Jouran: The Princess of Snow and Blood
Studio: Bakken Record
Genre: Mystery, Fantasy, Historical
Streaming: Crunchyroll
Jouran: The Princess of Snow and Blood, marks the first full-length show of studio Bakken Record, and surprisingly they’ve chosen to go with an anime original. Not the safest choice perhaps but certainly a brave one and if pulled off well, it could definitely mark out the studio as being one to watch for the future. Jouran is set in an alternate history version of Japan in 1931, known for being a very politically fraught era. In this anime, we follow a group of assassins who carry out tasks for a mysterious agency, and mostly we follow seemingly cold and emotionless, Yukimura. Clearly however there is more to her than meets the eye and indeed throughout the course of the episode, it very much gives the impression that the cast is complex, three-dimensional characters with their own motivations and histories. It’s worth noting that despite this being an anime original, there appears to be a big inspiration from the old Japanese story of Lady SnowBlood, (which also inspired the story of Quentin Tarantino’s Kill Bill) which sees a wronged woman wreaking bloody revenge on those who did her wrong. The little glimpses we see of Yukimura’s past and the general visuals she presents are very reminiscent of this and I for one, am excited about this new reinterpretation of the tale.
The visuals and tone alone in this anime so far lend themselves well to the mysterious and mature, gritty nature of the story it’s trying to tell. The anime doesn’t shrink away from more adult themes like sex and violence, whilst also still presenting them in a way that doesn’t take away from the overall tone of the show. The general art style is fairly polished throughout the show, with one fight scene, in particular, standing out for its gorgeous use of dramatic sketchiness and colour splashes of blue and black. It really lends a different sort of fantasy mythological element to that scene, really enhancing the inhumanity of Yukimura when she transforms into her terrifying alter ego. A small note perhaps but I found the use of CGI snow a really successful touch also, making the scenes appear hazy in just the right kind of way to increase suspense. It’s also worth noting that the lighting used throughout this episode is exceptional, and helps greatly with the atmosphere, as does the use of music. Some interesting stylistic choices too such as the unique James Bond-style weapons two of the assassins use (cologne grenade and umbrella crossbow, anyone?) introduce some cool dynamics which really set the characters apart. The first episode reminds me of a more mature version of Hell Girl or Blood: The Last Vampire, both excellent mystery shows of their time.
Plot-wise there’s not a lot to grab onto for this first episode – we’re given a subplot featuring the assassin’s taking down someone involved in chimeras but there are hints of a larger main plot towards the end. Yukimura’s dream too which flashbacks to her childhood, offers some other hints and the first look into the woman’s mind we’ve had all episode. Otherwise, we tend to see her through the eyes of those around her – the small girl who lives with her like a sister, her two colleagues, and the visitors to her used book store. It makes Yukimura herself the central mystery of the show, a mystery which only grows with the unexpected twist ending at the end of the episode. I was left wanting to know more, and with far more questions than when I started the anime. Only time will tell if the anime delivers on its premise – with this being an anime original, it’s anyone’s guess. But so far at least, this anime does deliver in terms of mystery, exciting action scenes, and world-building and I’m looking forward to seeing where it goes next.
A historical anime set in an alternate reality 1930's Japan with plenty of mystery, assassin's and a badass female lead to keep you invested!
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