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| Copyright © Funimation |
Time for another
horror-themed review, in order to celebrate the month of everything
macabre!
This month we're going
to look at an anime, or more specifically an OVA, that was released
ten years ago. The animation in question? A little show called
Murder Princess. No,
seriously, it it little; it's only six episodes long. So, if that
sounds like it might be your kind of thing, then please, read on.
As
always, tread carefully, for there may be spoilers beyond this point!
Murder Princess
is an OVA that was released in 2007, and is based on the manga of the
same name by Sekihiko Inui. The Kingdom of Forland has fallen to a
coup d'etat, and of all the royal family only Princess Alita
survives. In her flight from the castle she runs into a bounty
hunter named Falis, and after an accident the two find that they have
swapped bodies. Alita begs Falis to help her liberate her nation
from the new regime. This earns Falis (in Alita's body) the title of
“Murder Princess”.
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| Copyright © Funimation |
However,
the main story actually takes place after the liberation. The two
girls fail to switch back, and Falis (in Alita's body) now needs to
learn how to rule as a princess, whilst still defending her new
throne from outside threats. Oh yes, even though the usurpers are
overthrown quickly, there is still plenty of fighting to be had.
As
well as fighting and intrigue, the switch between the two also makes
for some decent comedy; and the show earns more than a few laughs
along the way. None of the comedy is anything particularly original,
but it is executed well, and the actors help to sell it.
The
story is simple, but not bad; in fact, I'd say it's fairly good, and
less convoluted than it may initially sounds. Everything flows from
one point to the next, and it good character development out of the
two characters having switched places. The show also keeps up a good
pace, lingering on scenes long enough to convey everything, but not
so long that it becomes boring.
The
general aesthetic of the show evokes a very horror-esque feel, with
many of the human characters being misshapen in grotesque ways.
There are also other characters who clearly aren't human at all, such
as Dominikov who resembles a skeleton, and Pete who seems to be based
on Frankenstein's monster. Not to mention, that the general medieval
environment resembles the village settings of classic horror films
such as Dracula or
Frankenstein.
Despite
this, the colours are bright and vibrant, but this does not detract
from the aesthetic. The blacks are deep and vibrant, and the
richness of the colours helps evoke the idea of something mystical
within the world we're viewing. It also helps to keep things clear,
and makes for some interesting still images.
Not
to mention it makes the blood stand out more, because yes, there is
plenty of blood. Although, oddly enough, sometimes blood is missing
from scenes where you would expect it; which is strange, since the
show has no compunctions about dropping some of it the rest of the
time. A scene early in the first episode comes to mind, where the
blood is obviously missing.
On
the whole, the art direction has a creepy charm to it; and this helps
set the show apart from other more realistic, desaturated
horror-themed works.
However,
the animation itself is not the greatest. It's not bad by any means,
and its does its job well for the most part; I do feel that there
were some spots where they could have spent a bit more on how the
characters move, especially considering the limited number of
episodes. That said, it is definitely good enough to do what it
needs to do, and there are no real glaring issues.
This
countered to some extent by some good choreography, which makes for
some decent fights.
The
characters are distinct, and with enough personality to make them all
entertaining. I won't say that they're all deep, and complex, but
they have enough personality to them to make them believable.
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| Copyright © Funimation |
However,
our two leading ladies do display a good deal more in the way of
character. They develop significantly, not just in the personality
they display, but in their relationship to each other, which does
play a large part in the story of the show. As each episode goes by
it peels away a few more layers, which shows us parts of their
personality we never would have guessed early on. However, these
parts of their personality feel like a natural extension, rather than
an out-of-the-blue development.
This
development is helped along by some good voice acting, that
accurately captures the spirit of the characters, and conveys their
thoughts and feelings well. The actresses also display a decent
range of ability as the characters lead their double lives, and can
also portray both their more melodramatic moments, along with the
more subdued moments.
Overall,
I find the two leads to be compelling; which is good, considering
it's really them we're all here to see.
The
soundtrack isn't anything extra impressive, although again, it's
competent enough to do its job. It does mix in some metal guitars
and heavy bass, which does stand out a little more than the regular
tracks. The rock tunes wouldn't exactly light up the charts, but
they do help to give the show its own identity. It helps to get the
blood pumping, and liven up the action sequences.
Overall,
I find the show to be very fun to watch and competently made. Whilst
Murder Princess never
really breaks any new ground, it executes its premise well enough to
be entertaining anyway. It combines just the right mix of action,
comedy, and drama to draw the viewer into its world, and keep them
there. The characters are all enjoyable, and the soundtrack ups the
tempo in all of the right spots.
Definitely
something I'd recommend to anyone looking for a solid action,
horror-themed anime.
Until next time,
PhoenixAct.
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