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The first time I saw this anime was on Adult Swim - episode 6 or so - and I didn't really care for it. Yet, as it kept replaying, I actually began to get intrigued, and ended up genuinely liking it enough to purchase it.

The story line can be a little jolting. There are many references to Greek history, and unless one has an inkling about what's going on, many of these references will be lost.

One must also remember that the director - while telling a more solid tale than his first venture - is also remaining true to his first venture. Not everything is going to be coherent. Once I realized that, and took it for the spectacle that it was, my enjoyment of it increased immensely.

The reason I'm giving this an 8, instead of a 7, however, is just the director's insistance on playing with philosophy. I got a real kick out of seeing this strange interpretation of Aristotle and other Greek philosopher's, as it is rare to see them twisted into such strange forms.

I wasn't such a fan of the character design - and to be honest, the characters - with the exception of Alexander - are a little flat. These are not rounded characters, rather they are the embodied ideals of what Aristotle thought a good ruler should have. So, if you watch this, don't expect development.

Also, the plot is really strange and jolting. While there is some fluidity, it doesn't remain so, and sometimes, there are such jumps in plot that I had no idea what was going on. If you choose to watch this, just go with the flow.

I wouldn't recommend this to everyone. I can definitely see why many people did not care for this anime. If you're not really a fan of surrealistic Greek philosophy, then I'd skip it, but if you like history enough to watch it be turned on its head, then by all means watch. read more

This is not your normal anime, and it's fabulous. I was hooked from the first episode (though my brother took ten or so episodes to get into it, and then only through my prodding).

The story line in this anime is incredible - it's well written, secretive, mysterious, right up until the very end. Like a novel, the story keeps expanding. There were such highs that I was literally on the edge of my seat in anticipation, and lows which gave me a chance to catch my breath. The characters are consistently surprising, and also surprisingly human. There are no righteous characters with a tragic flaw that they must overcome, nor are there ultimately wise characters who can see the end of a situation. Perhaps that's why I enjoyed this anime so much.

The charcters develop soundly, along with the plot, leading you ever further deeper into this mess of a world presented in the anime. And, though it may be long, it's definitely worth the trip!

However, I would never suggest this anime for children. I feel that this is far too intense for children, and some of the moral questions raised can be a little disturbing. In fact, there are times when this anime was disturbing to me.
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Saiunkoku Monogatari... I actually watched it after seeing it so highly recommended on this site, but I think I was in the wrong genre :) I usually gravitate toward the action animes (i.e. Trigun), or the intense story-driven animes (i.e. Serial Experiments Lain) , but I think this anime is much lighter. I do enjoy light and fluffy fare sometimes, but this one was not for me.

I'm writing this review, I suppose, for both seasons. The first season I actually liked. The story was interesting enough, the characters were developing well, and there was enough plot that I stayed interested. The animation... well, this is not an action anime, so the animation was pretty stiff. Nevertheless, I was entertained, and found that the anime had its 'smile' moments. I found the music soothing, and actually liked some of the 'costume designs' - as they were unique. The characters had a 'wholeness' to them, that was also nice. I could sympathize with the main character, which is important for story-driven animes.

However, I found the second season to be a bit clumsy. What was nice about the first season - the character development and the inherent struggles experienced by the main character, and even the strange, twisting romance (and I'm not a romance fan) - seemed to disappear. The characters became flat, the romance became less-than-appealing, and the struggles turned into a shonen-esque 'She can do it because she's our hero' type escapade. Basically, it lost it's appeal, and I only finished watching the second season out of sheer stubborness to get through it.

I would recommend the first season for anyone looking for a lighter-type, story-driven anime. It's interesting enough to want to watch the next episode. Yet, I would only recommend the second season to those utterly entranced by the first. read more