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.

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.

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.

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.

^_^

‘Seirei no Moribito’ (‘Moribito, for short) is a very polarizing series. Many praise it for its stellar production values, great atmosphere and layered, believable characters. Others find the show relentlessly boring and slow-paced, disparagingly referring to it as ‘Boribito’.

I believe the truth is somewhere in the middle.

The basic story is the typical tale of a seasoned warrior seeking to atone for a checkered past by protecting a child who’s being hunted by powerful forces both human and inhuman. Moribito’s narrative, however, manages to distinguish itself through 2 things: excellent character development and meticulous world-building.

Protagonist Balsa in particular is a great example of the former. ... Her strong, dignified personality, captivating backstory (subtly alluded to initially) and multi-faceted interactions with other characters make her one of the most well written anime protagonists around. The hunted child in question, Prince Chagum, doesn’t fare quite as well. He goes through a fairly predictable character arc that boils down to learning to live like a commoner and growing up. There’s also a handful of moments where he displays unusually keen insight that feel rather forced. Though it must be said that the conclusion to his story has a surprising turn that’s both surprising and very poignant.

As far as supporting characters go the biggest standout is Tanda, Balsa’s dogged love interest whose difficulty reaching out to her makes for an interesting if pitiable character. Others aren’t quite so interesting: there’s 2 kids who hero-worship her who mainly serve to run errands for Balsa and provide some humorous moments as well as an old lady who’s mainly there to provide exposition and snide remarks. The latter sticks out like a sore thumb by feeling like an archetype in a series filled with fully fleshed out characters.

And I really do mean that last part, even a good deal of antagonists are developed and given (somewhat) sympathetic motives rather than being raving psychotics who can’t go 2 minutes without strangling a puppy. Moribito’s willingness to avert this easy, manipulative sort of characterization is yet another strength of its storytelling.

Sadly, not all of its storytelling is as stellar. While the series also goes to great lengths to expand on its world, it also becomes a weakness. Many a times the series devotes an entire episode to fleshing out one particular section of Moribito’s world. And while it certainly helps to make the series’ world feel more alive one can’t help but feel that a more deft storyteller could reduce the content to a subplot without losing any relevance or impact. As it is Moribito has a stretch of episodes in the middle that have very little to do with the conflict that kicked off the story which, when combined with the glacial pacing, makes for a somewhat frustrating viewing experience at times.

Another fault with the storytelling that it contains a number of contrivances and other moments that feel all too convenient for the main characters. This is particularly jarring in regards to Balsa, whose vow to never again take another life should be rather cumbersome when being hunted by highly skilled assassins. In the series, however, it is mostly a slight inconvenience. There’s an episode around the halfway point that takes it to its most absurd extreme, ending what should have been a grave no-win situation in a big copout. Moribito certainly isn’t the only series to be guilty of such things nor is it the worst example but it’s jarring nonetheless.

The visuals and audio of this series has been the subject of much praise, and for good reason. The animation, from characters doing chores to the lightning fast action sequences, is consistently stunning and the amount of detail is simply staggering. This is easily one of the best-looking TV-anime ever produced and a worthy part of Production I.G.’s legacy in that regard. In terms of character designs Moribito opts for a more realistic style which perfectly fits the serious tone. The audio is of similar quality. Sound effects are believable and the music always does a good job complementing what’s happening on-screen even if it’s not very memorable in and of itself. The astounding presentation manages to make even the slowest episodes more enjoyable than they have any right to be.

Moribito is, without a doubt, a very ambitious project. It boldly stands out stylistically and in a narrative sense. Providing multi-faceted, believable characters and captivating situations all set in a gorgeously rendered word. It also deserved accolades for refusing to use its female protagonist for fanservice-oriented jokes which would only undermine her character. There’s a maturity to the way the overall product presents and carries itself that most anime series wouldn’t even consider. All of this makes ‘Seirei no Moribito’ a series that, in spite of some missteps, is worth checking out by anyone open to a more serious style of anime.

"If you are in a position to act, it would be a sin not to, even if you had nothing to gain from doing so."

Here we have a Production IG fantasy series, directed and written by Kenji Kamiyama, who has previously worked on Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, which just so happens to be possibly my favorite anime series ever, and all of it based on a successful novel series. All of that already sounds hella promising. Here’s my review explaining why I think this series is good stuff and deserves more recognition.

