Kara no Kyoukai Movie 7: Satsujin Kousatsu (Go)

Kara no Kyoukai review Part 8.

There's an old aphorism about saving the best till last, and Kara no Kyoukai ~The Garden of Sinners~ has done just that.

The seventh and final movie in the franchise doesn't simply follow the events of the second movie, but utilises threads from several previous stories to weave an interesting, and sometimes disturbing, tale of obsession. The second part of Satsujin Kousatsu (Murder Speculation), takes place in February 1999, one month after Oblivion Recording, and more than three years after the events in the second movie.

This time around it seems the serial killer from part one is back, and as the ... bodies are found one by one, Mikiya Kokuto searches for answers as he continues to believe Ryougi Shiki was not responsible for previous set of murders, and that she is innocent of the crimes being commited now. Meanwhile, Shiki prowls the dark alleys night after night ...

One thing that really sets this movie apart from the rest of the series is that the plot is much tighter and more flowing than in most of the previous outings. There is also a conscious effort to tie up some of the loose ends left over the course of the series, and while there are still several unanswered questions, the second part of Satsujin Kousatsu does manage to offer some catharsis about Shiki and Kokuto's relationship.

That said, the writing isn't perfect. There are still some plot points that remain unresolved, and while they may not have a major impact on the narrative per se, they do leave one feeling that the overall storyline from the whole series is a little incomplete. In addition to this the dialogue suffers from an abundance of intelligence as every character can philosophise their actions in some manner. The upshot of this is that the movie can sometimes seem condescending or patronizing, and even though this questionable arrogance may be unintentional, the simple fact is that viewers may find themselves wanting to punch the screen from time to time.

While the writing may not be up to standard, the same can't be said of the visuals. Ufotable have, once again, pulled out all the stop for this finale, and it shows. The characters move with an animal grace that is rare to see, and the overall animation is stunning in its quality and choreography. The opening credit sequence is particularly noteworthy as it shows great imagination, as well as some stunning techniques that will hopefully appear in more anime. As for the movie proper, there are some fantastic lighting effects throughout which add a more ominous atmosphere to much of the story, especially when used alongside the often dark, dank backgrounds and settings. That said, there are occasions where the lighting is a little off (for example, characters are easily distinguishable in areas where there is no readily available light source), however this is a minor gripe as the majority of the movie is the most atmospheric and well animated episode in the franchise.

Sound is another area where the movie excels, although there are admittedly a few minor niggles here and there. The cast are at their best in this episode, and their experience with the characters, especially Kokuto (Suzumura Kenichi), and Shiki (Sakamoto Maaya), really does shine through. The performances of the seiyuu literally ooze quality, and while there is a penchant for philosophical monologuing at times, these are delivered with aplomb.

In terms of effects Satsujin Kousatsu Part 2 might arguably be the best in the series. Each sound is clear and distinguishable, even when the habitual cacophony occurs during heavy action sequences, and once again the franchise proves that it can deliver very high production values.

The real triumph though, is the music.

In the simplest terms this movie a definite contender for "best anime choreography of the decade" as it features some of the most breathtaking melding of animation and music to be found in the medium, and the choice of tracks is nothing short of inspired. The opening sequence is a choral, hymn-like track which perfectly sets the tone for the rest of the movie, while the end theme, a bittersweet ballad, works very well with the movie's finale. Where Satsujin Kousatsu Part 2 really shines though, is in the application of its thematic music. The tracks on offer have a generally dark feel to them (this isn't really a "nice" story after all), but added to that are visuals that have not only been timed extremely well, but feature some excellent animation, stunning set designs, and superb camera angles.

One of the issues that has plagued the Kara no Kyoukai franchise from the outset is that the characters are often underdeveloped, and while certain events over the course of the series provide opportunities for growth, these chances are all too often overlooked. That said, there is some development to be had, it's just unfortunate that the lion's share of it only occurs in a few movies, and this is one of them. It's the introduction of Shirazumi Lio that changes the dynamics of not only the story, but also the relationship between Kokuto and Shiki. He is the one thing that forces the pair to grow as characters, and his presence in the movie casts a pall over every story in the franchise.

Confused? I'll elaborate then.

Kara no Kyoukai has made the effort to portray Souren Araya as the main "bad guy", but while his goals may be the drivers for many of the events over the course of the series, he never affected Kokuto and Shiki in the way that Lio does. It's his formation of a very disturbed "menage-a-trois" that causes Kokuto to "get off his backside" for once, and pushes Shiki to the edge of reason. Lio is also noteworthy for the surprising amount of characterisation that has gone into his creation. He is a complete persona from start to finish, and while there is virtually no development on his part, he honestly doesn't need it.

To be perfectly frank, I found this to be the best installment in the series, and while it is somewhat more graphic than other episodes, this only serves to improve one's understanding of the characters and events (as opposed to simply being graphic in order to be "cool"). A case in point is one particular interaction between Lio and Shiki, which while being rather sexually charged, is more reminiscent of a child pulling the wings off a fly. It's this emphasis on improving the viewer's understanding of the characters that really sets the movie apart, especially as this is what has been lacking for most of the series.

If you're a fan of franchise, or of TYPE-MOON, then Satsujin Kousatsu Part 2 is a movie that you should definitely watch. As a standalone it holds its own against many other releases, but when the series is taken as a whole the movie is raised to a new level. That said, in order to fully appreciate the difference it's best to watch the rest of the series first, as while each episode functions as an autonomous tale, this particular film has been designed to convey an ending.

