Noein Complete Series Boxset [2007] [DVD]

ruthie_uk2001

at 6:45 am

Review by ruthie_uk2001 for Noein Complete Series Boxset [2007] [DVD]
Rating: (5 / 5)
This is a beautiful and highly under-rated anime, with a great quality of characters and plot that interweave throughout the 24 episodes. Whilst it is confusing to keep track of the action to begin with (unless you are familiar with quantam physics), the use of familiar dialogue, characters and settings soon allow the viewer to gain an understanding of the complex plot. The characters themselves are well drawn and highly emotive, and the series explores them in turn so as to develop a deeper empathy with them as individuals. Added to which, there is an excellent soundtrack and the quality of the animation is fantastic. I would certainly recommend this to fans of anime, but also to those new to the genre and anyone that can appreciate something that’s a little bit different. 5 stars, well worth the money.

E. A Solinas

at 7:42 am

Review by E. A Solinas for Noein Complete Series Boxset [2007] [DVD]
Rating: (5 / 5)
Dimensional apocalypses, quantum physics, and preteen coming-of-age. Not a lot of series could manage all that.

But in fact, the tightly-woven story of “Noein” succeeds in everything it attempts — an eerie, other-dimensiony storyline with some complex characters and well-placed comedy. The animation is a bit simple, but the story it’s wrapped around is complex and well-developed.

As the story opens, Dragon Knights are fighting a Shangri-la ship over a barren landscape. The ship explodes, taking Karasu with it. In Japan, a young girl named Haruka spots him standing on a church spire.

Months later, Haruka goes on a ghost hunt with her pals Ai, Miho, Isami and the troubled Yuu. Then Karasu appears, and identifies Haruka as the Dragon Torque. As he battles another Dragon Knight, the deranged Atori, Haruka finds that she can unintentionally manipulate time and space. And Karasu seems eerily familiar — turns out he’s Yuu from the future.

Soon the town is swarming with Dragon Knights, all trying to capture Haruka — except for Karasu, who vows to protect her with his life. And when the Knights kidnap Haruka back to their dimension, La’cryma, she finds that their world is OUR future — a ruined planet being slowly destroyed by the dimension Shangri-la. And her captors are future versions of her friends, Isami and Ai.

Things don’t improve much after Karasu manages to whisk her back to Earth, and hides in her spare room. Haruka and her friends have to deal with more Dragon Knights, a quantum physicist, and a mysterious masked figure — Noein — wants Haruka for himself. And Karasu has to deal with Fukurou, a future version of Isami — to keep Haruka safe, he’ll have to fight his oldest friend to the death.

To protect her world — and her beloved Karasu/Yuu — Haruka will do anything. But she hasn’t reckoned with the devious Noein, and the horrifying secret that drives him to unite all the dimensions…

“Noein” is a pretty densely plotted show — coming-of-ages, apocalyptic battles, personal struggles, and action-packed sci-fi. And the all-too-human characters are explored in detail. All of this is expertly woven together, along with some plot twists that only stop when the story is complete.

Fortunately, it has more than just clever writing — it’s full of exquisitely beautiful visuals (Karasu’s healing, Noein’s fortress), bittersweet memories, and sweetly humorous scenes (Atori regressing into a childlike state). In a way, the sweeter scenes make the struggle against Shangri-la even more harrowing.

And it’s loaded down with action — lots of high-voltage fight scenes, including kinetic air battles, falling lift cars, exploding buildings, bug-eyed guru-ships invading our world, and some holes in the universe. And though the dialogue isn’t exactly littered with quotables, it has some great lines (“Even if we are being killed, we can still pretend it’s not happening!”).

Most of the characters are given little moments to shine, but the main trio takes center stage. Haruka and Yuu make great protagonists: one is upbeat and kindly, and the other is miserable because of his mother’s obsessions. And Karasu is an absolutely stunning anti-hero, whose dark personality is even more striking when you realize that he’s a future Yuu who has lost everything he loved.

And the supporting characters are almost as great — the athletic Ai, flaky Miho, and wannabe tough-guy Isami. These three are totally lovable, and it’s painful to see their lives disintegrate in one potential future. And attention is also given to the psycho-turned-amnesiac Atori, the quiet Tobi, as well as Yuu’s unhappy mother.

As for the dub, almost all the actors are excellent, and Crispin Freeman is nothing short of phenomenal as the tortured Karasu — rough, raw, anguished, and sometimes a wee bit tender. The only weak spots, really, are a hammy Bryce Papenbrook and Cindy Robinson with a Southern accent so strong you could smash cinder blocks with it.

Noein has a few animated weak spots, but the storyline is a peerless blend of complex sci-fi, quantum physics, and love. A stunning, harrowing story.

Hollie

at 8:03 am

Review by Hollie for Noein Complete Series Boxset [2007] [DVD]
Rating: (5 / 5)
I have to admit that I sat bored through the first volume. Though beautifully coloured I found the simplistic animation extremely tedious and the plot highly confusing. As I began watching volume 2 I was regretting my purchase. However things then began to pick up. Volume 2 brought with it a much deeper character development, the story began to tidy itself up a bit and understanding began to dawn on me. By volume 3 I loved the animation, the simple style perfectly contradicts the complexity of the plot and the 3D moments are seamlessly integrated into the 2D. By volumes 4 and 5 I was completely addicted.

This isn’t really as complicated as it initially appears, if you pay attention things are generally very easy to follow. The few annoying voices amongst the cast are easy enough to tolerate and actually become likeable long before the end. This is definately a series I would recommend, but you may find the 1st volume a bit of a task to sit through. But personally I think Noein is worth the effort of concentration required at the beginning.