of traditional Kabuki players into the series as it gives the show a far more surreal feel. Each episode begins with a small kabuki play which recounts the events of the previous episode, and I found that the designs, animation and sound for these scenes were excellent.

The sound is another excellent area, especially the music and sound effects. The BGMs never overpower the sound effects during the action sequences, and the use of non-traditional animation techniques for these sequences made them exceptional.

The VAs are, again, excellent. Paku Romi is excellent as Kuromitsu, whilst Miyano Mamoru's monotonous tones are strangely suitable for the amnesiac Kurou. The other VAs are just as good as the two leads. Fujiwara Keiji, who plays Karuta, manages to imbue his voice with a certain "roguish" quality that suitably matches Karuta's design and personality.

The characters are actually one of the bad things about this show, however I say this with a certain amount of trepidation. On the whole the characters are well done, however there is very little development given to them - they're just there for the most part. However, this would only really be a problem if you were watching this as a straightforward story rather than a "what if" tale. That said though, even a "what if" tale would need it's characters developed to a much greater degree than Kurozuka manages to do.

That doesn't mean I hate the characters though. I thought the characters were. on the whole, fairly decent. My problem is that I would have liked to have known more about them as characters - their motivations and such.

Kurozuka is a great action anime, however it can be very confusing at times. There is a definite story there, but many people will find it confusing for the most part, especially as the story doesn't really hint at what's really going on until the end (suffice to say I found it a very "Dallas" moment).

This is a good show to watch if you're after some good action and aren't overly concerned with the story. It may not be everyone's cup of tea though, especially with the scientific angle it takes on the vampirism issue. This is a story about love, loss, betrayal and revenge, and these aspects of the show are very much at the fore. However there are some elements of the show which can leave you wondering why a particular event happened in the first place, and this is only compounded by the continued lack of an explanation. read more

The animation seems to overpower an exaggerated plot. Viewers who crave cyberpunk animations consisting of time lapses and vicious fight scenes will have a pleasant taste out of this series. Yet there is much of the plot that may leave the audience hungry. Once you take a bite out of my review, you'll understand what I mean.

~[ S T O R Y ]~ [6]
Kurozuka focuses on the concept of immortality along with the quest for the meaning of mortality. Initially, I had assumed a vampiric aspect came into play [Kuromitsu sucking blood for example]. As the series progressed, the aspect grew more scientific. Here we have the main character, Kurou, wanting to spend all eternity with Kuromitsu. I once thought it was a romantic struggle between the two protagonists, yet the plot grew more confusing later on. What with the beheading of Kurou to Benkei's murderous motives [due to his desire of having Kuromitsu to himself] to the Resistance against the Red Emperor's Army, just so many subplots made Kurozuka more like a staccato piece than a horror orchestra viewers probably wanted to witness. Even the end itself leaves so much to the imagination that viewers like myself wonder whether the creator intentionally wanted to mess with our minds and trigger heated discussions, or something else we have failed to notice. Other than that, the story could've been portrayed better...

~[A R T]~ [10]
Post-cyberpunk meets the essence of ancient 12th century art. The serenity of the 12th century atmosphere collaborating with the post-cyberpunk appeal of the anime was rewarded my thumbs up. It brought the animation out more, gluing me to my seat as I endured visual ecstasy. Even the swift fight scenes were brilliant, as expected from the gifted Kurou as well as those involved in battle alongside. Any fan of Death Note can understand that the art between the two animes are strikingly similar. Furthermore, the art was not overexaggerated at all. They were on the dot with their specific time periods, making the anime successfully attractive.

~[S O U N D]~ [9]
From the miraculous terror of the opening song to the soft tranquility of the ending, Kurozuka had played its music well. The flute and drums matched the ancient liveliness of Japanese culture. The instrumentals had presented the mood well as well as portraying the feel of scenes such as romantic moments, battles, times of agony, despair, hatred, et cetera. I knew what kind of scenes I was expecting from the sound. Nicely done.

~[C H A R A C T E R]~ [7]
I gave the development of characters a 7 due to the fact that I had expected more from their transformations. Moreover, I expecting a better explanation of the immortality concept. The manga explains more of it whilst the anime has left gaping holes for the viewers' minds to fill. Though Kurou was inconspicuous and monotonous in his expressions, we did have a sense of what he felt inside through his short monologues. I did hope to understand a little more of Kuromitsu, seeing as the series focused more on Kurou's thoughts than anyone else's. Romi Paku and Mamoru Miyano portrayed the voices of their characters well enough for me to give this category a high mark. The rest of the seiyuu's deserve credit. I suppose that the shortness of the series is to blame for cutting short every character's expected developments.

