#prince chagum

[inbestigator]

Moribito: Guardian of the Spirit

[lazuliquetzal]

Whee Fight Scenes! (This Is A Seirei no Moribito Advertisement)

For the past couple of years I have been almost exclusively writing fanfiction for action-fantasy video games which has led to me developing opinions on writing fight scenes. I used to hate writing them because what even happen fight, really, like what the hell??? But now I’ve learned to tolerate them! Sometimes I even enjoy writing them! So now I will share my wisdom with you. 

(Disclaimer: This post was written so I could avoid writing a fight scene.)

My credentials: I occasionally write fight scenes in my action-fantasy video game fanfictions, and I have seen Seirei no Moribito the anime several times. I do not claim to be an expert on fight scenes, but I do claim to love Seirei no Moribito to bits.

Part 1. The Set Up

There’s this excellent anime about a mercenary on a life-long quest for redemption who ends up taking a cursed prince under her protection. It’s about unraveling propaganda and colonialism, and also about kicking ass. The first time I watched this anime, when I got to the episode 3 rice field fight, I thought, “holy shit, I see now that a good fight scene requires not only a kick-ass fight, but also narrative/emotional build up in order to give the scene weight and tension.”

Like, lots of anime have excellent and extremely iconic fights, but this was the show that really made the writing aspect of it stick in my brain. Seirei no Moribito is also an adaptation of a book, which might why this stood out to me: the way its fight scenes are constructed are not as reliant on the actual visuals so much as they are on everything else (the animation for the fight is gorgeous, too, like, just watch this show please it’s so good). That said, I haven’t actually read the book. But I have seen this show several times and the rice field fight gets me so hype.

(And also every other fight scene. I’m never over episode 13. If you have to watch only one (1) episode of Seirei no Moribito, watch episode 13. But also, don’t do that. Watch the entire thing you coward.)

Anyway. What’s going on in Seirei no Moribito episode 3?

Part 1a. The Narrative Stage

Ep3 is early on in the series. The rice field fight is not the first action scene, but it is the first fight scene. This is what we know going in:

Balsa, our main character, is a formidable mercenary with a practical mind and a strong sense of honor. She has sworn to protect Chagum, the prince of the Empire. Her goal is to keep Chagum alive at all costs, because saving his life is crucial to her personal goal of redemption.

The Emperor (Chagum’s father) has dispatched his elite warriors to kill the prince, as they believe that he is possessed by an evil water spirit. Their goal is to kill the prince because the evil water spirit is a bad omen for the empire, and they believe that killing the prince will save the kingdom.

Balsa’s spear is damaged, and she is outnumbered. She has the disadvantage.

We are, of course, rooting for Balsa and Chagum at this point in the story. Balsa’s our main character, she’s super cool, and child assassination is a bad look. We know that Balsa is strong: we’ve seen her do athletic stunts, and it’s been alluded to that she is extremely skilled with the spear. This fight is the first time we get to see her use it, so it’s very exciting to the viewer. We want to see her in action.

Part 1b. The Emotional Stage

Chagum doesn’t have much of a personality at this point: we know he’s a child prince, and we know his dad wants to kill him. So we don’t know him well, but he’s already sympathetic due to circumstance.

When Balsa and Chagum get to the rice fields, they are almost home-free. They’ve spent a lot of effort trying to redirect the emperor’s warriors and the plan almost worked. We are extremely close to safety, so the fact that this is when the emperor’s elite catch up is very tense and frustrating.

All this puts the audience in the mindset of: oh man, they’re so close, I really need Balsa to win! I don’t want the kid die! You can taste the safety, you are almost there—it’s the type of tension that gets you invested in the outcome of the fight.

Part 1c. The Physical Stage

The first half, and the faster-paced portion of the fight takes place in a rice field at night (a classic). Wide open, with water to splash in, and nowhere to hide. It’s right on the edge of the thick forest, which gives Balsa and Chagum an immediate goal: get to the denser terrain so that they might break line of sight of their pursuers.

The second half of the fight is less of a fight and more of a close-up, emotional moment of action. It takes place in a clearing by the edge of the forest.

The physical location of the fight ties in with the short-term goals of the characters: the open field forces Balsa into direct confrontation even though she wants to run, and the clearing by the edge of the forest gives Jin (one of the emperor’s warriors) the illusion of privacy when he tries to kill Chagum, and it gives Balsa cover to hide until she can intervene.

Part 1 – TL;DR

Even before you get to the actual fight, the setup of the fight has inherent tension and intrigue. One can reasonably assume that Balsa and Chagum will survive, because this is episode 3 of a 26 episode anime. But you don’t know if her damaged spear will hold out. You don’t know why the emperor wants Chagum dead. You don’t know if Balsa will kill the emperor’s guards, or if she’ll be able to make a clean getaway with the prince. All these uncertainties create mystery, which creates tension. And tension is what makes the fight fun.

Part 2. The Purpose

I mentioned earlier that this is the first actual fight in the show.

It’s the payoff for a bunch of little questions that have cropped up so far. How strong is Balsa? Is she good enough to win, even when outnumbered? What does her fighting style look like?

A lot of action stories have big fight early on, and that’s because a well-done fight scene squeezes in a massive amount of characterization. In this fight, we learn a lot about Balsa, and we learn a lot about the Emperor and the difference between the Emperor and the people who work for him.

Some questions that get explored: How do they think under pressure? What kind of fighting do they do? Are they strategic? Reactive? Brute force or trickster? How do they solve problems? How far are these people willing to go to achieve their goals?

There’s a moment in this fight when Balsa is wounded, and the emperor’s warriors retrieve Prince Chagum. Balsa ends up retreating into the forest. Jin says something along the lines of: she’s a mercenary, she works for money and she’s already been paid; she won’t risk her life to come back and get the prince.

