#valhala90 about anime

[valhala90]

My fav chapters of SK were Yoh and Anna’s story. Not ‘cause I was searching for romance in shonen manga, believe me I don’t pay attention to that when reading shonen, but I always wondered if there was more to it than just arranged marrige. So, imagine my friggin’ surprise when I read the thing more than a decade ago and got blown away with the beautiful bond they created and continued to share, which 2001 anime didn’t explore at all. It blew me away how for Yoh it was love at first sight and how Anna is a complicated character with shitty past and extremly dangerous powers (like Hao). So, we get to the reason why I pushed watching the new adaptation for more than a year. I was so afraid they would cut that out or shorten it.

And when I started watching anime, my fears came true. Most of the fights and extra scenes were shortened and omitted since they had a limited number of episodes and had to cram as much as possible. 

BUT 

I actually enjoyed Yoh and Anna’s story and thankfuly they animated it properly.

To me, it’s the core of the story, especially Matamune (character omitted in 2001 anime adaptation) and mentions of the man Hao once was.

 I like Matamune’s manner of speaking and the poems, and it was so much better than I imagined it when I read manga.

At certain point it brought me to tears to see the anguish and pain not just Anna’s but Matamune’s because he had to turn against Hao.

And most of all, they did this justice.

I didn’t want to make Shaman King posts or for any other anime I watched/will watch because I felt like I’m too old for that shit haha, but it’s so nice to know that what I once loved I still love no matter the age. And I believe Shaman King is more mature manga than people give it credit for. So many life lessons and at one point Mikihisa answered why children were involved in such terrible trials/fights and he said something like- because adults can see their ceiling. Children can’t, so their potential is unlimited. Basically, our adult brain set our limitation and we think we can’t do things we once wanted, our dreams remain unfulfiled because we think “it’s too late for that,” “I’m too old for that” versus children who still have freedom to dream big and achieve anything.

Which makes the ending heart-breaking when they grow-up and realize they can’t change the world.