War, when diminished to its base components, is sadly tragic. It's hard to justify the killings of thousands of people for any kind of cause. But some are better than others: bringing about peace, saving a subjugated group, or protecting one's home. For as long as humans have lived, war has not only shaped the past, has not only persisted in the present, but will most likely never dwindle in the future. An almost inevitability, war brings out the best and the worst in people. For Madan no Ou to Vanadis, it certainly brings out the worst in something.
STORY
Vanadis begins with the bowman Tigre meeting Elen, a War Maiden, on the battlefield. After being taken hostage, the two decide to help one another in protecting Tigre's hometown of Alsace.
At its core, the show is about war: the battles, the aftereffects, the planning, and the formations. And to this end, it fails miserably. A lot of this has to do with the world-building it attempts to employ. Country names, nearby towns, and faraway lands are talked about as if the audience is supposed to simply know that such areas exist. It disconnects the viewer from what is going on, because he or she just cannot follow who's from where, which side is fighting what, and why they're all fighting in the first place. Simultaneously, multiple sub-plots exist at any given moment, such as Elen's trek to visit Sasha or the King's madness. The aforementioned difficulty in understanding what is going on persists here as well. Since it wasn't explained properly before, it remains discombobulated after.
When it comes to the actual field skirmishes, the anime adopts a narration approach. Going into explanatory mode, the show does its best to clarify the formations of the warring sides and their plan of attack. The point here is to make it feel as if it's a war that the characters are participating in. Again, though, it falls flat: the majority of the action focuses not on the entire battle, but on the singular duels taking place. Elen fighting against a dragon or Tigre squaring off against the opposing general are fine as standalone fights. In context, though, it doesn't seem to fit since their part is just one small piece to the much bigger puzzle.
When the anime isn't having such a tough job conveying the severity of the wars going on, it steps back into its secondary role as a harem. Once again, though, the anime cannot deliver. A lot of the problems here stem from the show refusing to address or at least elaborate on the relationships that exist between Tigre and the rest of the girls. It's alluded to heavily for each of them, with constant teasing and wordplay, but it never comes off as if the characters are anything but friends to our main character. What's even more strange is the apparent lack of the harem. Particular characters are sometimes shown only once or twice, despite given relative importance. Worse still, there exists a person shown in the opening and closing sequences, but never appears over the course of the show. It's almost as if the anime forgot to include her during production.
Amid the directionless wars and harem antics, the show gives one final attempt to instill some form of reason. The idea that a just cause is a righteous one. Fighting for others and not yourself is noble and courageous, to say the least. And this isn't just seen with Tigre; many of his opponents question their beliefs, and many of the War Maidens aid him not for themselves, but because they simply wish to help. It's entirely poetic, though, since it's never challenged nor is it looked at realistically. It's accepted as fact that Tigre's mindset is "as straight as an arrow," and that nothing could be more worthy of praise. The show fails to explore any kind of ramifications attributed to such thinking, instead directing its resources to other venues.
ANIMATION
The art and animation fair no better for Vanadis.
The art style at first gives the feeling of taking place within an Elder Scrolls type fantasy world, with taverns, villages, and zero modern technology. However, this is quickly replaced by the reused open terrains with overcast clouds and tent encampments. Combined with the quite jarring CG horses and platoons, it's never pretty to see.
The character designs pick up some of the slack. While Tigre is rather boring with his outfit and hair, the same cannot be said for the War Maidens. While some have excessively large busts, they're all quite beautiful. Each of their designs is detailed, from their armor to their weapons. Even some of the men receive this treatment, appearing as menacing and barbaric. Everyone also has a slight sheen to their faces, with lighted eyes, making them feel a bit more alive.
The actual animation dips back down in quality, sadly. The choreography for the fights isn't difficult to follow so much as it is just non-existent. Arrows regularly fly from off-screen, swords are swung wildly, and the dragon abilities characters have are not impressive, no matter how much screaming is done. Being ecchi, the breasts are given special attention when the girls move, but that is usually the extent of character movements, both in and out of battle.
