Alternate Title: ウィッチハンターロビン
Genre: Supernatural | Action | Conspiracy | Drama
Companies: Bandai | Sunrise
American Licensing Company: Bandai
Format: 26 episodes
Dates: 07/03/02 to 12/24/02
Original Creator: ???
Age Rating: Not suitable for young children; 15-18 and up

Synopsis: Witches are individuals with special powers like ESP, telekinesis, mind control, etc. Robin, a craft user, arrives from Italy to Japan to work for an organization named STN Japan Division (STN-J) as a replacement for one of STN-J's witch hunters who was recently killed. Unlike other divisions of STN, STN-J tries to capture the witches alive in order to learn why and how they became witches in the first place. (Synopsis from Anime News Network.)

SCORE: 80%

An interesting modern spin on witchcraft and wizardary...but not in the Harry Potter fashion! :P

Plot: Well for one thing, this series is a little unrealistic when it comes to getting Chrisitianity right again. But, what else is new in the anime world? (take note the last remark was sarcastic, people!)

Robin, a very intense, but collective young girl who is a nun raised who was raised in Italy (even though she was born in Japan). She's also very young; she's a 15 year old nun. It makes for an interesting lead character; and you never know what she's thinking...she so calm and collective, you almost wonder if she's cold. But Robin proves to be an teenaged girl at moments, and her character is nice. Amon is really mysterious, while everyone else in the office are more "normal" acting. Micheal is my favorite! Yay, hacker!

I'm not a big X-Files fan, but I have seen a good handful and this show seems to have the same feel. No doubt, fans of this show will say this is better than X-Files, but not by too much; probably just less cheese. The way each episode unfolds, the atmosphere, and the discovery of conspiracy is very X-File-ish.

As this series gathers momentum, you will find yourself strung along to see what is the organization behind the capture of witches is really about. What's the point of catching witches, especially when their branch STN-J is the only one in the world that captures them and doesn't execute them? And why even hunt down and kill/catch witches in the first place? Undoubtedly, some may had gone on without ever discovery their powers or living normally if STN didn't come to interfer. And how much do these people like catching witches when the have the potential to become witches themselves?

The only thing that may irk you about this series is that it builds up and up to lead you onto a highly intensive climax and ending, but then it just kinda putters out instead and almost dies. The end is okay, but not exciting, remotely different or extremely original. No really big plot twists here if you're used to supernatural conspiracy theories of the X-Files kind.

Visual: This is a nice, clean, and slightly newer-ish style of anime. While not that visually drastically different, it is a nice crisp style that isn't overly pointy and awkward. It's possible to think of these characters as real people in physical apppearance; the eyes in this series are nice and not extremely big like series such as Fruits Basket. Nice.

The only drawback to the darker and more serious tone of this series is the missed chances to really exploit various color since almost everyone is dressed in blacks and shades of gray (or at least the more important main characters). Plus, darker colored atmospheres make it harder for seeing everything also. However, it's most certainly not overly drab, and the characters' natural colorings are a nice balance and splash of color without being overwhelming, such as Robin's orange-red hair and green eyes.

Special effects are nice and interesting, utilizing the latest of computer effects (such as warping an image if I recall right). Robin's powers when animated are brief, and it doesn't occur very often, but when they do, it's impressive (especially for a character that appears so calm).

Sound: The music is nice, calm, collective, and not annoying or overpowering. The opening theme "Shell" is a favorite of many anime fans; I have this song on CD myself.

Sound effects are sound effects. Good ones, but nothing new that I have noticed.

The Dub: Have not seen, but will when it's on Adult Swim this February 2004

Dub Letter Grade: N/A

Extra Rants and Bitching: It's a good series. I'd like to watch it again. I'm really curious about how good the dub will be (if the commercials are any indication, hopefully good). However, it's not a favorite of mine, and the ending and how it just puttered out...left me going "t...that's it?" It was over so quickly, it took me awhile to be pissed off. Not the biggest pissed off ending I have ever seen, and the ending is still good, but it still irked me.

Score Comments: Nice style, nice characters. The main characters however were almost too static and stiff, not animated enough in their collectiveness, and the show almost had too much style. The series could have been righteous if the ending hadn't been so...weak. Otherwise, a very good series!

Websites:

Have a website about this series, or do you know of a good one? Want me to link to it on this review? Well, the feel free to email the sucker to me! Just make sure to put "Review Link" in the subject.