Crystal Blaze (Glass Maiden)

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Japanese: クリスタルブレイズ

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Information

Type: TV

Episodes: 12

Status: Finished Airing

Aired: Apr 9, 2008 to Jun 25, 2008

Premiered: Spring 2008

Broadcast: Wednesdays at 01:15 (JST)

Producers: Happinet Pictures, BIGLOBE

Licensors: Maiden Japan

Studios: Studio Fantasia

Source: Original

Genres: Action, Sci-Fi

Duration: 24 min. per ep.

Rating: R - 17+ (violence & profanity)

Statistics

Score: 6.13¹ (scored by 5,407 users)

¹ indicates a weighted score.

Ranked: #8604²

² based on the top anime page. Please note that 'Not yet aired' and 'R18+' titles are excluded.

Popularity: #5065

Members: 16,758

Favorites: 10

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Synopsis

Rags Town is the garbage dump of Japan. The place where people who want to forget their pasts run to. In this town, where the rules strictly forbid asking about the past or getting to know people, there is small detective agency called S&A Detectives.

The story revolves around Ayamana, the inseparable pair of misfit wannabe detectives, the case Manami takes on impulse, and the trouble that arises from it. On the case they find a woman who is abnormally hot, and who is being chased by a bunch of women with guns. After being dubbed Sara, the detectives try and figure out just what is going on with her. At the same time, all over town teenage girls are burning up and turning into glass. The government is covering everything up, but the detectives, as well as a nosy reporter and the local police, are determined to find out what is happening.

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Background

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Matsuyama, Takashi
Japanese

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Staff

Kase, Mitsuko

Director, Episode Director, Storyboard

Kameyama, Toshiki

Sound Director

Satou, Keiichi

Storyboard

Akitsu, Minami

Storyboard

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Opening Theme

"Never looking back" by Rie

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Ending Theme

	1: "qué sera-sera" by TASO (eps 1-8)
	2: "Kokoroyo Kaze ni Nare" by TASO (eps 9-12)

Reviews

May 21, 2011

bbonthec

Recommended

It's the atmosphere that really makes this show a gem. The artists and writers really made the setting pop -- it really feels like a gritty, sexy, noir, near-future world. The story is just OK, but the characters are varied and interesting, and combined with such an incredibly realized setting, it is a great show to immerse yourself in for 4 hours.

This anime has flaws, no doubt about it. However, the flaws are easily overlooked, and do not detract from being able to thoroughly enjoy this show. A highly recommended miniseries.

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Jul 4, 2010

711

Mixed Feelings

…you are walking down through the foggy wet night of an old badly lit neighborhood when you suddenly spot a humming neon sign on top of a brick thorn wall with a small wooden door by it. Walking steadily towards it the echoed water splashing sound caused by your steps against the water on the pavement, give place to a still stuffy mellow deep bass from inside the place. As soon as you open the door your eyes instantly loose themselves on the tick mist of smoke against the small green lamps on each table, which provides the only light to the small cramped ...

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Oct 6, 2015

Garpachi

Not Recommended

What can one expect out of a pure action/sci-fi, such as we have here in Cystal Blaze? Good fights, interesting technologies, and the same things we've come to expect out of basically any anime: good characters, plot, and in some cases, a great soundtrack. With these as our guidelines, how effective is Crystal Blaze at presenting its story and themes? Well, like attempting to use Earthquake on a Flying-type Pokemon, its not effective at all, except under very specific circumstances.

Let's start off with the basics in what Crystal Blaze does well. Its not all that much, but if you're looking for something with ... action, you can probably enjoy this series. Don't misunderstand me though, for this is not the pinnacle of Action Mountain. For a huge fan of such a series, Crystal Blaze is an adequate anime. Its one that you'd be able to spend your time on without thinking afterwards that you'd have been better off throwing your time down the garbage disposal. Its soundtrack isn't exactly stellar, but it gets the job done without actively detracting from the events that are unfolding. While not commendable, it does what its supposed to do and doesn't get in the way, so it's impossible to fault it there. The story with the animation is much of the same.

This, however, is where the praises must end, for Crystal Blaze does not warrant any more positive feedback than its already received. Other than its okay action sequences and passable soundtrack and animation, Crystal Blaze doesn't have much else going for it. Primary amongst these faults is, unfortunately, the plot. In regards to both its Sci-Fi aspect and its general storytelling aspect, Crystal Blaze falls flatter than the paper the storyboards were written on. Folks looking for a decent Sci-Fi should look further, as even this primary building block of the series fell into poor management. The secrets that the viewer wonders about since the beginning of the series are never properly answered, save a few vague "explanations" that only really serve to add more questions to the blazing fire that is the viewer's curiosity.

The characters are, somehow, even more mismanaged than these facets. Here, we have "Rags Town", a place where people go to forget their pasts. One expecting well-developed characters with strong backstories should turn away and run now, or otherwise attempt to tackle this monstrosity. With such a setting in "Rags Town", Crystal Blaze is perfectly set up to give not one, but all of its characters wonderfully moving or tragic backstories--and can be, in a way, expected to do so. What motivates these people? Why are the here, and why do they stay? In the end...we never know. Any such backstory is shoved into one montage at the end of a middle episode, and even then, it only really gives a basic, barebones backstory for one character. Even with such a setting, Crystal Blaze proceeds to completely abandon any promise for developing its characters, leaving them as action-character stereotypes to further along its weak, cliche-filled plotline.

So in the end, is it worth watching Crystal Blaze? The hard truth is...probably not. If you're a fan of action series in general, you could give this a shot and you may find it entertaining. Its not a gem, but you may enjoy it. If you're just looking for a quality, well-made anime with strong core elements, I'm afraid you'll need to keep looking. Overall, its not a complete loss if its got exactly what you're looking for...but don't expect to be blown away.

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Recent News

Maiden Japan Acquires Glass Maiden

According to their press release, Maiden Japan, a new licensing company that is using Section23 Films as a distributor, has acquired the Spring 2008 TV anime series ...read more

Jun 14, 2011 1:13 AM by Naruleach | Discuss (8 comments)

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Recent Forum Discussion

Poll: Crystal Blaze Episode 12 Discussion Ranivus - Sep 21, 2008	14 replies	by Dekom »» Nov 26, 2:30 PM
Poll: Crystal Blaze Episode 11 Discussion cyruz - Aug 30, 2008	9 replies	by Dekom »» Nov 25, 2:46 PM
Poll: Crystal Blaze Episode 10 Discussion cyruz - Jun 23, 2008	6 replies	by Dekom »» Nov 24, 3:29 PM
Poll: Crystal Blaze Episode 9 Discussion cyruz - Jun 11, 2008	7 replies	by Dekom »» Nov 23, 2:49 PM
Poll: Crystal Blaze Episode 8 Discussion darkside099 - Jun 6, 2008	14 replies	by Dekom »» Nov 22, 2:50 PM

Crystal Blaze

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Background

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Reviews

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