(L) Seirei no Moribito (Guardian of the Sacred Spirit)

[Joojoobees]

Originally Posted by Sinestra

would happen between Tanda and Balsa once she comes back. But i guess in several way it was applied what would eventually happen. The feelings were obvious between both of them.

Maybe, but sometimes people can care a lot for each other, and things don't work out. That can be because someone is afraid of intimacy (cough * Balsa * cough), or because the timing is never right, or whatever.

I hope we get more of this excellent show. I don't care if it takes them 10 years to finish the series, if they keep producing something of that quality, I'll keep watching.

[Berserker]

Originally Posted by Anh_Minh

Spoiler for ep 26:

Also, for an onsen episode, there was a remarkable lack of fanservice. Damn, I really wanted a better look at the Balsamune.

I am actually glad about that.


And I can't believe this show is finally over. It was an awesome show. I hope someone rescues the lisence from Geneon, because I want to buy official English DVDs for this show.

[gaguri]

Agree with many people on episode 25, that was underwhelming. And bravo at Chagum choosing to stay and take responsibility as a prince rather than embarking on another adventure with Balsa, that was mature of him.

Spoiler for final thoughts:

Looking back at my posts, I suppose I was being a bit too critical on the show stalling the plot progression. After all, I did enjoy those moments that gave insight to various features of this fictional world (especially Nayug landscape that Tanda visits. That was breath-taking). But the show loses sight of what really matters, spends too much time idling around less important things and that is largely why (along with its presentation shortcomings as mentioned by many) the climax felt so underwhelming. What seemed to be a very intriguing story completely loses its political intrigue and many characters unfortunately get a very little development. I liked Sagum's recollection of Chagum, Jin's complete devotion to Chagum, Blacksmith's conversations. It's a shame there are very few moments like these, and they couldn't continue that Jin->Chagum interaction (so I couldn't care less if Jin died at the last moment. And it goes without saying, the other 7 warriors were even less significant by that point). I particularly liked Jiguro and his battle with the second warrior, both fighting for things they value the most to death was tense, to say the least. And I suppose that drew a parallel to Balsa protecting Chagum, and Chagum later wanting to protect himself like Balsa did, but I had to raise an eyebrow at the part where Chagum insisted on getting eaten by La Lunga. Yea, it was so sweet of him to think of the world but how could he get it so wrong. Bah, I guess I simply don't like Chagum, never liked his decisions on gambling and wrestling to protect his stupid pride, or him trying to run a spear through Balsa.

Still, the show has a pretty damn solid production values, with amazing animation and soundtrack and brilliant voice-acting by whoever did Balsa at crucial moments. It couldn't keep up the earlier epic moments by the end, but it's still a great watch for its intriguing world (fantastic landscape, cultural aspects, etc.) and of course, to appreciate how beautiful it is to give your everything, your life to protect something or someone, for no absolutely no reason other than the fact that it's what you desire the most. I think that was the show's essence actually, despite the traditions and other stuff that people have mentioned. Overall, I'd give the series 8/10. I definitely wouldn't mind the second season.

[holtz11]

Finally finished it. Fantastic anime. Probably one of my favorites. Hoping a second season is forthcoming as well. Anyone know a website with sinopsis of the other books in the Moribito series? I was wandering what they were about.

[AnimeFangirl]

I've been wondering that myself. I doubt Balsa is ever going to settle down with Tanda (he's too boring for her anyway) so I was wondering if she ended up with anybody else. Maybe amazon.co.jp will have something.

I see...volume 3, huh? Spoiler for Yume no Moribito

Spoiler:

Tanda gets turned into a monster and Torogai and Chagum try to find a way to save him, with help from Balsa.

...doesn't sound too interesting. Tanda really is a bore.

The blurbs aren't really telling me anything about Balsa's romantic prospects, but I doubt much will be made of the issue. It's a book series for young adults/kids, so stuff like that is always going to take a backseat. I guess the only way to find out is to read them for myself. But 1575 yen a piece? Ouch!

[kujoe]

Originally Posted by Dorfl

I've been wondering that myself. I doubt Balsa is ever going to settle down with Tanda (he's too boring for her anyway) so I was wondering if she ended up with anybody else. Maybe amazon.co.jp will have something.

