Noein: To Your Other Self
 Miss_Construe  rates it:    Community rates it: (no ratings yet)
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The series opens with a mysterious battle in the sky. Who and why are unclear. The focus then jumps to a bunch of children heading off to summer break. A connection is soon made when one of the girls, Haruka, sees one of the mysterious people. We soon realize that the cloaked people are from another dimension, and are after a mysterious dragon torque, which Haruka seems to possess. A friend of hers named Yuu becomes more and more isolated as his overprotective mother prevents his friends from visiting. She wants him to study hard to get into a good school instead. There is also a detective-like group that is searching for the source of a mysterious energy they pick up on a computerized radar.

The plot I have laid out seems very simple, but it is actually complicated and nuanced. There is a coming of age story, with a group of friends that are very realistic. The multi-dimensional travelers, called the Dragon Calvary, are out to save their dimension La’cryma from a destructive force called Shangri-La. One of the members, Karasu, claims to be Yuu from the future. Pieces come together and become clearer each episode. It is a true miniseries in that each episode picks up the story exactly where it last ended. The music is beautifully orchestrated and fits well. The opening and closing songs are not bad, but their pop-sound does not seem to fit with the mood. The animation is very unique, combining precise sets and characters, raw action scenes, and haunting computer animation. They style meshes well with the heady concepts of multiple dimensions, time-space, and alternate realities. The characters feel like real people And pull you into their story. The mystery keeps one engaged and wanting to see more. The only part I don’t like is a cavalryman named Atori. He is deranged and looks like a cross between the Joker and the Scarecrow from Batman. He is too much of a caricature to fit in with the other characters, which are much more well-rounded. Noein volume one is obviously just the beginning, with many questions left unanswered. I would definitely pick up the next one and see where it heads. I give it 4 cans.

Added:  Saturday, January 06, 2007

Language: eng[ Did you find this review helpful?  Yes  No ]
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