IncendiaryLemon
Captain Karen
<img src="http://www.animeuknews.net/img/uploaded/2015-12-29chaika.jpg">
<b>Review of Chaika: The Coffin Princess by IncendiaryLemon</b>
Toru Acura is a 20-year-old ex-soldier, looking for meaning in his life since the end of the war. He soon finds a new purpose when he encounters Chaika Trabant, a young girl carrying a coffin. Together with Toru’s sister Akari, the trio go on the hunt for the remains of Emperor Gaz, Chaika’s father, so she can put him to rest. However, they soon find out they are not the only ones seeking the remains...<br>
Based on the light novel series by Ichirō Sakaki, <em>Chaika: The Coffin Princess </em>is a great fantasy show that, despite some shortcomings, continues Studio Bones’ penchant for delivering outstanding action and animation.<br>
As you might gather from the description, the story in <em>Chaika </em>is a pretty simple one, with the crux of the plot being a scavenger hunt. However, despite the simple premise, it is executed very well and manages to keep things interesting throughout. For one, the setting of the show and the world building is great. Taking place in 1604 on the fictional continent of Verbist, the world of <em>Chaika </em>combines a traditional swords and sorcery setting with a more modern twist, incorporating elements such as cars and guns. Whilst this probably has been done before, I still found it an interesting setting. The world is built through what we see and through the characters rather than an exposition dump by one or two characters so we find out about it in a way that feels very natural. Another aspect I loved about the story was there aren’t really any main antagonists. Sure, it has antagonists in the sense that there is another group trying to stop Chaika and company from collecting the remains, but they aren’t really bad guys. In fact, you could very easily say that Sir Gillette and his company, a Government group, have a better reason for seeking out the remains than Chaika does, wanting to collect the pieces to prevent another war from breaking out. This makes for quite an interesting watch as whilst you are rooting for Chaika, you also find yourself siding with Gillette too. Something that is worth mentioning is that, despite not saying Season 1 or Part 1 on the box, this is very much only half of the story. There is no closure to the series and the stopping point here is clearly meant to lead directly into a second season, going so far as to include a preview for the first episode of the next season at the end of Episode 12.<br>
The real highlight comes in its many action sequences which deliver the best animated scenes of the whole show and are just a joy to watch. The show manages to strike a nice balance of story and action so the action is plentiful but never feels like it overstays its welcome. The action also ends up being quite varied with a good amount of different threats being encountered throughout, which are all dealt with in spectacular fashion.<br>
One of <em>Chaika’s </em>few stumbling blocks is its characters. There are three leads: Chaika, Toru and Akari and of these, Chaika is the only one who really stands out. I think that Chaika is a 'love her or hate her' type of character. Personally, I really liked her. Her cute appearance, naivety and manner of speaking made her instantly lovable and endearing to me and, in terms of its characters, is the highlight of the show. However, I can see that the way she speaks and acts could get on some people’s nerves, so I think the mileage may vary on that front. The other two, despite getting some development towards the end, just feel void of personality. Whilst it isn’t as bad as the likes of <em>Blade and Soul, </em>I think that the creative team could have written in some more personality traits. Toru is just kind-of bland and seems to be there to serve as the straight man to Chaika’s antics. Akari’s only real defining characteristic is her lust for her (adopted) brother; other than that she just feels 'there'. The show also seems to be trying to push a relationship between Chaika and Toru but I don’t think it really works too well and comes across as a little forced. There isn’t really much of a supporting cast to talk about as most of the supporting characters only stick around for an episode or two, the exception being Frederica, who can be fun to watch but doesn’t get a whole lot of screen time. Gillette and his company also don’t get enough screen time and I would have liked to have seen a little more of them.<br>
