Utawarerumono

Utawarerumono manages to be one of those harem animes that anyone can possibly find enjoyable, even if they don't particularly like the concept of harems. Based on the ero-game with the same title, Utawarerumono focuses on an amnesiac man who is found critically injured in a rural village. With the kindness of the villagers, he recovers and spends his days peacefully with them. However, the peaceful times quickly end with a heart shattering event that throws the man and his fellow villagers into a life of war.

Story
The story in Utawarerumono is somewhat simplistic at first, with a majority of the anime following a simple formula ... of battles, battles and even more battles while introducing new characters. One may find that the way the story unfolds in this show is quite repetitive. However, if you're a fan of war stories with occasionally comedic situations and intelligent strategies to undermine the enemy you will most likely overlook the lack of variation. Despite what has been said, Utawarerumono also has a number of twists and turns (especially in the second half of the show) that should keep the viewer glued to their chairs long enough to see the story through.

Animation
Animation is both a positive and negative point in Utawarerumono. While the animation actually animates the characters in combat (compared to other anime that may just use still images and lines to indicate action) with a good amount of detail, recycled animation occurs. The reused animation is unfortunately quite noticeable (although not too frequent) and may detract one's enjoyment of the battles. The CG animation present in this show is a mixed bag. Some may like it, some may not. Either way, the CG is only used occasionally so it shouldn't be a huge issue. Character designs are more or less consistent, detailed and interesting, albeit one (or more) episode(s) may have the characters looking slightly more odd then usual due to different animators.

Sound
Sound is also quite a mixed bag; you may like it or hate it. The opening song is quite catchy, although there is nothing particularly memorable about it. The ending song also proves to have a unique flair to it, with the overall tone of the music befitting the ambiance of this anime. As Utawarerumono contains a number of battle scenes, the background music does well in giving out the proper mood that is needed to set atmosphere of the show. The voice acting is decent, with no one really standing out but with everyone befitting their character.

Character
Utawarerumono being a harem anime contains the usual female stock characters that you would find from other harems. The serious one, the flirtatious one, the cute one, the shy one and etc. However, due to the majority of the show focusing on war, thankfully most of the female characters are not just part of the harem and play a role in the story. Not every character is developed, most likely due to time constraints (although I'm not sure whether the original game developed the ones missed out in this show). Thankfully the main character and a number of other major characters are given some development and time to flesh out their backgrounds.

Enjoyment
As for why I enjoyed Utawarerumono - I have natural bias against anything that would be considered a harem anime, but the nicely animated action scenes and character designs won this series over for me. Storywise I thought most of the show didn't really offer much, but I was quite suprised towards the second half of the show where a number of twists were thrown in, making the overall story of this anime much more interesting. I also found almost all the characters to be likeable, except for the certain few which are obviously meant to be hated by the viewers. I only wish some other characters besides the ones given time were developed more properly.

Overall
Overall, Utawarerumono manages to deliver an enjoyable package to the casual anime viewer. One may desire to watch this show more then once due to the presence of foreshadowing and a good amount of the background story told in different episodes. Either way, Utawarerumono has a little bit of everything for everyone. It has fan service-like scenes and characters, a large amount of intense action scenes and an intriguing and somewhat deep plot for those seeking something less mindless and profound. It may not prove to be strong in any given area, but it delivers a show that should leave most anime fans somewhat satisfied with what they've just seen.

For about 4/5 of the series, I really enjoyed myself. I’m not usually into science fiction/supernatural anime series, so I wasn’t looking forward to anything when I started watching Utawarerumono. However, I was proven wrong. Utawarerumono was just so exciting and fun to watch and I really liked it – 4/5 of the 26 episodes. For the last 1/5, I didn’t like it too much. I don’t wanna give out any spoilers, so I’ll just say that the last arc was too weird and it didn’t register.

All the characters were really likable and I felt sorry for them whenever another war or battle emerges. It’s ... a good thing they laugh and make me laugh now and then. My favorite was Oboro – I loved watching him fight alongside Dori and Gura, the adorable twins. I love Touka too. I’m still wishing that he’s secretly a guy so my crush on Touka would be justified, but that will never happen. Aruruu was just so adorable and I like her WAY more than her older sister Eruruu. I just find Eruruu a bit weak and bland. I really didn’t like the idea of Hakuoro and Eruru as a couple. It’s just too weird since Aruruu thinks of him as her dad. The villains were also as irritating as the main characters are likable. They really convinced me to hate them.

