I enjoy a narrative when it doesn’t feel compelled to proclaim itself. I feel sort of molly coddled at best and annoyed at worst when a story lays out the plot like some kind of Lego instructional manual. Just let me put the pieces together on my own, all right? I can make the pirate ship without you holding my hand.

It is for this very reason that I’m particularly excited about Kurenai. Right from the get-go the characters are in motion and the wheels are turning. Other than the fact that main character, Kurenai, is a dispute mediator and works for Juusawa Benika, you don’t know much. You feel almost thrown into the world, yet at the same time the narrative remains cohesive and slowly fills in the details piece by piece.

Like all good stories, the dialogue and characters is what helps to really carry the narrative in Kurenai. The overarching narrative, while definitely present, takes a backseat to character development. In this sense it’s very similar to shows such as Darker than Black, which also focused heavily on thematic ideas and character exposition.

Many fans who expected every little detail of Darker than Black’s quirky sci-fi world to be exposited into a neat and tidy McStory to-go package were upset when the series failed to deliver, choosing instead to focus on issues that were simultaneously more subtle, yet far grander in their scope and implication. It was a show that required the audience to dig a little deeper and to read between the lines, and it never forced a particular message or morality on the viewer. Rather, in many ways it presented a multi-faceted view, leaving the viewer to ponder and draw his or her own conclusions.

I see this same kind of subtle thematic development in Kurenai, and that gives me very high hopes for how this series will progress over the course of the season. Owen of Cruel Angel Theses summed it up very nicely with the following:

“Kurenai’s also a show that assumes that those watching it have the basic intelligence levels required to put two and two together without drowning them in exposition or backstory, a value that I hold in high regard in my anime. I really appreciate the way in which we’re thrown in the thick of things without a voice-over or scene that introduces the viewer to the world; rather, we’re treated to something more commonly found in written fiction than anime, where the setting is slowly pieced together like a stick of yakitori rather than laid out like items on a breakfast plate.”

We’ve said this time and time again, but it bears repeating. I have no interest in ordinary humans stories that read like a paint-by-numbers, methodically leading you through each plot point and blatantly pushing their theme or joke or moral-of-today’s-story to make sure you don’t miss it. In previous posts I’ve likened it to the writers beating the viewer over the head with the script yelling, “Get it?! Get it?! See what we did there?”, and it’s one thing that really turns me off from an anime quickly. I strongly prefer those shows that cater to the discerning viewer who wants to be mentally engaged as much as entertained.

Another aspect of the show I really enjoy is that if you’ve been to Japan, there are many elements that are just so spot on reminiscent of Japanese life and culture that you feel right at home.

For example: you haven’t really experienced the alienation of being in a truly foreign environment until an item as seemingly innocuous as a juice box tears your reality asunder.

Oh Murasaki…I share your pain, I really do. I remember distinctly purchasing some type of little Suntory BOSS latte-like beverage at a small convenience store in Tokyo last year. As I sat down, humming to myself merrily in anticipation, my good humor turned to raw despair. The contraption used to open the drink apparently required substantial knowledge of non-Euclidean geometry and other such devilish sorceries! How do I get this goodness in me!?

After several agonizing minutes spent in vain attempting to open the impenetrable thing, I accepted my defeat. I walked back to the store dejectedly, placed the item back on the counter, and apologized profusely to the clerk that had foolishly entrusted me with such a Gordian knot of a beverage.

“I am truly sorry Miss Cashier; I clearly do not possess the necessary skills to wield such an advanced beverage,” I said in my best Engrish. Her response was lost on me, but I have no doubt that she was at least as bewildered as I was.

Drinks aside, Murasaki’s character is really quite amusing. She has a very precocious attitude while simultaneously being exceedingly formal; it’s a very entertaining mix. Now keep in mind, the specifics of the keigo (formal Japanese speech) are essentially lost on me because my Japanese vocabulary is roughly at the level of a smarter than average toaster oven. Regardless, the interaction between the mild-mannered Shinkorou and the assertive and opinionated Murasaki is priceless.

I definitely agree all around. Kuhoin Murasaki is perhaps the most intriguing character in the series. She’s clearly quite precocious, having come from an upbringing that’s taught her how to behave in adult society, as well as providing her with a humorously extensive vocabulary. Yet at the same time, the strictness of her environment has prevented her from experiencing the world and really just being a kid. Exposed to the outside world for the first time, in many ways she is rediscovering the childhood she has never been able to experience. Thus her behavior is a fascinating dictotomy between surprisingly mature savviness and wide-eyed wonderment and exploration.

