Guardian of the Spirit

I saw the last episode of Seirei no Moribito last night. Actually it was 3AM. I couldn't go to sleep without knowing what happens in the end. When the whole thing was over, I did something I don't usually do: I clapped my hands in amazement... This is something I do only when I am truly impressed by what I saw. This show is perfect! It's flawless pure and simple! The story is very interesting and beautifully told. It unfolds just right from one episode to the other like a perfectly written book. The character development, as others pointed out, is very well done! In the end you just wish the show would never stop and you develop a sort of respect for the characters that doesn't really happen with characters from other anime shows. Just like the title says, from time to time I surf the net and find a gem like "Seirei no Moribito". I'm glad I found it and I'm glad I can tell others about it. It's good that in our time you can still find amazing stories such as this one. 10 out of 10? Sure, if 10 is the highest score I can give it, but it's as simple as this: this series is Perfect and Beautiful! If you find it, for the love of God watch it and keep it safe! If you have children, this is the kind of quality they should be watching! Definitely a series that entertains you and also teaches you valuable things. Later I realized I started asking myself: "what would Balsa do in this situation?"...

I can't for a second that this is from 2007. I've watched literally hundreds of animes in the past year and none has made me this surprised. I dont think anyone would doubt you if you said this came out yesterday because yes the animation is that good ESPECIALLY for its time, and the art doesn't feel old in the slightest both character and environment. The story gradually progresses and so the character development. Theres no five minute clip that they make us ingest and want us to care or at least be interested in the various characters of diverse personalities and values.audios heartwarming.

This series is a fantasy tale, a story about survival and redemption, exquisitely crafted. There are no "stand-alone" episodes here; the story unfolds in a linear fashion, effectively leaving the viewer wanting more at the end of each episode. Great character development, you can't help but sympathize with the main characters as their relationships strengthen throughout their ordeals. The animation is exceptional as well as very realistic and backed by a fitting soundtrack by Kenji Kawai, makes for an elaborately atmospheric experience. The action scenes play a secondary role, one of building the tension when needed, although superbly choreographed nonetheless! There is no real explicit content but the spiritual aspects and the inescapable "cycle of life" theme embedded in the series is definitely for mature audiences only!

MORIBITO: GUARDIAN OF THE SPIRIT (Seirei no moribito) (2007) is an epic fantasy anime series, based on the fantasy novels by Nohoko Uehashi, first published in 1996. This anime is a hidden gem and simply perfection. When this series was first released, I stumbled upon it by accident, browsing for something to watch. I wasn't expecting much but as the series progressed, I was simply blown away by the writing, the character development, the atmosphere, the level of detail and realism for a fantasy story. The art, design and also the OST (by Kenji Kawai) were all breathtaking.

"Balsa, the spear weilding woman is a wandering warrior, who takes on the task of saving lives, an act of atonement for a past sin. On her journey, she happens to save a young Prince, Chagum, from assassination and is tasked with becoming his bodyguard, by his mother the Empress, steaking him far away from the kingdom."

While this series definitely has action and adventure, it is well balanced in its focus on story and characters as well, so that the world building felt truly fleshed out and you feel connected to the characters and the story. Balsa, Prince Chagum, and Tanda were especially well developed characters, with meaningful arcs and changes, but many other characters left marks as well. There are some slower scenes which work through dialogue, emotions, politics and backstory but everything is key to the overall tension and bigger picture, tying things together coherently.

Overall, this series is highly recommended hidden gem which focuses on redemption and the bonds between people. This epic Taiga fantasy is a genius work of art, as a captivating survival adventure and as a memorable story that lives on with you. Unforgettable and highly underrated. The characters are so beautifully created and portrayed, making this such a great watch. This series was a great find and definitely rewatchable.

The Japanese love their taiga. So much so that entire production companies are vested in bring stories of the past, fictional and mythical, to light.

Moribito is one such taiga that stems from a novel series about a travelling spear warrior and her encounters with kings, princes and commoners, demons, spirits and spiritualists, while embodying a courageous noble code of not killing her opponents.

Because taiga are episodic, they carry much of a soap opera style in writing and dramatic effect. Moreso than the source material they derive from. Motivations and emotions are very key to the characters' journeys and arcs from beginning to end.

Apart from the through-plotline there were enough episodes to show slice-of-life scenes that grounded the main characters in their locale, and several that gave enough back story to Balsa's tale.

If you enjoy period fantasy tales, this series is for you. Watch it with enjoyment.