Animation was above average. Everything was well drawn and surprisingly, I’m OK with the earthy color palette. The CG is something I have to think about. It’s not bad, but it’s not good either. It reminds me of early PlayStation1 video game graphics, similar to Suikoden 2’s graphics. The fight scenes were impressive (and exciting) – I love how the characters move swiftly and smoothly when fighting.

I’m not familiar with most of the voice actors, but they were all very impressive. I have to admit that I was iffy with Hakuoro’s voice at first, since I thought it was too manly and old for him, but in the end it turned out well. Everyone was able to bring out their respective character’s personalities and that is what’s important.

As a stand alone, I probably won’t like the music that much. It’s because the music was really tailored for the series. If I’m gonna enjoy the music, I have to watch Utawarerumono along with it. On that note, I really love the opening theme. Whenever I watch Utawarerumono I just have to sing along with it. The BGM was good too. Most of it sounded tribal, for lack of a better word, which also went well with the theme and feel of the series. I also noticed that the music, although it sounds tribal and almost authentic, it would have sounded better if it was less synthesized.

It almost made my favorites list if it weren’t for the last 4-5 episodes that were too weird for me. Overall I did like it, in fact I like it a lot and it’s one of those series that left a strong impression on me.

What comes to mind when a visual novel gets an anime adaptation? Usually I think average guy, a bunch of overly cute unattainable girls and some kind of story arc surrounding each girl. However Utawarerumono disregards this overused high school romantic formula, with girls that require conquering like a RPG boss and goes for a more fascinating approach.

Utawarerumono is an Action Adventure set in a world of Fantasy. Just think Lord of the Ring, but minus the Ring and Hobbits. Following the disturbing opening scene, we our introduced to our protagonist, a mysterious masked man with no recollection of who he is and why ... he has an immovable mask on his face. Now this amnesia plot device is one of the most over used but taking into account that this is based of a visual novel, it’s certainly a good way for the player to start off with a clean slate. Now as for the story, a good amount of time is spent bringing this fantasy world to life, in what looks to be a very mild mannered series. But soon after being lulled into a false sense of security, the story develops into that of a war between nations. So instead of harem filled romance you can expect bloody battle after battle, in an ever developing storyline. Sure it would have been better if more thought was put into how to kick start this warfare plot but as a whole, the series did prove to be very exciting to watch. If only it remained that way throughout however in the last batch of episodes you’ll witness one of the most thoughtless plot developments ever, which did a good enough job in ruining whatever impression I had of the series.

The male protagonist did suffer from this drastic change but before that he was a really interesting and mysterious character. It’s a great thing seeing him develop from a nameless nobody to a charismatic figure and the other characters that gravitate towards him certainly have their own appeal or role in the story. Not to forget the female characters, who are what make it this an obvious adaptation from a visual novel but that isn’t really a bad thing. The only negative aspect is the few really stupid and annoying characters (the Emperors) that stifle the quality of this anime.

The quality of the animation is really good as there’s a fair amount of detail put into the characters and environments with some good water, fire & smoke effects. Yet a lot of corners were cut, like when it came to animating the fight scenes. At times it just looked cheap, with a lot of recycled scenes and who could forget the poorly implemented CGI character models in the armies. At least the music is truly special as it manages to go well with the anime, especially during the battles or when it is building up to something epic and I am particularly fond of the ending theme (R.I.P Eri Kawai).

Overall Utawarerumono turned out to be a great Fantasy, Action, Adventure that pulled off a tale about one man and his journey onto greatness. There is quite a lot going for this show to get anyone into it, like the way the characters interact with one another and how the battles & politics were handled. Personally I was disappointed by the number of flaws that plagued the show, from the corners cut in animation, to the terribly erratic pacing and the few stupid decisions the characters made. But none of that really compares to how appalling the last couple episodes were handled. If you can overlook these then you’ll enjoy it.