But she does. Even though she’s been wounded, and even though she had the perfect opportunity to walk away, she comes back and saves Prince Chagum at the expense of her own health. Balsa keeps her promises; Balsa’s personal quest for redemption is more important to her than her life. We know her, now!

Fight scenes are great for characterization because it’s a deviation from status quo. A person’s default state is not “battle,” and stories thrive on extraordinary circumstances. “How does this character change/act/perform under pressure?” is a really great characterization question, and a fight scene is the opportunity to show the answer rather than tell it.

Fight scenes are also great for thematic debate. You get the opportunity to literalize the conflict between different philosophies via characters fighting each other. EZ story moment. You know that one Howard Ashman quote about how, in musicals, the characters sing when they’re too emotional to speak? That’s what fight scenes are to me. The characters fight when they can’t talk to each other.

And then, of course, a fight scene is also moving the plot along. The conflict is happening, information is being exchanged/discovered/buried. Some characters life, some characters get hurt, some characters die. A fight scene is a way to physically bring characters to the state they need to be in for the story to progress (in the right emotional state, the right physical state, the right location, etc). Lots of things going on, which is good—you want all of your scenes to be purposeful.

Part 3. The Details

All of that had to do with the zoomed-out, overall story view of the fight (how the fight fits into the overall story). I am now going to continue to gush about the episode 3 rice field fight up close (how does the fight scene work in isolation). Because Seirei no Moribito rocks.

Part 3a. The Setting

I already mentioned the open rice field/dense forest dichotomy and how that affects the characters’ short-term goals. It’s also a great choice to establish Balsa’s superior technical ability with her spear. The rice field is wide open and relatively flat—no obstructions or distractions, with everyone on equal ground. There are no tricks to pull, no environmental quirks to exploit: this is a clean fight between Balsa and the emperor’s warriors. When she comes out on top, it’s because she’s better than them.

Depending on the character, it might be better to change the terrain. Have the stealthy warrior fight in a forest, where they can appear and reappear and use their sneakiness to their advantage. Put a trickster in a situation where they can improvise traps. There is an aspect of your character that you want to show off, so set the stage so that they can show off. It’ll be totally badass and fun.

Part 3b. The Short-Term Goals

When you read a story, you can reasonably assume that the protagonist will stay alive (especially if you are not near the end of the story). Knowing the outcome can make a story stale if you're not careful. You can lose tension if there’s no risk. Some stories try to create a world/tone/atmosphere so that anyone can die. A lot don’t because that’s a little depressing.

My friend @yellowocaballero has an excellent post on this regarding OP protagonists, but to summarize: if you know the protagonist is always going to win the physical fight, you have to make the win condition not about that. Balsa isn’t OP, but giving characters goals beyond “win the fight” can make a fight so much more interesting.

In the rice field fight, Balsa does not have to defeat the emperor's warriors: she has to get Chagum and herself away alive. Her goal is to make a clean getaway. When the warriors show up, she makes the decision to confront them, and her goal is not just to win, but to win so decisively that they won’t be able to follow her. When Chagum gets caught, she changes her goal to ‘keep him safe at all costs, no matter the harm done to myself’, and she gets seriously wounded. She can succeed in some goals, but fail in others, and the story reacts and keeps changing. It’s the same principle behind why rolling a nat 1 is so entertaining in D&D. The more you fail, the more creative you have to get. 

Part 3c. Monkey Brain

There is just something so cool and so satisfying and so fun about seeing a character kick ass. There is also something very cool and very satisfying about seeing a character get beat up. The rice field fight has it all: Balsa kicking ass, and also getting beat up. It’s fun! Fight scenes that know exactly why they are cool are just so good. Hell yeah, overindulge and use every single weapon despite how impractical they are. Yes please show someone pulling off an unrealistic move for the coolness factor. Absolutely include the explosion-that-would-definitely-kill-but-doesn’t. 

Part 3 — TL;DR 

If you want the fight to be cool, make it cool! Set it in a cool place! Give your characters opportunities to show off! Make it interesting by changing the win conditions! Conflicting goals forces characters to prioritize and it makes scenes fun!

Part 4. Words???

Unfortunately, as mentioned, Seirei no Moribito is an anime and I haven’t read the book so I cannot analyze and gush about its prose in this section. Otherwise, the advertisement would continue. You’re safe for the moment.

Re: prose, there’s probably a post out there that goes over the language of fight scenes better than I ever could. I write with the diction of a middle-grade author because I read PJatO too much as a child and it rewrote my DNA. This is not a bad thing, this is just a fact. So I’m just gonna fire off fight scene writing advice I heard from around:

Filter words — if you want a more immersive reading experience, you want to avoid filtering the action through the narration. So use sentences like: “Her arm hurt” as opposed to “she felt her arm hurt”. But if you’re trying to distance the reader, like recreating the feeling of shock/dissociation, then filter words would help achieve that effect.

Make the rhythm of your prose match the energy of the fight. Short and choppy feels fast in the brain. Long and wordy feels overwhelming. Fragmented sentences and run-ons are chaotic. Customize the vibes.

Establish the important details of the setting beforehand so that you don’t have to stop the action to describe the specific placement of a relevant tree stump. I think I heard this one from Brandon Sanderson on a podcast somewhere, but I think about it a lot when I write because blocking is hard enough and it's even harder when you have to stop and attempt to translate the movie in your head into words. I can’t tell you how to block a fight scene. We need to find someone else who is smarter that can tell us.

Part 5. The Point

Fight Scenes are Fun, actually. They can be really effective if you set them up properly! If you know what you want to do with them, you can arrange it to be as cool as possible! You don’t have to be in a visual medium to make fights fun. You just have to figure out how to translate the cool bits into prose, which I think is mostly done through giving your fight cool shit on both the macro story level scale and the micro scene level scale. 