Actually, you should look into any info regarding the very last book, Ten to Chi no Moribito (Guardian of Heaven and Earth). The third one to be more specific. (Three books make up the whole "Heaven and Earth" arc.) For example, I found this. A few spoilers here and there of course.

I did some digging around, and well, there's something that's not so clear to me, but it concerns something else I read about regarding the events within this book. Unless I get to understand the actual story, I'm not sure what to make of it really.

[JerseyDevil]

Does anyone know of a download out there of all those Balsa sketches shown throughout the anime?

[Joojoobees]

Now that Seirei no Moribito is over, I had to go back and rewatch 12 Kingdoms. I don't know why these kinds of shows (serious without necessarily being dark, rich stories in detailed alternate worlds) are unpopular. It seems that, if 15 anime are released in a season, 10 are going to be lightweight timepasses, and the remaining 5 will be pretentiously dark, without really being serious. We're lucky if there is a decent story in any of them that goes beyond well-known cliches.

I guess we only get lucky every few years. :sigh:

[SeijiSensei]

A quick search of the Saiunkoku Monogatari thread didn't bring up your name, JJ, so perhaps you missed that one? I suspect you'd like that as well for more or less the same reasons. There's more surface comedy in Saiunkoku, especially in the opening episodes, but once it gets going it's a rather serious and complex story. Like Seirei and Junni Kokki, it has its fantasy side, but it's much more muted in Saiunkoku.

I re-watch Junni Kokki at least once a year, maybe more often. It's on my list once the DVDs come back from my daughter's boyfriend.

[AnimeFangirl]

Originally Posted by kujoe

Actually, you should look into any info regarding the very last book, Ten to Chi no Moribito (Guardian of Heaven and Earth). The third one to be more specific. (Three books make up the whole "Heaven and Earth" arc). For example, I found this. A few spoilers here and there of course.

Hmm, I see. Guess she didn't find anyone better to replace him after all, though it's annoying that he has to be rescued yet again. Yet more Chagum again? I never did like that kid, though I know it's essentially his story. Oh well, now I know, now I can go on my merry way.

[Joojoobees]

Originally Posted by SeijiSensei

A quick search of the Saiunkoku Monogatari thread didn't bring up your name, JJ, so perhaps you missed that one? I suspect you'd like that as well for more or less the same reasons. There's more surface comedy in Saiunkoku, especially in the opening episodes, but once it gets going it's a rather serious and complex story. Like Seirei and Junni Kokki, it has its fantasy side, but it's much more muted in Saiunkoku.

Thanks, Sensei, I'll definitely check it out, as I highly respect your opinion.

[baihaki]

one of the best series in this year , overall i give 9/10, hope second season

[Samanosuke]

what i don't get is

Spoiler for For the rest of the novels ?:

how Chagnum manages to reappear in the rest of the Moribito's series , i mean , as the future emperor , doesn't he have better things to do ? or rather , how is he even allowed to do all that ? ( note that i have not read the novels , but i think , Chagnum appears in every moribito novel arc , at least that's what i understood from the character listing of the official website :S )

[kauldron26]

ok... were my expectations for this show waaaaay too high?? did 12 kingdoms raise the bar waaaay too high?? because as much as it hurts to say i am quite disappointed. i was expecting to be blown away, i was expecting layered characters, i was expecting political intrigue, i was expecting action, i was expecting some character growth... i dont know... the anime is very nice to look at and all... but i dont care about the characters or if the country suffers through a drought and doesnt have water *gasp* its not bad... maybe 12 kingdoms was just too good. well im still on ep 19, and i am quite upset because i actually chose not to watch this when it was ongoing, the first ep blew me away to the point that i decided to wait till it was over and then marathon it.