^_^

one of my all time favorites, this show is a crowd pleaser. disguised fanservice and comedy are inlcuded but do not mess with the plot. if your going to watch this watch in japanese with english subs(see sound for explanation)

Story:10/10
the story is very unique. war is a prevailant theme but other themes are displayed throughout. themes like love, compassion, vengeance, courage, friendship. they all leave their mark on this show. masterfully delivery of the amnesia portion of the plot. flashbacks shedding light on the story and hakouro's past in small amounts at perfect moments. based off a ... eroge game the plot reflects the harem it was created after and adds romance to the story. however as war and combat are just as prevailant it is my decision not to characterise this as a shounen or a shoujo anime. it is both. the fact that it managed to pull off such a feat so masterfuilly has earned it a 10 in my book.

Art:9/10
the art is one of the best qualities of this anime. all the characters are drawn consistantly well with no mistakes throughout the series. character emotions are very vivid as are the landscapes. the true beauty of this anime is the battle sequences though. in most anime the animators will show still images depicting large scale combat. this anime however went all out and animated entire battle scenes with hundreds of soldiers(with extremely few art flaws) without lagging. this in itself was a feat of epic proportions. now you may be wondering...why did it only get a 9? in all honesty i would have given it a 9.5 however that is not possible on this site. it deserves a 9 because while the animation is awesome a few animated sequences are repeated. not enough to ruin the show but enough to slightly obvious. nevertheless i wish i could shake the hands of the animators for such quality work(i know how hard it is to animate combat so full battles deserves serious credit).

sound:10/10
the quality of sound is great in this anime. it has a great soundtrack which seriously sets the mood for the series. timing is perfect throughout(steel clashes when it should and lip snch is right on). the opening theme and ending theme are specially tailored for the show and as such are not cheesey j-pop singles. they fit the show and are catchy. often i find myself humming them at random times. i feel the need to get the OST(if i can find it). the voice acting is simply amazing. all of the voice actors fit their respective characters perfectly and bring out the personality and emotion very well. all in all the selection of the cast was great.
the english dubbed version was a different story enirely. the dub sucked...badly. it was on par with the naruto dub(maybe worse) believe it! i couldnt even make it through the first episode. watch it in japanese(with subs) or not at all. the dub is that bad.

character:10/10
the character set for this show is explained quite deeply throughout the show. each character has their own distinct personality(except dori and gura, they share) and background. as such when certain characters die(not telling who) the viewer is feeling every bit of the emotion and grief rolling off the screen by the characters. since the show is based of a eroge(harem themed) there is the stereotypical female cast(shy, tomboyish, innocent, sisterlike, etc.) as well as the shounen cast(warriors all, nuff said) while some characters are obviously designed to be the object of hatred from the viewers and others are your run of the mill expendable characters(*cough* soldiers), many are unforgettable characters whose personalities are things to be desired in other anime.

enjoyement:10/10
i personaly enjoyed this anime a lot. so much so im going to buy the DVD when i get the chance. i like shoujo anime(yes im a romance junkie) and i enjoy shounen(battle and blood woohoo) and i must say this anime is my cup of tea. everything i like sitting before me like a buffet. i loved it.

overall:10/10
it is as i said before, a crowd pleaser. if you like comedy, romance, drama, harem, war. give this one a shot.

I think this anime was just poorly executed.

The overall story is actually good and interesting, at the beginning and again at the end, it was just buried under piles of nonsense and extremely forgettable characters. The story follows Hakuoro, who after being found and rescued by a small village he becomes the leader of a rebellion, emperor of a country and then spends his time fight wars with every other country around.

A major plot twist happens near the end that was so unexpected and weird that my initial reaction was "I am just going to pretend that didn't happen..."and even when it gets explained ... in the end and you no longer have to pretend it didn't happen, I was still thinking, "it could have been better."

Because there were so many "mini-wars" they all ultimately blended together because they weren't very memorable. Characters were introduced and I had high hopes for what their future actions would be and how they would affect the plot but then the plot would change because of a different war in a different country and then those expectations just crumble into dust. There are some parts of this series that are completely boring as sin.

