Inkthinker
03-05-2006, 01:48 AM
Haven't seen this series mentioned a lot outside of the few people who are actually watching current Japanese television. If you haven't heard about it, now's your time... after episode 12 I was so impressed that I felt the need to gush about it.
Noein is a totally hot action sci-fi anime, currently airing in Japan (or upon your nearest way of seeing such things, I judge you not).
They manage to do a couple of things that I enjoy, and they do them incredibly well... the first and most obvious being the action sequences. Several of the characters are capable of incredible superhuman powers, from the usual flight, super-speed and energy-bolt-flinging action to unique applications of matter and energy manipulation. I'm only up to episode 13, so I'm still learning about the exact rules of the game, but I can tell you without reservation that the action is smoking hot-buttered syrup-sweet.
I don't know for sure, but I believe several sequences must have been done by either a single animator, or a small and well-knit team, because it follows a brilliant kinetic philosophy. While I'm consistently being impressed with the quality of the motion and composition, it continues to surprise me with creative applications I would never have predicted.
Less obvious is some of the excellent character work. The story largely revolves around friendship, and the ways it changes as we grow older. The creatprs have done an excellent job of slowly but surely drawing you into a circle of friendships and young, unsure love, and this makes you genuinely care about the characters. All of which, of course, adds an additional level of tension to those incredible action sequences.
The backgrounds are consistently intricate and of high quality, as are the character designs, odd eyes aside. The eyes of the characters are a kinda bizarre attempt at breaking away from standards of Japanese style, but given that almost every other element of this series is exactly the same as 99% of anime it stands out a lot and takes a little getting used to. The otherworldly designs are frighteningly alien and disturbingly familiar, creative and unique at each turn. The series packs a good deal of plot and character into every episode, too, So I definitely recommend keeping an eye out for it.
Noein is a totally hot action sci-fi anime, currently airing in Japan (or upon your nearest way of seeing such things, I judge you not).
They manage to do a couple of things that I enjoy, and they do them incredibly well... the first and most obvious being the action sequences. Several of the characters are capable of incredible superhuman powers, from the usual flight, super-speed and energy-bolt-flinging action to unique applications of matter and energy manipulation. I'm only up to episode 13, so I'm still learning about the exact rules of the game, but I can tell you without reservation that the action is smoking hot-buttered syrup-sweet.
I don't know for sure, but I believe several sequences must have been done by either a single animator, or a small and well-knit team, because it follows a brilliant kinetic philosophy. While I'm consistently being impressed with the quality of the motion and composition, it continues to surprise me with creative applications I would never have predicted.
Less obvious is some of the excellent character work. The story largely revolves around friendship, and the ways it changes as we grow older. The creatprs have done an excellent job of slowly but surely drawing you into a circle of friendships and young, unsure love, and this makes you genuinely care about the characters. All of which, of course, adds an additional level of tension to those incredible action sequences.
The backgrounds are consistently intricate and of high quality, as are the character designs, odd eyes aside. The eyes of the characters are a kinda bizarre attempt at breaking away from standards of Japanese style, but given that almost every other element of this series is exactly the same as 99% of anime it stands out a lot and takes a little getting used to. The otherworldly designs are frighteningly alien and disturbingly familiar, creative and unique at each turn. The series packs a good deal of plot and character into every episode, too, So I definitely recommend keeping an eye out for it.