Kara no Kyoukai may not be to everyone's tastes, but whether you like it or not the one undeniable fact is that the franchise makes a great advertisement for the potential inherent in the anime industry, and given some recent releases like Break Blade, it seem like someone was paying attention.

When it comes to watching anime, any anime series can keep someone entertained for the entirety of its length. But it takes a truly remarkable series to become memorable among the bottomless sea of anime. Kara no Kyoukai is that series.

Kara no Kyoukai 7: Satsujin Kousatsu Part 2 is the finale of a string of movies based of a series of light novels by Kinoko Nasu. In the final movie, the story revolves around the appearance of multiple murders as well as the disappearance of Ryougi Shiki, and Kokutou Mikiya's attempt to unravel the mysteries of the murders and Shiki's whereabouts.

Story: 10

I was ... really conflicted on whether or not the story for the finale deserved a 9 or a 10, but in the end i chose the give it a 10 against my better judgment. All of the Kara no Kyoukai movies have a very adult plot, focusing on murder and moral values within society, and the 7th movie also takes this stance while focusing on Shiki and Mikiya's relatioship, as well as tying up lose ends in the plot, and revealing things that the other movies left out. The use of suspense and mystery, as well as the constant flash backs that reveal more and more of Mikiya and Shiki's tale really helps to keep the story flowing as well as keeping the viewers interested. If I had to be really picky, the only problem with the story is the pacing at some points. The flow of the story does not have a constant pacing, where at some points it seems to move extremely slow while other times the story seems to progress and reveal information in a short amount of time.

Art: 10

Really, all the Kara no Kyoukai movies have amazing art and animation and the finale is no exception. The use of a dark color palet brings out the story's dark undertones of the story, as well as complementing the characters and scenery.

Sound: 10

Sound is also used very effectively as well to help create a mood to immerse the viewers in. It is up beat when it needs to be, and sad when it needs to be as well. The combination of the art and sound creates a mood that helps immerse viewers in Shiki and Mikiya's world and the situation they are in. It is the addition of these elements which truly brings out Kara no Kyoukai's brilliance. Keeping the viewers attention is only half the battle, for an anime to truly become remarkable in the eyes of the public it needs to draw in the viewers, immerse them in the characters world. Having the viewer feeling tense as a character rounds the corner, having them feel for the characters during emotional moments, this is all created through the use of art and sound, and Kara no Kyoukai nails it.

Character: 10

As stated in the story, we get to see more of the relationship between Shiki and Mikiya as well as their development as characters. Shiki is a very unusual character, one of the reasons that people are drawn to this anime, and although she is hard to identify with, seeing her struggle with her problems, struggle with understanding her emotions, as well as evolve as a person is what draws us to her. While other movies did not so much focus on Shiki and her emotions and how she is changing, this movie is solely dedicated to it, and that is one of its greatest draws.

Enjoyment: 10

What can I say, I have been praising this movie for the whole review. It is a masterpiece in my eyes, and while it may not have as much action as the others, it is still my personal favorite.

While writing this review, I was trying to find things wrong with this movie, but not matter how hard I thought, I was not able to. It may seem stupid that I gave this all 10's, but really, this movie deserved every one of them. It is outstanding, amazing and remarkable.

So let me ask you, what makes an anime memorable to you? Characters? Story? Art? There are only a select few animes that ever reach this level with people, an anime which you will remember while forgetting many others. It needs to stand out, it needs to grab your attention, and most importantly, it needs to affect YOU. For me, Kara no Kyoukai 7 is that kind of anime.

This is the final and possibly best installment of the series Kara no Kyoukai: The Garden of Sinners. I would like to mention before I begin that if you have a minimal knowledge of the previous movies in the series this may spoil the franchise for you. Let me also say, I have not read the novels, for in a way, I wanted to savor the animation and suspense these movies bring. And boy am I glad I did. When I finished this anime, I was taken back for a moment. It's one of those few anime miracles that occur, a deep breath, an awkward ... sigh, and then followed by a short reminiscence of what you just spent two hours watching. The plot delivery, the characters, the animation, the sound all astounding. Subtly tying the entire series together, almost nothing is left unexplained - while many questions remain.

Story: 10/10
The story wraps up what the other six movies manage to establish - an awesome gut-wrenching plot that really shifts your way of thinking. Now I can't really say anything because I don't want to spoil the movie, but this movie really does it right. The character you saw for a brief moment during the end of the fifth movie appears, playing a major role. But what really makes this anime different in the story telling department is (and this is why I love it) not the solid plot itself, but the details that surround it. A minor phrase can inadvertently change how the story progresses, or a scene that occurred a few movies earlier can really influences what happens.

Now about the seventh movies story. Shiki and Mikiya's love is really held high here, seeing as it is the final and climactic movie. The time is also set as the furthest set time to date, which was threw me for a loop because since this movie was called "Murder Speculation (Second Half)" I thought it would be a direct sequel to the second movie. It is in fact not, and explains what happened shortly after the second movie through flashbacks. The fight scenes are as always, top-notch. The 'other Shiki' is explained in this movie, for up until now the idea of 'another Shiki' (SHIKI) seemed rather abstract. As I said before I can't say too much about the story, seeing as it would ruin the suspense.

