I'm glad I'm not too familiar with the original story. To me, this anime is outstanding. I was slightly lost at first, but Wikipedia gave me all I needed. I think reading an original work
after you've seen the anime can work.
The look is wonderful, the animation pleasing, the character design lovely, the music good, and the OP and ED excellent (bland consistency is overrated, for me).
And the voice acting is superb: Ao-chan does her usual virtuouso over-the-top job, and Genda Tesshou (who appears in many, many shounen shows I don't watch) goes over the top with her to create a bizarre and memorable Kiyomori (head of the Heike clan). Sakurai Takahiro is so smooth as Shigemori (Biwa's protector). But it's the soft and liquid beauty of Hayami Saori's voice as Tokuko that really captivates me. And the boss's wife (Tokiko) is played by Inoue Kikuko, who also plays the friendly courtesan Giou.
I didn't know about this studio, Science Saru ("Science Monkey"?) and its efficient "digitally assisted animation" technique of hand-drawing key animation and using software to fill in. I thought that was somewhat normal, but maybe they do it more.
In any case, it sure works for me. There is one scene in ep2 (at 4:27) where Tokuko reaches down and fiddles with her bare toes: I have never seen such a fleshly and natural feeling conveyed. And the spare way they do facial features still contrives to convey subtle feelings.
I'm impressed with the whole thing, for which I guess I must give credit to Yamada Naoko. This seems so far from
K-On, Hibike Euphonium and
Violet Evergarden, which she also directed. The classical setting is (just barely) in Heian times, which is always a plus for me.
They have a dependable pro as lead writer in Yoshida Reiko; perhaps she brings as much clarity as is possible to the multiple characters, many dressed alike, with names resembling each other, and with the story compressed in time. I think Biwa doesn't change because she is meant to be a magical character, somehow sitting outside the story, an observer, maybe even us.
Anyway, I've just had a great feast of the first three episodes. Now for a small banquet every week.
By the way, Yuuki Aoi is in 16 TV anime this year, with important roles in nine of them. I counted up on
Japanese Wikipedia and she has had a total of 513 roles (counting sequels) in anime and games since she began as a child in
Kino no Tabi (2003) and
Aishiteruze Baby (2004).
Question:
Haak quoted
Nachtwandler implying that something bad had happened to Yamada Naoko. What was that?