Takahashi Rumiko gekijô: Ningyo no mori

Came across this series online looking for horror anime. I guess the series i watched was the more recent of the 2. While I wouldn't classify it has horror exactly, it was definitely dark. The only real issue I had was the main male character was quite unintelligent for being so old. I would think an immortal would be a bit smarter than he was. Otherwise it was interesting and quite violent and bloody. Not gory, but very bloody. Showcases the worst of humanity when immortality is within reach. I enjoyed not having all the silly faces and over the top reactions like in many other animes I've seen. It's worth a watch.

So basically and stupidly, I didn't do my homework right on researching further realise, the original version was made in 1991 not this 2003 version. Although I applaud the English Dub actors and the visuals, it let me down with a pretty boring and rubbish storyline. I felt the whole storyline just seems like a recipe for disaster but making it something that came out of a bad disney movie. I'm definitely not talking about "The Little Mermaid" here, I'm talking about the ones who failed miserably to captivate audiences and seemed like they lack creativity by copying other disney made ones.

Just go with the 1991 version for your own sake!

Unexpected horror from Maison Ikkoku's Rumiko Takahashi brings us a horror tale, incomplete for me, but with extraordinary script beauty.

It is very difficult to find somewhere else what i find to be sublime poetry told by means of horror. Simply a must.

Whether you like this series or not will depend on how much you favor story over animation. The Mermaid-series harbor a fascinating universe with intense stories and a fairytale like quality. Problem is the animation is very lackluster. It's all done by computer and features none of the gorgeous hand drawn anime we're so used to seeing. Instead everything on screen is kept very simple and the environments have no dept whatsoever. Back in 1991 another version of the 'Mermaid's Forest' tale (also included in the new series, as a new, but lesser two-part take) was made, where both the story and the animation were so much better. Unfortunately this is only available on VHS. The previous version was also much more violent and featured nudity, which gave the story a sharper, more sinister edge. This new take on the saga is more like kiddie matinée stuff in comparison. So, check out this series if you like the work of Rumiko Takahashi, but don't expect too much magic. I'm sure everyone who happen to see the 1991 version will agree.