ANIME REVIEW . Basilisk vol 1: Scrolls of Blood

by Chris   ⋅   February 25, 2007   ⋅   Comment now   ⋅    RSS

Initially I was not aware of the link between Shinobi: Heart Under Blade and Basilisk. I had seen the Basilisk DVDs at the local Fry’s, but nothing about them stood out enough for me to pick them up. However, upon learning that both the film and series were based upon the same source material, The Kouga Ninja Scrolls, a classic Japanese ninja novel, you could safely say my interest was piqued. Both tell the same tale of star crossed lovers and warring Ninja clans, however each has a wildly different emphasis on the various elements of the tale.

The first thing you’ll notice when placing Shinobi: Heart Under Blade and Basilisk side by side is that Basilisk’s character roster is far more extensive. Being that it is a full series rather than just a two hour picture, there’s much more room for extensive fights amongst the expanded character base as well as many more plot points. The show also has a greater emphasis on the action than the Oboro/Gennosuke romance. In this version Oboro and Gennosuke’s relationship is known to those on both sides. In fact, the two are set to be wed before the Hanzo decree is annulled. There are no clandestine romantic meetings, and therefore much less a Romeo and Juliet connection. Oboro herself is not the strong the female heroine found in the film, but instead the deferential, devoted female of less enlightened days. But that’s not to say there is no romance to be found. There are actually quite a few rather sweet moments between Oboro and Gennosuke, for example a sequence with Oboro making hearts with her fingers while listening to Gennosuke, and a moment where Gennosuke realizes his obsession with duty has led him to overlook the fact that his walking pace was faster than one maintainable by Oboro. It’s very sweet, and serves to balance out some of the darker fare found in the rest of the series.

But say you don’t care about romance. Say you just want to see some slick battles. The altercations found in Basilisk are quite impressive. They’re fast, fluid, dynamic, and involve some rather impressive and bizarre superpowers. While it’s certainly not as violent, watching it I was constantly reminded of Ninja Scoll (which is certainly preferable to being reminded of Yotoden). Many times I found myself pleasantly surprised at the twists and turns taken by the battles, and there were many places where a combatant I was rooting for ended up being disposed of. They’re definitely engaging, and keep you on your toes. The character designs seem to run the full gambit of realistic to hyper-deformed, all with an emphasis on eyebrows. Gennosuke has quite the imposing pair of tufts over each eye, and one character’s seem to have been drawn with a Magnum marker (it’s worth noting that the character in question is also quite hairy, with nose hairs rivaling Bobobo’s). Most characters have facial features more typically found in action fare, but Oboro’s eyes are drawn in a more shoujo saucerplate style. Much of the show’s action plays out in forests and wooded areas, and these are all represented in a collection of light and beautiful, almost watercolor backgrounds.

(If you want to remain absolutely spoiler free, skip this brief paragraph) Disc 1 of Basilisk goes so far as to establish the relationship between Oboro and Gennosuke, as well as the brewing war between the Kouga-Manjidani and Iga clans. You meet a host of strange and wonderful shinobi, and see some truly awesome battles. The revised Hanzo decree is issued, but not all clan members receive notice. Gennosuke is invited back to Oboro’s village, where her clansmen, unknown to her, plan to ambush Gennosuke. By the end of the disc Gennosuke is still unaware of the change to the Hanzo decree, and his life very much in danger.

Being that I’ve only viewed the first disc, I can’t say how the rest of the series plays out. But, what I’ve seen here has enticed me. When compared side by side, Shinobi: Heart Under Blade is still my favorite, but I do like the overall take of the show. It’s fun, it’s exciting, and definitely suited to the older anime crowd.

The Disc.

Funimation’s transfer of Basilisk maintains their usual high standard of quality. It’s crisp, it’s clear, it’s everything you would expect. As usual, Funimation provides both English language 5.1 and Japanese Stereo tracks for your listening pleasure.

Included on the disc are the usual Funimation trailer gallery, an audio segment on the Cast Auditions and acting process involved for the voice actors, an Actor/Director commentary by ADR Director Tyler Walker and actor Mark Stoddard (Tenzen of the Iga clan) for the episode “The Onslaught of War,” a textual history of the Ninja and ninjutsu, and finally, textless opening and closing songs. Of these my favorite would have to be the Ninja history (I’m a sucker for anything providing any semblance of historical education). The commentary is informative, but having watched the Japanese language version I wasn’t familiar with the American actor.

It is worth noting that I had a problem with some of the menus hanging up on my Sony DVD player. When I played the disc in my Toshiba it was no longer a problem.

All in all, the usual good stuff from Funimation, and a pretty intriguing show to boot.

About the Author

Chris Nelson has been a film fanatic since age six. A former film and English major, he is now a Software Engineer and contract Technical Writer living in the Silicon Valley.

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