Story:
Seirei no Moribito is the story of Balsa, ... bodyguard, skilled spear-fighter and total dreamboat, who is tasked by a Queen with the protection of her son prince Chagum who has a dangerous supernatural entity living inside of him and is being pursued by the assassins of his own father, the king, or the Mikado in this case. All of this is set in the fantasy land of faux-Asia, which is close enough to the real world to be vaguely familiar, but just different enough to be its own interesting fantasy land.
This initial set-up serves as the first act of the story, which has us following Balsa as she outmaneuvers the king’s forces both by using her wits and her incredible fighting ability. All of this is fairly exciting with satisfying amounts of action and is an excellent introduction to Balsa and the large cast of side-characters.
After this cat-and-mouse game, the pacing of the show slows down considerably in the second act and the entire series switches into an almost slice-of-life fantasy series with a semi-episodic presentation, which are used to further develop Chagum’s character, his relationship with Balsa and her allies and some world-building. It is this switch in pacing between the two acts that may come across as jarring to some viewers. Personally, I was surprised by it, but it didn't bother me a lot. Even with a lack of action, it’s still very much worth watching and seeing the characters grow and live together.
Once the series closes into its finale it all moves along a bit faster and the scale grows more epic again. Overall, the story behind Moribito might not be the most original one and the switches in pacing may throw off some, but I still found it to be executed quite well. It takes it’s time to properly develop the main cast, has some interesting twists along the line, is exciting when it needs to be and hell, it even manages to make flashbacks interesting.

World building:
I have a special little boner in my heart for some good, detailed world building and Moribito delivers in that regard, which is why I will make this short section to comment on it.
Moribito has its own version of everything from funeral ceremonies, regional superstitions over smaller gadgets, mechanisms and weapons to wildlife. There is a lot of attention to detail here, but the thing that really makes it shine is the completely seamless and natural integration into the series. The world in Seirei no Moribito really feels coherent, alive and like it’s been around long before the main plot of the series started.

Characters:
Okay, let me first heap some praise on Balsa, who is exactly the type of female main characters I’d like to see more often in my chinese cartoons. She competent, confident, intelligent, mature and I totally don’t have a crush on her. She’s also 29 years old at the beginning of the series. If any of you reading this know more anime with close-to-30 female leads, feel free to recommend them to me. You may keep all the lolis, moeblobs and tsunderes. Seriously though, the best thing about Balsa is how, despite the fact that she always has a plan for everything and is a capable enough spear fighter to hold her own against four elite soldiers, she never comes across as mary-sue-ish. This is a very delicate balance to hold for a main character, yet this series makes it look effortless. Aside from being excellent at her job as badass bodyguard, Balsa also has a softer side, which is evident by her interactions with Chagum and other allies. As the series progresses she becomes more and more of a mother figure to Chagum.
Chagum himself deserves a lot of praise for being a child character amongst a mostly adult cast, who despite his age and status never comes across as annoying or spoiled. The prince is intelligent, polite and willing to learn about the ways of the common people, despite being holed up in a palace for his entire life prior to the events of the series. The entire series I was expecting him to do something stupid or act spoiled and it never happened. So congratulations Seirei no Moribito, you managed to make me like a child character. Both Balsa and Chagum are the focus of the series and are developed extremely well.
It’s the secondary cast that could’ve used a bit more time in the limelight. While absolutely no one in the shows sizable cast is completely unlikable, which is an impressive feat in and of itself, I wouldn't have minded for the side characters to get some more attention, but that’s only a minor gripe in an otherwise fantastic show.
Also notable is how this series doesn't seem to have a clear villain, the antagonists are mostly just misguided or misinformed. Even the supernatural ones aren't evil so much as they are simply following their nature. A surprising amount of conflict in the series gets resolved by characters simply talking to each other and explaining their situation rather than through fighting, which is certainly a breath of fresh air and a mature way to resolve conflict (don’t worry, there are still cool fights in there).
Oh yeah, special shout-out to the character Torogai, who is one badass old granny that doesn't take shit from anyone. Welp, I guess this series made me like a granny character too, so there you go.

Animation:
All you really need to know about Seirei no Moribito’s visuals is that it’s Production IG at its best. Kenji Kamiyama’s signature realistic artstyle is one I really enjoy, the backgrounds are stunningly beautiful, the color palette is vibrant and it’s all held together by good cinematography.
A special mention goes to the fight scenes, which are almost movie budget-smooth and have incredibly satisfying to watch choreography. Also, all the outfits the characters wear are really well-designed without being overblown or unrealistic. I especially like the ones worn by the hunters which initially pursue Balsa and Chagum.
As for negative aspects of the visuals, there is the cg, which admittedly is still better justified/used more tastefully than in most more recent shows. It’s occasionally utilized to animate part of a crowd and in those cases it’s barely noticeable, but towards the very end of the series they use cg to animate a certain group of monsters and it doesn't look great unfortunately. It’s particularly bothersome cause the monsters are actually hand-drawn in other scenes and look great there.
Overall however, the show has excellent visuals, and aside from the occasional cg, is about as good as an anime show can look with a tv budget.

