Review of Spiral: Volume 6

Introduction

And so another anime series concludes. Spiral turns out to be the first debut Revelation series to be released in its entirety. (Full Metal Alchemist was inherited midway through its run from MVM), and Revelation`s commitment to anime becomes apparent. It`s rare indeed to see a 6 volume series completed within 12 months, let alone the 6 months it has taken for Spiral, and its release hasn`t been subject to conspicuous delays, or significant problems with the discs. All in all it`s a promising debut from the UK`s newest addition to the anime family. The series itself isn`t exactly the jewel in the crown, it puttered along at its own pace for the first few volumes, and it hasn`t thus far addressed any of the major plot points that were raised in the beginning. It seems at this point that the likelihood of a satisfactory resolution is remote, although stranger things have happened. But in the previous volume particularly, the pace of the show picked up, and the tension increased. Spiral belatedly became interesting, and as a result, I found myself anticipating this final volume more than I expected. And with its curious blend of light and dark, Spiral is certainly unique among the anime that I have watched, which is in no small way a recommendation in itself.

Ayumu Narumi`s older brother Kiyotaka vanished two years previously while investigating the mysterious Blade Children. On the second anniversary of his disappearance, the mystery of the Blade Children comes looking for Ayumu, drawing him into a series of strange occurrences. Ayumu, like his brother before him is a prodigy, and he revels in mysteries. Soon the high school student is working at cross-purposes to his sister-in-law Madoka who happens to be a detective in the local police force. Fortunately, Ayumu isn`t alone in his endeavours, as aiding him is the school newspaper`s intrepid and gutsy reporter Hiyono Yuizaki.

This final disc contains 4 episodes.

22. The Confession
Ryoko, Kosuke and Rio head to the train yards to put their plan against the Hunters into effect. They`re unaware that they are to be pawns in an object lesson for Eyes, taught by Kanone Hilbert.

23. Relentless Rain
Coming to terms with what has happened isn`t easy for the Blade Children, and their faith in Ayumu has been shaken. Ayumu is losing confidence in himself, while Madoka has left the apartment with Kanone, intent on doing some investigating of her own. Kanone is setting a trap for Ayumu, and the perfect bait has fallen into his hands.

24. The Man In The High Castle
Ayumu is intent on finding his sister-in-law, even if it means walking into a trap. However the series of challenges that Kanone has prepared for him will tax even his intellect.

25. The Sound Of An Iris Freezing And Melting
Kanone has closed the trap, and Ayumu`s options are limited. Now, at the endgame, are all the Blade Children`s secrets about to be revealed? Probably not.

Video

Spiral gets a typical transfer for anime nowadays. The picture is presented in a 4:3 ratio, it`s clear and sharp and there is little prevalence of NTSC - PAL signs. One final time, given the lack of multi-angle credits, even the opening sequence is free of compression artefacts, as is the rest of the animation.

The animation itself isn`t going to set any new standards. It`s very much a no-frills, budget production, which does what it needs to and little more. The backgrounds are non-descript, there are plenty of primary colours, and on occasion the animation seems just one step above a slideshow. This need not be a problem, as Tenjho Tenge is one such anime that saves its animation calories for where they are most needed. The problem is that Spiral lacks flair, and as such the minimalist animation seems more a product of budget rather than style. The character designs are distinctive and well thought out though, and do much to keep the attention.

Audio

You have a choice between DD 2.0 English and Japanese, as well as a DD 5.1 English mix. As per my usual preference, I went with the original Japanese dialogue. There were no problems to report, the dialogue was clear throughout and the music seems well suited to the story, fun where necessary, and atmospheric and moody at the appropriate moments. I gave the English track a spot check, and the 5.1 treatment does give added vibrancy and ambience to the effects. I`m not too fond of the dub though, as it`s one where the voice artists overplay the goofy moments, and some of the accents are excruciating. This disc comes with translated English subtitles as well as a signs track.

Features

On the disc you`ll find the textless credit sequences and trailers for Negima and the squee inducing Full Metal Alchemist movie.

Take Chris Bevins, Laura Bailey, Monica Rial, John Burgmeier and Greg Ayres, collectively the 5 English dub actors for the Blade Children, confine them in a booth to watch the final episode and switch on a tape recorder. Let the giggling commence. This commentary isn`t going to unveil any hidden plot points, shed light on acting techniques, or even answer any of the questions left hanging at the end of the series. It`s five people getting together to have a laugh, and an infectious session it is. Even I was chuckling at their antics, and if any pertinent information about the show did leak out, I doubt it was intentional.

Conclusion

Aaaaarrrggghh! Twenty-five episodes, six volumes and 6 months of reviewing Spiral, and I still don`t know who the Blade Children are. When that particular question has been a key part of the show`s promotion, the fact that it is left hanging is especially galling. In addition, the whereabouts of Ayumu`s brother Kiyotaka remains a mystery when the end credits roll. Volume 6 of Spiral is nothing less than an exercise in frustration. That is of course the problem with adapting an ongoing manga. The story is still being written when the series ends. How anime responds to this is variable. With long running series like Naruto, the anime outstrips the source material, leading to much filler. A show like Tenjho Tenge is disappointing in the way it just fizzles out. Gantz diverged from the manga and created a different ending, one that proved contentious for some fans. The secret of course is to find a story arc within the manga, one that sets up a climax that provides suitable closure for fans. This is done to varying degrees of success, but isn`t always the pitfall that it appears to be. Fruits Basket is a prime example of a show that ended before the manga, but really delivered with its final episodes.

Spiral`s problem is that the two questions that were at the heart of every episode, the hook that pulled us into the show just aren`t resolved at all in the series. These episodes really just serve as the prologue to the manga, and if you want to know just who the Blade Children are, just why they are cursed, and why they are hunted, if you want to know how Kiyotaka is associated with them, why he vanished and where he is, then you`ll have to pop down to your local manga emporium to find out. As such, it isn`t unfair to feel a little hard done by when it comes to this series.

But the series does end in a climax of sorts. Kanone presents Ayumu with his toughest challenge so far, and unlike the relatively benign tests of earlier, this is a test to destruction, and Ayumu has to confront his demons and call on hidden reserves to prevail. Also, by looking at Spiral as more than just a mystery with a beginning and an end, rather as a process of growth and development for the characters, this volume does provide closure of a sort. The Blade Children appear to find a comfort zone for their existence; they seem more at ease with who they are compared to when the series started. More important is the character growth for Ayumu, who by the end of the series has come to terms with who he is, no longer feels in the shadow of his brother, and has even come to appreciate his friends. So while I was gnashing my teeth at the non-answer the final episode provided, I did have a sense of closure that was at odds with that.

Spiral has been an exasperating experience for me. It has a different ethos from more action oriented anime, it has a more cerebral, introspective core to it, and the unique way it blends light and dark tones took a while to click with me. Even then the story seemed measured, slow paced and even a little bloated, but the previous volume hooked me. Unfortunately this final volume doesn`t deliver the ending the story deserves. It`s bound to be annoying if you want the mystery solved, but if you are one of those viewers who subscribe to the `journey more important than the destination` cliché, then there is still substance to be gleaned from Spiral. It may not be to all tastes, but I find myself looking forward to watching it all again, even knowing the lack of conclusion. Try before you buy. There`s another cliché for you.