Kingbeast's Lair

-== What is it? ==-

Two ninja clans pitted against each other in a duel to the death while their respective leaders are trying to end the conflict so that they can get married. Lots of blood. Lots of drama. Think warring ninja clans meet Romeo and Juliet and you got it. I have the collector box edition with all 6 DVDs. (Note that this is not the one shown in the accompanying image.) There are a total of 24 episodes. Each episode is roughly 30 minutes in length.

-== What I Like ==-

Basilisk has a fantastic visual style. The visual style has a stronger sense of realism than some of the lighter anime. I personally really enjoy this more realistic style. One exception might be Oboro’s purple eyes which sometimes show as extremely large but this is done at the proper times and with a purpose. Her eyes are a focus for her ninja power.

Each ninja has a really interesting super secret special ninja power. Some are really off the wall but they are all very fun to watch. It always amazed me how the writers expose each character’s secret power through the ongoing story. It is very well crafted.

The story is not revolutionary or that surprising but it is very well executed. The tension builds and builds as each clan plays out their hand. This all leads to a fantastic climax that is very dramatic. I’ll admit that I actually teared up at the ending.

There was a nice mix of blood and drama. There was not so much of either that you got appalled or bored. In fact the good balance seemed to heighten the overall impact quite well.

I purchased the collectors edition that includes a wooden storage box, a paper scroll, and some ninja cards. The real star here is the wooden storage box which has great artwork and a classic anime feel that aligns well with the series. The cards are nicely printed but not special. The paper scroll is a real let down. It is flimsy and not well executed. I would actually suggest avoiding the collectors edition unless you want the neat wooden storage box.

-== What I Don’t Like ==-

It had been a while since I watched a series with such tough Japanese names. Initially it can be daunting keeping the names and clans straight. After a few episodes it really becomes clearer and there is not an issue. Do be warned that you may have to watch the first couple of episodes then replay them again after you have the names nailed down.

RightStuf give Basilisk and Age Rating of 17+ and I think that rating is accurate. There are a couple of rape scenes in Basilisk that are a bit harsh. The most gratuitous scene is being used to show how really bad Tenzen (i.e. “the big baddie”) can be but I think they go a bit too far.

There is some extravagant gore to the bloodletting and some nudity that seems extraneous but overall it is not that bad. To put it simply…you don’t want to be a mook around these folks if you plan on keeping your body parts.

There are really not a lot of DVD extras worth mentioning at all. There are some round table talks with some of the Japanese voice talent that are translated but they are not too exciting and a bit strange at times.

-== Summary ==-

I found Basilisk from Funimation to be an excellent anime series. It is in my top 5 anime list and possibly in my top 3. You can get a copy of the entire series for $28 from RightStuf.com. Here is the link.

I give it 9 out of 10 paws.