Sound:
Man, composer Kenji Kawai really outdid himself with this soundtrack. And that guy is already a well-known, incredibly competent composer, so that’s saying something. The background music does such an excellent job of enhancing every scene, no matter if it needs to be sad and emotional, creepy or fast paced for an action scene. It’s tasteful and fits perfectly and that’s all a good soundtrack needs to be. In fact, I’m listening to it as I’m writing this review and probably will for a while after I’m done.
It’s a shame the Op and Ed can’t live up to this. The opening is a rather cheesy pop/rock song, which L'Arc-en-Ciel fans will undoubtedly enjoy, but simply isn’t my thing nor do I think it fits the series very well. The ending is better, but not remarkable either.
As for the voice acting everyone on the cast does a good job bringing their characters to life, especially Balsa’s voice actor, who has a nice deep female voice that fits the character perfectly.
Of special note is the fact that Chagum was actually voiced by a young boy, instead of a woman, as is usually the case for young male characters in anime. This lends some really nice authenticity to the character.

Overall:
Seirei no Moribito is an excellent series with only a couple of minor shortcomings, which thankfully don’t sour the experience much at all.
If you want a classy, good fantasy anime that has all the feel of an old historical saga and you don’t mind a bit of slower pacing, then please do yourself a favor and give this often overlooked series a watch.

As usual, thank you for taking the time to read this review, please excuse any grammatical mistakes as English is not my first language and please feel free to leave me some feedback, as I want to improve.

They say 95% of all anime is complete and utter shit, with the remaining five representing those titles even relatively good. And among that 5%, Seirei no Moribito belongs into whatever number of shows it is which are not just relatively, but genuinely good.

Seirei no Moribito is a fantasy adventure story which mostly focuses on the characters of Balsa and Chagum, a prince of a powerful Empire whose forced to exile due to the continued assassination attempts on him conducted by his own father, and their journey together. Those who prefer complex storylines with intricate twists and turns may look elsewhere; the travels of Balsa ... and Chagum, their struggle to dispel the pursuit sent after them, and how they deal with the water spirit's egg that's laid within Chagum are indeed the plot's most prominent elements.

Not to say the story's simplicity is a shortcoming, quite the contrary in fact. It is for once pleasing to see a storyline you can actually understand at first glance instead of having to take guesses or be completely lost in the mock artistry of the show's creators. Not to say simplicity would be the story's main attraction either, for the careful and thorough way Balsa's and Chagum's life together on the run is depicted, Chagum's transformation from a sweet and pampered prince to a smart street kid, and how the relationships between the main characters develop and deepen is plenty to keep the viewer entertained.

The characters are another of the show's strong points, especially, with the way how they seem to shatter almost almost all of the major clichés and all. Balsa is without a doubt one of the strongest female characters in anime of all time, she being pretty much the most capable warrior in the whole show and able to handle everything short of magic on her own. To top it off, she's noble-minded (yet not naive) and lack's arrogance (yet not confidence). Perhaps, by putting all of this together, one might notice themselves watching also one of the most shameless mary sues as of late, but amidst Balsa's pure coolness, one is also easily bound not to care.

All of this saying almost not a word about Chagum, the boy prince of Yogo Empire who's forced to flee his home with Balsa. He carries the water spirit's egg that's said to keep the lands from drying over within him, but unlike almost all the other young male characters in anime shouldered with a heavy burden, he's not constantly whining about his fate. In fact most of the time he deals with his lot, of leaving behind his comfy life as a prince and carrying a capricious spirit egg within him with easy enough acceptance and even enthusiasm.

Other characters deviating from the norm are Tanda, a doctor who's actually the one to tend to the reckless female warrior's wounds instead of the other way around, and the prophets at the Imperial Court who, although proud, aren't arrogant and conservative enough not to learn from their mistakes nor ignore good advice.

Production I.G, a quality anime studio responsible for such acclaimed titles as the Ghost in the Shell movies and TV-serieses, makes sure that the art and animation in Seirei no Moribito earn their place among the other aspects that make this show so great. Even the most intense battle scenes flow fluently, the beautiful sceneries clearly depict a world untouched any industrial revolution, and the character designs are as much a treat to the eye as any of the aforementioned.

But despite being a show remarkable in it's quality, Seirei no Moribito does leave a few lingering regrets in its wake. A fantasy show as this is, we could've learned a bit more about those elements in this one. We hear of "star diviners", of other worlds that seemingly exist paraller to that which is mostly shown in the series, we see some magic, and so on. But all in all the fantasy elements in Seirei leave me more confused than fascinated, for all the supernatural stuff is either explained too briefly or not at all. A bit deeper thoroughness in this department would've been in order.

