Moribito: Guardian of the Spirit

Alternate Title: Seirei no Moribito (Japanese)

Guardian of the Sacred Spirit

Studio: Production I.G.
English Liscensor: Geneon Entertainment (USA) Inc.
Episodes: 26
Demographic: Shonen
Genres: adventure, drama, fantasy
Related Content: Moribito: Guardian of the Spirit (novel)
                                         Seirei no Moribito (manga)

Summary:
In order to make amends for the deaths of eight loved ones, Balsa the Spear-Wielder has dedicated her life to saving eight others, serving as a traveling bodyguard. On what is to be her eighth mission, she becomes entangled in a complicated web of mystery and magic surrounding the prince and the royal family. After saving prince Chagum from a freak accident, his mother, the Second Queen of Yogo, pleads for Balsa’s aid in protecting her son from the Mikado’s (emperor) assassins. It turns out that Chagum has become the guardian of the water spirit, which threatens to bring great calamities should it be safely delivered to its birthplace. Balsa decides to take on the assignment; as a result, the young prince is forced to become a fugitive, and slowly begins to learn the ways of the world outside the palace walls. All the while, Chagum’s tutor, the Star Gazer Shuga, looks into the mystery surrounding Chagum’s possession.

Review:
This series has beautiful music, masterful animation, a well-developed plot, a unique heroine, and meaningful episodes (none of that filler stuff!) – not to mention amazing (English dub) voice acting talents, courtesy of Bang Zoom! Entertainment. The show, despite being classified as fantasy, is not riddled with flashy fight scenes between super-humans, but is instead made to have a more realistic feel with the characters’ sophisticated fighting styles, helpful 3D effects, and picturesque backgrounds.

Among my favorite characters is Balsa, the strong female bodyguard with a sharp mind and deadly fighting skills. She is disciplined, caring, devoted, and brave – best of all, her character retains a sense of respectability I feel is lacking in many female anime characters that exist only to be ogled by the fanboys and girls. Chagum is my second favorite since he is neither an overly-arrogant stereotypical prince, nor an immature coward. Although he does possess a sense of superiority one might expect from a noble, he quickly changes his attitude and realizes the severity of his situation. Throughout the series, he develops into a more responsible and admirable character challenged by the dangers he and Balsa face. The viewer has other characters to look forward to seeing, such as Tanda, Balsa’s childhood friend; Madame Torogai, an eccentric old witch and Tanda’s teacher; Shuga the Star Gazer, Chagum’s tutor and effective catalyst within the series; and Balsa’s mentor, Jiguro Musa. Though Jiguro appears briefly, I still consider him a very important, interesting character.

Some may not like the overall slow pace Moribito has in comparison to other anime; however, I believe it finds a good balance between action and dialogue. Though it does not rely too heavily on it, the plot is also infused with supernatural phenomena and mysticism, which I’ve always found fascinating. This, coupled with a setting heavily-influenced by medieval China, makes for a unique approach to history. I have to say, I really like the ethnic feel the show has to it as well. Kawai Kenji’s soundtrack only serves to intensify the mood and ethnic feel of Moribito: Guardian of the Spirit. This anime is exceptional in just about every way imaginable and I definitely recommend it.

Review:««««

Click HERE to watch the entire series.