Kurozuka

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Alternative Titles

Synonyms: Black Tomb

Japanese: 黒塚

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Information

Type: TV

Episodes: 12

Status: Finished Airing

Aired: Oct 7, 2008 to Dec 23, 2008

Premiered: Fall 2008

Broadcast: Tuesdays at 22:00 (JST)

Producers: Sony Pictures Entertainment

Licensors: Mill Creek Entertainment

Studios: Madhouse

Source: Manga

Genres: Action, Drama, Horror, Romance, Sci-Fi

Themes: Gore, Historical, Samurai, Vampire

Demographic: Seinen

Duration: 23 min. per ep.

Rating: R - 17+ (violence & profanity)

Statistics

Score: 6.87¹ (scored by 32,449 users)

¹ indicates a weighted score.

Ranked: #4952²

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

Popularity: #2116

Members: 97,146

Favorites: 320

Available At

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Synopsis

In 12th-century Japan, swordsman Kurou escapes ghastly pursuers into a deep forest with his servant Benkei. Seeking shelter, the two find themselves within the secluded abode of the mysterious and beautiful Kuromitsu. While they are warmly accepted, the men are warned to never enter Kuromitsu's room.

However, driven by innate curiosity and perhaps a condemned love, Kurou peeks through the ajar door, only to find Kuromitsu feasting on the blood of fallen men. He soon learns Kuromitsu is an immortal vampire, and dedicates himself to her—even becoming a vampire himself in order to spend eternity with her. But the cryptic organization known as the Red Army has enlisted the help of Benkei, who betrays Kurou and severs his head.

Awaking centuries into the future in an apocalyptic modern-day Japan, Kurou sets off to reunite with his lover and exact revenge on the Red Army.

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

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Background

Kurozuka was released on DVD by Sony Pictures Home Entertainment on December 21, 2012.

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Adaptation:

Kurozuka

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Characters & Voice Actors

Kuromitsu

Main

Park, Romi
Japanese

Kurou

Main

Miyano, Mamoru
Japanese

Kuon

Supporting

Irino, Miyu
Japanese

Benkei

Supporting

Nakata, Jouji
Japanese

Rai

Supporting

Kuwashima, Houko
Japanese

Yokoyama, Hiroaki

Supporting

Saniwa

Supporting

Fujita, Toshiko
Japanese

Arashiyama

Supporting

Miki, Shinichiro
Japanese

Karuta

Supporting

Fujiwara, Keiji
Japanese

Izana

Supporting

Inoue, Kazuhiko
Japanese

More staff

Staff

Hashimoto, Kentarou

Producer

Araki, Tetsurou

Director, Episode Director, Storyboard, Series Composition

Ishizuka, Atsuko

Episode Director, Storyboard

Itou, Tomohiko

Episode Director, Storyboard

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Opening Theme

"SYSTEMATIC PEOPLE" by WAGDUG FUTURISTIC UNITY featuring Maximum the Ryou-kun (Maximum the Hormone)

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Ending Theme

"Hanarebanare (ハナレバナレ)" by Shigi

Reviews

Dec 1, 2021

GrimmjowReaper

Recommended

Period anime with samurai seems too often trapped by a realism with less room for experimentation and more room for error. But there are some series that have our imaginations soar, that have those thought-provoking questions, allowing both anime- and non-anime fans to dig deeper with the theoretical discussions they offer.

This, and I would not be surprised while having a discussion with a fan of director Tetsuo Araki that we both agree Attack on Titan is one of our least favorite Araki-directed shows for that matter. Our discussion might transition to a point where we begin recalling the days of being so impressed with Death ... Note in the 00s---that we began relying too much on broad consensus sites like Anime News Network and THEM Anime, aiding our search in finding the perfect series that might come close to that show's all-around level of quality, consistency, and story. Kurozuka is not that successor, though it certainly comes very close when it hits it's high points with an mesmerizing sense of maturity and balance of themes throughout it's 12-episode length.

I am also going to note before beginning this review that the trust I once had in those broad consensus sites might've decreased a little bit more after having watched this series all the way through. As you can see, MAL has a score of 6.9, and that might already indicate enough about my position here - that is, the consensus made little to no sense after it's release.

Let's begin with the story - and this may come as a shock to some who haven't seen Kurozuka yet and are skimming through these fan reviews with the score and mixed reception in the back of their mind, thinking to himself or herself it could be unwatchable - do not - I repeat, do not believe the general reaction. With a story that spans different time periods, and a truly unique female character that vampire fans will see as a refreshing twist on the genre, the story goes through so many twists and turns that there leaves so much room for discussion afterwards.

I put this show up with all of the other great mature anime like Monster, Death Note, and Aoi Bungaku. Never has there been a samurai period series with as many transfixing elements and had me reimagine more what the genre could accomplish.

A mysterious sense of antagonism lurks beneath each foreground with a Kabuki act indicating a haunted past. Only lightly touched upon, most of these antagonists are masked, rarely show their faces, and rarely have a lot of dialogue - this, however, makes it twice more terrifying; and provides a lot more attention on it's two important characters: Kuro and Kuromitsu.

