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Having been away, more or less, from the anime fold for a while now, only making time for the occasional series now and then, watching Moribito marked a glorious return to my appreciation of the medium that reminded me just how enjoyable its best offerings can be. I turned on the first episode around 10:30AM on June 4, 2010, intrigued but not overly impressed; I finished the twenty-sixth a mere 21 hours later, at 7:30AM on June 5, having stayed up all night marathoning episodes 7-26. Think I was tired? of course I was, but this series was so relentlessly fascinating that I couldn't stop myself from watching all the way through. I've never watched a series this long in a single day, so you better believe Moribito is worth your time.
Story
Probably Moribito's most straightforward aspect, but that's by no means a bad thing. The premise - a woman bodyguard, engaged in a deeply personal mission, swears to save the life of a prince whose father is trying to kill him - is engaging, and from the first episode onwards the story develops at an impeccable pace. This is probably one of Moribito's greatest strengths in relation to its fantasy/adventure peers: it knows exactly how to progress in a way that allows both for episodes of unbearable tension & excitement, and much more peaceful ones. Nothing ever feels either rushed or unnecessarily stretched out. Every plot development is welcome exactly at the time it arrives. This is true from the very first episode, which - though in some ways actually rather unassuming - plants the seeds for what is to come (both plotwise and in terms of grabbing the viewer's interest), and remains true all the way through to the climax and conclusion. In fact, Moribito should be held up henceforth as an example of absolutely perfect, long-scale planning, especially in terms of how it ends: proper time is allotted for those climactic events that have been led up to all along, for their proper set-up, and their ultimate resolution: the series ends exactly when it should, as it should, and even treats the viewer to a whole episode of epilogue, a true dark art in the anime world: far, far too many series that hold up well for most of their duration botch their ending by rushing it and then failing to provide a satisfying postscript. Moribito is in this sense a beacon of light in the darkness.
It must be said, however, that those looking for an epic, convoluted plot will be disappointed. The plot is straightforward through-and-through. There are enough plot twists to keep one on one's toes, but nothing too drastic ever happens. Much, admittedly, is predictable. Even so, the series is so well-done that I, at least, did not mind at all: even though occasionally I thought I'd come upon a plot hole or questioned the necessity of a certain development, in the long run none of these flaws harmed the series at all. If a viewer does not insist on tearing every little detail to bits, and is content to let the series carry him or her along on its own terms, there is no way that one can come out dissatisfied at the end. If you can overlook the (very small) questionable matters, you're in for a real treat despite the story's conventional aspects: it does not break any new ground, really, but it retreads old routes very successfully indeed.
Characters
Simply put, Moribito's characters shine. You root for the protagonists, get appropriately ticked off at yet respect the villains, and generally appreciate everyone else inbetween. The relationships between the main figures are a huge attraction and are as responsible for keeping the series moving along so briskly as the development of the plot is. The central relationship is that of Balsa and her ward, Chagum; but equally intriguing, I would argue, are Balsa and Tanda's longterm-friendship-bordering-on-romance, Tohya & Saya's devotion to Balsa, and especially a number of the courtly intrigues, particularly those involving the spectacular character Shuga and the relatively minor but also marvelous Prince Sagum. The Emperor and Empress are neglected to a fault, perhaps, appearing too simplistic in their desires and emotions, but this is more than made up for with the constantly shifting relationships of the other major characters at court. Also of note are the Hunters, the kind of villains whom one loves to hate, so to speak: they may get in the way of the characters one cares about, but they're so badass and - ultimately - respectable that they never become mere caricatures. Many props, also, to the (unfortunately) very minor yet scene-stealing Nimka, a very welcome late addition to the cast.
The best character in the show, however, hands-down, and in the running for one of the most lovable & memorable characters of any anime out there (at least those I've seen), is the shaman Torogai. From her first appearance a few episodes in to her very last line, she practically makes the show - I cannot imagine it being nearly as outstanding without her. Her deadpan humor, many idiosyncrasies & quirks, unusual take on friendship & "moral support," and straight-up coolness (a necessary feature if one wishes to be a truly great fantasy anime character, ever since Ashram set the bar so high all those many years ago in Record of Lodoss War) make her a particularly lovable figure. She is the central character in at least one of the show's absolute best scenes (such as come to mind at the moment). Oh, and her little dog is totally awesome, too. Watch out for it.
