Review - Basilisk 1: Scrolls of Blood
Reviewed by Richard Brownell on 9.9.2007.
Score: 9/10
When was the last time we reviewed an ultra-violent and bloody show on AniDis? Ok, all the time, but that's because they make so many! Basilisk stands out from the crowd, though. It's an adaption of a manga of the same name based on a Japanese novel. A story about feuding ninja clans, it has inspired many others. This anime series tells the full bloody story with unique characters, supernatural powers, and stunning animation.
Two ninja clans, the Kouga and the Iga, have feuded for hundreds of years. The origins of this feud are not immediately apparent, but the only recourse the two clans have to keep themselves alive is a non-aggression pact. Having had relative peace for years, things are going well for the clans. There's even a marriage set to happen between a man from one clan and woman from the other, something that could possibly get the clans to forget the past and proceed towards a peaceful future where ninja skills are no longer required.
Such a happy resolve is, of course, not meant to be. The Shogun has a problem that he needs the two clans to help him settle. His elder son is a numskull who would be a terrible leader of Japan. And his younger son would make a good leader but is not the first in line for the throne. The Shogun doesn't want to make the decision of who should become the next Shogun, so he arranges a competition. The Kouga and Iga must have the top 10 ninjas from each clan fight to the death. Each clan is assigned to an heir and the winning clan decides who becomes Shogun.
It's a tragic situation to be in, especially for the two lovers hoping to bring the clans together in peace. Each clan is given a scroll detailing the situation and listing the ninjas to be involved. And the situation becomes worse when one side attempts to intercept the scroll of the other clan before they can be notified about the situation. That way they can start a war without the other side being ready.
Most of the first volume deals with the scrolls, which are a central theme of the show. The very opening shows the scroll, but don't fast forward through this section thinking it to be the same each time. As ninjas listed on the scroll die, their name is crossed off in blood in the show, but also in this opening. It is the ninja battles over the scrolls that make Basilisk such a great show.
A cursory glance of the various ninjas in Basilisk would probably lead many to wonder why they all look so weird. One is a hunchback with long limbs, another looks like a zombie, another like he was blown up like a balloon, and another has hair flowing out of every nook and cranny. Most of these ninjas would surely lose a beauty contest. But they each hold a secret, which is their supernatural ninja powers. None of the ninjas from the Kouga clan know what powers the Iga clan has, and vice versa. So each battle they step into they must determine what the enemy's abilities are and how to counter them with their own. Because of the nature of the plot of Basilisk, you know nearly every character introduced is a ninja listed on the scrolls and will likely die. So the enjoyment comes in learning what all their powers are and guessing which ninja is going to be the next one to go.
The duality of Basilisk gives it a very interesting dynamic. Neither the Kouga or the Iga is set up as the "evil" clan. On the contrary, there are likable characters from both and it seems like several might be friends with each other if it weren't for the war they are forced into. However, there is one character who is already beginning to show some signs of being the true villainous character of the show...
I went into Basilisk expecting a less supernatural ninja story, but I was pleasantly surprised that the extraordinary ninja powers are actually rather interesting and not just some glowing DBZ-esque super powers. The animation of Basilisk is gorgeous, and it never becomes boring throughout this first volume. The story could really go many directions at this point, but one thing is clear: there are many more ninjas on that scroll and I doubt many of them will survive. The real question is what will happen to the two lovers, separated by the aggression and hatred of their peers. Will their love last?
Special Features
· History of the Ninja
· Character Cast Auditions
· Director/Actor Commentary
· Textless Songs
· Trailers