Also, watch Seirei no Moribito.

[csandagan111]

"How dare you raise a weapon against your parent!"

I'm like: yeah, you don't do that to anyone who's just protecting you, Chagum.

-

This is probably one of my favorite scenes throughout the series. This scene really hit me hard (like how hard Balsa slapped the shht out of Chagum. Lol)

I'm literally hands down for this queen. I'm not even mad at her for doing that to Chagum. I respect and really admire her dedication for raising a foster kid.

I just felt really sad for the final episode that I actually cried my eyes out the moment I saw the newly crowned Prince Chagum crying behind her back as they bid their 'goodbye's and part their ways.

A reeeeaaaaaally good underrated series to binge-watch!

[constantlyscreaminghere]

I crie every thyme 

[ultra-violet-heart]

Hello! So happy to find another fan of the Moribito series. I feel in love with the first 2 books and anime in high school. I'm so disappointed at how Scholastic just dropped the series. Also, it appears to be out of print now case prices for the hardcover and paper pack editions are just expensive! I just hope Cathy Hirano or someone who works closely with the author pitches the books to another English speaking publisher.

I feel you, my Moribito comrade. I so feel you T.TI actually learned Japanese, begged my professor and my Japinoy friends to help me muddle through kanji just to read the whole Moribito series (my crush on the BalsaxTanda pairing was just that great, and I love how this Mama Bear is the best most awesome warrior ever). I bought the other books from a friend, and even if I want to translate them it might take a lot of time (which I don’t have T.T) and my books are so tattered I dare not make e-copies. Speaking about Cathy Hirano, she just recently translated the first two books of Kemono no Souja (Beast Player) AND OH BOY THAT BOOK WAS AWESOME AND WAS SO BEAUTIFULLY TRANSLATED IT MADE ME WEEP in happiness (Cathy Hirano is my #TranslatorGoals). There has been a resurgence of interest in the books due to the Moribito drama (WHICH IS AWESOME BTW) though not much interest internationally (I still don’t understand why, given the fact the drama was nominated for an Emmy), so I’m still trying to spread the love for this wonderful series and any book by Uehashi-sensei :)Thanks for reaching out and I’m so glad I’m not alone anymore in my love for this series! Other fans have reached out as well (and have used this Tumblog as a guide hahahaha)

[animefeminist]

Strength Unsaid: How Moribito’s main characters normalize gender equality

Spoilers for Moribito

There is a time for rousing speeches, and a time for doing stuff; Moribito’s main characters are all about the latter. There are anime like Tank Police that advocate for gender equality by making the fight with a patriarchy a central conflict of the story; and others like Naruto that pretend to support gender equality by having a female character cut her hair, declare her independence, and then not do much else. Moribito‘s reckoning with gender equality is much more understated, and therein lies the strength of the series.  The roles and characterization of main characters Balsa, Tanda, and Prince Chagum make gender equality seem natural, and therefore powerful, even if their story takes place in a patriarchal system. By allowing Balsa to be a kick-ass spearwoman, the medicine man Tanda to be her support, and Prince Chagum to accept that he can be both nurturing and a strong ruler, the series unspokenly invites the audience to consider alternatives to familiar genre rules and gender roles.

Based on the novel by Nahoko Uehashi, Moribito is a fantasy set in the fictional Shin Yago empire, modeled loosely after ancient Japan. Spearwoman Balsa is secretly enlisted by the queen to protect her son. Prince Chagum has the egg of the water spirit in him, which his father, the Mikado, falsely believes will cause a 100-year drought when it hatches—when in reality, it will prevent one. Note that while Balsa, a woman, is pitted against the Mikado, a man, and all the men that work for him, she is not explicitly challenging him based on patriarchy. She’s just trying to protect someone. The patriarchy will still be there even if she succeeds. The central conflict is focused on the environment, spirituality, and class, and yet the main characters subtly push for gender equality as they engage in the conflict outside their assigned gender roles. The setting serves to amplify this demonstration. 

Read it at Anime Feminist!

[mirrorgrets]

okay so seirei no moribito is about a traveling warrior named balsa who takes up a job to protect the second prince of the nation named chagum because his father the emperor is sending assassins to kill him.

the animation is pretty good and the character designs are all unique. you can also tell that the people drawing this put a lot of thought and effort into how the world functions.

the character interactions are all organic and make for great found family dynamics. the political intrigue is good, even if it does take a very optimistic view of how internal palace politics work.

there's just a lot of humanity in this series that i enjoy and i think everyone should watch this series too because it's really good

[therosecrest]

I picked an anime the other day called Moribito: Guardian of the Spirit. It's not my usual fare. I hesitated a bit for the premise, imagining the prince a young, pampered man and an endgame romance, but I was interested in the cool female warrior, so I bought it.

I was so wrong. Moribito had me from the very beginning, from the opening. Surely L'Arc-en-Ciel's best OP, which is saying something. It's such a sentimental opening. but never sickly. I don't know how to put it, but it's such a dear opening. It chokes me up a little bit at times somehow. Incidentally, it's here that I discovered the director was Kamiyama Kenji. I thought, not for the first time, "why didn't you start with that!?" I would have picked it up immediately had I noticed his name on the box.

But to think that the prince, Chagum, was just a boy. From the start of just the opening, I became deeply invested in the maternal relationship between Chagum and Balsa. Balsa, the protagonist, is a warrior with a mysterious past and a vow to save eight souls before she dies. That's why I will surely finish this anime in floods of tears. Just you watch.