The character designs are pretty enough, but this series, which is based on war, didn't have any memorable fight scenes of bad-assery. Seriously, even with the flat characters this would be more entertaining to watch if the characters at least could kick some ass in awesome fights. But the fights were boring and predictable. On the other hand, the characters being completely flat doesn't help. It's hard to get excited about a fight if you simply don't care whether or not a character dies.

I always believed that good, well developed characters can carry a plot no matter how contrived it is, but in this case the characters are so bad, you're just sitting there thinking "Who cares?"

Honestly, I really liked the opening song for this anime, so it was my favourite part of watching.

There are two words that best describe my thoughts of Utawarerumono that not too many folks would like me to utter: otaku bait. I know this would seem kind of shallow-minded to anyone that may like this series. But considering mostly every prominent character in this series has some sort of animal ears and tail plus look ridiculously cute or physically attractive (along with this anime being an eroge strategy game adaptation), I rest my case with these two words being uttered.

For the most part, Utawarerumono's characters and plot developments are pretty formulaic and straight-forward. The series runs into several arcs with Hakuoro and his ... allies running into some hostile enemy threat trying to either halt his revolt or take over his kingdom, Hakuoro coming up with a clever plan to halt said threat, gaining new allies from offing said threat and then a breather episode with comedy highlights coming from the quirks of the characters or everyday scenes with Hakuoro, Eruru and Aruru. While the first arc was okay with Hakuoro leading the commoners to revolt against their corrupt glutton of a ruler, the later arcs do get monotonous with their developments with every country in sight seemingly wanting a piece of Hakuoro and his kingdom for shallow reasons.

Character development with new characters in these arcs is limited to their appearances in said arcs and once they become one of Hakuoro's allies, their roles become mostly downplayed to being loyal soldiers to Hakuoro when they participate in a battle. Other than Hakuoro and a few major characters, you don't get to see too many developments with these ass-kicking characters after they become one of his comrades, which is kind of a shame as a couple of them had their interesting traits and backgrounds during their debut arcs, mainly Oboro and Touka. A number of the major villains confronted in these arcs are so over-the-top and ridiculous with their appearance, behavior and/or mannerisms that they are laughable, especially Hauenkua who reminds me enough of how nuts Escaflowne's Dilandau was.

The other prominent focus of the series is on Hakuoro's mysterious past which the series drops hints of in the not-so-entertaining later arcs of the show. Amnesiac hero storylines normally have a good amount of potential in unveiling some interesting developments for said main hero and a show's plot. But while Hakuoro's character is an interesting and likeable one, what I come to learn of his origins and background comes across as quite a big contradiction to the type of world Utawarerumono had set up throughout its run.

Visually, the series does sport good looking scenery and characters (despite the latter's clear "appeal") with vivid colors and a decent amount of detail applied to them. The show's animation is average at many points with occasional use of shortcuts and some bad use of CG animation in the rendering of armies during battle scenes.

While I did get some enjoyment out of seeing Hakuoro and some other characters in their struggles throughout Utawarerumono, the show's cliched plot setup, weak focus on other prominent characters and ridiculous reveal on Hakuoro's origins greatly weakened the quality of the series in my eyes. This is a good example of why I'm cautious with approaching anime adaptations of eroge games as the quality of said title tends to vary and usually won't translate too well when made into an anime.

In Utawarerumono, there are two gods that fight for eternity. This explanation as an answer to the mystery that surrounds the anime until about a half is somewhat disappointing, in my opinion. E gives rise to a final ultra-romantic, and so very unpleasant.

However, the idea made me reflect. It was another anime that I felt sick to finish. Not as much as X, but almost. It's a sad ending (after all, it's ultra-romantic), in which many are hit and confirms that a destination of suffering for one of the main characters. Something forceful means to an anime that will gradually captivating, at least until the ... middle of the plot. Once captivated, feel more impacts with those fictitious persons.

The reflection reminded me a bit of Nietzsche, the Greek philosophers of antiquity and also Milan Kundera, in his novel The Unbearable Lightness of Being A concept I never studied law: the eternal return.

The idea that I could infer the eternal return, which may be distorted with respect to the above references conceived, but I built up here has the following premise: we carry our past. The drama of Hakuoro, the anime, is precisely that of not remembering his past, not knowing what he carries. A drama that becomes more painful to the extent that he suspects not to remember his past. But how to get rid of it?

