Coffin Princess Chaika: Complete Season Collection
Released By: Animatsu
Rating: 18
Running Time: 309 Mins
Audio: English & Japanese DD 2.0
Release Date: 21/12/2015
Reviewed By: Sandra Scholes
Synopsis:
It's the end of the war for the continent of Verbist with the northern nation falling in the midst of the battle, but the Gaz Empire, known for being very evil doesn't forget what happened and quietly plots the Verbist's downfall.
Review:
This 17th Century epic anime has everything a fan of fantasy and D & D gaming would enjoy, and as Japanese animators seem too enjoy creating this type of series, it's a great thing. First of all for its featured characters and animals, wizards, mercenaries, saboteurs, magical weapons, beasts and castle dragons. Without which a fantasy anime would not be complete.
Chaika starts out as a girl who can't speak very good English/Clipped Japanese and who carries a huge coffin on her back. This means she is either very strong, from being able to carry the sheer weight of the coffin, or the coffin is way to light. As far as we can tell, Chiaka has been wandering around looking for her destination only to find a young man, Toru who lives in hope for a meal and money. Being broke isn't what he had in mind, but he is and to look at the two of them from an ordinary perspective, it seems like they aren't that special, but the coffin she carries holds secret weapons only she can put together (like Scaramanga did with his lighter etc to make his golden gun in Bond) and wield, and plus she can't leave it behind. Toru, we find is a saboteur/sword for hire to the highest bidder and even though she has this hi-tech weaponry, she needs Toru around to help her out as a unicorn is after her. The unicorn in question does remind me of the Kirin in Pet Shop of Horrors though.
Another thing with this anime is that it borrows its fight scenes from other series too, the mandala-esque power-up sequences before Chiaka fires her weapon are reminiscent of Fate/Stay Night, but are equally as impressive. why they are being chased by a unicorn isn't clear until much later when the action starts and the answers come thick sooner than thought. For helping her, Chiaka takes him into her personal employ as her saboteur, much to his sister's amusement (at first) and appreciation later when she realises Chiaka isn't joking. Toru isn't sure about being a part of her mission, but as long as the money keeps flowing, he knows his sister will be happy with his choice. Even from the first episode, Toru looks like he's just a normal guy, a waster who tires of the world around him, but when Chiaka looks like she is in danger, he rushes to help using his own powerful magic - surprising us all.
Chiaka sounds like a female wizard version of Star Wars's Yoda, making her sound older than she actually is. Toru's sister, Akari tags along too, interested in what her brother and Chiaka might get up to and how he might blossom into a more powerful fighter, much like Jugo did with Sasuke in Naruto. The first mission calls for them to infiltrate a mansion where they must get a certain strange artefact.
Coffin Princess Chaika is from Studio BONES who created Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood and Soul Eater respectively. The real reason for Chaika to come to the town is due to her actually being the Emperor's daughter, Princess Chaika Gaz her mission to gather her father's remains and give them a proper burial. This also makes her an enemy to anyone around who opposes the former ruler.
The menu style is well presented with Chaika on the right, the episode list on the left and a cool coffin shaped icon that moves as you choose the episode you want to play. Chiaka might be strong, but she's up for more than a little fan-service, falling over and showing her cute panties etc, but more than anything else, technology and fantasy play a large part in this story of a girl who h as to complete her mission no matter what.
Bonus Material:Japanese Promos, Clean Opening Animation, Clean Closing Animation & also available from Sentai Filmworks.
Verdict: Bloody, entertaining and definitely a boy's anime!
