Katanagatari

In an Edo-era Japan lush with a variety of sword-fighting styles, Shichika Yasuri practices the most unique one: Kyotouryuu, a technique in which the user's own body is wielded as a blade. The enigmatic seventh head of the Kyotouryuu school, Shichika lives quietly in exile with his sister Nanami until one day—the wildly ambitious strategist Togame barges into their lives.

Togame brazenly requests that Shichika help in her mission to collect twelve unique swords, known as the "Deviant Blades," for the shogunate. Shichika accepts, interested in the girl herself rather than petty politics, and thus sets out on a journey. Standing in their way are the fierce wielders of these legendary weapons as well as other power-hungry entities who seek to thwart Togame's objective. In order to prevail against their enemies, the duo must become an unbreakable team as they forge ahead on a path of uncertainty and peril.

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

Yasuri, Shichika Main

Hosoya, Yoshimasa Japanese

Togame Main

Tamura, Yukari Japanese

Yasuri, Nanami Supporting

Nakahara, Mai Japanese

Hitei Supporting

Tomatsu, Haruka Japanese

Souda, Emonzaemon Supporting

Koyama, Rikiya Japanese

Higaki, Rinne Supporting

Itou, Miyako Japanese

Tsuruga, Meisai Supporting

Yuuya, Atsuko Japanese

Maniwa, Pengin Supporting

Hirohashi, Ryou Japanese

Maniwa, Houou Supporting

Okiayu, Ryoutarou Japanese

Itezora, Konayuki Supporting

Hidaka, Rina Japanese

Iwasa, Gaku Producer

Toba, Yousuke Producer

Hariu, Masayuki Producer

Ozaki, Noriko Producer

Reviews

Jan 4, 2011

Archaeon

Recommended

Since 2006, light novel adaptations have gradually become a regular feature in anime as producers in the industry scrabble around in their attempts to find the biggest cash cow since the advent of Suzumiya Haruhi. The surprising thing is that the fallout from this has actually been a lot better for fans than one might expect, and while titles like Guin Saga, Kemono no Souja Erin, Ghost Hunt, Baccano!, Kure-nai, Rental Magica, Spice & Wolf, and NHK ni Youkoso! may not be as commercially successful as KyoAni's behemoth, they do represent a gradual shift in the industry towards creativity and originality.

Which is where Katanagatari comes ... in to the picture.

Written by Nisio Isin (although he usually writes it as NisiOisiN since his name is a palindrome), the twelve volumes of the original light novel series were published as part of the Kodansha Box line. Strangely, all of the books were released at a rate of one per month from January to December 2007, with a spin off novel published in February 2008. Now while this is clearly a phenomenal feat, one does have to wonder if a few corners were cut for the sake of expediency and to meet deadlines, and also if the adaptation can stand up to scrutiny.

Katanagatari is basically what the title suggests - a story about swords. It begins with fire and death as a rebellion against the Owari shogunate meets a bloody end. Twenty years later, a small boat makes its way across the sea to a deserted island where the passenger, Togame, hopes to enlist the aid of Yasuri Mutsue, the 6th generation head of the Kyoutouryuu sword style and the hero of the rebellion.

Instead she finds Yasuri Shichika, who is more bumpkin than the term allows for, and is also as hard as nails.

One of the things that really stands out about the series (aside from the visuals, but we'll get to that in a bit), is the dialogue. The show is very well scripted with some very good conversations and witty repartee, and the explanations are usually clear and concise enough for the viewer to follow. There are also numerous verbal nods in the direction of modern popular culture, which makes a nice change of pace as one might normally expect lots of serious conversations about honour, loyalty, duty, revenge, or other concepts that are usually found in these types of story.

The problem though, is that the dialogue can also be off putting for viewers who want a little less conversation, a little more action (sing along if you know the words), especially as the fights are over in a very short space of time. In addition to this the story can sometimes err on the side of predictable, especially with the number of plot coupons that drive the whole show (in this case the "cursed" swords), and the series can sometimes become nothing more than a repetition of talk, talk, talk, fight, talk, end. The biggest criticism about Katanagatari though, is that it's nothing more than a very nice looking "fetch quest", and while the dialogue really does pull the whole show together, the storyline can sometimes feel derived or contrived.

What really makes the series stand out are the rather stylized visuals. The design principle attempts to merge several themes ranging from traditional Japanese art to modern fighting games, and while there are some flaws here and there, the overall effect is ... something else. The scenery is surprising to say the least, and almost every frame is literally filled with little details that will often go unnoticed by the viewer, from the grain and different tones found in wood, to the multiple hues and fractures of stone.

In contrast to this the characters are simplistic yet colourfully flamboyant. The costumes vary from the utilitarian to the nonsensical (especially those of the Maniwa ninja corps), while the characters themselves have exaggeratedly simple, almost cartoon-like, facial features. Oddly enough, whilst one might expect this sort of design to lack in terms of expression, the opposite is true for Katanagatari.