[genrerolereversal]

Films, TV Shows

(Last updated: 19 June 2023)

Avalon High (English, available on Disney+)

A Disney teen flick about modern reincarnations of Arthurian characters where the girl saves the guy. The main character is Allie, a jock, and she develops a friendship with Miles, a snarky nerd, as well as a romance with Will, another jock. I can’t say exactly why it’s GRR without giving too much away in terms of spoilers, but I wrote about my reasons here.

Girls and Boys (Swedish, available on Vimeo)

Directed by Ninja Thyberg. A story about naivete and growing up, it follows two awkward teenage girls trying to lose their virginity in a party. It takes inspiration from Egalia’s Daughters, showing women with short hair and baggy clothes while men wear more revealing outfits and style their hair. The film plays with gender roles in interesting ways. For example, Nour’s male friends are portrayed as sexually forward, but in the coy and seductive way that is usually reserved for women. Trigger warning for attempted sexual assault. It’s sadly only 30 minutes long, but still worth watching for the world it depicts.

I Am Not an Easy Man (French, available on Netflix)

A feature-length follow-up of the short film, Oppressed Majority. A man finds himself in a parallel version of our world where everything is the same except women are the oppressors. This was marketed as a romcom, but I found it to be more focused on drama about gender issues. Think of it as inspired by Egalia’s Daughters. It’s not a feel-good film, reminding us of the struggles that women still face today in overcoming sexism. It explores what it’s like to be gender-non-conforming in a heavily gendered world. 

I appreciate the film’s vision in actually showing what a matriarchal society would look like, as the women are unapologetically masculine, wearing crisp suits and getting in fights and going to strip clubs. 

Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts (English, available on Netflix)

A fun post-apocalyptic romp in a world of wacky mutant animals, called mutes in this world. It’s not about GRR but still worth a watch for how it challenges gender stereotypes, which is evident in both its human and animal characters. Character designs are varied and well-done, avoiding the “female = boobs, eyelashes, and delicate features” cliché. It’s also great with racial and LGBT+ diversity. 

In one episode, one of the characters, Wolf, imagines her future with Kipo. That future? They’re buff hunters who survive by taking down Mega Bunnies. There is no heterosexual or gender-conforming explanation for this.

Man’s World (Hindi, available on Youtube)

A one-hour miniseries with a similar premise to I Am Not an Easy Man. Believing that women actually have it easier than men in a so-called man’s world, Kiran makes a wish that women and men switch places in society... and learns the truth the hard way. He faces problems in his workplace before his mother eventually forces him to quit and enter into an arranged marriage, where he is miserable at first.

This miniseries was made with the clear intention of highlighting gender issues in India such as femicide and sexual assault. It has an mpreg twist in the last episode, so it may not be to everyone’s taste. Trigger warning for sexual harassment and marital rape.

A Man’s World (English, available here)

Not to be confused with the above series. This is a short film where gender roles are reversed, and a young man finds himself in a difficult situation after facing sexual harassment in his workplace. You can find some of my thoughts on the film here.

Moribito: Guardian of the Spirit (Japanese)

Adaptation of a popular novel by Nahoko Uehashi (it also has been adapted into a manga and a live-action series). Asian fantasy anime that follows the journey of a warrior woman named Balsa and her young charge, Prince Chagum. Balsa reunites with her friend Tanda, a talented doctor, and the two of them act as parental figures for Chagum. While the anime doesn’t really focus on Balsa’s relationship with Tanda, it’s still excellent in depicting a female character as unabashedly competent and masculine despite being in a male-dominated society. Because of her past, Balsa acts more like a father than a mother to Chagum, making their relationship an interesting, genderbending take on the “stoic man adopts child” trope.

The Other Half of Me and You (Chinese, available on Youtube)

A 2-hour Chinese drama with a focus on romance and comedy. After an intimate encounter with Xiaoxiao, playboy pilot Gao Zirui finds himself in a world where the gender roles are reversed. He discovers that Xiaoxiao, now called Jacky, is the cool and confident boss of a neuroscience company. We follow him as he grapples with his place in this world, first as a flight attendant then as Jacky’s employee. It’s a delight to watch Rui alternating between taking the lead and acting coy and catty. Neither he nor the story tries to make Jacky more submissive; on the contrary, Rui begins to enjoy his new role, and she is likewise intrigued by his unconventional behaviour.

The show’s main romance is satisfying and believable, and makes its points about gender issues without coming across as heavy-handed. If you have watched I Am Not an Easy Man, you might find a few moments in this show to be familiar.

Strong Girl Bong-soon (Korean, available on Netflix)

Korean TV series about a girl named Bong-soon, whose super strength runs in the women of her family. She becomes the bodyguard of a gaming company CEO, Ahn Min-hyuk, and helps rescue women victimised by a serial kidnapper.

It’s mostly a romcom, but it also includes a thriller and, in my opinion, doesn’t mix the two genres well enough. The kidnapper is violent towards women (sexually and physically), but the issue itself remains surface-level when it would have benefited from connecting it with Bong-soon’s character journey. It’s also not... great with its depiction of gay men; it’s mostly played for laughs, and Min-hyuk’s bisexuality is downplayed.

The Way of the House Husband (Japanese, available on Netflix)

Adapted from the manga. There’s apparently also a live-action adaptation?

Witch Craft Works (Japanese)

Adapted from the manga by the same name. An ordinary boy, Honoka Takamiya, gets his life turned upside down when a group of witches attacks him. He is rescued by Ayaka Kagari, the stoic, protective "princess" of their school. Takamiya learns to use magic, and the two of them confront various dangers that range from belligerent witches with more interesting designs than Kagari herself to... middle school drama ramped up to absurd levels. The story itself is good, with some fun, colourful visuals and ideas. I greatly enjoyed the dynamic between Kagari and Takamiya. While she remains his unfazed protector, he contributes to the relationship in his own way and never comes off as annoying or callous.