~[ E N J O Y M E N T & O V E R A L L]~ [7]
Just to be fair, I'll award this anime a 7. Were it to improve in its character and plot development, it would've been awarded a higher grade. Though I do give immense praise to the development of the actual animation. It is different from any other post-cyberpunk anime to exist within the Japanimation realm. The rough grunge scenes, the splash of eccentric hues in the opening and battle scenes, the ancient softness of the 12th century lifestyle - it was all done quite well. Furthermore, the series will leave you thinking on what to value - life or time. Kurozuka is meant to represent the connection between time and life. The two walk hand-in-hand. Without life, there is no time. Without time, there is no life. One affects the other. They both need each other. What is more valuable? Immortality or living to the last minute? That is up to you to decide. read more

I liked this anime, but had difficulty in rating it. In some ways, it is either more or less than the sum of its parts, depending on the point of whoever is watching it.

The story is presented in a manner which involves a lot of flashbacks, dream sequences which are not clearly distinguished from reality, surreal imagery, explicated metaphor... in short, it is overwhelmingly confusing.

Even after watching the entire series, all I can say about the plot is that it is designed to mess with my head... anything else is questionable, so even if I wasn't wary of spoilers, I can't really give you any details (I mean, I could, but, not really).

If you've watched Serial Experiments Lain, or Memento, then this probably belongs in a similar category in terms of the way the story is presented as a plot.

Sound, Art:both Great! (9/10)

The sound and art have very high production values... but I would put the Art one step below perfect because, although somewhat intentional, they are so many time-jumps that not only the story, but even the action is at times difficult to follow.

The characters... (8/10)

well, they are somewhat well developed but I really had to think about that for a bit. For certain, it is an interesting way of presenting common themes by changing various details... so I will just say that the characters are very well thought out, but are overshadowed a bit by the non-linear presentation and even the "flashiness" of the art style.

They are few "slice of life" moments in this series, so it is hard to connect to even the main characters... even when background history is being given, it is usually in the midst of a battle or tense situation.

Enjoyment... (7/10)

Ouch, my head hurts!

I appreciate that the production values were high, and the plot was well thought out and spans a vary long time... but at the same time, I had to just stop the series and go to watch something else, whilst my brain adjusted to "normal time flow", least I start walking backwards or something.

In that sense, I enjoyed it less than the more linear (in terms of time presentation, but perhaps, more incomplete in terms of story details) Serial Experiments Lain... and there was so much going on, involving several major "players", that I actually found Memento easier to follow.

Overall... (8/10)

I would say this series is very good, but its presentation pace will overwhelm even people who like non-linear story presentation (anyone who claims different, just shut off their brain or something and is lying to themselves), and the ambiguous ending sparks more questions... unlike Serial Experiments Lain, which I have re-watched several times, I am deeply hesitant to even glance at Kurozuka again... it does something to stretch the mind, but perhaps in ways that it would be best not to attempt too often.

If "Ringu" and Serial Experiments Lain are mindfucks, then this is a hardcore mind-gang-rape... but by a very beautiful flock of fangirls.

Or something.
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Kurozuka is a lot of things but for the most part it’s a Seinen, Historical, Sci-fi, Action anime jam packed full of high-octane Rated-18 action to please action lovers. However like most series, this one starts of grand but eventually wanes as it progresses.

It begins with the main protagonist, Kurou being pursued for reasons not explained and one intense action sequence later, he and his companion seek shelter in some mysterious woman’s home. Kurou soon develops feelings for this woman named Kuromitsu but soon after he discovers her dirty little secret. Another insanely gruesome action sequence later and the real story begins, as Kurou embarks on an all new journey of immortality. All I can say is that the 1st episode was awesome but soon after that the biggest flaw in the story soon appears, as early as in the 2nd episode. It is the story’s timeline and when dealing with this concept of immortals living through the ages, it doesn’t help when things keep jumping from period to period, making it easy to lose track of what’s going on in the story (until the action sequences wake you up). Heck by episode four, I gave up on trying to figure out the chronological order of events and just followed Kurou on his unexplained journey to find Kuromitsu. The thing is that the story was actually decent but it was executed poorly, with chucks of major plot points left unexplained.