Art: 10/10
The art and animation are far beyond any anime, rivaling 5/Centimers Per Second. The fighting scenes are so high tension that you can't help but move a little in your seat every time the camera switches angles. Ufotable, which also worked on Eve no Jikan and Pale Cocoon uses the same kind of art style, so if you liked those you should also like the way this anime looks. Some moments of animation are just jaw-dropping. In a scene where Shiki is lying down the camera pulls forward, pulses blue, pulls back a little and continues to zoom in. It may be hard to visualize in your head but this one scene was so intense I move closer to my computer screen, as if the anime was drawing me in. The chiaroscuro used in this anime really enhances the overall experience. The horror scenes in this anime are too, really disturbing, not because of the what is happening but how it is presented (an anime that does not truly excel here is the original Hellsing, where what is happening is creepy, but without proper animation it seems to lack the oomph Kara no Kyoukai has). No 3D elements or CG can be scene although the way this is animated makes it feel as if another dimension exists between the two, the movements of characters, vehicles, and even magic are so realistic it's fascinating.

Sound: 10/10
Not much to be said about the sound other than it too, is stellar. The opening song really creepy. I started drawing short breaths when it was finished, it fitted this anime quite well and it matched the animation to a T. The background music is creepy in its own, quiet, way. It plays as light filler in the background for when the fighting scenes start, building suspense all the while. The sounds of the cars, the rain, the sound of knives clashing with one another - all superb. It's like your really standing in front of a knife fight (that is without worrying for your life). The voice acting, too, is done really well, the voices fit the characters well and are executed without problems (I'd say more but I'm not an expert on VA). The ending song like all Kara No Kyoukai ending songs, fits the movie well, using lyrics that actually relate to what you just saw.

Character: 10/10
The characters reach a climax in this movie. All that you knew and didn't know about them meets here. Mikiya begins to reveal his love for Shiki, and you see him in a new, darker light. You'll find yourself asking "Is this the same guy from the second movie, or what?" the change is quite apparent. Shiki and her counterpart SHIKI's motives are explained and the view you have of her will also change from the beginning to end of this movie. I do digress that Araya had less of a role than in previous movies, seeing as he was such an interesting character, I wish they made more use of him. He does appear but doesn't say much. The new character, Lio, was briefly shown in earlier movies, but is revealed as Shiki's "stalker". He is a pivotal character that explains a lot of what happened in the second movie which was essentially the catalyst for the entire series. Once again, if I say too much, it'll be ruined.

Enjoyment: 10/10
By God! If you're still reading, you should know that I harbor a deep love for this series, these characters, and this movie! What an incredible experience. There was not a single moment that I didn't enjoy this movie. Now you're probably thinking "Well because yeah, you were having a freaking orgasm the whole time just by staring at the animation", and essentially, you could say I was. I'm writing this to heavily suggest you watch these movies. I want to you, the reader, to want to watch this, not because it's gimmicky, or all the cool kids are watching it (but they are) but because it's simply amazing.

Overall: 10/10
Masterpiece.

Closing note: This is my first review, and I'm writing it because I feel that more people should know about this anime. My review may sound pretentious (which my writing may be, but not this movie) and over-exaggerated but it really isn't. This is truly one of the great anime epics, holding its own with Legend of the Galactic Heroes and Monster.

(Before reading, I would like to say that this is my first review in MyAnimeList and any criticism or feedback would be great. In addition, this is a review of the entire KnK series not just the 7th one. Any recommendations from fellow Kara no Kyoukai fans would also be appreciated. There might be spoilers so WATCH OUT. THANK YOU!!!)

Story:
The story has been deemed confusing as I cannot myself disagree with this notion. However, I believe this vagueness at the beginning of the anime was meant to interest readers as the anime overall had a mysterious aura to it. If the entire story were explained ... linearly, then the story would just not be as compelling. Kara no Kyoukai is instead presented like a puzzle or a detective's case, in which the audience must piece together all of the clues and stories that these movies provide. Once the audience reaches the climax of the story, the puzzle starts to form the picture that it was gradually working towards. The picture itself is emotionally impactful and I personally felt rewarded for the effort that I put into the anime. The ending answered the major questions the anime brought up earlier, such as "What exactly happened to Shiki after she attempted to kill Mikiya?" This anime ended in a rollercoaster of emotions that were released all at once due to the complete understanding of the story after the answers given to the audience.

The small pieces of the puzzle that were provided before the conclusion were outstanding as well. Each piece had its fair share of food for thought. The first movie's unique and poetic take on suicide and the the 5th movie's take on how life can sometimes be described as a habitual spiral are some examples of philosophy that made these first 6 movies not only bearable, but enjoyable. In addition, each antagonist before Lio had his or her own intriguing story that kept me entertained while trying to decipher the anime. Fujino, Souren, etc. all had their own different motives behind murdering, making murder a recurring theme throughout the series to set up for the conclusion.

Art and Sound:
Ufotable's art does not fail to impress once again as Kara no Kyoukai's art was simply beautiful. The fight scenes, as unrealistic as they may actually be, were transformed into realistically fluid scenes that were visually appealling. The art formed the foundation for the dark mood that broods over this anime. The dark undertones of the art and animation bolstered the depressing feelings through the series.

The sound produced mostly by Yuki Kajiura and Kalafina fit the anime well whatever the scene may be. The most common song "In the Garden of Sinners" and most other songs set the tragic tone of the anime from the start to the very end. When the action scenes occurred, the more upbeat songs added to the epicness that was already there from the gorgeous animation. It was obvious to me that Ufotable was selective in their choosing songs for the right moments in the anime.

Even though the story was impressive alone, its effectiveness came from the backbone that the art and the sound created.

Characters:
My personal favorite part of the anime are its characters, mostly the two main ones. Ryougi Shiki is a type of character that I have never encountered in any form of media as her character is unique. It is not only this uniqueness that attracted me with this character, but also the execution of it. Through her internal and external conflicts, I began to empathize with her gradually while watching the anime. Also, by this process, I experienced the change that she was going through as a character.