In a sense she feels almost like a “reverse” Koiwai Yotsuba, if you will. Both are largely ignorant of the many facets of society and the world around them, both tend to fall into humorous misunderstandings, and both react with over-the-top excitement at new and interesting experiences. However, where Yotsuba is eternally genki and clueless, Murasaki has shown that she has the capacity to learn and grow from her experience. Thus her exposure to the outside is resulting in rapid character development as she constantly assimilates new ideas and adjusts her worldview accordingly.

In addition, her energetic naivety provides for some excellent light-headed comedy that serves as a perfect counterpoint to the show’s more serious overtones.

Another thing I’m really enjoying about this show is that thus far none of the characters feel flat or token; virtually every character that’s been introduced has some intriguing aspect to them. Take Houzuki Yuuno, for example. She appears at first to be the typical sweet, doting, but rather shallow schoolgirl type. However, we later learn that beneath the genki exterior she has a more serious, perhaps even somewhat shady side, as well.

Nothing says “I love you” quite like a miniaturized human skull dangling from your neck.

Tamaki and Yamie provide their own flavor of unique comedy to the show, and although it’s a bit early to say, I’m willing to bet that even they have a bit more to them than first meets the eye. Regardless, their interactions with Murasaki are simultaneously hilarious and horrifying, as they each in turn try to pass on their own bizarre perspectives on life to her.

I love the combat sequences in Kurenai; the fights are portrayed more realistically than in most anime - very brutal, direct, and short. Don’t get me wrong, I love a good highly stylized, over-the-top fight sequence (Gurren Lagann anyone?). But it’s quite refreshing when battle scene pulls off the panache of looking very intense without being cheesy or flamboyant. All in all, the show is just very well composed.

In addition to the fights being very fluid and well animated, I also would be remiss if I did not point out how poignant the quiet piano solo that plays during them is, starkly contrasting the sounds of violence and the brutality of the fight. Combined with Shinkurou’s blank, expressionless face as he beats his opponents to a pulp, it gives them a very melancholy feeling, quite the opposite of the way fights are usually portrayed, full of epic battle music and lots of posing or trash talking.

It says that Shinkurou fights out of necessity; he does not choose to fight, nor does he take any pleasure in it. It is simply his job as a dispute mediator, after all.

Gosh, this series has so many great “that’s so Japanese” moments. Just look at that cell phone accessory! It looks like a rainbow puked on a lava lamp! Just…why? Seriously, I have no idea how these petite Japanese females even pick up their own cell phones; it’s like attaching an anchor to your car keys! I suppose the plus side is that your not likely to misplace your phone, except for the fact that virtually every girl has a similar multitude of no fewer than half a dozen such attachments.

Another very “Japanese” moment that really stood out to me was the scene in which Murasaki confronted the students on the train, followed by Shinkurou’s bowing, obsequious apology. I’ve witnessed similar such incidents during my time in Japan on numerous occasions. In America behavior of that sort would generally be dealt with immediately in a very public, confrontational manner, much in the way that Murasaki herself reacted. In Japan, however, where cultural concepts such as “face” and “the nail that sticks up gets hammered down” are strongly rooted in the group psyche, the normal reaction is to act as though nothing is happening.

This is exactly why problems such as train molesters persist despite the recent crackdowns by law enforcement: most of the witnesses would rather keep their heads down than become involved. Even the Japanese women who are the victims of this kind of crime would often rather keep quiet than make a scene out of it, whereas in the west more often than not the woman would probably Mace the guy, club him with her 50lb purse, and drag his unconscious body to the police station herself.

At any rate, while this season offers up an excellent selection of great anime to choose from, all in all I’d have to say that as of right now Kurenai is my show of choice for Spring ‘08. It has an excellent blend of light-hearted humor and deeper thought provoking drama, an endearing cast, excellent dialogue, good action sequences, good animation, a fascinating soundtrack, and an intriguing setting. And as of episode 5 it certainly shows no signs of slowing down.

Basically the show just hits all the right notes. I mean, I could spend an hour just regaling you about one specific “very Japanese” moment. Narratives that bring a lot of components and cultural aspects to the table are decidedly more delectable than the standard dry toast shounen-hero show. There’s nothing wrong with toast per se, but it’s nice to know that Kurenai goes beyond that and presents you with a veritable buffet. You just have to know where to look.

Essentially, all that to say…it is a good shrubbery.

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Sneak Preview, Jikai no Epic Win: Soul Eater