As mentioned before, <em>Chaika: The Coffin Princess, </em>is animated by Studio Bones, the studio responsible for such hits as <em>Fullmetal Alchemist, Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood, Darker Than Black, Soul Eater </em>and <em>Space Dandy,</em> and they do not disappoint here. <em>Chaika</em> isn’t necessarily the best looking show but, as I previously mentioned, when there is action, the animation really does looks fantastic. If you’ve seen any of Bones’ other works, this will comes as no surprise as the studio has always been known for its action and <em>Chaika </em>is definitely up to par.<br>
This release of <em>Chaika: The Coffin Princess </em>includes both an English and Japanese audio track and I think that the dub works fairly well. Heading up the show is Kira Vincent-Davis, best known for voicing Lucy in <em>Elfen Lied </em>and Osaka in <em>Azumanga Daioh</em>, as the titular Chaika and she does a good job in making her portrayal genuinely endearing. The other two leads, Toru and Akari, are voiced by Leraldo Anzaldua and Joanne Bonasso respectively; neither is given much in terms of character, which is reflected in the performances. I found the best dub actor to be Blake Shepard (Otonashi in <em>Angel Beats) </em>as Gillette, who gives a great performance that fits the character very well. The music is by Seikou Nagaoka. The OP, DARAKENA by Iori Nomizu, is a really great opening song, combining elements of both pop and hard rock music to create a memorable opening. The ED, Kairaku Genri by coffin princess, is decent but nothing massively memorable.<br>
<em>Chaika: The Coffin Princess </em>was released in the UK by Animatsu and comes with Japanese Promos, a clean OP and ED and trailers.<br>
<strong>In Summary</strong><br>
<em>Chaika: The Coffin Princess </em>is an enjoyable show that delivers some fantastic action and an interesting setting, even if it is let down a little by its characters.<br>
<b>Final score: 8 out of 10</b>
<b>Additional screencaps</b>
<img src="http://www.animeuknews.net/img/uploaded/screens/2015-12-29Screen1.PNG">
<img src="http://www.animeuknews.net/img/uploaded/screens/2015-12-29Screen2.PNG">
<img src="http://www.animeuknews.net/img/uploaded/screens/2015-12-29Screen3.PNG">
<b>Review of Chaika: The Coffin Princess by IncendiaryLemon</b>
Toru Acura is a 20-year-old ex-soldier, looking for meaning in his life since the end of the war. He soon finds a new purpose when he encounters Chaika Trabant, a young girl carrying a coffin. Together with Toru’s sister Akari, the trio go on the hunt for the remains of Emperor Gaz, Chaika’s father, so she can put him to rest. However, they soon find out they are not the only ones seeking the remains...<br>
Based on the light novel series by Ichirō Sakaki, <em>Chaika: The Coffin Princess </em>is a great fantasy show that, despite some shortcomings, continues Studio Bones’ penchant for delivering outstanding action and animation.<br>
As you might gather from the description, the story in <em>Chaika </em>is a pretty simple one, with the crux of the plot being a scavenger hunt. However, despite the simple premise, it is executed very well and manages to keep things interesting throughout. For one, the setting of the show and the world building is great. Taking place in 1604 on the fictional continent of Verbist, the world of <em>Chaika </em>combines a traditional swords and sorcery setting with a more modern twist, incorporating elements such as cars and guns. Whilst this probably has been done before, I still found it an interesting setting. The world is built through what we see and through the characters rather than an exposition dump by one or two characters so we find out about it in a way that feels very natural. Another aspect I loved about the story was there aren’t really any main antagonists. Sure, it has antagonists in the sense that there is another group trying to stop Chaika and company from collecting the remains, but they aren’t really bad guys. In fact, you could very easily say that Sir Gillette and his company, a Government group, have a better reason for seeking out the remains than Chaika does, wanting to collect the pieces to prevent another war from breaking out. This makes for quite an interesting watch as whilst you are rooting for Chaika, you also find yourself siding with Gillette too. Something that is worth mentioning is that, despite not saying Season 1 or Part 1 on the box, this is very much only half of the story. There is no closure to the series and the stopping point here is clearly meant to lead directly into a second season, going so far as to include a preview for the first episode of the next season at the end of Episode 12.<br>
