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Dedicated to probably the most famous character of SNK’s action fighting game Samurai Shodown, Nakoruru: Ano Hito kara Okurimono is in my opinion, an unfinished masterpiece. Based on the action visual novel of the same name, this spin off was supposed to capture a time gap, starting before the events of the first Samurai Shodown game, right until the end of Samurai Shodown II. Unfortunately the show got canceled due lack of financing and ended up with only a single episode released. Of course if you are interested, you can always check out the visual novel, but your Japanese language skills must be good, since ... the game has not been released out of Japan.

The expression that will probably fit best for this show’s story will be “what a loss”. The single episode still manages to give us enough hints about the potential of this anime. And it strikes me as pretty decent - a well build up story, standing on series issues like person’s inner conflict, personal fights and desires, about all the rules we must obey. It really brings this rare debt we see so little of. Perhaps this show was made a bit too personal, excluding many of the other Samurai Shodown characters and a bit too shoujou, but the atmosphere it carries is really great. Of course, if you do not like Nakoruru, or have never played any of the games, you may not be as excited to see it, as I was.

Expressing a lot, the art performance of Nakoruru: Ano Hito kara Okurimono has the biggest merit to the anime’s amazing atmosphere. I just loved the whole look of the show – landscapes, designs, they were all extraordinary. The particular innocence of character designs creates an interesting mixture between the teenage looks and the adulthood strokes in the story. Things like all the blood and nudity – they all seem at place. The music was also fine, but nothing memorable.

Since I am not familiar with the visual novel, I have no idea whether there are going to be more characters of the franchise appearing later in the story, but as far as the single episode goes, all is focused on Nakoruru and Rera. The other appearing characters are just too much in the background. Even the role of Nakoruru’s younger sister – Rimururu, is minor.

Perhaps its unfinished state is what adds a bit more charm to Nakoruru: Ano Hito kara Okurimono, but I think that when a story based on an action fighting game, is made so well and serious, it deserves the check out. Of course, this OVA is another must have addition to the Samurai Shodown fan collector’s items.

The second anime attempt over SNK’s extremely popular Samurai Shodown fighting game franchise is without a doubt, a big step forward in every direction. The quality of story, graphics and fights has been greatly improved, compared to its predecessor Samurai Shodown The Motion Picture, and as much as some people were disappointed of Samurai Spirits 2, I find the product being quite good and enjoyable. Surely, it’s not the best out there, but it is still very decent.

(Story and Plot) Probably the first thing that we should mention about the story is the fact that it is finally following the game’s original plot. Something ... that for what so ever reason, has been skipped in The Motion Picture. Still, what the show really caught me with, were not the action, or the hope for a minor explanation over a piece of the enormous franchise. It was the good mix of seriousness and tender humor. Focusing on inner conflicts incidental to every human being, the story concerns the difference between what is good and what bad, what you want to do and what you are obliged to, between easy and right, and the value and weight of your own choices. All of that has been shown trough Nakoruru and Rera, who are the two sides of one coin. The comic moments between Rimururu and Haomaru were another classy stroke that I will be remembering for a long time. Of course, the story has its amount of unclearness and plot holes, but they are not as visible, as they usually are in productions of that kind. Samurai Spirits 2’s biggest disadvantage of is that it has not been made for people who are unfamiliar with the games and lack some decent knowledge on the characters. Someone not familiar with the franchise will probably have a hard time understanding the value of this show.

(Art and Music) Art and music are probably bringing the biggest improvement to Samurai Spirits 2, compared to its prequel. Drawn in that typical style of the 90’s, with perfectly designed, detailed characters and marvelous landscapes, it really manages to get you in the samurai world. The fight scenes were pretty good, with nice choreography and also drawn with details.
The music was awesome, perfectly completing the theme and mood of the show. I rarely comment the voice acting, but I must say that the performance of those who voiced Haomaru and Rimururu was a class.

(Charachters) A good thing about the characters is that only few of them are under the spotlights in these OVA episodes. This allows us to focus on their development, their personality, their problems and we can actually see someone behind our favorites. The anime mainly focuses on the four - Nakoruru, Rera, Rimururu and, Haomaru, leaving the others like Shiki, Garfold and the bad guy, with little time on screen and literally useless background role .

(Overall) Samurai Spirits 2 is a definite must see for all the fans of the series, for it gives a view over the personality of some of our favorite characters. It made quite positive impression on me, as I believe it would make to anyone who looks a little bit under the floor. So, I will not tell anyone, who never played the games to stay away from it, after all it’s not a bad piece of drawing.

~Read More at: http://animedeed.blogspot.com

OK, at first an anime about WWII seems a little odd the very moment you hear about it. of course that is just my oppinion. Anyway, about the movie. I find the studio and the director's job quite facinating and awesome. The idea of the movie is quite interesting and original, if I may say, involving such mystycal story for such ruff times. There was alot of action and blood which are making the mood even greater. And at last but not least - the art of the movie. Even supported with some PC activity at times, combining the anime style with the traditional ... Russian animation was briliant and gave perfect results. That is the thing I really, really loved in the picture.