Kino's Journey

This is one of those little gems you discover late one night binge- watching anime. No one has ever mentioned it to you, you have nothing else better to do, and the cover art doesn't remind you of another action-packed vampire love story. That being said, I went into Kino's Journey blind and I came out enlightened. It was like I was a child exploring the world for the first time again.

Along with her talking motorcycle companion, "Hermes", Kino is a traveler who has a rule to never stay in one place for more than 3 days. The world is similar to Earth except that what are considered "countries" are really independent, walled cities that are seemingly very spaced apart. Each episode is self contained as Kino visits one or more country, and just as Kino and Hermes, we experience each place for the first time. The countries have their own unique histories, customs, and cultures. All are interesting; some are dangerous.

There is something so powerful in the quiet storytelling of this series. Kino's Journey really explores the very edges of what it means to be human. We are all flawed, yet it is how we deal with our flaws that defines us. Similar to many other series I have watched, I just wish there was more.

There are only two other anime that I have seen that have mastered the art of quiet storytelling: "Mushishi", and "House of Five Leaves".

As of now (Jan 2014), the English Dubbed version is available on Amazon Prime and Hulu Plus. NOTE: Amazon Prime doesn't have any commercials.

This series is quite different to other anime series I've seen; it is neither action packed nor full of laughs although that doesn't mean it is totally lacking in these. The animation has a style of its own too; in some ways it has a simple look but it is stunningly beautiful. The series follows the travels of Kino and her talking 'Motorrad' (motorbike) Hermes as they visit various countries, each of the countries are effectively city states that each have their own unique customs, some are friendly, others less so. As a general rule Kino is just an observer of the countries she visits but occasionally gets involved although that is usually because she has no choice. Just because Kino prefers to avoid conflict does not mean the guns we see in the opening credits don't get used, it did come as a surprise the first time though.

As they are constantly travelling the only regular characters are Kino and Hermes; Kino is an interesting character whose gender is open to question for the first few episodes and is sometimes addressed as a boy and sometimes as a girl in the various countries, Hermes might be a talking motorbike but isn't as silly as that sounds, it looks like a real bike and does not have a face like other animated talking vehicles.

While the stories were gently paced I was never bored, I'd certainly recommend this for anybody looking for something a little different. It is suitable for most ages although one or two scenes might disturb young children; some people and a few rabbits do get shot and we aren't spared the sight of spilt blood.

These comments are based on watching the series in Japanese with English subtitles.

Definitely a very slow paced anime, if you are looking for action you are at the wrong place.

However, if you are interested in experiencing the elevating joys, the wide arsenal of emotions and artistic features an anime can offer then you have just found what you are looking for.

This piece of art is coming at you with a mixture of sounds, pictures, and dialog like not much other anime out there. Every single episode is a rather complex assessment of the different systems that have existed and exist throughout human history and of the different element of human personality in general.

Our main hero, Kino is a traveler and as such it is not the end point, not the destiny of the journey that is important for her, but the experience she gather while being on the road. Many of the episodes have not much connections to each other, they could be separated from each other and still be meaningful, in other words there are a lots of episodes (in the literature sense).

It was created by the same crew as Serial Experiments Lain, so if you've seen that you should have a good idea what you are in for, however this one is taking a less theoretic approach to the different problems humanity as a whole and an individual is facing. Most importantly, each episode gives you a comprehensive example, that way getting the problem close to you and is looking for practical solutions. Still in the end the Kino takes no active part in the events and is just a bystander, who forms her opinion but does nothing more (maybe with exemption of 1-2 life-death problems she can't stand by).

Summing up, to truly understand this piece you have to do your own part, this show doesn't serve you answers on a silver plate, but rather questions.

"Kino's Journey" follows the duo consisting of Kino and the talking motorcycle Hermes. Together, the two travel through various cities and learn something about the history of the city and its inhabitants.

This is a completely unique narrative structure, which is very refreshing if you like to watch a lot of series (like me, for example).

Each episode contains a short story, which is often quite interesting - the themes of the story range from war to technological progress to grief.

In addition, the relationship between Kino and the motorcycle Hermes is written very warmly.

"Kino's Journey" was clearly a surprise hit for me and thrilled me with its unique premise.

Animé is known for showcasing characters with super-human powers, or mostly not even human at all. It is known for it's original and bizarre stories and story lines, which seem to fascinate every animation fan. It is a big hit among viewers who enjoy watching the endless possibilities of story making. It is, I believe the very nature of japanimation. But to be honest it is very rare to see an animé much like this one I'm going to review about, called –"Kino No Tabi".

Sometimes called "Kino's Journey" or "Kino's Travels" –"Kino No Tabi" is probably the most artiest and most thought-proving animé I've seen (really!). Based from the sensational novel series by Keiichi Sigsawa that became popular in Japan back in 2000, "Kino No Tabi" is the unique story of a young traveler named Kino, and Kino's traveling companion, a talking motorcycle named Hermes. Together, they travel from country to country, meeting different people, and exploring different cultures. They learn and discover new things as they travel, and thus, making this show a delightful series, because you learn with its characters.

It is likely that you'll be surprised with the series' unconventional stories, and it's unusual characters (that appear in every episode) it may seem slow sometimes since the characters do much talking than anything else, since this is after all the way that this show uplifts itself –through the characters' interactions with one another, especially the conversations with Kino and Hermes. You will marvel at Kino's calmness and rational ways of dealing with matters that most of us don't give a damn about.

Kino is an intelligent, and charming character despite having to act coldly at times. Another unusual thing about "Kino No Tabi" is Kino's gender. It wasn't made clear in the first to third episodes, since some characters in the stories refer to Kino as a boy and some called her "miss". What's even more confusing would be Kino's use of "boku" (a Japanese pronoun used by a male to refer to himself) when speaking. But this will be made clear during the 4th episode. I don't want to give spoilers, but it was a cool concept by the author to make Kino's gender a mystery.

Featuring the voice of Ai Maeda as Kino (she played Shiori Kitano in "Battle Royale 2: Requiem"). Hers is perfect for the character of Kino, since it's quite hard to distinguish her voice (if male or female). As you know, most animé have women do the voice acting for some male characters (especially if the characters are young boys). So it won't be surprising if her character, Kino is a boy –or maybe not.

All I can say, "Kino No Tabi" will not be like any other animé you've seen. It's a brilliant series that uniquely unveils various human philosophies. It's one of those shows you'd be glad you took the time to watch.

From the people behind the shows –"Serial Experiments Lain", "Haibane Renmei", and "Boogiepop Phantom".. "Kino No Tabi" is another show yet to impress you with it's brilliance and it's unique expression of a radical sense of "beauty".