It's not without its flaws unfortunately. If you know the bad reputation that anime has garnered in the West, well, it's not entirely undeserved here (gravity-defying boobs, sexual harassment played for laughs, a character having blatantly incestuous feelings). So do beware of that if you want to watch this.

[earako]

Screw it, Serei no Moribito ficlet time

-/-

"Me and Balsa think of you as our son."

The words rattled in Chagum's head for weeks after Tanda had rescued him from the dream. Being Balsa and Tanda's son...if only he were so lucky.

It's not that he disliked his mother of course. For a while his mother was truly the only light in his life. His mother's kind words, her hands brushing his hair back and placing a kiss on his forehead. Her perfume that filled Chagum's senses when he hugged her, all screamed comfort and safety.

But then there was Balsa. Balsa with hands much rougher than his mothers, who smelled of Earth and fire, a stern yet gentle hand that guided him through the darkest point of his life. And Tanda, Tanda who was the first to give Chagum a hot homecooked meal, who carried with him the scent of healing herbs, the other half of Balsa and the one who always offered to help carry his or Balsa's burdens on his shoulders. They, too, enveloped Chagum in blissful contentment, knowing he's be well protected in their arms.

Perhaps if he were a commoner he and his mother would have befriended Balsa and Tanda much earlier. Maybe Chagum would have grown alongside Saya and Touya. Maybe Tanda would visit and cook dinner with his mother using the meat Balsa got from a hunt. Maybe Touya and Kaya would lead Chagum through the markets, teaching him how to get the best quality ingredients for the lowest possible price.

The dream could have given him that...but it wouldn't have been real. It would only be a pale imitation of the people Chagum had come to know and love.

He was prince Chagum, Son of the Mikado and the Second Queen.

But he was also Chagum, Son of Balsa the spear wielder and Tanda, the healing magic weaver.

Chagum would find a way to to both, he was stubborn enough to do so. He must have gotten it from his parents, all theee of them.

[maplevogel]

RECOMENDATION CHART IF YOU LIKE GIRLS WITH RED HAIR AND INTERESTING WORLD BUILDING (and are willing to watch some AWESOME old animes)

because we get so many new amazing shows that sometimes we forget that there is years of awesome hidden gems that might end up being your fave but that you don’t even know exist.

So lets start! 

A few years ago Akatsuki no yona came out and everyone was surprised by how deep it went into the ruling of the kingdom and political drama. So if you enjoyed this:

But want something with more action, less romance and more on character growth and and political drama (with a side of great world building and a isekai that is NOT a europe medieval fantasy world with a guy that is overpowered ) you might want to check this!:

The 12 kingdoms! 

Youko Nakajima has only ever wanted to be normal. She does what she is asked, gets good grades, is the class president, and even helps her classmates whenever she can—but because of her red hair, she has never fit in. With her pushover attitude, Youko lets classmates take advantage of her, so she has nobody she can really call a friend. But on an otherwise ordinary day, a man who claims to be from another world barges into Youko's classroom and bows before her. This elegant blond-haired man, Keiki, claims that Youko is his master and belongs on the throne of his kingdom. However, their first meeting is cut short as Keiki has been followed by otherworldly beasts called youma. He is able to escape with Youko into his own realm, but two other classmates—Ikuya Asano and Yuka Sugimoto—are caught up in the madness as well. Unfortunately, their troubles have only just begun, as the youma attack leaves them separated from Keiki. Alone in this strange new land, these ordinary students must learn to fend for themselves or die.

But now you actually wanted something with MORE romance and less action but still political drama! 

then nothing will please you more than...AKAGAMI NO SHIRAYUKI HIME!

Although her name means "snow white," Shirayuki is a cheerful, red-haired girl living in the country of Tanbarun who works diligently as an apothecary at her herbal shop. Her life changes drastically when she is noticed by the silly prince of Tanbarun, Prince Raji, who then tries to force her to become his concubine. Unwilling to give up her freedom, Shirayuki cuts her long red hair and escapes into the forest, where she is rescued from Raji by Zen Wistalia, the second prince of a neighboring country, and his two aides. Hoping to repay her debt to the trio someday, Shirayuki sets her sights on pursuing a career as the court herbalist in Zen's country, Clarines. Akagami no Shirayuki-hime depicts Shirayuki's journey toward a new life at the royal palace of Clarines, as well as Zen's endeavor to become a prince worthy of his title. As loyal friendships are forged and deadly enemies formed, Shirayuki and Zen slowly learn to support each other as they walk their own paths.

BUT now you kinda want something with still a new set of different fantasy world building and more medecine and less romance with a bigger focus on a character growing up in front of us into an amazing young woman. 

Then you want KEMONO NO SOUJA ERIN!

In the land of Ryoza, the neighboring provinces of Shin-Ou and Tai-Kou have been at peace. Queen Shinou is the ruler of Ryoza and her greatest general, Grand Duke Taikou, defends the kingdom with his army of powerful war-lizards known as the "Touda." Although the two regions have enjoyed a long-standing alliance, mounting tensions threaten to spark a fierce civil war. Within Ake, a village in Tai-Kou tasked with raising the Grand Duke's army, lives Erin, a bright girl who spends her days watching the work of her mother Soyon, the village's head Touda doctor. But while under Soyon's care, a disastrous incident befalls the Grand Duke's strongest Touda, and the peace that Erin and her mother had been enjoying vanishes as Soyon is punished severely. In a desperate attempt to save her mother, Erin ends up falling in a river and is swept towards Shin-Ou. Unable to return home, Erin must learn to lead a new life with completely different people, all while hunting for the truth of both beasts and humanity itself, with tensions between the two regions constantly escalating.

