Noir – Vol. 6

Mikeyr101

at 7:20 am

I own the region 1 release, which is identical in content.

With a bullet to the head the truth is finally laid bare: of the murder of Mirielle’s family and of Kirika’s dreadful past. With nowhere else to turn, Kirika resigns herself to the service of Altena as Noir, and journies to the hidden manor where the final rituals will be held. But the Soldats are not of one mind. With powerful men vehemently opposed to the fruition of Altena’s Grand Design, there is but one last, desperate card left to play. And so it is that Mirielle finds herself with a terrible duty to fulfil – to kill her partner and take her place as part of the True Noir.

This volume contains four episodes, and as always they are truly gripping in pace, detail and mood. The third episode follows Kirika’s painful journey to find Altena, and shows the fanatical devotion that the High Priestess instils in her followers. Its ending is almost heart-wrenching as the outcome could never be in any doubt. The final episode follows Mirielle as she tries to put her life (and her bullet-riddled apartment) back together after the terrible events of the final, rainy night of the partnership. With the last scraps of her past laid bare by the Soldats, her obligations become clear and it’s with a sense of the inevitable that you can see exactly where this is going to lead the story. Because Altena’s plans can only bring one conclusion: a lot of people are going to die, and not all of them had to be enemies…

Once again the production has hit the mark. All the pacing, the sometimes tortuous scraps of information and evidence dropped piece by piece over many episodes have been leading to this final situation, and in true Noir form you are left at the end of the volume waiting eagerly to see its resolution. Who will bite the bullet, and who will be left standing when it is all over? Only the final volume, “The End of the Matter”, will tell. It is well worth the suspense.

Recommended viewing for any serious Anime fan, or anybody who dearly loves a serious epic, this volume has to score Five Stars on its content alone. Let’s hope they make a sequel!
Rating: 5 / 5