~Story~
The story of Serei no Moribito is simple: a female bodyguard, Balsa, is asked to protect the prince Chagum from the assassins the emperor send after him. This is not without a reason, and as society knows, feudal times are known for its superstitious beliefs, and it is so that the prince is possessed by an evil spirit, the water spirit. This ethereal being is considered to be the source of draught, besides being an unacceptable occurrence for someone of royal blood. As the plot unfolds, the spectator may observe how Balsa confronts the different situations she and her companion encounters.
This situation can't last long in any way, if this anime aims to convey it a somewhat realistic way, without going to deep in the "shonenque" genre. This was done well: after a few intriguing and intense, well paced episodes, the story settles itself in an arc more focused upon character development and exploring ways to free Chagum from the water spirit. The story is displayed through both sides: the emperor's subordinates, the astrologers, and Balsa and Chagum, allowing the audience to observe the different situations and beliefs from both parties.
There is a negative aspect on the aftermath of the first few episodes: the slow pacing of the story. While it certainly contributed to character development and revealing the various mysteries that surrounded the anime, it felt as if time was not fully taken advantage of, leaving somewhat empty and lackluster episodes. With a fairly weak conclusion, Serei Moribito's universe could have been expanded much more, thus not reaching its full potential.
~Characters~
The cast of characters in Serei no Moribito is not big. The main focus of the story lies in Balsa and Chagum, though the audience may observe people from both parties. There is the emperors party, whose main characters are the two top astrologers, the queen, and the emperor himself. The other party is composed of a shaman, Torogai, who is an expert in the mystical arts: then there is Tanda, who supports Balsa. Supernatural being are not be excluded: fire spirits, water people and "egg" devourers.
The spectator may observe the biggest character development in Balsa and Chagum. The audience observes how the prince has to adapt himself to the low-class lifestyle, which has one positive aspect: love and social interactions that would not have been possible as a royal family member. As the narrative progresses, Balsa's struggle and background story is revealed, which is a great addition to the anime. The remainder cast of the anime undergo certain character development to an extend, but nothing drastic.
One refreshing aspect of the characters was the fact that in this anime, there is a powerful, rational and strong willed female lead character, the opposite of the "damsel in mistress" characters in other anime. Not outstandingly beautiful and has its own flaws, leading to a more likeable and realistic female lead character.
~Animation and sound~
The animation of Serei no Moribito is outstanding: spectacular backgrounds, well coloured and detailed; the same applies for the skies. The animated battle scenes are one of the best, if not very best, comparing with other anime: very fluid and realistic movements, leading to an overall very enjoyable experience. At times CG is present in the anime, though this was done only in certain occasions, and didn't interfere too much in the art style.
The sound used matches well with the different atmospheres it tried to portray, as well as giving an emotional touch to certain themes, making it easier for the spectator to perceive th characters emotions. The voice actors fulfilled their role well, though the variety in voices was not big, leading to a less unique touch to the characters.
~Enjoyment~
Seirei no Moribito was overall an enjoyable experience with fantastic animation and a non exaggerated story. Though the pacing of the story was slow and the potential of it not fully explored, I can recommend this anime to anyone with an interest in the fantasy genre or just wants to see something different. Be warned though, patience is a key factor in this anime to fully enjoy it, so if you are not the patient type, this may not be for you.
Thank you for reading.