BUT now you kinda wish you had a story with a mix between all of these with a more serious tone. THEN YOU WANT : SEREI NO MORIBITO

On the precipice of a cataclysmic drought, the Star Readers of the Shin Yogo Empire must devise a plan to avoid widespread famine. It is written in ancient myths that the first emperor, along with eight warriors, slew a water demon to avoid a great drought and save the land that was to become Shin Yogo. If a water demon was to appear once more, its death could bring salvation. However, the water demon manifests itself within the body of the emperor's son, Prince Chagum—by the emperor's order, Chagum is to be sacrificed to save the empire. Meanwhile, a mysterious spear-wielding mercenary named Balsa arrives in Shin Yogo on business. After saving Chagum from a thinly veiled assassination attempt, she is tasked by Chagum's mother to protect him from the emperor and his hunters. Bound by a sacred vow she once made, Balsa accepts. Seirei no Moribito follows Balsa as she embarks on her journey to protect Chagum, exploring the beauty of life, nature, family, and the bonds that form between strangers.

BUT NOW YOU WANT TO GO BACK TO SOMETHING LIGHTER WITH LESS ACTION, MORE ROMANCE BUT STILL A BIT OF POLITICAL DRAMA AND MORE HUMOR. YOU THEN WANT: SAIUNKOKU MONOGATARI.

Most people think being born into a noble family means a life of comfort and wealth. That couldn't be further from the truth for Shuurei Kou. Despite the Kou family being an old and important bloodline, they've fallen on hard times. Shuurei's father works as an archivist in the Imperial library, which is a prestigious position, but unfortunately not one that pays much. To put food on the table, Shuurei works odd jobs such as teaching young children or playing live music in a restaurant―and even then, it's barely enough. Then, one day, a court advisor makes Shuurei an offer. If she becomes the concubine of the new, but lazy, emperor and teaches him how to become a good ruler, then she will receive 500 pieces of gold. Never one to turn down good money, Shuurei accepts the proposition. After all, the new emperor only prefers men so her virtue is safe… or so she thinks. The more time she spends in the palace, the more her old dream of becoming a court official is reignited. There's only one problem: she's a woman and women do not become government officials. Shuurei may be able to turn the emperor into a good ruler, but will it be at the expense of her own aspirations?

and thats it for now! and I still 100% recommend all those anime!

[maki-ryota]

CHAGUM IS SUCH A GOOD PRINCE MUCH BETTER THAN HIS STANKY DAD ;0;

[animebw]

Binge-Watching: Moribito, Episodes 14-17

In which the story switches gears, we begin a descent into the spirit world, and everyone finds themselves at cross purposes.

Spirit of Plenty

We’ve officially crossed into Moribito’s back half, which means the honeymoon period our characters have been enjoying for the past chunk of episodes has finally passed and the plot is starting to pick back up. Of course, this being Moribito, it picks itself back up in leisurely, self-assured fashion, taking all the time it needs to kick this sluggish horse back into a gallop and relying on the strength of its presentation to hold your attention as it gets to where it’s going, but it gets there regardless. And it seems like the plot is developing in a much more understated, intimate direction than I previously anticipated, building on the central cast of characters and their personal wants and desires in comparison to involving the whole world in an increasingly escalating epic quest. That feels about the right call for a show of this nature: Moribito’s got too grounded a head on its shoulders to start being Lord of the Rings at this point. Still, I will always miss my big battles of clashing armies and epic powers, so allow me this moment to tearfully wave them goodbye before moving on.

...

...

Okay, moment’s over, moving on.

So, this stretch of episodes mainly serves to re-orient the playing field around the discovery of a major upheaval in the world’s lore: everything we’ve been told about Chagum’s incubating water spirit is a lie. As it turns out, it isn’t a demon of drought after all; it’s a being of bounty, whose presence is the cause of rain in the land. It was covered up by the first Mikado to consolidate his position based on a false tale of glory. But now with the young prince’s life on the line, the few who still possess that knowledge are determined to share it with everyone they can trust. It’s an intriguing wrinkle in the fabric of this show’s universe that instead of expanding the story’s scope outward, expands it inward, to the realm of the spirits we recently visited for the first time. From here on, we’re going on a journey to the heart of this country, to explore the bones upon which it’s built and connect with the roots it’s long since let fade and whither. The Yakku people, the land’s indigenous population, were the keepers of knowledge about what truly happened with the water spirit. But as is depressingly common with indigenous people, the arrival of the current settlers forced into the assimilate or perish, destroying their culture and traditions. Now, we must hope that at least some have survived with the knowledge our heroes need, because the spirits themselves are no longer being helpful, and it seems like something terrifying is going to be bearing down on Chagum pretty soon. Where once this was a tale of travelling across, Moribito has become a tale of traveling down. And I’m greatly interested to see where this descent leads now that we’re heading into more metaphysical territory.

Crossed Blades

Of course, the second big change brought by this revelation is the way it affects the show’s multiple competing factions. Suddenly, everyone priorities have shifted; now, it’s not only Balsa who believes that the prince must be kept alive at any cost. Which means that for once, everyone’s on the exact same page... while still being at odds thanks to what their ultimate goals are. Now that everyone knows that Chagum is a) alive and b) doesn’t need to die for the land’s sake, his safety is everyone’s top priority. Once again, I marvel at how this show manages to avoid casting any one party as the villain. I was actually pretty certain the Master Star Reader was going to turn out to be the antagonist of the whole affair, doing whatever dirty deeds necessary to protect state secrets, but no, once he finds out what’s going on, he gets right on board with everyone else. This isn’t a show with an easy foe to face; it’s a show where everyone’s just doing their own thing and all trying to make the right call. Unfortunately, just because everyone’s heart is in the right place doesn’t mean they ultimately come to the same conclusions as to what must be done, and so Balsa and her adoptive family are still not safe from the palace’s various interested parties. They want Chagum back at home to be a prince once more and fulfill his duty to secure the palace’s well-being, Balsa wants him to stay with her and live his own life, and he finds himself caught in between, unsure what path he truly wants to take, especially as the adults become far too interested in sniping at each other over genuinely trying to convince him. It’s a tense, unstable situation all around, and with the burning of the water mill there are officially no safe havens left. Rest can wait. For now, the adventure continues.