Script and Directing
As already discussed in the Story section, Moribito's writers have done a spectacular job crafting a series that is irresistible from beginning to end. Even though not every episode was "exciting" per se, the dynamics of the characters' relationships and the intricacies of the plot make for a nonstop fascinating viewing experience. The script falters occasionally, as I suppose is inevitable for a series that goes off so many standards of the genre, but makes up for its mistakes with an abundance of really awesome moments. The creators succeed brilliantly at making the viewer care to some extent or another about all the major players, and by the time I was in for the home stretch I found myself totally involved in the characters' feelings and felt equal parts dread and excitement over the way the story would turn out. There were a number of times, especially near the end, that the series tugged so strongly at my heartstrings that I ended up either crying or very close to it, but though on the one hand one never really expects to be rendered so defenseless by a story, on the other I wasn't surprised since Moribito does things exactly right from the very beginning (or close to it - as mentioned previously, the first episode is a little underwhelming and not a very good indication of the writers' and producers' strengths, and what they have in store). The directing, too, of course, contributes to this overall effect - consider, for instance, the three or four straight episodes that portray events that are purely related to character development and not at all to developing the plot: if the directors weren't so talented, how could they have made them just as engaging as those episodes in which the plot is proceeding in full force?
Animation and Music
Moribito's animation is downright gorgeous. Character designs and backgrounds are very attractive and the series is thus packed full-to-bursting with eyecandy, yet never of an unnecessary nature: the animation quality contributes greatly to mood & emotional effect. It also has to be mentioned that though there are not very many action scenes, those that take place are mindblowingly awesome, and could be watched over and over and over again just for their "wow" value - most noteworthy in this regard are episodes 3, 13, and 21. Series that have such high production values from beginning to end, with not a single lapse in sight, are extremely rare, and while I do not usually factor in animation quality very highly into my rating of the series, when you've got something as stunning as Moribito on your hands, it can only be a good thing.
I've assigned the lowest score to Sound. Though certainly, no harm is done in skipping them (as I did almost all the way through), I think that a fitting opening and ending sequences are important: the best kinds of openings should stir you up with excitement for the episode to come, and good ending songs should let you take that precious minute-and-a-half at the end of an episode to sit back and take things in, before disengaging entirely from the viewing experience. Unfortunately, Moribito's opening and ending are both completely inappropriate. That's not to say they're bad - L'arc~en~Ciel's "Shine" especially is by all means a great song - but they completely fail at providing what I described above. The melodramatic jPop of the ending was an especially bad choice - though it's a minor complaint, it really sucks to be sucked out of an incredible episode (and the writers of Moribito are beasts at ending almost every episode with some kind of punch to the face, be it emotional impact or a cliffhanger) and confronted with that cheesy piano chord... hmph. Anyway, the good thing is that the soundtrack to the series itself does get the job done. It's not a very good score, but it manages to help evoke the atmosphere as necessary - and let's be honest, we can't expect every composer to be Yoko Kanno.
Value
First off, I think the fact that I watched the whole series in just two sittings (one of them twenty episodes straight!) says a lot for the rewatch value. True, the second time around I'll know all the plot details, but there's plenty to appreciate beyond the plot, which, as I mentioned previously, has its harmlessly predictable aspects anyway - I'll definitely be glad to watch the characters' relationships develop a second time (it'll be like visiting old friends!) and there's also great enjoyment in simply watching a perfectly-paced, competently-produced series unfold, even if one is familiar with other of its elements. It may not necessarily be soon, but I already look forward to a rewatch, and certainly would never have anything against sitting down to watch anything from one episode to the whole thing again with a friend.
Conclusion
Seirei no Moribito, though not flawless, is nevertheless an extremely good fantasy/adventure story, arguably one of the best in its genre. It has a simple but still very compelling story; great characters all around; and boasts excellent writers & directors. The animation is a marvel to behold, and though the soundtrack may not be amazing, it's undeniably good all the same, and always fitting. Above all, turn to Moribito if you wish to see an example of how an adventure story should be paced. If you're a fan of the genre, and are capable of overlooking minor flaws in favor of a glorious bigger picture, this series is an absolute must-watch!