White Fox, who produced Tears to Tiara and are currently working on Stein's Gate, have done a tremendous job with the design and animation of this series. The characters have a certain grace about their movements that belies their simplistic appearance and sometimes clunky costumes, while actual combat scenes are extremely well choreographed and animated, so much so that the individual moves of Shichika Hachiretsu (Seven hits, Eight Pieces), are clearly defined.

That said, the art style may not be everybody's cup of tea, but if you can handle it then there's a pretty good story here.

One of the defining aspects of a good narrative is the strength of the scriptwriting, and because of the extremely strong dialogue in this anime, it's often easy to overlook how good the actors actually are. Hosoya Yoshimasa's role as the über country bumpkin Yasuri Shichika may have caused him some consternation as the character is effectively emotionless for a good portion of the series. That said, his deadpan delivery works very well, and can often make the viewer stop and try to work out if what he says is meant to be a joke. On the other hand, Tamura Yukari's not-quite-tsundere Togame is sometimes a joy to watch, with the character's many mood swings and emotional changes handled with aplomb. But then again, what else would one expect from an actress who's also played Takamichi Nanoha, Kawasumi Mai (Kanon), Furude Rika (Higurashi), and a horde of other lead and supporting roles.

To be honest, given that Hosoya only has a handful of shows under his belt it's amazing he managed to keep his head working alongside such an experienced seiyuu.

Katanagatari features quite a lot of music in the form of two opening themes, twelve ending themes, and a plethora of background tracks. The OPs and EDs are handled well, but given the number of songs on offer, deciding what works and what doesn't is very much a matter of personal taste. The incidental music is another matter, as while there are scenes where the music dominates proceedings, the majority of the series features either very subtle tunes that are almost unnoticeable, or no music whatsoever.

The nice thing about this approach is that the dialogue doesn't have to fight to lead a particular scene, and while the more subtle background music is pleasant enough, this is ultimately a "wordy" anime.

The biggest weakness of shows like Katanagatari is that they have too many characters for their own good. While Shichika and Togame are played confidently, have some well though out dialogue, and generally bounce off each other like peas on a drum, the same cannot be said of the supporting characters, in particular the Maniwa Corps who seem to be nothing more than a collective of whipping boys whose only role in life is to prove just how strong Shichika and his sister are.

That doesn't mean the characters are bad though. Both Shichika and Togame's emotional development is handled in a very competent manner, and as their relationship slowly becomes more defined, so too do their actions change towards each other and the world around them. Unfortunately, while a lot of attention is lavished on the two leads, there is very little left over for the supporting cast, which is a shame as there are some great performances in this anime.

Now while the series has a lot to recommend it there are some valid criticisms that can be levelled at it, the main one being that Katanagatari is far too "wordy". See, the problem is that since the dialogue is very good, someone has decided that the series should have more of it than it actually needs, and the upshot of this is that there are occasions when the characters just go on and on. Now it should be pointed out that a part of this is because the series parodies certain stereotypical behaviours found in shounen anime and manga (and James Bond stories I might add), which is nice, but ultimately unnecessary.

Katanagatari is a strange anime that's part "fetch quest", part wuxia tale, and strangely enough, part Seinfeld (i.e lots of people being dryly humourous, deadpan or witty), which isn't a normal combination by any measure. That said, I thoroughly enjoyed this anime for its originality and innovation, as it would have been all too easy for White Fox to follow the tried and tested route for samurai anime, so the fact that they decided to stick with Isin's concept of how the characters should look is laudable.

Now if only the other studios would start broadening their horizons ...

Reviewer’s Rating: 8

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Aug 22, 2013

johnvswild

Mixed Feelings

I simply cannot grasp why this anime receives so much praise.

SPOILER-FREE

White Fox adapted this from the light novel Katanagatari, and although they have the same author and a similar name, it has no connection to the Monogatari series in style, substance or story. The two main characters romp through a mythologized version of feudal Japan, neatly divided into formulaic episodes, collecting swords and killing fucking everyone they see.

Katanagatari is by no means a terrible anime, but if you look at the way it is treated, you might think it’s an absolute masterpiece, or panders to the shounen crowd excessively. Neither is true. The world and ... action are so ridiculous and clichéd that you might be forgiven for thinking it is simply a parody. If Katanagatari deserves any praise (which indeed it does), it is for managing a certain level of uniqueness. However, uniqueness alone is not enough to carry a series.

STORY 4/10

This is a twelve episode anime about collecting twelve swords. As such, you may begin to notice a pattern that the anime follows. In case you can’t I can spell it out for you: find the sword, find the wielder of the sword, get ready to kill sword wielder, fight scene, kill sword wielder, take sword. Fortunately, Katanagatari is not so obtuse as to staunchly follow this formula for every episode, but it can get pretty tedious at times; sometimes the biggest surprise an episode will shock you with is how few people die.