Another point of some chagrin in Seirei no Moribito is what I'd like to call beating around the bush with the characters' relationships. From the early episodes on we see that there's something going on between Balsa the fighter and Tanda the healer, with the two being childhood friends of opposite sex and all. The romantic tint in their relationship is obvious, yet _NOTHING_ concrete happens between the two in the show. An honest, full blown romance between them could've done much in the way of bringing some good extra drama and maturity to the show, for the platonic nature of their relationship despite the obvious hint at a love story-setting gave the series an ever so slightly childish look at times. Later in the show Chagum also becomes friendly with a girl his age in a village just happening to be on the path of his and Balsa's (and Tanda's) journey, and the crazy shipper in me says they shouldda hooked up as well ;P.

Though not necessarily much of a gripe, since anime music failing to impress me is more of a rule rather than the exception, a bit more ambitious musical investment from the creators wouldn't have hurt the show either.

Putting side to side the good and the bad, the end conclusion is what I've (hopefully) let you readers understand throughout the review; that this is one damn great of a show worth chalking up to your to watch-list no matter what genre of anime you'd usually prefer. Because even though an action-adventure-fantasy wouldn't sound like the killer combo just for you, Seirei no Moribito holds such a cast of characters and story to it that it is sure to reach the hearts of many viewers regardless of their usual appetite.

This anime disappointed me as I was expecting a show with a little more depth that what was delivered. The major flaws of this anime are the characters and their lack of progression. The main character is a woman whom serves no purpose other than to be a bodyguard for a prince and the prince as young as he is, never matures despite all the hardships they are forced up against. The problem is none of the characters act outside their roles which leads to a dull, predictable series of episodes. This show is largely plot driven, and the tool they use to progress the ... plot is pathetic. What they use is readings from an ancient scroll text that someone magically is able to translate just enough to advance the plot. Sorry, but this show was amateurish in its characterization development and plot advancement. The show and excellent audio and visual presentation with average voice acting, but other than that i consider this show a major flop.

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.

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.

This was honestly one of the dullest anime's I've ever seen.

Despite an awesome setup and a lot of potential, the series failed to amaze me at every turn, mainly because of it's dull and generic cast of characters. Despite having a wide array of characters, none of them really stood out to me, and made me care about what happens to them. The only exception is the grumpy old lady Madame Torogai, who was the ONLY character in the entire show who made me care in the slightest about the story.

Although the main character Balsa isn't really such a BAD character, she is by no ... means a good one either, as she doesn't stand out at all from the "overly serious badass woman" stereotype. Aside from Balsa, her love interest Tanda has to be the dullest character to ever appear in an anime, with little to no personality whatsoever. The worst of the bunch though, is the crybaby prince Chagum, who seems to spend 90% of the show whining and acting like a spoiled little shit, which is only made worse by the fact that is voice actor, Naoto Adachi, does a terrible job portraying him. Not that Chagum has any redeeming qualities to begin with.

The story itself isn't much better. without spoiling the plot (not that it really matters), the story is weird, yet unimaginative, long, yet simple, and more than anything, it's boring. Yes, this series is so very boring that it will feel like a chore to watch it. This is not at all helped by the standard animation, and extremely poor 3D effects. The 3D effects are so bad they look like something out of an 80's cartoon more than a modern anime.

But despite all that I've said, I still don't consider Moribito a BAD anime, as much as a boring one. The series isn't even remotely funny, even when it tries to be, it's characters are amongst the dullest and unimaginative i've ever seen in an anime, and the story isn't interesting or original enough to be engaging. However, the series does manage to stay realistic throughout it's course. Sure, there is some magic and spirits and whatnot, but as far as the world itself goes, it always keeps it's feet on the ground and doesn't lose focus. If you want an anime that really catches the style of ancient Japan without all the fanservice, and overly dramatic anime fights you see in most anime today, then you MAY be able to enjoy Moribito. However, this is really all that the series has to offer, so if that's not enough (it certainly wasn't for me), I would steer clear of Moribito.

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-)

"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.

Scoring Preconditions: While I rate all parts, the overall score takes in most consideration from story, character, and enjoyment. Art and sound are not factors in the overall, although they can slightly enhance or detract from enjoyment portion. I score from as unbiased a view as possible and I view it in a critical sense, not in a simple enjoyment sense. Thus I give at most a one point overall bonus for enjoyment. Story and characters matter most. I will state if exceptions to this rule depending on the anime.

Summary: From my knowledge, this isn't a well known anime. The only reason I found this ... was while looking through the top anime list and found it way back. But I consider this to be one of the most underrated anime I've ever seen. Details to follow.

