Reign: The Conqueror

I find all of the negative response that 'Alexander Senki' has been receiving disappointing. I have been waiting years for it to be released domestically and I was hoping that since it aired on a major cable channel, its fan base would grow (all things considered, it has, but not nearly the way that I had look forward to).

Some complain that 'Alexander Senki' "looks like 'Aeon Flux.'" This is true. But would these same people complain that 'Neia_7' looks like 'Haibane-Renmei' (Yoshitoshi ABe)? Probably not. I'll admit that Peter Chung's style is an acquired taste, but even if you're not fond of the art, you should still give 'Alexander Senki' a chance.

The story was not meant to be presented as historical fact. The way I see it, it is an aesthetic journey into Alexander's world. The creators have glorified and twisted events even more than history has, and this makes for an entertaining series. 'Alexander Senki' takes place in a fantasy version of the ancient world that meshes well with mythology and legend. If you want fact (or, rather, as close to fact as you can come), read 'The Nature of Alexander' by Mary Renault or watch the PBS special 'In The Footsteps of Alexander the Great.'

Overall, I feel that 'Alexander Senki' is a refreshing change from the usual anime archetype, and is a series that everyone should try.

The English Title of this movie is Reign: The Conqueror

Reign: the Conqeror would have to be the most interesting take I have ever seen on this Historical Figure.

Like Berserk, each episode starts with a voice over introducing the "philosophy" behind that episode and it also has a great Theme song and Score composed by Techno legend Dj Milky.

The creators of Reign took a different approach to handling their version of Alexandar the Great and chose a Sci-Fi/Fantasy approach to the movie. The scriptwriters also weaved in real life characters like Aristotle, Ptolemy, Olympia, Plato etc into the storyline quite well and the script is a thousand times better than the one used by Oliver Stone for his live action version.

While I cannot vouch for the Japanese version I can say that the English version was very well done and thoroughly enjoyable.

If you like movies that are strong on both Fact and Fantasy and that are backed up with a strong plot then you will love this anime.

A fantastic Anime.

Brought to you by Peter Chung (Aeon Flux), Rintaro (Astro Boy, Metropolis), and Masao Murayama (Trigun), Reign the Conqueror brings a breath of fresh air to an industry inundated with work that ignores or forgets history.

Deep and introspective, Reign covers the life of Alexander the Great with a Sci-Fi twist, mailign characterization, and a signature animation style. This title may be too deep for some, but for the philospher it is an ideal story that features several of the world's great thinkers (Socrates, Euclid and Diogenes just to name some - Aristotle's voice is supplied by John Rafter Lee, the VA behind dreadfully morose Meiyer Link of Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust).

Though it seems that Madhouse studios takes shortcuts in their animation that other firms tend to avoid - there are still some incredible drawn and CG visuals that lend Reign an almost Psycotropic atmosphere.

This maybe one of the most underrated cartoons of all time. If your are a fan of Aeon Flux. Then you should love this show. The art style of "Reign" is beautiful. Very unique and creative. Not like any other anime out their. Unlike other cartoons, "Reign" has a deep story. After watching one show, you'll want too see another. The plot is alittle too complex at times. But that doesn't matter because everything gets explained throughout the show. You get a feeling of real personality in each character (Good/Bad/Evil). The fight scenes are graphic and slick.

If you're use too cheesy Anime. Then this might not be the show for you. You'll just have too go back to you're Dragon Ball Z on Cartoon Network. This is how adult cartoons should be. I could only wish their was more.

...in which the art dominates the story. Imagine if Salvador Dali drew a comic book, ha! I bought this series on dvd when it came out, being a Peter Chung fan, and loved the art, but not the story. IMO the writers tried to cram too much ancient Greek philosophy/geometry into the story, distracting from Alexander. Also the very long intro disrupts the flow between episodes. Despite these flaws, I find it a fantastic and fascinating experience. But after rewatching the series, I decided next time I'll turn the sound down, and listen to Joe Satriani while watching, ha! The artwork really is amazing, like a cross between Dali, El Greco, and the great French sci-fi fantasy comics of the 60's and 70's, like Druillet and Moebius, with costumes from Marvel's comic The Inhumans. A very imaginative, creative, and I think unique anime. Worth checking out if you can find it.