Busou Renkin's animation is about par for the course for 2005. That is to say: the visuals are probably its weakest element. Some of Watsuki's character designs are fun and original, but a good few are just uninspired or bland. The animation can range from bad to pretty good, but it's never really great. Characters are semi regularly off model, and there are budget shots abound, but also infrequent creative direction that really takes advantage of the digital medium. Conspicuous CG is present in most episodes, and while it doesn't look great, it isn't overly obtrusive.
Much like Dragon Ball, this is one of those series I can only watch in English, just because the voices are so ingrained into my memory and experience of it. That said, it's a pretty middle of the road dub. The lead roles are cheesy yet fun, but many side characters are dismally devoid of emotion in their delivery. I've only tried to watch a few episodes in Japanese, but I'm sure it's just as good if not better!
I simply adore the soundtrack, but that may be reinforced by my love for the series. I don't think it does anything bold or surprising, but it serves its purpose nonetheless. The tracks range from light and whimsical, to atmospheric and mysterious, to grand, powerful orchestral pieces. The opening, Makka na Chikai, is a classic to me, with its squealing guitars and overwhelmingly hot blooded shounen attitude. The first ending theme is sweet, sappy, and stuck in my head, while the second is dark and fabulously groovy.
The characters are where Busou Renkin really shines, and are the reason why I love it so much. While none of them are terribly deep or complex, their strength lies in their simplicity and relationships. Many fit typical shounen archetypes, and most of them don't have much depth, but the easily understandable dynamics between them are delightful to watch.
Kazuki's friends that are entirely separated from the battles are always a hoot, and give me the warm fuzzy feelings in their moments of sincerity. Papillon is a wonderfully developed rival for Kazuki, against whom the romantic rival Gota pales. A few important opponents have actual back stories, but for the most part enemy characters simply are their special powers. There are more characters still that I would like to detail (Bravo!), but let's keep this review rolling.
If you're looking for a compelling, nuanced narrative, you probably won't find it here. Many twists, turns, and character actions are cliche and predictable, but I still have fun going along for the ride every time. Of course all the enemies become allies, and nobody really dies when they're defeated, so as long as you can forgive standardized shounen tropes like these you'll be fine. It risks an atypical narrative style in the final episodes, which makes it feel a bit slow, but this may just be the anime adaptation. For as much as I love this series, I still haven't read the whole manga, which I'm pretty ashamed of.
So who should watch Busou Renkin? Watch this if you like battle anime with special powers, strong but simplistic characters, or just want a feel good show that you don't have to think about too much.