Story (9/10): The story started kind of slow and really picked up steam about half way through. I think the best part of this story was the originality. It was way cool having a female protecting the male. Second, the intricacies of the plot were well worth the score. The way characters were forced into change was really great. I also liked how they weaved two worlds together. Perhaps the only problems I had were the slow start and questions on how Jiguro had anything to do with Chagum. But the story was well worth watching.

Art (10/10): The art is in a similar mold to Claymore. It's a different style that you could say makes it look more realistic. I didn't have a problem with it. Enhanced the enjoyment.

Sound (10/10): Opening theme and closing theme were both great to hear. Background music enhanced the enjoyment.

Character (8/10): First of all, I thought Balsa was a great main character. She fights well, makes intelligent decisions, and as time went on gained a very nice maternal instinct. I think the whole save eight lives part got muddled in the plot, but she was a good character with nice development all the same. Chagum also had some nice development as well. Start off as a bratty prince and learn to actually live life. While it may not be the first time I've seen it, the development from prince to outcast was well done. As for the herbologist, I kind of lost the point in his character. The half romance/unrequited love with Balsa was unnecessary and really only served to distract from the main plot. Other side characters played their part. No comments on them.

Enjoyment (10/10): Perfect marks here starts off with the second half of the anime. The plot really took off and I enjoyed the ride all the way. Providing closure to the story also gained good marks from me. Beyond that, the fight scenes weren't drawn out unnecessarily and were good. Also the use of spears gained bonus points here. It was a nice change from swords or guns. Finally, perfect marks come because I simply like Balsa as a character.

Overall (9/10): I saw a couple flaws that don't make it a perfect 10, but this was really well worth watching. The plot isn't Code Geass intricate, but it was enthralling all the same. If for nothing else, watching Balsa and Chagum grow as characters together really made it worth my while.

Thanks for reading this. I'm open for discussion so if you have anything to add, message me and I will get back to you.

“Fantasy is hardly an escape from reality. It's a way of understanding it.”
― Lloyd Alexander

Nowadays, fantasy in anime seems to be synonymous with the isekai - a recluse failing in life is transported to a new world, is allowed a fresh start and is able to live the kind of life most of us could only dream of. Effective and entertaining enough, sure, but presumably it's not long before they start getting repetitive and the need for a breath of fresh air sets in.

Enter 'Serei no Moribito', a 2007 anime directed by Kenji Kamiyama (director of Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex) and ... brought to life by Production I.G. In a medium bursting with incredible ideas which aren't necessarily met with the most flawless execution, Moribito takes a simple story in a high fantasy setting and fleshes it out superbly. It follows the spearwielder Balsa, a bodyguard for hire, as she's tasked to protect a young prince from the assassins sent out by the emperor, the boy's very own father. This precarious state of affairs is due to the supernatural being that manifests inside the prince's body, which is perceived as a threat to the future of the kingdom and the reputation of the royal family. Balsa must fend off the emperor’s hunters, subdue foes that resurface from her violent past, fulfill an oath, raise the prince and uncover the identity of the mysterious creature residing in his body - a tall order indeed.

While it does have a decent plot, the story is mostly character-driven. A majority of the important characters are given their fair share of the spotlight - their motivations, fears and aspirations are outlined while they are given room to grow naturally throughout the course of the story. Balsa is undoubtedly the highlight - in this medium, it’s a rarity to see any character, much less a thirty year old woman, being depicted as a sensible, strong and decisive personality and being allowed to be the driving force of a show. A notable point is that there is really no central antagonist here. All the characters have their own beliefs and philosophies, and that is what drives them to be allied or be at odds with one another at any point in the story, with the well-written drama setting up the conflicts and bringing another layer of tension to an already promising concoction. The solid characterisation and drama lead to some very emotional moments throughout, they are powerful without bordering on melodrama - striking a delicate balance. It’s not always all serious though, there are plenty of lighthearted moments that breathe life into the show and add a bit of humour, but they never adversely affect the tone or feel out of place.

Production I.G have always put out anime with quality visuals, never too flashy, but always precise. On paper, they seem to be a perfect match for Serei no Moribito, a fantasy series which has its roots firmly planted in realism. And boy, do they deliver. The character animation is almost always smooth, the fight scenes are very impressively choreographed and animated brilliantly. Where it truly shines though is the astounding background art - the lush fields, rugged mountains, snow-capped peaks lend the show a sense of heightened realism, truly selling the authenticity of the setting.