Another thing wrong with this short series is its characters. Sure the main 2 were fairly interesting but Kuromitsu was as much of a mystery to Kurou as she was to those who watch this. As for Kurou, he would have been more interesting if he actually got some back-story and maybe showed some emotion, instead of those random outbursts. There are actually other characters to mention but they are so bland and uninteresting that I even struggle to remember their names 10mins after watching an episode.

With all the bad stuff taken care of, discussing the animation is a nice change in direction, because it can be described simply as awesome. This anime seems to go for very aesthetically pleasing environments with a sort of grudge textured look and the heaps of CG that actually goes well with it. Not to forget the reason why I think of the animation as perfect, which are the action sequences that have obviously been influenced by a lot of things. As for the music the soundtrack is certainly fitting for the series; with a mixture of tranquil tunes and high-octane beats for any given situation.

Overall Kurozuka proved to be an enjoyable hack ‘n’ slash fest but there are more than enough action sequences for even an action lover to be bored with and having a poorly executed storyline as an alternative isn’t good at all. Trying to make sense of the messy story is like trying to solve a sudoku puzzle; make one mistake and you’ll have to backtrack to where things make sense. Having a lacklustre ending doesn’t help either but those who are able to ignore these flaws would still enjoy Kurozuka for its awesome action and interesting concept.
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Kuro means black. Or so I've been told.

And I think Kurozuka means black coffin. Maybe.

Anywhoo.

Let's say you're a toppled Japanese Lord running from demonic usurpers in the chilling mountains with your seemingly loyal retainer and stumble upon a large manor presided over by a beautiful woman who is all alone in this dangerous climate. Moreso, this woman is completely willing to let you spend the night on one request: don't go into her personal chambers only to discover her getting her freak on with a bloody corpse...

Clearly no good will come of wanting to have sex with her and be her eternal lovemonkey slave because she'll cut your head off and you'll be forced to time travel through apocalyptic worlds in endless search of this demon who on one hand lavishes her love upon you and on the other endlessly eludes you.

So that's the premise. Kuro, the retainer dude, becomes an immortal vampire head thing, and searches for the mysterious Kuromitsu vampire chick across time--falling in love over and over again. There are some Jade Empire guys who eternally seek her because her blood can make you immortal, but there's a catch (isn't there always). And there are some recurring characters that span the ages, but it's all confusing and contrived, and irrelevant to the main story.

The style of this is clearly retro cyberpunk with new production values. There's a hint of Ninja Scroll and Fist of the North star in the character designs, backdrops, and apocalyptic wasteland. There is over the top bloody violence, and the fight scenes are nicely done. Also, there is the classic theme of a ragtag band of adventurers seeking a princess in a castle taken by a dark lord (which more or less describes the generic cast of extras that follow Kuro along--but most have amusing traits, like the quiet and ruthless Kuon who seems to remember useless details about kids cartoon with great enthusiasm).

There isn't much to the plot, just the endless pursuit of Kuromitsu and the typical Demon-play we've come to expect, but the character design is creative and the pacing is decent. There are flashbacks, which add to the timeless plight of Kuro and his amesia (the core of the premise), but overall this is just a grindhouse flick so there's little to fault on something that isn't being too pretentious.

Of note there's an amusing episode that totally goes overboard in regard to a bag of shit and a wheelchair (you may not want to see it, now that I think about it).

With all that said, the ending polarizes you. I hated it the first time, the second I decided to accept that it wasn't that bad to reiterate the central theme of pursuing an unreachable goddess.

Make up your own minds. read more

The anime series is almost completely different from the manga. The anime essentially takes the core of the manga and changes everything else. If you read the manga and are now looking into watching the anime... expect to be surprised. A lot of characters are cut, and the ones remaining are changed. Even the character designs are different (slightly anyways).

Essentially, Kurozuka is a love story told over hundreds of years. Lots of action and gore along the way. That's it, that's all you really need to know and is probably the only reason to watch this series.

