Taking it with a view of the manga its.... odd. The main premise is the same but Ashura has changed sex and the God King was Lord Ashura. Slight differences which can be explained by less time to tell the story in the OAV's run. Except they don't tell the story, they don't tell any story, maybe a quarter of a story or half a story, but not a full one. It's left with no resolution.
Taking it without a view of the manga and ... well I can see why it didn't get picked up for a whole series. It's a middle section of a story with no start and no end, not even a semi resolution. In my opinion without the plot of the manga to lean upon this OAV flops, and I am so disappointed about that.
The characters have been brought to the screen well, I have no qualms there, the music is fitting and the animation is good for its age. One other thing I feel the need to comment on is that the OAV doesn't have the grip on you that the manga has. It's a lot less intense and emotional, I didn't shed a tear watching it and I had been hoping for that, I love CLAMPs ability to tear your heart out but it just wasn't there. That could again have been time constraints but in the manga it doesn't take long for you to love a character and then have him/her killed.
I'd say don't watch this if you haven't read the manga, there's not much to be gotten from it (except pretty Soma). If you have read the manga then watch it but with no expectations, it's nice to see the characters on screen but that's about it.
Nanashi Moriko *disappointed fangirl*
29/05/07