The soundtrack by Kenji Kawai is, simply put, stellar. Much of the atmosphere can be attributed to the tracks - the light simple tunes carry the rustic charm of the fields and the villages, the rich foreboding notes accompany the shots of the majestic and yet cold palace splendidly, the tense bgm adds to the fight sequences while the sombre tracks echo the sadder scenes. Neither the OP nor the ED impressed me, but I personally don’t think they have any bearing on the quality of the rest of the soundtrack and the show overall.

Kenji Kamiyama deserves immense praise for carrying on the good work from Stand Alone Complex, his attention to detail, penchant for no-nonsense good old-fashioned storytelling, excellent use of camera angles and a rare sense for subtlety are on full display in this particular title as well. There’s a scene wherein after a certain character returns from a perilous quest, narrowly avoiding a certain death, she tells the others the information she gathered. Instead of focusing on their faces and their reactions, the camera settles on her rabbit-like companion close by, which refuses to accept nuts from its master, indignant due to almost being sacrificed earlier to facilitate its mistress’s escape. As the conversation between the characters goes on, so does the silent back-and-forth between the pet and the hand bearing the peace offering, resulting in the rodent begrudgingly relenting and accepting the apology. This short sequence means nothing in the grand scheme of things, but it offers more insight regarding the character while being funny and charming - creative decisions like this make the entire thing feel far more real and plausible. While the dialogue does bear importance, most of the characterisation lies in the subtle gestures, expressions and interactions - essentially encompassing the “show, don’t tell” approach espoused by the average critic.

Although being an excellent show, it’s not perfect. The way the story progresses is pretty straightforward, the climax doesn’t pack as much punch as one might hope (although the show more than makes up for it with the subsequent denouement), Balsa’s ideology isn’t sufficiently challenged, some episodes in the mid-section which help provide more context for some of the characters may feel like filler to a few and the use of CGI for crowds and background characters, understandable given the budgetary constraints, can prove to be annoying for purists.

Seirei no Moribito, while perhaps not being the most stylish or glamorous anime out there, has aged really well and looks set to stand the test of time. If you are tired of current trends and are looking for mature honest-to-God storytelling with sane characters, or maybe need a break in the form of something simple after too many cryptic anime relying heavily on symbolism and visual metaphors, or just want to watch something different, give this a go - it’s great.

(This is a spoiler-free review adapted for this site)

[Synopsis]:

Balsa (Shindo, Naomi), a spear-wielding woman who has taken it upon herself to save 8 lives in an act of atonement, is tasked by the Emperor’s wife to save her son Chagum (Adachi, Naoto) who is suspected to have been possessed by a water spirit out of legend. As the story unfolds, we learn more about the potentially catastrophic implications of the water spirit as well as Balsa’s past and her motivations for helping the young prince.

[Characters]:

Seirei no Moribibito is very much a character-story.The story takes place in a vast and complicated world however because of how ... the tale is told and how each episode progresses it becomes pretty clear that the show cares first and foremost about its characters.

Balsa is probably the most recognizable character of the show – she is thirty years of age and as warrior who has mastered the art of the spear, is fairly muscular and stocky. Both these traits are somewhat uncommon in anime for women and so I think Balsa’s design speaks a good deal to the intent of the show – it approaches the story realistically despite the supernatural elements of the show such as the water spirit and characters like Torogai. Balsa herself is pragmatic and a fierce warrior in combat; she gets along well with Chagum and their relationship develops and becomes more intricate as they spend more time with one another.

Chagum, the young prince Balsa spirits away from the Emperor’s hunters a the desperate request of his mother, is where a lot of developmental time is spent from episode to episode. As he is a child born of privilege the first hurdle he must overcome is introduction to the common life and like many other coming of age stories (and I believe Moribito to be one of these stories in Chagum’s case) he develops from there. A quick note about Chagum – most stories would start with a snobby, entitled prince who is at odds with his predicament and complains incessantly (which can be a turn off to a viewer) however Chagum is actually quite kind and takes to each situation as it comes. He has plenty of room for growth within the story but he does not start at so low a point to annoy everyone via his archetype.

The side characters are interesting enough, the most notable of which are Tanda (Tsujitani, Kouji) and Torogai (Mayama, Ako). Tanda has some history with Balsa and their relationship is quite realistically written while Torogai is an elderly shaman possessing supernatural abilities and serves as the mouthpiece of the story in order to explain and introduce the more magical elements of the show. Lastly is Shuga (Nojima, Hirofumi) who serves at the Emperor’s palace as a star diviner (in a way, a parallel to Torogai). He is an interesting character and acts as our eyes at the palace so that we can have context for the events that unfold independent of Balsa and Chagam.

[Art/Animation]:

The art and animation is quite good in Moribito and despite its length of 26 episodes there is no marked drop in quality at any point. Production I.G. went all out in order to provide enticing and fluid combat scenes as well as a genuinely beautiful world. The fight scenes are, in the same way the characters are designed, very realistically choreographed and maintain the tone of the show.