CHARACTERS
Harem or not, the characters of Vanadis are completely one-dimensional, signified by either a single trait or the size of their chests.
Tigrevurmud -- known as Tigre -- is a "prisoner" to Elen and the leader of their joint forces. Embodying the spirit of his people, his aim in war is to make sure that it never again reaches his home of Alsace. Kind to all who approach him, he is respected by his soldiers and loved by the women around him. Never emotional, underdeveloped, and overpowered from start to finish, he is as typical and generic as they come. His only purpose in the story is to be there for the harem to be created, and nothing more.
As Tigre's maid, Titta dotes on him 24/7. Quick to cry and unable to keep from shouting his name every other sentence, her presence serves literally nothing but Tigre. She seems to have some form of relevancy early on, spurring her master into action, but afterwards, the focus shifts from home to the wars abroad. Subsequently, Titta is lost in the process. While she is merely happy to be by Tigre's side, her place on the totem pole is low and forgotten, and no amount of niceties will change it.
As cold as the ice she wields, Mila is initially an antagonist towards the group. As the "tsundere" in the harem, she makes it difficult for anyone, not just Tigre, to get a good read on her. Short in stature and always direct, she lets her actions do the talking for her. Perhaps uncharacteristically, she has a love and sense of duty to her house, much like the man she falls for. A rival to Elen both in love and war, she constantly butts heads with her fellow War Maiden. Despite having her outer shell melted slightly by Tigre's convictions, she remains largely uninteresting the whole ride through.
The only other notable character is found in Elen. Ruler of Leitmeritz, she is confident both in her body and in battle. Playful with others yet quick to get jealous, she's rational and emotional at just the right moments. She believes the most in Tigre's cause, willing to trust both his bow and his words. Unfortunately, she is resigned to the same problem as the harem leader; never seeing any semblance of change, outlook, or personal insight, she becomes just another girl to ogle.
Outside of these four, the rest of the cast are entirely inconsequential to anything that goes on within the anime. And that doesn't say anything about their characterization. Sure, the War Maidens see their personalities mirrored in the weapons they wield (Elen is whimsical like the wind, Elizavetta is electric, etc.), but no one amounts to anything more or are barely touched upon. Like the wars they participate in, their lives and their characters are expendable.
SOUND
Arguably, the OP is the best part of the entire anime. It begins as a choir, followed by a calming vocalist supported by background singing. The halfway point introduces a really catchy, drum-and-vocal beat that is very easy to follow. The ending brings about an epic feeling that should have been present throughout the show, but is unexpectedly absent.
The ED is serene, with soft piano and slow vocal arrangement. It picks up in tempo and range the further the song goes, giving off a triumphant feeling that can accompany war, depending on the outcome.
The soundtrack contains nothing notable. With low drum pieces, eerie tones, and resounding trumpets, the tracks fit their respective scenes without providing anything of merit.
Voice acting sees average to below average work all around, with no notable performances to be had.
ENJOYMENT
The argument with this one is the fact that it not only is a harem but is also ecchi in nature. Ecchi, though, isn't even fair to the genre. Those moments are spaced too far apart and are nearly all unoriginal. Like everything else, it tries to make these events fun and sexy, but it can't seem to come off as anything but lame.
Its comedy is not funny, the drama is forced, and the character interactions are weak. It's a mixture of sludge that one has to wade through during the entire season, with the reward being a modicum of boobs and uneventful clashes.
Madan no Ou to Vanadis is a special show. Not because of the wars it contains, not because of its lackluster characters, and not even because of its failed fan-service. It's because it will forever sit at the bottom of the pile.
SUMMARY
Story: Terrible, abysmal world-building, failed harem, lost message
Animation: Bad, repetitive art, nice character designs, low actual animation
Characters: Terrible, everyone involved is inconsequential
Sound: Bad, good OP, okay ED, bad soundtrack, below average VA work
Enjoyment: Terrible, almost zero redeeming qualities
Final Score: 1/10
