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Usually, I tend to watch anime for their plot and characters. Cossette no Shouzou is the perfect example of a show that does not need them to succeed. It may follow a main story, but what's most important is its artistic ingeniousness. And I do not mean its art or animation; I mean everything about this fictional work. The music, the animation techniques, the simple story with its thrilling portrayal, and last but not least; the fact that it revolves around art itself. Truly, Cossette no Shouzou is not an easy watch for everyone. It's a niche piece of art, full of risks and pretentiousness. But it knows very well what it is, and that's what makes it beautiful and fascinating.
To begin my short analysis, I'll mention what I found best - and this was the atmosphere. On one hand, we have Yuki Kajiura (Noir, Kara no Kyoukai, Fate/Zero) giving it her best to create the most fitting horror vibes with her music, on the other hand we have Shinbou Akiyuki (Madoka Magica, Monogatari series) who is a unique director, and loved by his audience. If you ask me, the result is magical and this is one of the best collaborations I have ever seen in anime. Even if you don't really care about the story, you cannot overlook the exceptional atmosphere. You get spooked, you get hooked; it is the definition of successful horror.
Furthermore, I'll have to say a few things about the story. It is clear from the beginning that the story is far from normal, the events happening are surreal and the writing is full of exaggerations and metaphorical approach. Now, it all starts with a young artist called Eiri, and his obsession with a supernatural phenomenon only he can see; a girl, trapped inside an antique glass. What follows up includes a gory and full of suffering yet romantic horror story, and a big contrast between two different kinds of artists. It also jumps from the 21st to the 18th century, there's a slightly historical viewpoint, ethical demarcation and a little bit of philosophy. Just in case you haven't watched it yet, I'll only leave a touch of what happens in Cossette no Shouzou here and leave some spoilers for the next paragraph.
In this paragraph, concerning details about what messages the show wants to convey, spoilers are unavoidable. Like I said on the title, it's one of the most misunderstood fictional works and that's because the storytelling and flow of events are messy and chaotic. The main message is that of the main story; the difference between an artist who likes stable and everlasting art, and another one who admires and respects change and evolution, whether it is good or bad for the art itself. How different a work of art can be, if the artist's mindset and viewpoints are different as well. And it's not just about painters; it's about any human's approach on life. The way the plot point is expressed is tricky and full of metaphors, but it leads to something pretty simple. Nevertheless, Cossette no Shouzou has many other things to share with the viewer. One of those is woman's endless suffering, in all periods and eras of humanity. If you think about it, it's another tragic story with a bad ending for a female human, and the fact that Cossette's soul is enslaved for so long in the world she had already died is just a result of all the malevolent energy created by suffering and unfairness. Eiri, on the other hand, is also the victim here; he's the "good" kind of guy, who feels for the girl and tries to protect her. Traumatized and ignorant, Cossette will not accept him and will torture him until she is satisfied. But since there are heavy tones of romanticism in this work, it is implied that a positive attitude is praiseworthy and will prevail. This is something I really liked, and it was clearly shown by Mataki's last line as well.
To end this review, the main reason I'm writing it is because I watched this anime OVA yesterday and it can't leave my mind yet. Its music, its visuals, its atmosphere. That's because of the great work studio Daume made back in 2004 and the beautiful, haunting, short artsy trip it took me to. It's very rare for an anime to stay stuck on my mind, and it is one more reason to consider this anime a big success. It's far from perfect - even its french name is wrongly written - but at least it does not try to achieve perfection and it shows it is fine having some flaws. Big respect to the staff!