You won’t see Balsa stand her ground and take on countless enemies while whirling her spear about her head at ungodly speeds – she will kite back, dodge, parry, and use her environment to her advantage. So for people drawn to this ‘authentic’ style of fighting there are a good handful of scenes throughout the show to keep you interested as the broader tale unfolds.

[Story]:

The story is where I think the show takes a few hits. We start off with an introduction to Balsa, a bodyguard by trade, who saves Chagum after he falls into the river. She meets with the second queen (Chagum’s mother) and is asked to take him away from the emperor who feels obligated to kill his son due to his suspected possession by the water spirit. After halfheartedly agreeing to the task Balsa begins her journey in order to escape the emperor’s hunters and the machinations of the palace.

Where I think the story goes wrong is when Balsa and Chagum attain some degree of temporary comfort the pacing slows down tremendously and the episodes become very character driven for a good while. This is not problematic in and of itself however there are shows that can get away with it and there are those that cannot. I think Moribito didn’t have enough going on outside of its characters to keep me either interested or invested in the actual story. The primary plot can be summed up as the investigation of the water spirit by both Balsa’s group and the palace and thereafter acting upon the information they each glean.

The story does pick up after a slump midway pacing-wise but I never felt it returned to what I originally felt interested in when the show began. The world is large and there is even a supernatural dimension of sorts’ that nearly overlaps theirs however the show does little to investigate this despite it being integral to the story. Lastly, I felt the ending was lacking – it was wholly believable but for a story that involved water spirits, a fierce warrior from a distant land, and an empire with a mysterious past, it felt anticlimactic. I think perhaps the biggest problem concerning the story of Moribito is that, try as you might, you probably can’t find a very interesting antagonist. Balsa and her friends are certainly at odds with the emperor and his hunters however because the characters are so explored its hard to find anyone truly at fault or furthermore with malicious in intent. The story fizzles for me at the end because of this.

[Music]:

The music, while not central to the show in my opinion, did what it needed to. It lent itself well to the style of the show and was appropriately selected for each scene with no glaring disconnects. All in all, it was background music and didn’t capture my attention as much as some other shows might have.

[Final Thoughts and Rating]:

Seirei no Moribibito is a show I don’t regret watching however I feel that other shows have simply taken the genre farther and had more pleasing conclusions. It most definitely had more than a few good scenes worth remembering and some of the story elements are quite interesting. Additionally it is a decent coming of age story via Chagum’s character so whether the plot of the show is worth your time or not, Chagum’s journey is at least worthy of note for those who enjoy that dynamic.

Rating: 6

I gave the show a 6 because, while the characters were excessively (in every definition of the word) well written, the story that surrounded them and gave their interactions context was lackluster. It scores high as far as characterization and art goes however falls short in other fields that may ultimately have mattered more to the show. Uehashi Nahoko, the original writer of Moribito as well as Kemono no Souja Erin does a fantastic job with her characters however, as opposed to Erin, this show couldn’t stand to take the slow route

[Recommendations]:

I would recommend this show to people who enjoy the more niche sub-genre within the action/adventure category that is sometimes referred to as ‘historical’. People that like shows liked Arslan Senki (TV), Akatsuki no Yona, or the aforementioned Kemono no Souja Erin will likely enjoy this show as well however I myself believe them to be ultimately better shows. I think the most surefire recommendation I can give is for someone who has seen Erin as the characterization is extremely similar and even if the story itself isn’t as good, it is character-centric enough for them to enjoy. In the same vein that i recommend those prior shows, someone who enjoys coming of age stories will likely enjoy this show as well.

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.

---May contain spoilers

DO YOU like high quality animation and soundtracks!?
DO YOU detest and despise cliché' saturated mainstream garbage!?
DO YOU like Female protagonists that actually DO something, HAVE character and
aren't completely useless !?

AND LASTLY DO YOU LIKE a decent SOLID plot?!

Then you my dear reader have come to the right fuking anime!
...
Firstly, Seirei no Moribito /Guardian of the Spirit IN MY HONEST OPINION is one of if not the best adaptation in terms of animation quality that has ever been produced. ( And I have watched a lot of anime)

Production I.G one of the KINGS of high budget animation along side with 'BONES' and 'MADHOUSE', did an absolutely amazing job with the execution of fight scenes, background art, interaction between animated objects ( i.e, reflections on water, light from fire, shadows etc;) .

The overall flow in art-style( background scenery) within the series compliments and enhances the impact of the plot ESPECIALLY since this anime emphasises metaphysical existences ----( the title is guardian of the spirit/seirei no moribito ---- go figure).

