Angelic Layer
Directed by: Hiroshi Nishikiori
Studio: BONES
Genres: Shoujo, action/comedy
Format: 26 TV episodes
Live Action Anime Rating: ***
As soon as I heard that Angelic Layer was based on a manga created by CLAMP, creators of Chobits and Card Captor Sakura, I already knew one thing: this anime was probably a cute little thing to see. And it is.
Take the cuteness away, however, and you have the simplest story anyone could think of. But why the hell would you need a complex story for this kind of show? There's simply no need for one, not when you have such gorgeous character designs like the ones brought to you in Angelic Layer by Takahiro Komori, who among other things, served as animation director in Cowboy Bebop, and designed the characters for Scrapped Princess. There are more than just cute character designs in Angelic Layer, because everything in this show, from the opening theme, to the two different closing themes, to the back story of the characters and their relationships with one another; each of those things help Angelic Layer be a sweetheart of a show.
Our main character's name is Misaki Suzuhara, a middle school girl who is just moving to Tokyo, the place where her mother that she hasn't seen in a long time lives. Just outside Tokyo station, she becomes involved with a crowd that's hypnotized by a giant screen showing an Angelic Layer fight, and before she knows it, she's hypnotized too. She’s hooked to a game at first sight, yes, that simple. I told you the story was simple right?
Ok, but what in cute hell is Angelic Layer? Well, just think of Pokemon, Digimon, or Yu-Gi Oh!, but change the monsters for robotic dolls, that move according to the images their owner has in his or her mind. Angelic Layer is the name given to the fighting games between these robotic dolls. Now, hoping that nobody has stopped reading after I mentioned Pokemon and Co., I'll affirm that Angelic Layer is not like any of those shows. What makes Angelic Layer special is that there is some genuinely moving interaction between different characters, which adds a bit of drama to her show to keep you hooked. I also like how each character that Misaki faces is given an attempt at development despite the fact that most of them have little screen time. The bad part is that there are some many more important characters that are even less developed then the minor characters, and also, I have mixed feelings to the romantic triangle part. It does add a lot of interest towards the end of the show, but it also kills a lot of the mood that it had built up to the point where it started.
All in all, it is pretty obvious that Angelic Layer is not the most brilliant thing there is, and like everything, it has its flaws. But why think about bad things when you have something that's SOOOOOO CUUUUTE!!!
-rjxsapri®
Misaki and her doll named Hikaru.
*= Horrible
*½= Very Bad
**= Bad
**½= Good
***= Very Good
***½= Excellent
****= Masterpiece