[kauldron26]

wow... that was disappointing... ~sigh~ im surprised so many of y'all liked chagum. somewhere along the line i stopped caring about everything, but tanda and balsa's relationship. i hate being crushed with disappointment. if anything seirei no moribito has numbed my thirst for great anime. how everything led up to them fighting gigantic squids... omg... saddest thing is that they show had so much potential, and moments of greatness. what happened to the philosophical themes about murder?? that did not even play into anything... i was hoping chagum would commit patricide, and contemplate on what it means to take a life. and for fucks sake i hate balsa for not even seeming to pay attention to the one person that has been there for her for 20 yrs. yet she knew chagum for what a year? yet tanda gets no love? ugh... this reminds me of how upset i was after bakumatsu. so much hope, just crushed.

moribito: 7/10

if u want to watch fantasy done well, fantasy as a masterpiece watch 12 kingdoms, 12 kingdoms puts moribito to shame. funny thing is that i wouldnt have been so mad if the first 3 eps werent so good. la lunga turns out to be gigantic squids...

the highlight of the show: "if you cant see me as the cure, then there is not point waiting" every guy that has ever been in love knows exactly what tanda felt at that moment.

now imagine if this was a 13 eps series... just imagine it

[itis]

You do realize that the anime was following very close to the novel, correct? Where would you want them to pull out a "tanda and balsa relationship"? out of their asses? Evidently, since it did not occur in the anime, it did not occur in novel one.

Do you know why this anime was good? It did not follow the conventional theme of "mysterious creatures" "superficial adventure" "ChronicleofNarnia-like retardation" in a fantasy story. It was simple. Therefore, a giant squid was sufficient.

If people are curious if something happens between Balsa and Tanda

Spoiler for balsa and tanda:

It happens. Infact, it is implied that they do the mcnasty which is funny considering that the books are supposedly targeted towards children.

[kauldron26]

dude u cant rip on narnia which is a cornerstone for 99% of fantasy today and an echelon of english literature, published in over 400 languages. its like ripping on oliver twist for lack of character growth. but to each his own

[itis]

Fantasy is how far you can push the traditional theme. If it wasn't a alternate universe inside a closet, it was definately the talking Lion. I agree Chronicle of Narnia was a cornerstone for 99 % of fantasy today. However, and most importantly, it was still retarded.

[kauldron26]

hey can u go into some detail about tanda and balsa in the books? much appreciated.

[Teletha]

Originally Posted by kauldron26

wow... that was disappointing... ~sigh~ im surprised so many of y'all liked chagum. somewhere along the line i stopped caring about everything, but tanda and balsa's relationship. i hate being crushed with disappointment. if anything seirei no moribito has numbed my thirst for great anime. how everything led up to them fighting gigantic squids... omg... saddest thing is that they show had so much potential, and moments of greatness. what happened to the philosophical themes about murder?? that did not even play into anything... i was hoping chagum would commit patricide, and contemplate on what it means to take a life. and for fucks sake i hate balsa for not even seeming to pay attention to the one person that has been there for her for 20 yrs. yet she knew chagum for what a year? yet tanda gets no love? ugh... this reminds me of how upset i was after bakumatsu. so much hope, just crushed.

moribito: 7/10

if u want to watch fantasy done well, fantasy as a masterpiece watch 12 kingdoms, 12 kingdoms puts moribito to shame. funny thing is that i wouldnt have been so mad if the first 3 eps werent so good. la lunga turns out to be gigantic squids...

the highlight of the show: "if you cant see me as the cure, then there is not point waiting" every guy that has ever been in love knows exactly what tanda felt at that moment.

now imagine if this was a 13 eps series... just imagine it

Chagum was a helpless child she grew to love like her own. Tanda was a friend she's known forever. It's not that she didn't love Tanda at all. It's just that she didn't know how to answer his questions about their future. You could see how much she was concerned over him when he was injured (and see that she was thinking about him even at the end). I also don't see why anyone would dislike Chagum. When you consider his age, that he was a freakin prince and what he had to go through and how he was able to an adult and pretty much accepting and calm throughout all 24 episodes... is a miracle to me. The only thing I might say about Chagum is I even think his maturity at times might have been a bit unrealistic. No whining, crying and why meee? thoughout most of the anime at all. Chagum seemed to respect everyone around him and grow to be a better person. I really liked him and usually hate children characters.

I have also seen 12 kingdoms and like it, but I also like Seirei no Morbito. In no way did it put anything to shame. Different stories.