The story is pretty unique and the slow development that fits the dark nature of the series is strong to start off with... but finishes pretty poorly. If you were watching this series as it was airing... the progression was pretty good... but if you wanted to pick it up and watch it now that it's complete... the flaws of the series will really show. There's a certain mysterious air that's created that may keep you entertained but it falls flat at the end. A lot of the events that happen, you can look back on and wonder why any of it was important... because really... they weren't. It's essentially one action scene tied to another. The ending was way too rushed and gives you a feeling that Kurozuka just didn't get enough episodes. However, even though the story development finishes off poorly, it's the character development that causes Kurozuka to be one of those animes that you put into the "could have been" list. More on this later.

No background is done for any of the characters. We don't really learn about why any of them are willing to go to the lengths that they do to help Kurou on his journey. Nor do we really learn about why the love between Kurou and Kuromitsu is so strong. The deaths of major characters are also poorly done. It's like one minute they're alive... the next they're dead. There's no extended scene or any speech given by the dying characters or anything like that. Most of them don't really make it worthwhile to remember them either. They're just Kurou's companions. That's it.

Visuals are pretty though. The dark style followed by short scenes of vibrant colours really helps to create a mysterious, horror-like atmosphere throughout the series. However, I think the action scenes could have been done better. There's just something missing that could make the action scenes more intense. Can't really put my finger on it though. The blood is also pretty poorly done... which is pretty bad since there's a whole lot of it... the ending literally has a flood of blood...

I thought the soundtrack served its purpose to the anime. Although I know a couple people who really don't like it. The opening and ending especially I felt were pretty well-chosen for this type of series. The voice cast was pretty strong but I felt that Kuromitsu could have been better.

Eh, I wouldn't really recommend this to anyone unless you're looking to kill some time.

Manga was much better than the anime. The sex and nudity in the manga helped to balance out the gore... without these qualities the anime just came off as a series with an excessive amount of gore. Not to mention that the ending was more satisfying in the manga. If you're really insistent on getting in on Kurozuka... I'd recommend the manga over the anime. read more

The first two episodes of this anime really gripped me, even after the third i was left thinking that the story had such promise, it could turn into one of the best animes this season, sadly i was wrong the story is set wonderfully and deteriorates from there. Throughout the series you'll find a number of overly glorified battle scenes, (since kuro is a vampire) you can expect quite a few unrealistic feats to dash across your screen. Even as i write this review i wish i could go back in time kill the writer and take his job.
The sound is solid not the best I've heard I thought the opening was iffy, The characters are not developed properly the story's many strings just dont tie together, i remember the end of episode 12 felt like being jabbed at with the bristles of a dirty broom (each representing a loose end). I suppose if u liked the senseless battles that afro samurai threw at you, you'll like kurozuka. But if youre looking to enjoy an anime storywise .. then steer clear of this catastrophe read more

From the director of "Death Note," "Kurozuka's" opener was full of interesting developments and great artistic ability and it finished on a similar note. What can I tell you? I can tell you that the art work is amazing and that there are tons of samurai zombies, evil demons and techno soldiers blended into an eternal cyberpunk vampire love story.

This series is nothing like "Death Note" and ends much better, for that reason alone I was relieved. At the heart of this series lies a love story between "Kuro" and "Kuomitsu" an everlastingly tormented vampire. Hauntingly beautiful and mysteriously amnesiac, this story pieced together an eternal love affair with death and destruction. If your willing to give a sci-fi vampire love story a chance, that concentrates mostly on action then you should enjoy this series. Pay attention the fact that this story is one of those designed to keep you confused until the end. So if you haven't read the book or followed the Manga, then your confusing is well placed and will make the ending very fulflilling. If you have already done your reading then your probably going to be a little disappointed in the character development and story.

Tetsuro Araki did something that I tend to love, and that is take a good story and effectively paint it's picture without drawing it out as to water it down. You can't say that this series had any filler episodes. Every episode had me thirsting for the next. However, the middle of the series did seem to suffer from it's lack of direction and elaboration. The end clears up that confusion, but I guess I have to agree that some of the character developments are way to brief. I get the feeling that series probably should have been a bit longer, at least twenty some episodes. That would have given it time to delevop some of the other characters more thoroughly. As it stands though Kurozuka is still really interesting to watch and well worth the time.

The sound design was every bit as dynamic with Classical Japanese drums and flute, only shock the system with the song "SYSTEMATIC PEOPLE" by a gothic industrial band named WAGDUG FUTURISTIC UNITY which gave this series and erratic feel and ere feeling, but then they ended the series with the great love song Hanarebanare by (ハナレバナレ)" by Shigi. The sound track complemented the series almost perfectly.