Kokutou Mikiya was also interesting because of the way he interacted with Shiki. In a way, he was the perfect complement to Shiki, the most righteous and nice guy who simply had hope regardless of the situation. The hopeless and conflicted Shiki transformed over time because of her affection for Kokutou Mikiya. When the two needed each other the most, the relationship flourished as the story concluded. The relationship became clear and satisfying.

Enjoyment:
I finished this anime three days ago and I cannot stop thinking about it. Those past few days were full of going through reddit posts and Youtube to find any KnK related stuff to explore. Well, you should get the point already that I thoroughly enjoyed this anime. I never loved animes but simply watched for entertainment purposes. However, after watching Kara no Kyoukai, this has made me want to explore more about this medium. This anime was more than just enjoyable, but it drew me in into the entire world that is anime.

I highly recommend that everyone at least tries to finish through the 7 movies. However, I know that this anime is not for everyone as it is not very accessible. Even to me who loved this anime, there were still scenes that could only be answered by experts of the Nasuverse. This is probably one of the few flaws that I could find with the series. However, these flaws were far outweighed by the quality and complexity of Kara no Kyoukai.

Despite all that, if you can put the time and effort into understanding the plot, this anime will simply blow you away. I have yet to discover any movie or TV show of any country that can top this one. The way it drew all of its elements together in a beautifully orchestrated fashion made this one of the best experiences in my entire lifetime.

This review is unnecessary. Whether or not you'll watch this depends on what you thought of the previous movies, not on these reviews. Yet, I feel like reviewing it anyway.


This could have been an excellent anime if there was money left over from the apparently massive animation budget to hire a decent writer. Conversely, this could have been entertaining if the animation and voice acting matched the writing. As it is, I give this a rating of "what."

Fighting scenes are animated well, but ridiculous. I can handle super mecha, and I can handle people crossing swords all the time, but constantly ending up with crossed ... pocket knives is too much. Really, there's only so much you can do with that. New and complex powers can be interesting. For example, in Code Geass, there are no ends to the way some Geass can be used. Conversely, more realistic knife fighting could have been interesting. Kara no Kyoukai has nothing but glowing slashes, jumping about, and crossing pocketknives over and over again. I am also left wondering why nobody ever uses a gun.

Oooh, a long still shot of an answering machine as it says to leave a message, and no message is left. Ahhh, people talking about something mundane, done in a way that's usually used to make it seem like the conversation will be significant, when it's not. Like the previous movies, this could have been shorter, or better yet, had a writer that would make good use of that time. Lots of time spent on things that are totally irrelevant. Scenes that have nothing to do with the voiceover they go with. People that act in absurd ways. Conversations that are supposed to seem deep but don't actually mean anything and are too long to take as a standard pseudoexplanation. These are things I can describe clearly, but the writing is subtly insane in a way that transcends such and even normal kinds of insanity.

So, this was the last of these movies. In the end, I felt like nothing was explained, everyone's actions were arbitrary, and the previous events were pointless. I gave this a 7, but on my rating scale, that does not mean this is "good" per se but rather that, in its own "special" way, it was worth watching.

By Ray at animediet.net

I became silent for a while after watching the last installment of Kara no Kyoukai (空の境界). Gazing at the screen in disbelief in some moments, shock and dismay in others and appreciation in still others, I began to wonder about a variety of things.

Having read the novel twice, I know the ending in the movie is happier. Despite of whatever happened, the movie managed to squeeze out a happy ending. Actually, I almost had the same critique for the novel, except the novel described an unavoidable loss; a much stronger displacement or blank where the male Shiki (織) once existed. That, and ... there is something about the current Shiki that Mikiya will never quite reach.

There is much blood and violence in the movie, not to mention one strongly sexually charged scene. It is nothing like erotism; it is rather like a scene of a butterfly or a certain prey struggling, as it is being overwhelmed and at the same time, strangely fascinated by its helplessness in facing a certain death.

Indeed, much blood is spilt, much like in John Woo films where much shell casings and sparks fly and bodies tangle in the dance of death. As the blades cross, bites and scratches each other, one wonders for the similarities and differences between Shiki and the anti-Shiki, the latter seeking to find a companion in the world; anyone would do; anyone would do? Right?

Being I, being a self-proclaimed Otaku (most likely just another geek in a geek culture), I struggled much as the antagonist had. Throughout the movie, the anti-Shiki seeks solace, seeks salvation of a sort by his effort of trying to find and to seduce Shiki and others to his side. It is his belief that Shiki can go back to the side that he believes he resides; it is his downfall that Shiki is no longer the same Shiki four years ago.

However, as perhaps only the audience could observe and be sure of, Shiki was not the person the anti-Shiki wanted to be with four years ago, and after everything that happened after that, Shiki became something closer to a sense of believed normality. The novel hints that the “believed-ness” but the movie forgoes the key conversation in favor of a gentler and loving ending. Perhaps to provide a crutch to people like me, who seeks normalcy in a world where the definition for it is becoming more and more blurred. But the fact remain is that I am still broken.

The novel seems to confirm that, as Shiki muses the lost of the male part of self and the conversation that affirms that musing. The movie doesn’t ignore it, but it is certainly portrayed in a more positive light. The male Shiki is the killer urge, thus as he is gone, it is better. But the loss is there. Both the novel and the movies come to terms with that fact, but somehow, I am slightly dissatisfied with the movies. However, with all the wonderful animation, superior voice acting, camera direction and music, the movies are masterpieces in emotional intensity and psychological searching in their own right.

