Review of Basilisk: Vol 2

Introduction

Basilisk`s tagline of Romeo and Juliet meets Ninja Scroll was certainly enough to pique my interest. The promise of a complex storyline, well-written characters coupled with Gonzo animated ninja action was enough to make me eager for the first disc. Unfortunately, that first volume failed to deliver (except for the ninja action of which there was copious amounts). But what there was, was promise, and lots of it. That first volume introduced some interesting characters, a well thought out Shogunate era setting, and a story that could blossom into something worth sticking with. Now with volume 2 in my DVD tray, let`s see if that promise is fulfilled.

It`s 1614 and the reign of Shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu is coming to an end. There are two possible heirs, but the court at Edo is split over which one. Rather than see the nation dissolve into bitter warfare once more, the Shogun decides that the successor will be decided by a proxy war. For decades the Iga and Kouga ninja families have had an uneasy external antiwar pact imposed upon them. But seeing the proficiency of the ninja on both sides, Ieyasu decides to lift the pact, and select ten ninja from each side to battle in the name of his would be successors. The last family standing will determine who will next rule Japan. This isn`t good news for Gennosuke Kouga and Oboro Iga, who have fallen in love, and whose impending wedding was expected to finally seal the peace between the two families. But there are those on either side who are all too keen to see the fighting resume and old scores settled.

The first volume saw the messengers of the Iga and Kouga racing home with the scrolls that declared war between the families, and listed the ninja targets. The Iga got the drop on the Kouga, and with the scrolls in their possession, they saw about starting the decimation of their enemies. And all the while, Gennosuke and Oboro remained unaware of the change in their clans` statuses.

In this second volume, the Iga ninja attempt a daring attack on the Kouga village. Meanwhile, following the disappearance of his aide, Gennosuke`s suspicions are raised. The Kouga, alerted by the Iga attack, finally learn of Ieyasu`s lethal game, and they send a scout to the Iga village to alert Gennosuke. But the Iga are ready for her.

This second volume subtitled Spoils Of War contains the next four episodes, as well as more than the usual bare minimum of extras.

Video

The 1.78:1 anamorphic transfer for Basilisk is very impressive. I`m used to NTSC-PAL transfers of anime to look a little soft, and exhibit a degree of jerkiness in the pans. This is practically absent in Basilisk, as the image is sharp and clear, and the animation is fluid and smooth. There is a hint of noise around moments of fast motion, but you would have to pause the disc to really notice. It`s filled with imaginative character designs that take a leaf out of Ninja Scroll`s book, while the less outlandish characters have a beauty and elegance to their designs that is very appealing. The show has a muted look and reduced palette that play up a very gothic feel to the show, and as you would expect from Gonzo, the animation is superb, especially in the action sequences.

Audio

It`s a dual language title as is typical for an anime disc, with DD 5.1 English and DD 2.0 Japanese accompanied by translated English subtitles and signs. The theme tunes are the sort of soft rock that would suit a group heavy on leather and lace. My usual preference as always was the Japanese track; the dialogue is clear and the stereo does a good job of conveying the action. I sampled the English track, and as you would expect the surrounds are put to work with the action scenes, giving the whole affair an extra oomph. It`s one of those tracks however, where the sound effects are much more prominent and louder than the dialogue. The English dub is pretty good though.

Features

You get the usual jacket picture, animated menus, multi-angle credit sequences, textless songs and trailers for Elemental Gelade and Gunsword.

This disc`s meatier offering is the Behind The Scenes featurette. You have to feel sorry for the Japanese audience. We in the West demand value for money from our anime. We want super-sized portions of fun, large helpings of episodes or even season boxsets. Japanese fans have to make do with one or two episodes per disc. In Basilisk`s case, the Basidisc extra eased that small portion; a half hour programme presented by four of the voice artists that allowed fans into the world of Basilisk. We missed out on the first two episodes in the series (they weren`t on the first disc), but with this second volume, corresponding to Japanese volumes 3&4, we get to join in the fun.

Both episodes are presented here, totalling over an hour in length. We get some insight into the characters, they VA`s choose their favourite scenes from the episodes, answer fan mail, talk about certain aspects of Basilisk, and at the end there is a wake held for the Basilisk characters that kicked the bucket in the relevant episodes. There is also a set of ongoing interviews with the members of ONMYO-ZA, the j-pop band that recorded the anime`s theme song. There is also a brief poetry reading in each episode (Don`t worry, it isn`t as dry as it seems).

In terms of extra material, this is much more than the average anime disc gets, it`s just that it is trivial and light, and not much of substance lies within. If on the other hand you get a vicarious glow from the sight of people having fun, then this sort of feature should appeal.

Conclusion

My own high expectations have rendered Basilisk something of a disappointment to me, and that is admittedly unfair. Now, when it seems that every other anime is combining stunning animation, strong storylines and rounded characterisations to dazzling effect, to find something a little more straightforward in its presentation tends to make the heart sink just a little. But there should be room on every DVD shelf for a little uncomplicated action anime, the sort of thing that you watch when you want to relax the old grey matter and just `Ooh` and `Ahh` at some eye-candy fireworks. Basilisk fits that bill perfectly.

The first volume set up the premise, pitting two ninja families against each other, and then let loose with some gratuitous bloodshed. The animation is astounding, showing off the action to stunning effect. The character designs are imaginative, unleashing a menagerie of freaks to do battle upon one another, and the pace is such that you are never left looking at the clock. This second volume continues the mayhem as the Iga and Kouga continue to jockey for position, picking off any stray ninja of the opposing side that happens to wander into the wrong place at the wrong time. The super-ninja`s abilities are varied, and that allows for a lot of variety in the animation that you see.

Still, when all is said and done, there is the niggling question of character. The series was sold on the ninja Romeo and Juliet idea. While there was a good deal of time spent on introducing and building Gennosuke and Oboro in the first volume, for much of this volume they are remarkably non-existent. There is the occasional scene that reminds us that they are still there in the Iga village, but they add nothing to the show in these episodes until the final moments. It`s one of those cliff-hanger points that leave us tantalised, as when the end credits roll for the last time in this volume, we see that both Gennosuke and Oboro have finally learned of what is going on, the first wedge has been driven into their relationship, and we are left wanting to find out what happens next.

Also just when you think that ninja action is all there is to the series, we meet brother and sister Saemon and Okoi of the Kouga clan. Okoi is a scout with a rather bloodthirsty ninja ability, while her elder brother can disguise himself perfectly as others. Their relationship is explored in these episodes with some touching and humorous, well-written scenes. The show also threatens to go off in another direction, when Saemon assumes the visage of Yashamaru, and runs into his lover Hotorubi. He has to maintain the fiction to avoid alerting the Iga, but you can see a little spark between the two characters, as if there is a potential relationship there that may come to matter in the later episodes. It`s moments like these that indicate that there is more to Basilisk than just freaky ninja combat.

I can`t help but notice that the more freakish characters are exiting, stage right. It leaves the more human looking, more developed characters to face each other, and it seems that the emotional interactions will have a bigger part to play than who has the stickiest phlegm or whose hair is sharpest. Slugman is still breathing though. For another volume, Basilisk shows a good deal of promise, but only delivers on the ninja fighting action. If that is all that you are after, then sticking with this series should be a no-brainer. The animation is excellent, and the action is inventive and easy on the eyes. The volume ends on a tantalising note though. The seeds of mistrust have been sown between the two lovers, and it seems that character finally will have a bigger part to play in the show. Volume three may be where Basilisk finds that third dimension. I hope so, as the show still has the potential to become more than just action eye-candy.