Ever since magic has become a trend genre in 21st century – most likely since the release of the Lord of the Rings/Harry Potter franchise - we have seen many films involving the preternatural, yet wonderful power; and many more will come. And consequently, magic found its way into the “world” of anime. But what about illusions?
To put it plainly, an illusion is a distortion of the human senses; and though they distort reality, they are generally shared by most people. It describes a misinterpretation of a true sensation – unlike hallucination. So no abracadabra: just a trick…
And this is what this show – Magic Kaito 1412 – is mainly about: illusions and tricks, but the feelings are magical. It is the job of an illusionist to keep its audience entertained throughout the show. A job which Magic Kaito 1412 does very conscientiously.
The magic show is a largely episodic series centered on the adventures of the high school student Kaito Kuroba, who shines as a charismatic gentleman thief - who steals rare jewelry and returns it shortly afterwards - to thwart the people responsible for the death of his father: the original Kid, the Phantom Thief. And yet Kaitos father has his own set of background episodes without being actually present throughout the series. In fact, these episodes are essential to the story because it shows what motivates Kaito to become what he is during the present storyline.
For the most part of the magic show, however, Kaito Kid does what he has to: he keeps his show moving and the audience entertained. He performs most of his heists in such a flashy manner that it rapidly turns into a free magic show – much to the displeasure of the hotheaded inspector Nakamori and the Japanese police. Besides Kaito Kid, inspector Ginzo Nakamori and his daughter Aoko are the most prominent amongst the cast members during the 24-ep. run; the latter is ironically Kaitos friend who he has known since they were kids.
Some of those who might have expected rather cheesy magical battles between the characters might have been disappointed and have even dropped the show. Instead of this, Magic Kaito 1412 features in most episodes a very nice cat-and-mouse game. It might feel repetitive once you are halfway through the show; and yet, since everyone has his own taste and preference, each episode might be either a hit or a miss. And rather than relying on fan service or cliché romance stories, the magic show delivers a very charming comedy and simple storytelling instead. Simple but clever.
The character design is nicely done throughout the magic show - especially Kaito Kid is clothed quite noticeable; some of the characters noses, however, look rather bizarre at times. It does not ruin the anime in its entirety but it might be distracting. Nevertheless, Ginzo Nakamoris frustrating, but amusing expressions, Akakos rather mysterious beauty and Hakubas sense for style truly fit each characters design. The settings, on the other side, work very well and do not share similarities with the ones that have already been used in previous episodes. And due to the excellent cuts an edits, the magic show becomes even more suspenseful.
A rather decent, yet well balanced and slightly jazzy soundtrack delivers all the emotions it has to. After all, nothing seemed misplaced in the anime where a few dramatic moments are also captured on screen. But mostly, the soundtrack supports Kaitos actions during the magic show and is worth listening on its own. On the other hand, the voice cast deserve praise for their solid performance; thanks to their skillful effort, it helped the characters (and the show) coming to life.
Is this show a hallucination or an illusion? Well, it is obvious, is it not? Kaito Kid is a good host who keeps his audience entertained throughout his magic show. Whether he appears under the moonlight or is walking through the air, his audience will not get bored. Kaito Kid creates the illusion and fools you - while having a gentle smile on his face...
Personally, I thought the anime was a real thrill to watch. It might have some flaws here and there but they do not ruin the atmosphere the magic show creates from the very beginning. At the end, it is all about illusions. And illusion is nothing more than a misinterpretation of art in its own true nature.
“See you… next illusion.” – Kaito Kid