Art- Animation>> 10/10


Story: This area within the entire series was definitely the weakest, not saying it was
bad BUT in comparison to every other aspect it didn't really stand a chance.
Essentially --- Balsa (the main female protagonist of the series)
protects chagum from assassination until the conundrum with the water spirit is
dealt with.

It definitely sounds like an easily predictable and saturated mix, however the
truth could not be further. This series presents the viewer with emotional-ties (
i.e Platonic love ) , moral and ethical dilemmas, social structures within the era
and plot twists ( somewhat predictable).

Story: 8/10

Sound: Nothing much to say. 10/10

Characters: In this series you are introduced with a vast diversity of personalities, notable characters that stand out are BY FAR the main protagonist 'Balsa' and the Prince himself . Balsa, a spear-master whom seeks the unquenchable thirst for redemption due to the sins SHE burdened herself with due to self- guilt of her past life and interaction with a certain person.

This character is what you want from a female protagonist.

Prince Chagum also undergoes an evolutionary process adapting to a non-prince life and eventually falls to the guilt of being useless and eventually coughs up the courage to ask Balsa to teach him how to defend himself.

Characters 9/10

This series is A MUST WATCH to anyone who's a fan of.... good quality media. It's unfortunate that this series is so fucking underrated BUT that's life for ya.

In my opinion it's an insult to the amount of effort the animation staff put into this series by not watching it.

SO EVEN IF you don't like the genre, you should at least watch it for the jaw dropping animation.


OVERALL 9/10 must watch.

I was a bit skeptical about Seirei at first but it is a great anime. The animation is remarkably crisp, the plot is interesting and easy to follow, with real good character development and interaction. Balsa is about as big of a badass without super powers that you'll find and her actions are driven by an intriguing past. She takes on 4 or 5 badass hunters (Emperor's version of ANBU) (awesome cosplay idea). I don't want to spoil anything for people who haven't seen it, but this anime should definitely be on everyone's to watch list.

-Smokyo

Story: 8 - An enthralling fantasy epic that unfortunately loses focus and drags in the middle.
Characters: 7 - An admirable lead heroine and fun supporting cast, but much less interesting as individuals beyond their roles in the story.
Art: 8 - Fluid combat sequences, lush backgrounds, with diverse and appealing character designs.
Sound: 9 - Gorgeous musical score and sound design. Strong Opener by L'arc en Ciel.
Enjoyment: 8 - Moribito has lot of good ideas, but also too many noticeable stumbles prevent the series from living up to its full potential.

Full Review:

Moribito is very reminiscent of Hayao Miyazaki's early work, with a strong female ... lead, themes of humanity's place in the natural order, and uniquely eastern fantasy elements. It's very Princess Mononoke-ish. And Moribito stands as probably one of the most exceptional attempts at a Ghibli knock-off. This is due largely in part to the collective talent assembled on the project. Production IG is a studio with a history of gorgeous animation work, and Moribito is no exception. The action is fluid, the characters never stray off-model, and the backgrounds are lush and colorful. Sitting in the director's chair is Kenji Kamiyama, the man largely responsible for the Ghost in the Shell TV series. He sets sweeping fantasy adventure alongside beautifully choreographed action. Composing the score is the legendary Kenji Kawai, also responsible for some of the Ghost in the Shell franchise. Almost to the point of being overpowering, the music in Moribito is haunting and intense. The combined effort results in an atmospheric and enthralling fantasy. Unfortunately, Moribito's characters lack the twinge of humanity necessary to carry the larger-than-life story. They aren't bad characters by any stretch, Balsa is easily one of the best-written female characters anime has to offer, but they feel a little too much like pieces being shuffled around by the plot. This makes Moribito's focus on its characters in the middle episodes seem far more dull than it should be. I've never really seen another show that I felt was overly character-focused. Moribito's characters are interesting collectively, but on an individual basis they're easily the least interesting thing about it.

Moribito does have plenty of interesting things to say, though. Particularly about legacy, and how it pertains to both family, and the natural order. The old must always make way for the new, and the new exists only on the foundation laid by that which came before. The show is also built heavily on parallels. The parallel between Balsa's group and the agents of the Mikado. The parallel between the spirit world and the natural world. The dual parallels of Balsa's relationship to her foster father and Chagum, and the rebirth cycle of the Water Spirit. It's a pretty compelling thematic hook. Which is to say nothing of the coming-of-age and parenting themes that comprise most of the surface elements of the story, which are both handled poignantly.

Overall, I would call Moribito the poster-child for a solid 8/10 anime. There's a lot of good in this show, but the ambition and nuance of the story just proves too much of a burden for the show to carry, causing some all too noticeable stumbles along the way.