The Voice acting performed by Mamoru Miyano as Kuro was descent but it was Romi Paku as Kuromitsu that really stole the show. Here entrancing yet dark voice drew me in immediately and sent shivers of fascination down my spine.

All together this is a must see, must buy series when it hits the R1 market. I'm hoping that when it's released it will be in Blu-ray. And since Sony was involved in the production, I'm thinking this is completely possible. read more

J'ai aimé. Voilà, ça c'est dit^^. Ensuite s'il s'agit de creuser mon argumentaire, je sens que ça va être plus compliqué, car là je suis dans le ressenti qui a du mal à trouver ses mots^^. Commençons donc par le commencement.
Je clique sur la vidéo et tout commence par un prologue théâtral japonais. Ainsi, on comprend que l'on débarque dans une pièce dramatique en plusieurs actes, rythmés par un gong zen. Seulement, on nous dit pas encore que les actes en question vont suivre dans le désordre xD.
Vient ensuite l'opening. Et là, wahou ! Je suis pas forcément fan du rock criard (au sens littéral, pour le coup xD), mais le visuel est superbe, annonciateur d'un univers auquel j'adhère souvent.
Commence donc l'intrigue. Au bout des 23 minutes réglementaires, je suis sous le charme. Le graphisme est de haute tenue, les personnages sont envoûtants et l'intrigue lancée est pour le moins prometteuse !
Seulement voilà, ça s'complique à partir de l'épisode 2^^. Là, vous m'voyez devant mon écran, un peu déstabilisée par le puzzle éparpillé qu'on me met sous les yeux. Je peine à entrer dans ce rythme inédit.
Puis ensuite, les choses se calent aux alentours des épisodes 4-5. Mais cette fois-ci, c'est la lenteur de l'intrigue qui me frustre. J'ai donc un passage à vide, où je m'demande si je vais poursuivre, car quand je commence à regarder le minuteur en bas à droite du cadre, c'est pas bon signe xD
Seulement voilà, Amarath a tellement chanté sur les toits les louanges de cet animé que je m'dis que je DOIS continuer ! ^^ Et arrivée aux alentours de l'épisode 9, je m'dis que j'ai très bien fait. On entre alors dans le château de l'Empereur Rouge et tout s'éclaire et s'accélère. Les combats sont magnifiques, dans un style gore esthétisant. Les mouvements meurtriers s'enchaînent, dans une fluidité à la fois flippante et fascinante.
Et pendant ce temps, mon p'tit cerveau marche à fond les boulons (^^) pour rassembler les pièces jusque là éparpillées du puzzle et, Ô surprise, je constate finalement que l'intrigue n'a rien d'inaccessible. Je suis alors même tenter de me dire, "mais pourquoi tout le monde dit que "Kurozuka", c'est compliqué ?!!".
Tout est donc très clair dans ma tête et j'apprécie alors pleinement ce très bel animé, bercée par ce doux sentiment d'autosatisfaction qui te dit "j'ai tout compris, héhé ! ^^"..... Jusqu'à ce qu'on arrive aux 4 dernières minutes du dernier épisode^^. Car oui, finalement dans "Kurozuka", c'est surtout l'interprétation de la fin qui pose question.
Lorsque Kuro se réveille, il se souvient cette fois-ci de tout.... le bricolage avec Kuon aurait-il fonctionné ?^^.... Et les scènes qui s'enchaînent alors dans un "nouveau" présent sont alors pour moi l'expression visuelle de tous ces souvenirs confus qui refont surface. Donc jusque-là, mes neurones sont saufs. Mais, paf !!! Nouvelle attaque de la part du scénariste sadique ! Il nous replace Kuro dans la forêt avec son pote Benkeï. Le premier dit qu'il a un air de déjà-vu .... Mouais....... Et là, ils partent à la recherche d'un hôte pour la nuit, mais on ignore s'ils vont aller cette-fois chez la vampire.
Cette fin est sans doute une métaphore, ou une relance vers un nouveau commencement. Quoiqu'il en soit, elle est très certainement une invitation à trouver notre propre réponse. Et ce n'est pas forcément désagréable :)
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O que impressiona nesse anime são os gráficos. A tecnologia empregada é do ano 2008. É um anime violento e excelente.

Pena que terminou diferente do mangá, tornando a história meia confusa.