As mentioned this is a retelling of the original series with new footage. So the first 6 episodes are pretty much entirely identical to the two original OVA. There may have been a few new scenes intermingled in but there are basically no changes. This also means that it is not necessary for anyone to have any prior knowledge of the series in order to start this. The original series has been at times hard to find so if you have been curious about this show then you can dive right into this version without worry.
Overall I found the plot to be interesting and enjoyable but it does have some annoying flaws. Namely being that it seems to jump around to much and leaves you feeling a bit confused as to what’s going on. Things tend to be adequately explained eventually but there were quite a few head scratching moments for me. Exacerbating this is the schizophrenic way the story jumps from action packed battle scenes back to slow paced school life. In addition the dialogue at times is incredibly silly and pompous. Its possible translator did a poor job with it but I feel it probably sounded just as bad to someone fluent in Japanese.
The story, while it feels like it’s over still doesn’t feel done. I am not going to rant and rave about yet another piss poor anime conclusion because this isn’t one. However there are several key plot elements that are left intentionally vague, whether to either set the stage for a future series or just to avoid having to explain things the plot didn’t tell adequately in the first place.
Munto's main protagonist Yumemi was an interesting character. We get to delve into her personality rather deeply and most of the story is told through her perspective. I think she will be a relatable heroine to viewers as she struggles with just normal teenage girl issues and with her special ability to see the sky in a way nobody else is able to. She grows up a lot as well and discovers things about herself and learns to be more confident.
Munto himself has his own back story and motivations well fleshed out in a series of flashbacks. Though even with this I never really felt that I really got to know him all that well. Most of his screen time seems to involve him grunting and yelling, blowing stuff up in spectacular magical attacks, or pleading with Yumemi to help save the world. I can’t really say I cared much for him.
The only other character with any real depth is Ichiko. She is Yumemi's best friend and struggles to understand her and protect her from all the mysterious things happening around them. I got the feeling that she felt love for Yumemi in more than a friend kind of way but this was never pursued nor did I feel that this love was returned in kind from Yumemi, other than her own deep feelings of friendship.
The rest of the cast is mostly forgettable. Mostly because there are just too damn many of them. Many of them take up way too much story time that should have been focused on the main characters. Other than Suzume your unlikely to even remember the names of any of the others. The series would have been a lot better with half as many. Even the villains are weak and don’t have much depth. If you don’t know the bad guys name or why he is fighting against the hero then how can you care about anything they do? It basically breaks down to, I’m bad so I fight you or I’m a pompous ass who thinks only I have all the answers.
KyoAni is well known and respected for their exceptional animation work. With Munto it’s a bit of a mixed bag. They took the original OVA material and basically just touched it up but the quality of the animation as a whole feels very inconsistent. However the last few episodes which were mostly new material looked quite stunning. So even though I didn’t find it quite lived up to the high standards they have set for themselves it was still pretty good.
The music and acting are solid. Though there was a lot of screaming dialogue and a couple annoying characters who grated on my nerves. The music was good and both the OP/EN sequences were beautifully performed.
I ended up enjoying Munto quite a bit though despite my complaints. As a fantasy-adventure story it makes for an entertaining experience. While it won’t go down as a classic, I think it will be mostly liked by those who view it.
