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~ Enchanting, contemplative, deep, exciting, fantastic...

Kara no Kyoukai 5: Musen Rasen is a rare kind of work among the other movies from the series and even anime in general. Right from the get-go, the viewer gets immersed in a story so deep and enticing that it becomes almost impossible to pause. Now, it's rather complex, without a doubt, but answers slowly find their way out as everything seemingly connects to each other. As incredible as this movie is, there are a few bits and pieces that need work, giving it a 9/10.

Story: The most impressive aspect of this work, the story begins with a scramble ... of scenes which are admittedly brutal, but far from boring. As the title suggests, the plot is like a paradox in that nothing seems to come together and the order of events is very erratic. Don't worry because it all makes sense once you near the conclusion. You could always rewatch it in the case nothing makes sense the first time around. The movie has an expanded scope compared to the other episodes of Kara no Kyoukai since we see mages other than Touko. For the first time, the audience gets introduced to who the mages are and what their goals consist of. Although the focus happened to be more on Tomoe than the mages, Kara no Kyoukai 5 maintains a commanding storyline that entertains viewers from beginning to end.

Animation: Although I've seen cleaner animation from other anime movies, KnK dominates with its fluid action scenes and clear textures. However, I feel that they could've drawn Araya's face better, considering that all you can see are hidden eyes and emphasized wrinkles. I get that there's a mysterious factor in casting a shadow over his eyes, but that's a bit too far. Also, there are indeed drops in animation quality from here to there, but I'm no perfectionist, so this isn't a big deal.

Sound: Again, amazing from beginning to end. Nothing was clearly out of place and Kalafina sings great as usual. I admit some sound effects may have been overly stressed, particularly when body parts are snapped, but the weapons and effects were well-executed.

Character: Some ups and downs with this one. I am satisfied to see development in Touko and the mages, seeing that they were shrouded in mystery for the past several episodes. She also participates in a battle, much to my delight. However, we see much less development in Kokuto when he had plenty of potential with his new skills in detective work. Considering that he's the male protagonist, I was expecting much more out of him. Conversely, we see too much development in Tomoe (Yes, too much). Although he's a new character, he lacked any sort of appeal and I found pitying him rather difficult. Most of the time, I just wished he would just exit the scene so we could move on. I only hope that the next episodes of KnK will develop the characters of Shiki and Kokuto now that the topic of mages has come into the light.

Enjoyment: I couldn't stop watching honestly as the movie kept me on the edge the entire time. Somehow, the idea of a chaotic plot just kept me glued to my screen. Actually, the plot's so complex that a second viewing is necessary, adding in some replay value. However, there are about three action scenes in a period of two hours which might trouble some viewers. In reality, the story is what drives the plot all the way to the end, so don't expect a pointless video of non-stop fighting.

Despite minor flaws, KnK ranks as one of my favorite movies with its intricate storytelling and masterful use of special effects. Just the way how the events all link together brings a feeling of satisfaction and enjoyment, even with the chaotic timeline of events. Sure, it'll get you thinking a bit, but then again, what's wrong with that?