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A historical anime without date cards and nameplates for new characters was definitely an interesting choice, but after a difficult start, Heike Monogatari becomes one of the most mature and engaging shows I've watched. The music is incredible and imagery, which has a wavy, dreamy feeling that suits the subject so well, is both provocative and subtle.
Without making this review about comparing the show to other anime, I can't help but recommend it for anyone who wants to branch out from the usual Bakufu and Sengoku Jidai period pieces and enjoy something that's off the beaten track, more consistent in its tone and doesn't ... handhold the viewer through history.

Watching this anime was a very bittersweet experience for me. On one hand, this is the final entry in an original series that, while flawed, has given me a lot of enjoyment. I like Wit Studio's combination of modern SFXs and CGI with a more classic, celshaded look. Kabaneri's setting is unique and it's nice to see Japanese cultural elements used creatively at a time when so much anime media is reiterating the same generic DQ-inspired European fantasy worlds. The characters, though their development is unfortunately rushed in the main series, were compelling and I ended up invested in their stories.

But there is no ... getting around that this is also the end of the line for the series, and after the Battle for Unato, there hasn't been a whisper from Wit Studio about reigniting the property. Which is a shame, because for me the movie is the highpoint of the series, and something that I think the production staff used to show off everything that it could have been. The animation is a lot more fluid than in the TV series, something that takes some getting used to, I prefer the harder lines from the original, but it remains technically impressive in both iterations. The Iron Fortress itself gets much more love here, and is integrated into combat sequences much more successfully than the original, where it feels more like a mobile homebase than the awesome war machine. The character development, especially for Ikoma, Ayame and the inhabitants of the Koutetsujou is one of the series strong points, and its here that they're allowed to really shine. There's big lore drops that probably belonged in the original series too, but just couldn't be slotted into 12 episodes - again making this movie feel like they're leaving nothing in the tank. There's a lot to like about this final entry to the series, both for people who enjoyed the original but thought it was not quite finished, and for people who might watch this and the recap movies as standalones.

Ultimately, not every project we like will get the Attack on Titan treatment, and frankly, sometimes it's better for a property to be retired on a high note instead of being milked to the last drop. But still watching this last hurrah for Wit Studio's original property, I can't help but wish for a future where Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress didn't go off the rails.