(L) Noir

[rEkKaShInObI]

I plan on collecting noir, I hope its really good.

[dreamless]

Originally Posted by Za Paper

Spoiler:

The other replies are similar to what my friend thought with the two gunshots at the end. My reasoning that they werent killed was that the two shots at the end were just for effect because guns were a common theme throughout the show. The mafia guys at the end also didnt like Artena because she was manipulating them so I think they let Kirika and Mirelle escape.

Spoiler:

Hmm... Soldats is not really the Mafia type... it's mentioned in the anime that Soldats is in control of the governments of a lot (if not all) of the powerful countries in the world. I'd say they are more like shadow society/secret world government sort of things ie. Illuminati. All the more reasons that they won't ever let the girls go unchecked, they are the power hungry sly politician type, they won't ever knowingly let two top assassins who has enough skills to kill them anytime go freely out of their grasp. Also Altena is not really manipulating them, it's more like power struggle where Altena believes in the old way while the other Soldats members just want to grab as much power for themselves as possible and don't care about the original purpose of the organization.

Originally Posted by TronDD

Spoiler:

Those shots sounded like Mirielle and Hirika's guns. I think it was in there to illistrate that, as the Soldat elder said, "Things aren't over yet." Like you say, they aren't just gonna let them go. However, that same Soldat wished Mirielle luck before she ventured to the manor. I don't think he'd shoot them in the back. They aren't dead...yet, anyway.

Spoiler:

Yea, that's one of the common argument I've seen a lot too, but I just don't think they'd just go out of door and shoot two shots randomly for the sake of symbolizing the end of the series... hmm... also the Soldats guys are old scheming politicians, and I'd say they wouldn't hesitate to backstab anyone who presents a threat to them. I'd even go as far as to say those Soldats acted before the girls to further ensure they have put their guards down. They are the ones sitting in the shadows manipulating the governments of powerful countries from behind the scene, let's say, imagine the Cigarette-Smoking Man and the Well-Manicured Man from the X-Files, and even eviler and slier

[Banisher]

About the last episode issue...

Spoiler:

For me, the two shots are meant to kill the Noir side of Mireille and Kirika. Now that they are freed from their past, they can just go on with their life. Of course, they will probably meet Soldats again later. The Soldats leader who sent Mireille to the Manor would not kill her like this, as he has high hopes of having her joining Soldats.

[TronDD]

Spoiler:

If the power hungry Soldats were so evil and scheming, why didn't they just use their power to drop a bomb on Altena at the manor and be done? They have a sense of tradition and respect. I don't think they'd shoot the girls as they hobbled away.

I like they idea that it symbolizes the death of their trouble pasts. Kirika learns who she was and grows into a new person. Mirielle learn the truth of her past and also grows beyond it.

[dreamless]

Spoiler:

well, indeed they are still bound by a sense of tradition, to an extent at least, as the sense of tradition doesn't stop them from hiring Mirielle to kill Altena. Actually I guess rather than a "sense of tradition", it's more like the "formality of tradition". They may wanted to bomb that holy place where Altena dwells, but whoever ordered it would look really bad since that's the, well, "holy place" for Soldats...

Also since in the end the girls deny being Noir, there's nothing, whether sense of tradition or formality of tradition, that can stop them from tricking the girls and killing them...

I guess how you wish to interpret the gunshots at the ending depends on whether you are willing to take the romantic "leap of faith"... I guess I'm just not that romantic and I always think an ending with both girls killed fits the theme "Noir" better

[TronDD]

I guess it's a "half full, half empty" kinda thing. And I suppose anyone who has made up their mind isn't going to be persuaded. I know I won't be.

[dreamless]

yea, I guess we can never reach a conclusion unless the producers themselves give an official answer... which they won't...

or a sequel comes... although that'd prove me wrong, I'd still love to see a Noir 2

[Za Paper]

Originally Posted by dreamless

yea, I guess we can never reach a conclusion unless the producers themselves give an official answer... which they won't...

or a sequel comes... although that'd prove me wrong, I'd still love to see a Noir 2

There were rumors of ADV being in negotiations for the production of Noir 2. I dont think anything has come of it though.

[baka]

the action was very good but the way they ended up was very much a let down i mean why go through all that if they were going to retire or give it up and my personal favorite was chloe she did have kirika and mireelrerel or whatever taken at the same time twice until she didn't want to kill kirika very much a let down but the action was very good.

[GustaveCD]

~truncated~

[Mr_Paper]

if you can you provide specific episode numbers and rough times, I'll look into it.

[Vulkar]

What an interesting coincidence. Thankyou. I've been watching Noir and I have no weapons knowledge whatsoever, but I was curious what weapon Mirielle was using. Now, I know.

[GustaveCD]

~truncated~

[Kiro]

ok, i just saw more than half of that series (up to episode 16). i'm pretty amazed, that you all actually think the action is good. no freakin way. it's terrible imho. i don't mind the absence of blood. what really gives me headaches is the idiocy of the action.

Spoiler:

not only are the bad guys bad at shooting, but they rareley even shoot! allthough one would think, that if someone works for soldats/triads/mafia/whatever, he should have some skills.

best example - episode 16: an army of bad guys are targeting noir (the girl that doesn't know about her past) with their guns. normally, if she would move, she would be dead. one must ask himself why they didn't just shoot her in the first place (since the other part of the noir-team was in their hands. they could have killed them both right on the spot) but no, they had to wait until noir makes a move....

