Post Season Review 1: Kurozuka

Kurozuka
Final rating: B (downgraded after the last episode)

- Plot: The last episode did not really conclude the story. Yea, we may have seen Kuro beating the shit out of the goonies and finally seeing Kuromitsu, the ending raised more questions than answers. Even if we know that Kuro's body isn't perfect yet (hence, the beheadings), we still don't know why kuromitsu thinks that her little "search-me" game is a way for her to live eternally. Furthermore, that little rerun of the past events suggested that Kuro may have gone back to his age, and back again to what it is in episode 2. I mean, did the events of episode 3-11 really happen?, or was it just a dream. If it did, then how come he went back to the exact same time he started from, and is it destined for him to do the exact same thing and fight the exact same enemies? Well, all this proves is that Kuromitsu is one Bad, manipulative vamp chick... and an unfuckable one too (how can Kuro fuck her if he has no body?).

- Technical: Graphic details weren't as sharp as series' like Eve no Jikan because it doesn't use CGI that much. Color wise, there's nothing noticeable nor praiseworthy, kinda like something coming from Bee Train rather than Madhouse. The palette is mostly muted for the entire duration of the series. As far as I reckon, only Kuromitsu's kimono was colorful. Yes, the series is bloody as hell, but the way how some of the fight scenes were presented was already explored in Texhnolyze, and to a lesser extent, Shigurui. You know, that flashing camera angles and stylized shots of dismembered limbs (to substitute for fluid animation) coupled with the distortion in the animation of the surroundings (in Kuro's trance mode)... yep.. it's Texhnolyze, samurai style.

- Final Comments: Although not living up to its intial hype, Kurozuka was enough to keep you watching it while it ran. The story ran slow a bit when the two lovers separated and the series itself never regained that carnal energy it had on its first two episodes (which was essentially what drew me to this series). Watch it if you like, but don't expect loose ends to be resolved.

Anyway, if there's a second season to clear things up, I'll go for it.