Odds and Ends

-I don’t know why she’s meditating underwater upside-down, but I love it.

-Woah, so she actually meant to kill him. I wonder why she failed?

-askjhasd you can’t just pop out of a tar pit like that Madam Torogai

-That moment when you’re saved by a gelatinous worm’s butt.

-Yes you vigorously mortar and pestle that powder lady

-Lol at the dog crawling inside the big fruit.

-Jesus, one infraction and he’s out? The master reader does not fuck around with security.

-”I think it’s time to set the bird free.” Fuck, he knew it was coming. Rest in peace, JYB.

-Ah, so that’s how that old ruse worked; the toxic mist in the mountains kept them from checking the bodies. Was that not explained, or did I just miss it?

-That guy’s eyes were creepy as fuuuuuck. Guess he’s a fast memorizer, huh?

-Something about the walk through this city is just so aesthetically pleasing. Spared no expense with the details once more.

-”I won’t carry you on my back this time.” “That won’t be necessary.” askdjhasd he’s such a kid

-”Excuse me, you have to pay for that!” “Oh, I’m sorry.” The background performers are having fun today, I see.

-Touya’s the frickin GOAT, y’all.

And on we merrily go. See you next time!

[myanime2go]

6 Anime Like Dororo

So 6 anime that are similar to Dororo?, hello everyone. So you want to watch another anime with a moody dark tone about love, greed, revenge and betrayal. Dororo was produced by Tezuka Productions and MAPPA, and is the brainchild of Osamu Tezuka- who is considered "the father of manga". For creation of classics like Astro Boy. And for those not familiar with Dororo yet; Dororo is an anime that follows the story of Hyakkimaru, whose greedy and selfish father Kagemitsu Daigo, sacrifices his body to demons to gain power (yes he won't be winning any father of the year awards). We Follow Hyakkimaru has he defeats demons to regain his body with a mischievous child Dororo. Now back to the main topic: So with Dororo over, what can you use to fill that space, you asked and I answered;

Moribito: Guardian of the Spirit

Episodes 26| Aired April 2007 | Produced by Production I.G Moribito is an anime series that like Dororo follows two strangers who meet by chance, Prince Chagum-- the emperor's son and whose also thought to be the reincarnation of a water demon that is causing drought to their empire, so therefore most be sacrificed. And Balsa-- the kick butt heroine who saves the prince's life during an assassination attempt and later begged by his mother to keep him safe. The same themes are present as in Dororo from the emphasis on the beauty of life, nature, family and the bonds that can be fromed by two strangers who embark on this journey together. https://youtu.be/9I8doA-vYvU

Katanagatari

Episodes 12| Aired January 2010 | Produced by White Fox Katanagatari is set in the edo period Japan, where the Shogunate and samurai are still very active and ruling. And there are many different sword-fighting techniques. We follow Shichika Yasuri--a wielder of a sword technique that uses his own body as a blade. He is also the seventh head of the Kyotouryuu school, living quietly with his sister Nanami. Until he meets ths strategist Togame, who he falls for. She has been sent by the Shogunate to retrieve 12 unique swords called "Deviant Blades", he accept to help her on her mission because he likes her. So their dangerous adventure beings. Katanagatari similarities to Dororo is in it historic setting and our two characters, Shichika and Togame whose continued association on their journey to retrieve the 12 swords, causes major developmental growth in both characters. Making them both better and more relatable. https://youtu.be/nocsfRZxt3M

Afro Samurai

Episodes 5| Aired May 2007 | Produced by Gonzo Afro after witnessing the death of his father in a dual with a man named Justice for the Number One headband. Afro vows revenge against Justice who killed his father for the Number One headband. But there is a catchy on his path to vengeance he has to possess the Number Two headband, if he wishes to fight the new Number One. And even after possessing the Number Two headband, he will have to fight pretty much everyone in the world people to get to the Number One. Because unlike the Number One, the Number Two can be challenged by anyone. Afro Samurai to me is similar to Dororo in it's setting of samurai and the moral lessons, it constantly resounds in us that "how far is too far?" on our path to revenge. Is revenge really done for what is lost to us? or really more for us to find a way to cope with our loss. Are we really hurting anyone but ourselves has we chase revenge? and What remains after, of us when we have carried out our revenge? https://youtu.be/yB8_cdvEGZM

Samurai Champloo

Episodes 26| Aired May 2004 | Produced by Manglobe Samurai Champloo follows three unlikely pair Fuu, Jin and Mugen. Brought together by chance but stuck together by choice or blackmail?, out of a debt to pay to Fuu after saving them from being executed. They follow her on a wild adventure to different places in their search for the samurai that smells of sunflowers. Samurai Champloo and Dororo are similar in the delight you will get in watching them on their journey, it really makes you feel like you are setting out on an adventure. Characters having both minor and major goals they wish to accomplish, which make them more relatable. Both animes have an historical setting and many interesting characters they meet along the way, also with their minor or major goals that make them very human like instead of just 2 dimensional characters. https://youtu.be/Bq-Y6DKnOXQ

Stranger: Mukou Hadan (Sword of the Stranger)