Kara no Kyoukai 7: Satsujin Kousatsu (Part 2)is the final movies from the Kara no kyoukai trilogy,the story occurred after 4 years an event from the second movies,as the continued of the ending credit of kara no kyoukai 6.Countless serial killer has occurred and that make Shiki as a murder suspect and that make Kakutou doing an investigation about the serial killer and didn't believe that the occurred accident about all the killing was involved Shiki....in this last movies,as the continued from the kara no kyoukai 2(part 1) its manage to answered the question in Part 1 for what happen before the accident and the ... other ''Shiki'' that disappeared and catharsis relationship between Shiki and Kokutou...and what make the serial killer to started to kill and who is the serial killer is being answered in Kakutou an investigation..with suspend and mystery as a main plot it really delivered well combine with a few of romance and gore and a lot of flash back between Shiki and Kakutou and the Serial killer past as a part of importance flow of story development..
The Art was good,nothing change alot ,the environment and the character movement was awesome,but some action scene was kinda dull to see.however the used of alot of dark colour as a main really bring the suspend and the mystery more interesting... and the character emotional really draw well and make the char exposed more..
The sound,was nothing that special mostly all the BGM was in an average,but using it in the right scene really create a mood to the viewer with combine the art and sound.
This movies mainly focused the relationship between Shiki and Kakutou,that make it interesting even it focused the relationship between them the main story are still in the lane,that make this movies is really an enjoyment to watch..compared to the other movies i think only this movies have the strong catharsis relationship between them...with less action but emotional....

Satsujin Kousatsu (Part 2) is the final film in the Kara no Kyoukai series and I have somewhat mixed feelings on it. I'm not really going to touch on the artwork, animation, or the sound. Beautiful stuff as usual.

One of the core mysteries of the series is the question of Shiki's involvement in the multiple gruesome murders that took place 4 years before the events of this film. The main focus of this film is the culmination of this plot-line and I think for the most part it's handled really well. Even now as the final entry in the series, the movie takes its time ... and allows the viewer to make their own connections between the tidbits of information that are laid out piece by piece. And as deliberate as the pacing can be, it all leads up to an awesome and very satisfying climax and conclusion. Pretty much all the loose ends are tied up, Shiki has a fine character arc, and I was (mostly) satisfied with how the events played out. Despite all of this, there's some pretty silly elements of the film that bog it down a bit, namely the parts having to do with drugs. I also couldn't help but feel an undercurrent of dissatisfaction with the emotional foundation of this film, that is, the moral conflict between Kokutou and Shiki. In the interest of avoiding spoilers, I'm not going to get into it too much, but the reasoning for their conflict just feels inconsistent in light of the 5th film and much frustrating drama could have easily been avoided. Honestly, I'm just going to chalk it up to Nasu contradicting himself like he usually does. Still, I overall really enjoyed their intimate relationship and how they play off one another.

This leads me towards the characters and the dialogue of the film. There seems to a be a common thread throughout many Type-Moon works, and that is of characters being the embodiment of extremes. From Araya and Kokutou, and from Kiritsugu to Sakura, many embody some extreme personality trait or ideal, and their dilemmas often stem from how they reconcile these traits or ideals with the harsh reality around them. Personally, I'm somewhere in the middle for these types of characters. They can certainly be interesting, but they often stretch my suspension of disbelief and can really try my patience. Shiki is great however and one of my favorite characters. She's complex and mysterious but not just for contrived mystery's sake, there's very real and understandable reasons why she acts the way she does. I also just really love the way she handles her business, she's definitely got major style. However, I feel like I enjoyed the character interactions in the other films a bit more than this one, partly because of the dialogue, which was pretentious at times. I was more forgiving towards the other films because despite how overwrought the dialogue could be, it was still generally very interesting. However, they really do lay it on a bit too thick for this one. Indeed, there's like a five minute philosophical discussion on the difference between murder and slaughter and I swear my eyes rolled all the way back into my skull.

Despite all my complaints, this is definitely a quality film, and I feel like the Kara no Kyoukai series is a quality watch, especially so if you like moody and atmospheric anime. Especially Paradox Spiral, which after a needed re-watch is now one of my favorite films ever. It's also a good watch if you're even a casual fan of Type-Moon, as it lays down the foundation for a lot of the important lore and concepts that came later.

[Story: 9.0] On the whole, whether Kara no Kyoukai's storyline can be considered deep or sophisticated is debatable. However, it being a story with various intriguing concepts is undeniable. First and foremost, this is a very dialogue heavy show – minimal action, plenty of talking. In addition, the show also starts rather slowly; it takes quite a while for the scenes to set up. Thus it is not surprising that some may find it insipid. Hence, unlike other Fantasy/Magic series, Kara no Kyoukai is not about Magic in the manner of casting spells and fighting, it is more concerned with the inner workings. Nasu seems ... to love giving details about how Magic work, though this is more prominent when playing the visual novels of Tsukihime and Fate Stay/Night than reading the novel or watching the movies for Kara no Kyoukai.

One key aspect that made it engaging is the narrative style. I have a soft spot for shows done in anachronistic order and since this only consists of seven movies, it's not that confusing to piece the events and timeline together. Also presenting the story in a non-chronological manner helps enhancing the mood of mystery throughout the show. The ending is cliché but this is probably one of those cases where it is the most appropriate way to end it. Indeed, I might add that it is the perfect way to end.