The female character Kuromitsu exhibits a vulnerable side, providing a deep sense of 3-dimensionality with the very first episode when she apologizes to the main protagonist for her horrifying thirst for human flesh.
Fast forward, the future. After Kuro's incident with Kuromitsu, he becomes immortal and must battle an army that is looking for Kuromitsu's blood. This transitioning from a spiritualistic cult to an army using advanced sciences, is an aspect of the series that causes for speculation.
The time and space that Kurozuka captures methodically wants us viewers to be more curious, and introspect with questions similar to the experiences had with Death Note and Aoi Bungaku.

My nerdish side for Araki-directed anime wants the famous animator to go back to this really thought-provoking and philosophical stuff and that meanwhile provides a throwback to some 90s anime when the OVAs were more inspiring, more often than not, cutting-edge - which is really now conflicted by the streaming format. This is an anime I definitely recommend.

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Jun 24, 2020

RauLeCreuset

Mixed Feelings

Kurozuka, is very interesting from the very first episode, the two monks, and when they meet the gorgeous female immortal vampire, kuro instantly falls for her, as you can see it in his eyes, he is mesmerized by her beautiful pale skin. I am very fond of the main character's determination to find the girl that he trot loves and cares about, among helping some new friends on their journey, which also becomes his along the way, it's a win win, for him and his rebel like comrades. I think this anime was comical, but, I also feel like it was rushed and not really ...

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Jun 9, 2022

Gsarthotegga

Not Recommended

Although this series has a reputation of being confusing, it's actually very straightforward—it's just that the first three or so episodes are jumping around to different time periods, relying on flashbacks, peculiar editing, unfinished plot threads, a bizarre head trip where the main character doesn't know who he is, and jumbling it all up to create what looks to be a non-linear, experimental anime, but this doesn't last.

We begin in 12th century Japan, and the story specific to the characters of Kuro and Benkei remains superficial. There is some kind of feud between warring factions and Kuro is on the run. These elements fade ... into the background as Kuro develops an unhealthy obsession with an immortal vampire woman. Most of the male characters end up becoming enamored with her.

The gore and visuals of these segments bring to mind Shigurui, but that doesn't last long—we're briefly transported to WWII Japan in what is little more than a battle sequence—then straight to a cyberpunk world reminiscent of Texhnolyze. I suspect there was a fair amount of influence from that series and there are also many aesthetic similarities, right down to using the katana as a symbol.

About the only thing this show has going for it are the aesthetics. The music is a mixture of traditional Japanese folk and modern electronics. Both feudal Japan and the bombed-out wasteland are drawn lavishly. The animation is mostly smooth enough, although there are occasional icky CGI bits and moments with typical TV sluggishness. The directing form the Attack on Titan director is also solid. It's the characters and the script that are the main problems.

1,000+ years apparently weren't kind to the immortal main character, as he behaves like an amnesiac, yet he doesn't necessarily seem to be written as a true amnesiac. The way the show is edited early on with these time skips, gives the impression that the main's journey through time and space is non-linear, but he seems to be subjected to very intense visions and flashbacks.

The one and only motivation or interest he has in life is his immortal lover, Kuromitsu, and he spends the entire series hunting her down—yet he doesn't seem to remember or know anything about her. This is despite the two of them supposedly having been together for many centuries. He has one of the blankest personalities imaginable and has the most stoic "..." anime elitist segments possible.

Kuromitsu remains an enigmatic character not only to the main, but also to the audience. I would hesitate to call any of the characters archetypes or even criticize them as being flat. These are poorly written character sketches at best. They're just completely empty, and they don't have anything insightful to say, nor do they have notable motivations. Most of the males other than the main either want Kuromitsu's attention or want to become super mutants. Kuon's role here is especially stupid.

The terrible script consists of the characters going from point A to B and back, flashy fight sequences with loads of plot armor and zero tension, and just random gibberish about a red army that spans all the way back to the 12th century or earlier that wants Kuromitsu's blood, so they can become immortal and continue on to the next step of evolution. The exact relationship of the red army to the city is not adequately explained, but they kill people at random or abduct them to perform experiments on them.

Then there's the intoxicating stupidity and obsession of the "love" between the two main characters. They're so banal and empty as characters and seemingly know nothing about each other. There's also a reason we have short lifespans. Can you imagine anyone being so alluring that you fawn over them for 1,000 years? For what? To be loved, to love? To touch her hair and kiss her and string together poetry? uwu. It would be about the same if the main character spent 1,000 years looking at porn or sending money to e-thots on Only Fans. This shallow undying romance stuff just makes me want to hurl. Think about what a man could accomplish with immortality, and he spends that time staring at her and asking to kiss her boo boos. What a loser.

While there is a plot twist at the end that adds a little more poignancy, and creates somewhat of a ghastly rumination on immortality and mortality and the possibility of a cyclical plight for the main character, if not just another confused recollection on his part... what I described above does hold up as the reality for one of the characters. Kuromitsu is a beauty to be sought after, and that's it. There's no reason for her to be sought for, however. She's so indescribably dull, and this kind of allure was pulled off better in Babylon—but at least that character didn't have to draw the men in for eternity.

A central problem is that the series has so little plot and so much action—this story could have easily been summed-up in half the time, and we would lose nothing—then we might be closer to a mediocre production rather than this poor offering of a series.

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Kuromitsu

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Kuon

Benkei

Rai

Yokoyama, Hiroaki

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Izana

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