 | | ▪ | RELEASED BY: | | MEDIA BLASTERS | | | ▪ | ASPECT RATIO: | | 1.85: 1 ANAMORPHIC WIDESCREEN | | | ▪ | AUDIO: | | JAPANESE DD 2.0 W/ ENGLISH SUBTITLES | | | ▪ | RUNNING TIME: | | 100 MIN | | | ▪ | RATING: | | 16UP | | | ▪ | RELEASE DATE: | | 02/14/2006 | | | ▪ | REVIEW DATE: | | 04/11/2007 | | | ▪ | REVIEWED BY: | | HOLLY ELLINGWOOD | | |
Ritsuka is a boy haunted by the past he cannot remember, and a murder he must solve at all costs. Two years ago his brother was killed. He loved Seimei more than anything. But he cannot remember anything about his life from before that horrible day. Now Ritsuka is different. He’s sullen, distant, and prone to outbursts when he sees people being verbally abused. He tries to push everyone away and holds his personal anguish to him tightly. Then one day a mysterious older person appears. The young and beautifully handsome Soubi arrives, telling Ritsuka he was willed to Ritsuka by Seimei. Before he can take in this shocking information, Ritsuka is suddenly thrust into a world of lethal mystery, where Sentouki like Soubi must fight deadly duels using Spells, and they need a Sacrifice, a Master who will willingly take the damage inflicted during a battle. Although this world horrifies Ritsuka, he is also drawn to it, for within this world where words can be hurled as the deadliest of weapons, somewhere is hidden the truth behind his brother’s murder.
Based on the cult hit manga by Yun Kouga, the first volume of this anime series reveals that although it retains many of the core elements of the manga, it should be taken as an alternate universe from the manga since so many things are truncated or altered to suit the pacing of this brief anime series. The animation captures the original character designs well. The backgrounds have a softer watercolor feel to them, and many scenes are given an almost dream-like, ethereal atmosphere; sometimes beatific, other times ominous.
The music shows some unusual scores throughout the first volume; unusual but interesting and atmospheric. The opening theme song is exceptional, called “Curse of the Moon” holds some strong and brooding lyrics with an arresting and equally poetic animation sequence. The ending theme song stands out for its heart wrenchingly haunting lyrics, “Michiyuki” sung with such soul and heartache by Kaori Hikita.
The story is what really grabs the attention and doesn’t let go. It’s absorbing, disturbing, and at times ineffable in its course. The life of Ritsuka is one of a childhood scarred and soon to be lost. The death of his brother, the amnesia and the abuse he suffers at home from his mentally unstable mother, are all testament to that. His relationship with Soubi and the battles with other Sentouki are a grave cause for concern. It is in these areas that the story enters the more disturbing elements that touch upon sado-masochism, bondage, and dominance elements. And most of these are seen within the disquieting relationship growing between 12-year-old Ritsuka and college student Soubi, therefore there is the whole issue of the inappropriateness of their relationship right from the start. Although nothing happens between them beyond a couple of kisses, there is the uncomfortably intimate moment when Ritsuka pierces Soubi’s ears, and the battles that involve bondage, and Soubi’s seeming pleasure in receiving pain. These moments are meant to be disturbing and within it all lies a theme running throughout, regarding childhood, innocence, and the facets of adult love versus that of a child.
An unusual visual trait within the anime that draws attention to the chasm between adulthood and childhood are the cat ears. Anyone who has not yet reached “adulthood” still has cat ears and tails even. Adults do not. However, this is not a simple matter of age, for we see in the anime a 23-year-old teacher (older than Soubi) who still has her ears and tail. Since age isn’t the main determinant of “adulthood”, than what is in this dark anime? It would seem those very elements of pain represented in the BDSM themes stand out as euphemisms for the inner pain of losing that childhood innocence we all have. That the issue of being in control over someone such as Ritsuka is in regards to a certain extent with Soubi, might represent the loss of a carefree existence where one exists only with the primary thoughts of the self. In that letting go of such childhood self-centeredness and the taking on of responsibility, we see a representation, however twisted, of a child forced to mature and face the responsibilities of adulthood. These same BDSM components also seem to represent the physical manifestation of the tortures – and raptures- of love. Not the love of a child, which is whole, pure and unconditional, but adult love, complex, layered, and often fraught with agony. And all of it is the framework of a story where at the heart of it, is a murder mystery, a secret group behind it, and the innocence being lost of one boy – Ritsuka. Anime doesn’t get more mesmerizing or provocative than this.
EXTRAS:
Bonus features include trailers of other titles from Media Blasters, clean opening animation, and SD Theater which is omake of the characters in chibi or super-deformed to look oh so cute and comedic.
IN SUMMARY:
Loveless is a mesmerizing and at times ominous anime surrounding a young boy’s search for the truth behind his brother’s death, leading him to a secret group of people dueling with lethal powers. Considering the subject matter explored, this is an anime series for mature viewers.
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