Anime Review: Witch Hunter Robin
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Witch Hunter Robin
Publisher: Bandai Visual
Type of Anime: TV
Genre: Action, Dark & Gothic
Watched Subbed/Dubbed: Subbed
Overall Rating: 
Story:
My Rating:
Couple of updates: Witch Hunter Robin will begin airing during Cartoon Network's late night block of animation, Adult Swim starting Monday, February 16. Viewers can tune in during Monday - Thursday at midnight (ET, PT). » Bandai's WHR site
Please also note - I have no idea if there will be a second season. I hope not. I thought it ended rather well. If I do learn about plans for a 2nd season, I will post here.
Sci-Fi Channel signed a deal with Sunrise for the rights to a live action remake of Witch Hunter Robin. » From Anime News Network
Initially, the premise of Witch Hunter Robin is to hunt down and capture "witches" to keep society safe from the baddies they aren't aware of. The story revolves around Robin, a 15 year old Craft user with a mean fire attack who grew up in a monastery in Rome under the watchful eye of Solomon Headquarters where she was taught to control her powers. Solomon is the worldwide organization that captures witches who have lost control of their powers and harmed/killed members of society. Normally they kill the witches, but the Japanese branch, STNJ, uses a green substance called Orbo to contain a witch's powers long enough for them to contain them in The Factory. They believe containment is more humane than a death sentence.
WHR opens with Robin being transferred to the Japan Headquarters to replace a member of their team who died during a hunt 6 months ago. The missions of the initial episodes are to hunt down and contain witches. Witches are people with extraordinary powers, a trait that usually is hereditary. Usually, their power lies dormant for a period until one day it awakens suddenly. Witches usually snap and start killing others if they are mentally unstable in the first place or they are looking to scare or enact revenge on someone. To keep a heads up on possible witches, STNJ keeps a database of all known witches and their lineage. Families that are likely candidates, called SEEDS, are watched closely for any kind of abnormal power.
The first few episodes of the show follow Robin as she attempts to fit in with STNJ. She is partnered with Amon, who isn't one for playing games and tends to keep to himself. His first impression of Robin isn't favorable, and from the first episode, he criticizes her for not being able to control her powers. As the episodes progress and Robin learns to control her powers, the two work as partners with the other members of STNJ.
Things begin to get particularly interesting when Robin meets another craft user who begins to question if Robin isn't hunting her own kind in the same fashion that those responsible for the historical witch trials hunted witches because they are different. That sparks a chain of events that presents everyone in a different light than we've seen them previously. It seems that everyone has secrets and that no one is who we thought they were... From this point forward (around episode 11) the series switches direction from a new murder case each episode to a continuing saga that builds from previous episodes.
I think that this is one of the best animes currently out right now. I admit, from about episode 3-8, the series lagged in my opinion, but I think it was necessary to show how STNJ conducted their hunts on a day to day basis. From about episode 11 onwards, the series really picked up momentum and to the point where I've anxiously waited for newer episodes to be released.
I do think that Robin is a more mature anime. The focus is character development, and each of the characters develop significantly through the twists and turns of the plot. And while there is action, in my opinion, it takes a back seat to the development of Robin as a character. Yes, you can probably guess the overarching plot - Robin, a witch, joins a witch hunting group... will they one day turn on her? *snickers*
But the anime is actually more complex than that. There's a lot going on behind the scenes that makes it more of an episodic witch hunters go after and capture the witch - like why they're doing it, who's behind it, and what various political/religious organizations want with STNJ's findings.
Animation:
My Rating:
Witch Hunter Robin is absolutely gorgeous from it's dark, gothic style to it's CG add ins. The characters are fairly realistically drawn, with Robin-chan being one of the most adorable, realistic teenage girls I've seen in anime.
Music:
My Rating:
This is a must own soundtrack. The theme songs are great and the background music fits in really well to give you that mysterious, melodramatic feel.
Character Design:
My Rating:
I like the development of the characters, though everyone seems distant, at least at first. It is as though the viewer is getting pretty much the same reaction as newly employed Robin is. Everyone is an introvert, I think, and they all seem to have their quirks and stick to their professional relationships, at least thus far.
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