That’s right, none of the characters have any qualms about killing even friendly characters, resulting in one of the highest body counts per episode I’ve seen in anime. Not that it is necessarily a bad thing, but Katanagatari just makes it annoying; out of a cast of dozens of characters, you can count on one hand those alive at the end. There is even a set of twelve characters who exist for no purpose other than dying violent deaths as soon as they’ve received their quota of characterization.

This “quota of characterization” brings me to another annoying habit of this show: a naruto-esqe need to explain every technique and move of every character. Announcing attacks beforehand already makes the action scenes a little silly, and very few characters indeed do not at least once give a lecture on their fighting style, magical moves or weapons, usually in the middle of a fight. This highlights the more prevalent flaw of excessive dialogue. For an “action” show there is not nearly enough action. A lot of this does contribute to the story and characters, but some of it makes me wonder if it wasn’t just to fill up their 50 minute time slot.

I feel that the ending deserves special attention. Jarring would be an understatement, a better description would be “feels like it’s from a different show.” All of the characters in the final episode have their personalities nearly reversed, and events transpire that makes the rest of the series relatively meaningless. It feels terribly contrived and without spoiling too much, it is a massive disappointment.

ANIMATION 3/10

The art in this show is unique. Opinions on the character designs will be very subjective; they are certainly atypical of anime. Over the course of the series they will likely grow on the viewers. Backgrounds are colorful and charming. The art really does not fit the story and setting but some will love it.

The real weakness of this show’s art is the animation. It starts out passable, but as it goes on you can almost see a counter on the screen as White Fox’s budget for this show drops. Fight scenes are the only part that gets any special attention as the show goes on, and even their quality drops over time. It starts out fairly pretty but increases in still frames, simple designs and reused animation become more obvious. If I did not know they spent a month on each episode I would say it looks rushed. Overall this extreme inconsistency leads to some parts looking quite attractive and others looking really awful.

SOUND 6/10

The music in Katanagatari is pretty lackluster, but often fits very well with the show. The music definitely contributes to the mood of scenes. The voice actors complement the show far worse. Tamura Yukari does a brilliant job as Togame. Unfortunately other characters generally deliver their lines with all the emotion of reading a string of numbers with a director over their shoulder shouting “sound angry for this scene!” The sound effects really shine.

CHARACTER 5/10

The characters are the point of Katanagatari. Whether you like the show are not, everyone will agree that the action, story and everything else are secondary to the character development. Unfortunately, this means the show puts incredible effort into one area that ultimately falls flat on its face. The only good thing I can say about the characters is they are not stereotypes.

The side characters are particularly unimpressive. They are incredibly shallow and most are killed off as soon as they receive just enough development to elicit an emotional reaction from the lowest common denominator. I also can't count the number of "Japan's strongest" that come out of the woodwork.

Togame, Shichika and their relationship are the real focus of the show. Throughout the show they slowly develop from a largely superficial relationship into one of real trust between partners. Finally, at nobody’s surprise, romantic love blossoms between the two. Unfortunately, the circumstances surrounding this make it unsatisfactory. And it happens during the final episode, which I have mentioned involves everyone acting tremendously out of character.

Although their interactions are very strong, Togame and Shichika themselves are rather weak characters. Shichika especially is quite the Gary Stu, with a lot of forced development. “Why does he fall for Togame in minutes?” Because he does. “Why does he suddenly get way stronger?” Because he does. “Why is he unable to use a sword?” Because it makes a convenient plot device. This sort of thing is constant.

One last problem that bugs me particularly is that Katanagatari succumbs to temptation and commits one of the cardinal sins of anime character development: “cHAIRacter development.” This is changing hair style, especially cutting a female’s hair short, to demonstrate character development. It is usually done when the character is so weak that a superficial change is required to show growth. It was completely unnecessary and just annoying.

ENJOYMENT 6/10

It isn’t hard to get caught up in Katanagatari. If you can overlook some flaws then there isn’t any reason you can’t enjoy watching it. The ending is lousy, but the ride to get there can be pretty fun at times.

CONCLUSION

The art and focus on characters make this show unique, but uneven animation, disappointing characters and the ending cause this show to fail at being what it wanted so desperately to be: special.

Reviewer’s Rating: 5

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Feb 13, 2013

ktulu007

Not Recommended

Katanagatari started as a light novel series by Isin Nisio. Who's written nothing else that I'm familiar with. He wrote some novelizations for both Death Note and xxxHolic, but I'm only familiar with the originals for those two and novels based on established series tend to vary a lot in quality. The anime adaptation was handled by the relatively new White Fox studio. They were behind both the Jormungand and Steins;Gate anime, so that could be a good sign. Then again, every studio tends to do some good and some bad work so this could be the first anime they've done that I dislike. Only ... one way to find out.