From this work, we can certainly see some of the various prototypes that will later become part of the now already famous works of TYPE-Moon. My one qualm with TYPE-Moon's works however, is that they all contain a certain level of rather dark, explicit elements. Sure, it is one thing that the works are intended for older audience to begin with, but it is another thing to have Magic, and generally Magus (Magicians) being portrayed as unpleasant in nature– I'm not really a fan of shows with elements of gore.

[Characters: 8.0] Ryouggi Shiki herself is an unexpectedly beguiling character. Her development from a sociopath with nihilistic tendencies to a, well, someone with more emotion is excellently explored, particularly in the 5th and 7th movie. The characters in TYPE-Moon verse tend to have overpowered abilities, of which characters like Shiki possessed plenty potential for abuse. Yet, there are little of those, for her abilities are used mostly as plot points rather than deus ex machina for the plot to progress. If anything, Shiki’s ability is probably what made Kara no Kyoukai senjoyable. Because, once again, as mentioned unlike most magic series, Kara no Kyoukai is more interested in the metaphorical interpretation than the literal fanciful explosion.

Nevertheless, in terms of its characters, this show is relatively weak. Other than Shiki, the characters are rather lacking in personality or rather, development of their personalities. While it is true that Mikiya is supposed to play the part of the normal guy (and morality pet for Shiki), he really is too bland.

[Art: 10.0] Naturally, the art is superb. While I don’t recommend people to watch this series of movies if they’re looking for action-based shows, the fight sequences themselves are short but incredibly well executed. For a story heavy on symbolism, visual quality has thus become more of a prerequisite. Hence, the filming technique is expectedly one of the strong points of this show, with elements such as environmental symbolism helping to create the image that is simultaneously beautiful, whimsical and haunting, while the choreography and the way the camera angles are directed gives some of the scenes a more dynamic feel.

[Music: 10.0] Needless to say, with Yuki Kajiura behind the scores, the music featured are nothing short of fantastic. The music flows well with the show, reflecting the various melancholic setting perfectly. And Shiki’s battle Theme is addictive. Kalafina, being a band formed by Yuki Kajiura herself along with some members of Fiction Junction, carried on several of its signature styles.

[Summary] Naturally, Kara no Kyoukai is not recommended simply for anyone. Aside from the fact it is a rather dark show with a fair amount of gore and other mature themes (some of which contained rather graphic details), this is a show that is more concerned with delivering a story than showcasing action. With that said, this is worth the watch.

Personal Overall Rating: 9.0

This is part 7 and the final part(not exactly) of the KnK series
Here I am..the final part. Can't believe I managed to watch most of the movies without feeling bored. I never even thought of dropping KnK because they were so good.

(There will be some SPOILERS in my review)

[Story]: (9.5/10) (SPOILERS)
The 7th movie of the Kara no Kyoukai series now takes place a month after the events of the 6th KnK. Shiki has awoken from her coma and is now living her new life. During this time, a series of murders are occurring after 4 years of silence. Shiki launches an investigation and searches ... for the suspect. Meanwhile, Mikiya launches an investigation on his own.
I seriously had high hopes that the this movie will beat the 5th movie out of the water but unfortunately, it didn't. Don't take this the wrong way. I still love the 7th movie and I think it's a great finale to the KnK series but it didn't have that......vibe... that made the 5th movie a perfect one.
The pacing of the first half is extremely slow. It wasn't until the 2nd half where the plot finally gets moving at a normal pace. I gotta admit though, I do love the interaction between the main characters at the first half.
There were scenes in the movie that, again, I found disturbing. This time, Shiki was being raped and it's not as explicit as the 3rd movie. At this point, I was hoping that Mikiya comes to the rescue but my god was he slow. Not a very useful boyfriend if you ask me.
The ending of the movie was great and satisfying but I was expecting a kiss. I mean, they are a couple right? What a pity. I guess a hug will do.
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[Art/Animation]: (10/10)
This is my final review for the KnK series so I guess I'll just write the same thing like I did with my past review of the animation.
The animation is perfect, it's very well done, and it's visually stunning. As of right now, I don't think any company can beat ufotable in terms of visuals and animation. Just like the previous movies, the character movements and the fighting scenes are fluid.
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[Sound]: (9/10)
The soundtrack wasn't as great as the 5th movie but I still love the background themes and the battle themes. The ending theme is "Seventh Heaven" by Kalafina. I was quite disappointed that the song didn't really stand out like the 1st, 4th, 5th, and 6th movie ending did but I still like the song. All the VA's are still the same and they have done their jobs very well.
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[Characters]: (9/10) (SPOILERS)
No new characters were introduced for this movie but what we get is more focus on Mikiya and Shiki. Truth be told, it's more focused on Shiki and I'm glad they did that. They finally explained and showed us exactly how Shiki got involved in an accident and why she or rather, "he" got hit by a car. We also learn a lot more about Shiki and her "murderous lust". Notice the quotation marks? Mikiya and Shiki's relationship was also shown here and it shows that they pretty much care for each other. Not the best relationship(compared to other romance I've seen) but it's satisfying enough to watch.

The antagonist of the movie is Lio Shirazumi, an asshole who has a crush on Shiki and he even proceeds to rape her. I still liked Araya as the villain of the series. I just don't like this villain, to be honest.

I just find it a bit disappointing that Touko is taking a backseat on this film. Her use of magus power would have been interesting to see but she's literally just sitting on her office and smokes like usual.
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[Enjoyment]: (9/10)
I would be lying if I said that I perfectly enjoyed this film. Compared to the 5th film which balanced dialogue and action, this film is mostly them talking. I still managed to listen all the way through but the lack of action really bothered me.
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[OVERALL]: (9.1/10)
This was a fitting end to the Kara no Kyoukai series. It may not be better than the 5th movie but this movie is placed on my Top 3 favorite KnK movies. 5th being the first one and this film on second place.