Episodes 1| Aired September 2007 | Produced by Bones We follow the story of an orphan boy named Kotarou, his dog Tobimaru and Nanashi a ronin. Having a random encounter in a small temple, where they are attacked by assassins sent by the China's Ming Dynasty to kill Kotarou but the two are saved by Nanashi. After Kotarou offers Nanashi a gem in exchange for his continued protection and escort to their destination, he agrees and dangerous journey with many twists and turns begins. Sword of the Stranger shares similarities to Dororo with it's historical setting, main characters being similar in both series are young, orphaned and streetwise youth, with a strong and older brotherly figure. Growth for both character, happen also from having the other at their side. The duo feed of each others being, making them become more relatable characters. https://youtu.be/dYGpmgxKpNs

Berserk

Episodes 49+Movies| Aired October 1997 | Produced by OLM / Millepensee, GEMBA Berserk is an amazing story that is hard to know where to begin from explaining it, like Dororo it's a story filled with love, loss, greed, betrayal, revenge and so much more, just with the story more gritty, darker and mature. We meet Guts a mercenary with an horrible childhood, who finds some one he respects and trusts, only to be betrayed and have everything taken from him right in front of his eyes by the person he thought was a friend, in the most gruesome way possible. https://youtu.be/FnbwFiZf9vg So that's my top 6 animes similar to Dororo, is there one you think should be on the list, leave it in the comment section below we are always glad to hear from our readers. Till next time continue to watch anime...... Read the full article

[randomvideogameblog]

Anime Recommendation Files

Moribito: Guardian of the spirit

Genre: Japanese Fantasy

I like strong female leads, don't you? This anime is one of my all-time favorites.So here it is!

The main lead Balsa is a bodyguard seeking to save eight lives in order to make up for eight dead souls she feels responsible for. All the while she does so- without taking a life. The eighth, Chagum, is a possessed young prince targeted for an assassination order from his own father. Why? Because the 'spirit' that possesses Chagum is said to bring forth a terrible drought. Thus, Balsa takes on protection of Chagum carrying with her the fate of the land as she seeks for a way to save him and all of the people whose lives hang on the balance.

9/10 With elements of found family (Which I'm a sucker for.) this anime I will always recommend. Great story and characters, lovely animation.

(Also, Tara Platt voices the second queen. All I hear now is Edelgard. That's twice she plays a queen that I've seen. I'm going to start counting.)

[tikawahyuni]

Random Babling About Seirei no Moribito Live Action Drama

This is not a drama review, this is only my random thought about drama Seirei no Moribito. Well, after watching Seirei no Moribito LA series from the first season until the last season, I only can say one word for this drama, amazing! Yeah, I fell in love with this drama since the first season. At first, I read the first Seirei no Moribito novel, and I love the story, and when I knew it got live action series, I was so excited too! But later I also knew that it got anime adaptation, but I didn’t watch it. Hahahahaha.. XD Hmmm.. but, seems like I need to watch the anime too.. :3

The story of this drama is quite different from the other dramas I’ve watched. The genre is Taiga Fantasy, but the fantasy here is different than the other fantasy movies I’ve watched. The main character is also different. Usually, the main character in the other fantasy movies or series is someone who has mystical or any super power, or something like that, but not in this drama. The main character in Seirei no Moribito is only a normal woman named Balsa. She doesn’t have any mystical power, she just a bodyguard with spear as her weapon, and her skill in self defense is just because trained by Jiguro, Balsa’s adopted father. The other characters are also only normal human, but some of them have the ‘sixth sense’.

In the first season, Balsa is hired by Second Empress of New Yogo Kingdom to take her son named Chagum out of the castle in order to save his life. Chagum is a second prince of New Yogo who bring something mystical and powerful thing inside his body that make his father want to kill him. In the second season, Balsa voluntary become a bodyguard of a little girl named Asla who has the similar condition with Chagum but in different element. I think Balsa did this because Asla remains her to Chagum. In this season, the cute Chagum has became the handsome prince.. hahahaha.. XD. Well, the spoil child has transformed into the strong man. XD. The story in this season is also getting more interesting, because it’s about the beginning of war.

from this cute...

become this handsome... >.<

And in the final season, well, it’s getting more and more intersting, and make me got a massive heart breaking too.. T_T. I cried when I watched the episodes about Balsa’s and Jiguro’s past.. T_T. Well, It’s the right decision of Balsa’s father to trust his daughter to Jiguro. The ending of this series is good, yeah even though not too satisfying for me, but at least it means Balsa finally can live peacefully with Tanda. :3

In this drama, from the first season until the last, I’m so pissed off by Mikado’s character. Mikado is the most annoying character for me, well, Rogsam and Raul are annoying too but I see them just as very ambitious persons. He’s so self centered, even when his kingdom are under attack, he just command his servants to lead the military and do nothing except pray and pray, while Chagum ask help to Rota and Kambal kingdom in order to protect his kingdom even lead them in the front line that makes him get more respect from Rota and Kambal kingdom.

He is really annoying in this drama...

the ugly side of Raul.. *sumpah meweknya jelek banget dah... XD*

But... I’m glad to see this scene... :3

*NOKIA, Connecting people* LOL XD

Well, I really love this drama, but little bit sad too because this drama seems rather underrated. I think it’s because in this drama, most of the character aren’t good looking enough, yeah, just IMO as a girl who likes ‘ikemen paradise’, but for me this is the plus point of this drama. For me, the characters in this drama, especially villagers, look like a mess, but this makes the drama look so realistic, because for me it’s weird if the characters who live in forest, or do the journey like Balsa, but their clothes are always clean without washing them.. hahahaha.. XD. Ah, I also love the opening music of this drama, for me, it’s the most epic opening, so beautiful and amazing. :3

That’s all my babling about Seirei no Moribito. I really recommend it, it’s beautiful and amazing drama. For more detail about this drama, especially the differences between the novel and drama, you can read HERE.