The story follows a martial artist, who incorrectly refers to himself as a swordsman because this anime doesn't know what a sword is*, named Shichika. He lives with his sister in exile on an island. That ends when a woman named Togame shows up and asks Shichika to accompany her on a journey to collect twelve deviant blades. He agrees because he's fallen in love with her for no adequately explained reason. Did I mention he knows her for all of thirty minutes at that point? The story follows their journey to wade through a massive sea of exposition in order to collect the blades. This anime breaks the most important rule of story telling, show, don't tell. There's very little that happens with any bearing on the actual plot. The episodes are roughly fifty minutes long with most episodes using three minutes for the themes, eight minutes for action sequences, five minutes for plot relevant content and thirty four minutes for long stretches of exposition. I'm not even exaggerating when I say that one episode has a twenty minute stretch of dialogue that's nothing but the characters expositing over plot points. Because... showing the information in a natural way would've taken too long? One of the most inexcusable scenes happens in the middle of a fight scene. The characters just stop for more than five minutes so that one can exposit about her backstory. Then there's the narrator, whose only purpose is to waste time by telling you where they are, which they invariably mention in their exposition anyway, or to spoil what's going to happen in the next episode thereby killing any tension before it even has a chance to build. Smooth. The only real exception is the last episode, which spends most of its time with action sequences and a scene where someone, I won't spoil who, dies for fourteen and a half minutes. The worst part is that there's someone around who could've tied a tourniquet or something but prefers to spend the time crying because the first character is bleeding to death. Because.. death is more tragic if there's someone guilty of criminal negligence. The biggest issue that comes out of the whole thing is that it's boring. Stretches of dialogue can be interesting, but they barely have any actual dialogue. Most of it is incredibly stilted exposition, which isn't interesting. Then there's the romance, which never evolves beyond an attraction that comes out of nowhere. Nothing interesting is ever done with it, rather like the anime as a whole. The attempted comedy is so lacking in actual humour that it can be difficult to tell whether something is supposed to be a joke or it's just stupid. Then there's the ending, which features an anti-climax followed by abject stupidity.

Then you have the characters. First you have Shichika himself, who calls himself a sword because he formed a club with Gundam 00's Setsuna for people who think they're inanimate objects. He has very little in terms of personality. He's pretty much defined by being stupid, hitting things and falling for random strangers. He's your typical big dumb hero character. Then you've got Togame, one of those characters who's supposed to be clever but never acts clever or demonstrates any intelligence whatsoever. She can be recognised by yelling a lot, falling over, blushing and hitting Shichika while yelling "cheerio." She's a pretty typical tsundere character, except with fewer dimensions. There aren't any interesting characters in this. They just fill their role, spout exposition and then stay stagnant or die. The worst part of it is that they try to have tragic moments, but they've never given you any reason to care about any of the characters so they just fail.

Now for the art. I actually have a few positive things to say about it. The first is that there are some really nicely drawn backgrounds. The second is that the weapons, whether they're actually swords or not, are nicely designed, mostly. Now back to giving discredit where discredit is due. The character designs in this are horrible. The eyes are just off and convey no emotion other than dull surprise, and they show up in spite of being covered by hair on several occasions. The noses appear when the characters are in profile and vanish entirely when they're shown head on. White Fox does know that noses have depth, right? The characters really do look like badly made plastic dolls. The sad thing is that they try to have fan-service by giving Togame the occasional bum shot. Yeah, this art style doesn't work for that. The animation in this is frequently lazy. There are several cases where they just hold on the same image for no reason. The fight scenes are exceptionally bad. The characters are drawn so they're almost never actually coming into contact with one another and there's one fight scene where they play the same animation three times in a row.

The music is another thing that I'm going to give some actual praise to. The music is well done. It could've made it in a decent anime. Then there's the voice acting. This is another anime where no one seems to be trying. I know that several of the major seiyu can act. Tamura Yukari, Tomatsu Haruka, Okiayu Ryotaro and several others are skilled at their craft but none of them seem to be putting any effort into their performances. Although, to be fair, there are very few people who could sound natural while delivering all of that exposition.

The yuri factor is a 1/10. This has no yuri.

The final rating for Katanagatari is a 2/10. There's a pretty clear lack of effort on the parts of everyone involved. The story is mostly told through tedious exposition. Character development is absent. The fight scenes, and most of the art in general, are just poorly done and none of the seiyu seem to be trying. In the end, Katanagatari is by far the most boring anime I've ever seen and the few scenes that kind of work aren't worth sitting through the exposition for.

* They refer to Kunai as shuriken and every weapon, from guns to an android, as swords. They even refer to some non-weapons, like a suit of armour, as swords.

Reviewer’s Rating: 2

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