When I reviewed the first Kara no Kyoukai film, I thought that would be the end of it. I had no intention of continuing through the other six, but I changed my mind because the fan base was surprisingly cool and reasonable. I'm glad I did because the next five films ranged from decent to really superb. This week let's look at the seventh film in the series, Kara no Kyoukai 7: Satsujin Kousatsu (Kou).

Story:

Japan's been experiencing a series of grisly murders with scattered body parts being left mutilated and strewn about. For Kokutou Mikiya, the incidents remind him of the series of murders ... four years ago. The ones that Shiki's now dead second personality seems to have been responsible for. To make matters worse, Shiki is acting strange and disappears from her apartment without leaving any way to contact her. Mikiya heads for the area where the crimes have been occurring to investigate the incident. He'll find more than he bargains for as he seeks answers.

Let's start with my issues with the film. The first, and more minor gripe, is that this film uses a lot of flashbacks. While it's obvious that they're being used to connect this film and the second more intimately, they also go overboard with it, spending more time with the flashbacks than they need to. My big gripe with the film, however, is with the philosophising. The film makes an effort to comment on the nature of killing. The problem is that its commentary is overly simplistic and really not well thought out. Basically, the answer we get is that murder is done when someone's emotions for another person overflow and need an outlet and that slaughter happens when a being that no longer qualifies as human kills a bunch of people. Really? Because I'd love to see where people who kill in self defence land. Soldiers, for that matter. Someone who kills a relative, not because of any feelings they harbour towards that relative, but because they stand to inherit money, where do they fall? How about Asagami Fujino from the third film? You may remember her as the one who completely justifiably killed a bunch of guys. She wasn't inhuman, nor did the film's narrative treat her as such. If anything the rapist bastards she killed were inhuman. This philosophy is bollocks and yet the film treats it as though it's profound and significant.

Moving on to the positives, the film is really well paced and it excels at building tension. The first third is dedicated to Mikiya's investigation and then it proceeds very naturally from there. The story, overall, is really well done with mystery and suspense elements that work really effectively. The climax is really good working on multiple levels. There are also some skilfully done creepy moments, particularly towards the end. The film also brings several plot threads from the prior six films to their own resolutions and does that really well. The romantic tension between Mikiya and Shiki being the one that gets the most focus.

Characters:

One thing this film is really good about is building off of the characterisation from the prior films. One of the positive aspects of the flashbacks is that we get to see where the characters were when this whole affair began and how they've developed since. There are some really strong character moments for both Shiki and Mikiya. There's not as much with Touko and Azaka but the stuff that Touko does get is really good. If anything, the weakness here is Azaka since she shows up for all of one scene and only slightly contributes to Touko's character arc. Aside from that she does bugger all.

Art:

The artwork and animation are as stunning as ever. Ufotable does a stellar job at using the artwork to build the atmosphere in this. When they want to show something disturbing, it looks really disturbing. When they want to show an amazing & intense action sequence, they deliver an amazing and intense action sequence. When they just want to draw a background, they give you a really detailed and impressive background.

Sound:

There's a strong cast in this. Suzumura Kenichi, Sakamoto Maaya, Honda Takako and Hoshi Soichiro all give strong performances. The music is really good and atmospheric as well.

Ho-yay:

Really isn't any in this.

Final Thoughts:

Kara no Kyoukai 7: Satsujin Kousatsu (Kou) is actually a really good film. There are certainly issues with it and there are some things that could have been better, but the story and characters are still really well done and accompanied by some really strong vocal performances and artwork. My final rating on this one is going to be an 8/10. Next week I'm looking at a series that was requested quite a while ago, Kyattou Ninden Teyandee. So, join me in looking at a series intended for children.

I felt that the story writers could have pushed the relationship boundaries a little more. Very wordy and not enough action.

Show passion, like you really mean it.

This review is on Kara no Kyoukai as a whole as well as the final episode. I wasn't sure what to expect when first starting these movies, but after watching the first I was hooked. Each movie was unique while still having its own purpose to the true full story. Each story grew and began to place the puzzle pieces. Speaking to the final movie it was in my opinion the best of the series. It expanded finally on the relationship between the characters and tied up the loose ends and gave the viewers some closure as well as letting us see the true nature ... of the characters. While having both sadness and joy at the end the viewer is left exhaling with relief that this mind bending ride is over but happy at the conclusion given to the characters. They finally can be at peace.
The series itself was very dark and intense, but served a purpose more than just blood and gore. This was a look into moral values and the nature of people. It showed people who fight to do what's right, people who fight to stay away from their fears and nature and people who give up on life and give in to evil. This is a story all its own and was filled of mixed emotions to the viewers. At times you were happy, then the next moment you were disgusted, not to mention confused for much of it.
I must say the art in the story was spot on. The colors were fantastic, a very dark story filled with spots of color gave a dramatic feel to the situations when needed.

THIS IS A SPOILER-FREE REVIEW

Since watching the first episode of "Demon Slayer" i was a massive fan of ufotable as a studio. After finishing the fantastic "Fate stay/night" series i stumbled upon one of it´s original creator Kinoko Nasu´s other work and decided to give "Kara no Kyoukai" (The Garden of Sinners) a go. This review will not only cover this final 8th movie but the entire series.I watched it in the official order. If you are a first time watcher i would suggest you do the same thing. You can then go back and watch it all in chronological order during a potential ... rewatch.

