- Overall: 9
- Animation: 9
- Sound: 9
- Characters: 7
- Story: 8
- Enjoyment: 9
I consider this anime a quality series that I would recommend to anyone. The animation is superb and Balsa is a great heroine. It may or may not be a favorite, but I believe it’s definitely worth watching.
Animation
The animation was excellently done in this series, beautifully supporting the serious nature of the story and its generally relaxed pacing with occassional swiftness when characters go into action. The colors on characters and scenery portrayed personality and mood quite well, and although it bordered more on the realistic aspect than the creative, it was done with good artistry. Movement, especially during quick scenes of fighting, were impressive, having a good balance of detail and speed. The only setback were the animation of certain creatures, which I believe could have been improved, but perhaps my disapproval was more for the character design rather than the animation of these creatures. Either way, their presence prevented me from giving a perfect rating. However, aside from that, the animation was at its best quality.
Sound
Sound effects were above average and realistic, and music was right on cue when providing different mood settings where they fit, especially in scenes of urgency and sadness. However, though with good quality, they did not really provide that much depth as to draw the viewer into the mood.
Characters
Character design and development were, more or less, simple. This does not mean that they don’t have depth or development, but they were pretty much structured and they don’t stand out. Even Balsa, who I adore, was generally standard. The only uniqueness to her, I guess, was that she weilds a spear, rather than a sword or other common weapons (and that’s really cool :D I love her). Balsa was flawless, but I would have prefered her with a few imperfections (and maybe a little humor, and a bit of a darkness? Sorry, I can’t help comparing her to Kenshin and Vash).
Story
The pacing was a little slow and dragging in some parts, and my interest dulled from time to time. (And also… I am not a fan of those creatures.) But the story was original, and it was a great mixture of adventure and mysticism that really drew me in.
Enjoyment
Despite my on-and-off interest in this anime (my mood being also a factor), I highly enjoyed this show. It’s a refreshing series with a balance of stimulation and relaxation.