"suddenly" (who would have thought that!) noir draws her two pistols. she is killing like half of the chinese mafia and NOT EVEN ONE shot comes out of the guns from the bad guys for like 20 seconds (i counted it!) and they get slaughtered while being oh so surprised that their enemy, actually shoots them. after those 20 seconds FINALLY they manage to shoot back. but hitting the target is anoter issue...

now it's not that i can't live without action. it's just that in noir, a big part of the episodes are those shootings. and the action is just ugly.

and the story: *sigh* after 16 episodes they still don't know shit. allthough i still liked some eps, where there was no progression of the main story arc. i will watch the show to the end just to know how it ends. there isn't much more than that that's keeping me from stopping to watch this. (actually, i allready have to force myself) i'll definatly won't recommend this show. it's mediorce at best imo.

there's much better stuff out there, that one should consider to buy the dvd's of.

[TronDD]

While I'll agree that it's dumb the bad guys can't hit anything, it's still my favorite action series. Actually, it's the only show I like the action from. I am not an action fan without some substance behind it, and even then I'll like the series for that substance. I think Noir has a good story and good action. It's the only show I'll say that about.

[dreamless]

well I totally agree that the main plot of Noir moves really really slowly... that's why I think Madlax is quite a refreshing change of pace for a Bee Train anime but that's another different matter... but for Noir I really love some of the side stories. the main plot is a bit lame IMO, except for Altena... and Chloe before episode 24... though I love her greek costume... there are some brilliant side stories, I love the nice touches and the awesome gunfight in Assassin's Game, I love the little details in A Stray Cat, I love the ending of Sound of Waves, and I love how Kirika interested in drawing in Season of Hell (which is also the name of the song at the ending of Avenger), I like Mireille best in A Bonquet For Mireille, and Chloe is best in Assassin training.

[Silver_Scorcher]

Hmm? No one started a thread about Noir yet? Anyways, while it has a lot of flaws, overall I really liked Noir, and to date it's one of my favourite titles. As a lot of people said, the fight scenes were very well done but unrealistic. Why does it just so happen that every male character has a lousy shot? And some of these guys (ie. The Soldats "Best Knights") are supposedly trained to be the best of assassins. There really is no story until 2/3rds of the way through. Before that the anime is quite episodic (meaning none of the episodes tie in with the others). For me, the music is where it's at. Noir IMO has one of the best soundtracks in an anime to date. I have both OST's and I love just about every track. The DUB is also very good, but then again, you'd have to be completely brain-dead to f**k up a DUB like this. Kirika Mirielle & Chloe are some of the most emotionless and cold-blooded characters that I've seen, hence the Voice Actors don't have to worry too much about emotion. It doesn't matter anyways cuz ADV's IS&M did the DUB so you know it'll be good regardless. My advice in general would be to see it for yourself and draw up your own conclusions. Honestly I think it's very easy to hate Noir but that all depends on your tastes and tollerance.

[lavarock]

Yes, indeed it's one of my favorite series, it's also one of the series that introduced me back to anime after stop watching it after middle school (of coz for the more serious type now)

[USCPharmacist]

Originally Posted by Kiro

ok, i just saw more than half of that series (up to episode 16). i'm pretty amazed, that you all actually think the action is good. no freakin way. it's terrible imho. i don't mind the absence of blood. what really gives me headaches is the idiocy of the action.

Spoiler:

not only are the bad guys bad at shooting, but they rareley even shoot! allthough one would think, that if someone works for soldats/triads/mafia/whatever, he should have some skills.

best example - episode 16: an army of bad guys are targeting noir (the girl that doesn't know about her past) with their guns. normally, if she would move, she would be dead. one must ask himself why they didn't just shoot her in the first place (since the other part of the noir-team was in their hands. they could have killed them both right on the spot) but no, they had to wait until noir makes a move....

"suddenly" (who would have thought that!) noir draws her two pistols. she is killing like half of the chinese mafia and NOT EVEN ONE shot comes out of the guns from the bad guys for like 20 seconds (i counted it!) and they get slaughtered while being oh so surprised that their enemy, actually shoots them. after those 20 seconds FINALLY they manage to shoot back. but hitting the target is anoter issue...

now it's not that i can't live without action. it's just that in noir, a big part of the episodes are those shootings. and the action is just ugly.

and the story: *sigh* after 16 episodes they still don't know shit. allthough i still liked some eps, where there was no progression of the main story arc. i will watch the show to the end just to know how it ends. there isn't much more than that that's keeping me from stopping to watch this. (actually, i allready have to force myself) i'll definatly won't recommend this show. it's mediorce at best imo.

there's much better stuff out there, that one should consider to buy the dvd's of.

Obviously you have not played dynasty worrior 3 muhahahahahahah

[Innotech]

Another controversial anime that made it to my top 10

I love Noir, I own the 7 discs and I dont regret it at all. Yes its slow to get going, theres no blood, and its over stylized, but to be honest, no anime is perfect and thats part of their charm. It is, after all, a fantasy regardless of realistic scenes or characters, and at the end of it all, its for entertainment. As for the ending, my theory is close to some others in that

Spoiler:

I think Mireille and Kirika are killed at the end once they walk away from the house of Altena. This is the most logical idea, because if the two were shooting at the soldats, it likely wouldnt just be two shots as I think I remember quite more than one remaining memeber standing there. I bleieve they were shot when their guard was down, especially since they were both limping and supporting each other. They were probably just tired of living the assassins life and having finished off Altena, had nothing left to really live for so they died together