My ranking for the movies goes as follows (Note that the number in brackets signifies the official watch order suggested by the author himself) :

1. A study in murder - part 2 (7)
2. Remaining sense of pain (3)
3. Paradox spiral (5)
4. Oblivion recording (6)
5. A study in murder - part 1 (2)
6. Overlooking view (1)
7. The hollow shrine (4)

Story - 7/10

First of i got to say that this is one of the most unique and interesting concepts for a story i have ever seen. It manages to thematize things like murder, multiple personality disorder, sexual abuse and drug addiction in a way that i´ve never seen another show do it. The supernatural elements are continiously beeing woven into the narrative giving the series a very heavy psychological feeling during it´s entire run. However the problem that i have to adress here is the way the show communicates information to the viewer. There were lots of things left unexplained or just simply glossed over that would have been vital information later. The pacing also seems off because some of the movies are simply a string of conversations and dialogue (Movie 2) while others can be described as full on action-packed rides (Movie 5). There are also issues with the tone of the story. Sometimes it´s all happy and funny for one movie, and the next one introduces a new horrible psychological issue. However i do plan to read the original novels that this show is based off, mainly because i think a lot of explanation might have been lost during the adaptation. That means my opinion on the story can change wildly in the future.

Animation - 9/10

This is the category that Kara no Kyoukai exceeds most of the anime of it´s time. Ufotable did an amazing job at conveying the cold, dark atmosphere of the story through their animation. The character designs are unique and memorable. Where the show really shines is during it´s fight scenes. The creative way the camera is used makes every fight unique and the effects animation makes every use of magic a treat to the eye. Of course ufotable developed as a studio and has improved wildly up until today but it was really interesting to see where it all began.

Music - 9/10

The music was outstanding. It mixes the energetic songs during the fight scenes with the eerie and dark tones of the rest of the show seemlessly.There was never a moment where the music felt out of place, which is admirable considering the weird tone shifts during the story. After this show, composer Yuki Kajiura would go on to make amazing soundtracks for other shows like Sword Art Online and Fate/Zero.

Characters - 9/10

The star of the show is definitely the main heroine Shiki Ryougi. Her development over the course of the show was outstanding and she quickly became one of my favorite characters (I currently use her on my profile picture :D). The change of her psyche and her multiple personalities make for very interesting dialogue and her banter with Mikiya Kokuto was always a treat to watch. The other characters, while not beeing developed as much, where also interesting. Aozaki was a ton of fun and although many might disagree with me, i enjoyed the character of Azaka Kokuto very much.

Enjoyment - 7/10

Watching this show was a very unique experience. The different problemes i had with the pacing and tone are apparent though. Also be prepared for some heavy psychological drama, blood and sexual themes. If you are just an average shounen fan who likes fast paced action and sport shows, this series of movies is not for you. I would recommend this to everyone who likes deep psychological stories with a lot of dialogue and metaphors.

I will review the original novels after i read them

- Marco Yooo

FINAL SCORE - 8/10

story: this final chapter to the garden of sinners series.

art: clean, clear, quite detailed.

sound:fitted quite well into the movie where it was needed.

character:to see how shiki resolves her inner demons in such a peculiar way there is nothing to say about it in such a way not to spoil it other then my mouth to form one word and that is "wow"

enjoyment:the circle came to a close the way it should have. and could not ask for any more.

overall; this was truely a better series that i have seen in quite some time and that being of nothing but movies gets it kudos as well. ... bravo to the creators of this series. i tip my hat to you . :) *nods*

That was a great conclusion to the series, KnK 5 is the peak of the plot and KnK 7 is the peak of emotions and development for both Shiki and Mikiya. This series is not for everyone, at first I thought I wouldn't like it. But now, it has become one of my favorite anime. Each individual movie range from good to mediocre, but Movie 5 and 7 are amazing. As a whole, I think KnK has a solid character driven story.

The plot is nothing wow, it's just a bunch of murders starting to come back and taunt the main character to get consumed by ... her unstable murderous impulse. This movie has a very fitting villain that act as a contrast to Shiki, not as interesting as Araya but still served his role very well. But what I love about this movie is how the story developed Shiki and Mikiya relationship. Shiki is murderous and Mikiya is too kind & naive.

No other normal man would probably spend their time with a girl like Shiki who is mentally unstable, doesn't talk too much, and can probably kill you at any moment. But Mikiya accept her as who she is, he keeps believing in her and turns out he is right. This movie confirmed that Shiki has only killed one person which was Araya who is considered by the main villain of this movie as an inhuman, not a human. All those four murders was done by someone else to tempted Shiki's murderous impulse. On the other side, Mikiya is very positive and too kind to the point he is called dumb by Shiki herself. Shiki is not the only imperfect human being in the story, Mikiya can also be counted as one. His too positive attitude will only get himself killed. Shiki's sharp instinct will protect Mikiya from all the danger and Mikiya's kindness will hold Shiki from getting murderous. They are the opposite of each other and complete each other, their dynamic are amazing in my eyes.

This movie also gave more insight to "origin". Shiki's origin is nothingness just like Araya and movie 8 mentioned, therefore she sees everything meaningless and seek the death of it. The main villain of this movie surrendered to his origin and used it as an excuse to justify his crime while Shiki manage to resist it. We should accept our origin but that doesn't define who we are in the present. Shiki did it by letting Mikiya enter her life, she can finally live a normal life.

Shiki is such a great character. The other characters like Enjou, Fujino, Araya, and Touko was also done quite well. Some characters lack more fleshed out, but overall I really enjoy it.