The real highlight comes in its many action sequences which deliver the best animated scenes of the whole show and are just a joy to watch. The show manages to strike a nice balance of story and action so the action is plentiful but never feels like it overstays its welcome. The action also ends up being quite varied with a good amount of different threats being encountered throughout, which are all dealt with in spectacular fashion.<br>
One of <em>Chaika’s </em>few stumbling blocks is its characters. There are three leads: Chaika, Toru and Akari and of these, Chaika is the only one who really stands out. I think that Chaika is a 'love her or hate her' type of character. Personally, I really liked her. Her cute appearance, naivety and manner of speaking made her instantly lovable and endearing to me and, in terms of its characters, is the highlight of the show. However, I can see that the way she speaks and acts could get on some people’s nerves, so I think the mileage may vary on that front. The other two, despite getting some development towards the end, just feel void of personality. Whilst it isn’t as bad as the likes of <em>Blade and Soul, </em>I think that the creative team could have written in some more personality traits. Toru is just kind-of bland and seems to be there to serve as the straight man to Chaika’s antics. Akari’s only real defining characteristic is her lust for her (adopted) brother; other than that she just feels 'there'. The show also seems to be trying to push a relationship between Chaika and Toru but I don’t think it really works too well and comes across as a little forced. There isn’t really much of a supporting cast to talk about as most of the supporting characters only stick around for an episode or two, the exception being Frederica, who can be fun to watch but doesn’t get a whole lot of screen time. Gillette and his company also don’t get enough screen time and I would have liked to have seen a little more of them.<br>
As mentioned before, <em>Chaika: The Coffin Princess, </em>is animated by Studio Bones, the studio responsible for such hits as <em>Fullmetal Alchemist, Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood, Darker Than Black, Soul Eater </em>and <em>Space Dandy,</em> and they do not disappoint here. <em>Chaika</em> isn’t necessarily the best looking show but, as I previously mentioned, when there is action, the animation really does looks fantastic. If you’ve seen any of Bones’ other works, this will comes as no surprise as the studio has always been known for its action and <em>Chaika </em>is definitely up to par.<br>
This release of <em>Chaika: The Coffin Princess </em>includes both an English and Japanese audio track and I think that the dub works fairly well. Heading up the show is Kira Vincent-Davis, best known for voicing Lucy in <em>Elfen Lied </em>and Osaka in <em>Azumanga Daioh</em>, as the titular Chaika and she does a good job in making her portrayal genuinely endearing. The other two leads, Toru and Akari, are voiced by Leraldo Anzaldua and Joanne Bonasso respectively; neither is given much in terms of character, which is reflected in the performances. I found the best dub actor to be Blake Shepard (Otonashi in <em>Angel Beats) </em>as Gillette, who gives a great performance that fits the character very well. The music is by Seikou Nagaoka. The OP, DARAKENA by Iori Nomizu, is a really great opening song, combining elements of both pop and hard rock music to create a memorable opening. The ED, Kairaku Genri by coffin princess, is decent but nothing massively memorable.<br>
<em>Chaika: The Coffin Princess </em>was released in the UK by Animatsu and comes with Japanese Promos, a clean OP and ED and trailers.<br>
<strong>In Summary</strong><br>
<em>Chaika: The Coffin Princess </em>is an enjoyable show that delivers some fantastic action and an interesting setting, even if it is let down a little by its characters.<br>
<b>Final score: 8 out of 10</b>
<b>Additional screencaps</b>
<img src="http://www.animeuknews.net/img/uploaded/screens/2015-12-29Screen1.PNG">
<img src="http://www.animeuknews.net/img/uploaded/screens/2015-12-29Screen2.PNG">
<img src="http://www.animeuknews.net/img/uploaded/screens/2015-12-29Screen3.PNG">
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