 | | ▪ | RELEASED BY: | | BANDAI VISUAL USA | | | ▪ | ASPECT RATIO: | | 16:9 ANAMORPHIC WIDESCREEN | | | ▪ | AUDIO: | | JAPANESE DD 2.0 W/ ENGLISH SUBTITLES | | | ▪ | RUNNING TIME: | | 74 MIN | | | ▪ | RATING: | | 13UP | | | ▪ | RELEASE DATE: | | 06/24/2008 | | | ▪ | REVIEW DATE: | | 06/22//2008 | | | ▪ | REVIEWED BY: | | HOLLY ELLINGWOOD |
Still wondering who the remaining Guardians are, Akane at last accepts her role as the Priestess of the Dragon God. She has done so in the nick of time as danger strikes close to home and two more Guardians are drawn toward her in the third volume of this epic fantasy series. The anime begins this volume by revealing more about the noble and pure hearted Vice Minister of Civil Affairs, Takamichi. When he meets the beautiful dancer, Shirin, a trap by the Demon Clan unfolds as she performs for the nobles. All does not sit well with the nobles and Akane overhears something disturbing. Luckily a new Guardian is discovered, but will it be enough? When news of a vengeful spirit at Daimonji Mountain reaches the capital Akane and her Guardians set forth to drive it out. However, the story of the Nue unlocks the heart of Yorihisa, revealing his lonely childhood and the bond with his only friend. Now with the Poet of the mountain, the warrior’s gentle and loyal hear with have to choose between friendship and duty. It is a heartrending episode that strips the stoic warrior of his allof mask to show the gentle soul suffering beneath. The final episode of volume three shows the young blacksmith, Inori encountering Akane. His reaction to her friend reveals a deeply burning rage toward all of the Demon Clan. Yet his love for his sickly elder sister shows a caring side to the fiery young man. At the same time a Demon, jealous of Akran’s obsession with Akane, plans a deadly attack. A Guardian burning with hatred will battle a Demon poisoned by jealousy in the latest adventures of this enthralling fantasy. As the anime progresses, it does an excellent job of revealing the true nature of each of its supporting characters. It’s an ever growing cast yet so far the anime is juggling the various people well, each time revealing a little more about the world Akane has fallen into and her destiny as the prophesized Priestess of the Dragon God.
EXTRAS:
Bonus features include next episode trailers and a fold out insert that holds full color character art, character profiles with character sketches, episode summaries, and an interview with Yasunori Honda (Sound Director), and a “Poems Unraveled” segment.
IN SUMMARY:
A Demon attacks the Imperial Palace and two more Guardians are found in this latest Volume of Haruka. |
