This series, loosely based on the classic film 'Seven Samurai' is set in a world that resembles feudal Japan but also features futuristic machines. The farmers of Kanna village are fed up with living on gruel because mechanical bandits keep stealing their precious rice harvest so they decide to engage the services of a group of samurai to help them fight back. To this end three member of the village; water diviner Kirara; her young sister Komachi and farmer Rikichi head to the nearby city to find samurai. They manage to find several but finding ones willing to fight for them will not be easy. Eventually they manage to recruit group; some experienced others less so. Kirara also catches the eye of Ukyo; the adoptive son of the city's leader and will need the help of the samurai to get away from him. Once back at the village they manage to fight off the bandits but their fight is far from over and not all of them will survive.
I had been put off this series by trailers featuring lots of 3D mechs battling in space and a rather gloomy DVD box cover but once I started watching it quickly became apparent that this was something special. The main characters were interesting and emotionally involving; this was particularly true of Katsushiro the young samurai who has yet to see combat and is changed forever when he does; experiencing both excitement and tragedy in battle. The main character designs look great and they are well animated, the 3D mechanical bandits they fight aren't so good; they stick out too much from the main 2D animation. Those wanting plenty of action shouldn't be disappointed and those wanting some lighter moments should like it too some good laughs are provided by Komachi and her new friend, the mechanical samurai, Kikuchiyo. Ukyo proves to be an interesting antagonist; at times it seems like he might not be bad after all and at others he seems conniving and dangerous. Overall this series was much better than I expect it and I certainly recommend giving it a go and if you do don't skip to the next episode when the credits start; after the 'coming next' prologue there is a little section featuring Komachi writing a letter to her friend Okara.
These comments are based on watching the series in Japanese with English subtitles.
I had been put off this series by trailers featuring lots of 3D mechs battling in space and a rather gloomy DVD box cover but once I started watching it quickly became apparent that this was something special. The main characters were interesting and emotionally involving; this was particularly true of Katsushiro the young samurai who has yet to see combat and is changed forever when he does; experiencing both excitement and tragedy in battle. The main character designs look great and they are well animated, the 3D mechanical bandits they fight aren't so good; they stick out too much from the main 2D animation. Those wanting plenty of action shouldn't be disappointed and those wanting some lighter moments should like it too some good laughs are provided by Komachi and her new friend, the mechanical samurai, Kikuchiyo. Ukyo proves to be an interesting antagonist; at times it seems like he might not be bad after all and at others he seems conniving and dangerous. Overall this series was much better than I expect it and I certainly recommend giving it a go and if you do don't skip to the next episode when the credits start; after the 'coming next' prologue there is a little section featuring Komachi writing a letter to her friend Okara.
These comments are based on watching the series in Japanese with English subtitles.