This is definitely one of the best animes ever created! Beautiful, heart-breaking, expertly drawn, enrapturing and magnificent in all aspects, it is definitely worth seeing. First of all, it is a blend of so many myths and stories, of both historical and fictional origin. It is more than a love story, and more than a war story. It is the cruel, painful, yet epic tale of warriors, god-like and feared, yet vulnerable before fate, which in this case is decided by the unyielding regime of a country torn apart by war, and vulnerable before their own hearts. It contains numerous love stories that intertwine and evolve, and during its 24 episodes, the viewer learns immense quantities of information about each character, about their pasts, their dreams and aspirations, and when, in the end, all those dreams are broken and shattered, the viewer suffers along with the bleeding ninjas. Not one episode is unworthy, and not one will leave you unsatisfied, and yet, hopeful, until the very end. The end is bitter, that I have to say, and it may seem utterly unfair, but it is justified by more than a political choice. The battles are breath-taking. Some of the characters are freakish and rather unappealing, but their roles are deeply rooted and in the end, they truly matter and, one can observe, the exterior aspect will not be a mirror of the soul, in this anime. Each and every ninja is endowed with powers that amaze with their originality, inspire with their depth and frighten with their capacity. Each duel is more than a battle, it is more than a test, and the tension can be overwhelming. It is wonderful to see an anime with understandable violence, with battles fought both physically and mentally. Beside the perfect graphics, one shall not be able to ignore the blood-boiling music, marvelous and worthy of such an epic. The ending will cause pain, as will the entire series, but it will also offer some closure, as will the few but well-placed scenes of tenderness and mercy. I adore this anime and plan to watch it again some time. Knowing the ending does not spoil the journey, for there are many journeys the viewer can choose, ten for the Kouga Ninjas and another ten for the Iga Ninjas. Enjoy....
Review of Basilisk: The Kouga Ninja Scrolls
