Basilisk: Koga Ninpo Cho: anime review

Title: Basilisk: Koga Ninpo Cho
Genre: action, histerical, fantasy
Released date: April 2005 – September 2005
Episode: 24
Director: Fumitomo Kizaki
Animated by: GONZO studio
Comment: Two ninja clans with 400 years of hatred, the Iga and Kouga, battle each other to determine which grandson of Tokugawa Ieyasu will become the next shogun. Although many ninjas of both clan were happy about the battle, the two young heir of Kouga and Iga, Gennosuke and Oboro respectively, were in love and were about to get married. The story was simple, straight forward and very Romeo-and-Juliet-like. But the real charm of this anime lied in the characters. Each character had good and bad sides. They were kind and loving among their allies but were cold-blooded and merciless to their foes. They are very human and it broke my heart every time a character suffered a miserable end. The anime effectively expressed the monsters the war brought out of men. The political issue was interesting and helped make the story more complicated and more exciting. The action scenes were swift, often shocking and always masterfully done. Conclusion: This character-driven anime series was a nonstop fun ride with great production, great characters and serious messages for viewers to think about. It was a very emotional experience for me watching this anime. I love it. Caution: the anime contained adult themes, violence and nudity.
Rating: A