How Karura says, "it is impossible to completely disconnect from the past." As it becomes worse for a god who returns to experience several lives forever? The hidden horror of the anime Utawarerumono is something that resembles the curse of Dracula in Bram Stoker's novel. It is the inescapable destiny to live forever, forever come back to life.

Milan Kundera says in his most famous novel by celebrated and that is the French Revolution, for example, how would react if we were to repeat it forever, always cutting heads, an eternal return? What would be the weight of it? Einmal ist keinmal, says the German adage ("once is never"). There is a mystique around binarity, and very curious. It is as if there were only two numbers, where one equals zero, and the rest reaches infinity. The light would live once, only once, so that the experience would equal to nothing, perhaps because it is something finite in an infinite time. Interestingly, I remember having spoken about equality of existence and nonexistence. I ended up dropping it again somehow. The heavy, in turn, would live forever, forever returning to live. Again, I remember having mentioned the question of "whether or not a story to an end." The target heavy does not give us that chance.

In Utawarerumono, does not explain how these gods were born. They may have arisen from mere humans. It is possible that they, the gods are nothing but ourselves. It is possible that we humans, for which accumulate more knowledge, nothing more than able to awaken the consciousness of the eternal return which we are stuck.

If it's terrible for a man found in the woods, injured, not remembering his days until then, how terrible it would be for us to be in the same situation? Assuming then that there is something like an afterlife, or something that brings us back to an experience ... how terrible it would be to ignore the past that pervaded by several lifetimes? Worse, how terrible would not realize that we are beginning to remember that?

Although the chance of revival can not be disputed, we need not go that far. Simply we exchange of god. Just think that the god in question is not a human being, but humanity itself. As a member of humanity, can we, each of us, off the streets, watching the sky, hit the ground and even see how we treat each other and still say that what others have done before us has nothing to see us?

Assume then that humanity is the god who is destined to fight with himself, guiding other beings with their power. God attached to the eternal return. Coincidence or not, Hakuoro is the only fully human person, ie, does not have ears or tails of animals like all other characters. The difference is that Hakuoro has a mask that can not get out. The question is if that mask is the hallmark of the link between apes and humans or whether technological remnant of an advanced civilization that perished - we do not have the answer to the curse which it represents (not sure if Benawi also not human, what would the only odd exception, as I remember). When this god despair, crushed by his fate, would be annihilated. But not even the black winged angel, created by him, Mutsumi, can do it.

Assuming then that we, all of us, this god. What do you think? It is a god that is divided in two because it indulges in his wrath, and will pay for this act forever as the eternal return will bring back the anger. Every act is heavy. Every mistake is perpetual.

I must confess I underestimated Parmenides. He said that in his philosophy that everything was very complicated being, that motion, time and change were illusions, also said that everything was binary. And in all groups associated dichotomies associated with the good and the bad. The pair light-heavy, so if associated respectively to the good-bad. I have always considered him a reluctant to accept the flow of things, like his contemporary Heraclitus said, today I must admit that he was more intelligent than I supposed.

What shall we do with our mistakes? What shall we do with the sins of mankind? What awaits us?

If everything was light ... live with ease. Eruru not carry the suffering that comes from the Mikoto, Hakuoro could live without mask. Bastaríamos live with and hope our story will end. So would fly over our destinies. And we would be so light and so scattered, like cirrus clouds. Our existence is no more than an imperceptible and tremendously ephemeral blur, a flash of blink of an eye.

I have overcome the terror that comes over us when we first understand what it is to live once. But assuming the truth involving one of only two numbers of binarity existential, which would be more terrible? Living or once living forever? We would have to live only by our successes, that should sparkle on any errors that surely commit more frequently. What is harder then? Isolate themselves, cling to faint and rare warmth amid the eternal darkness and always retornantes or bet everything on one chance to live a simple and final time?

If you are a fan of shonen anime like One Piece and Bleach that boil your blood, fan of innovative anime like Monster, Hunter X Hunter that makes you appreciate the time you spent, mystery like Full Metal Alchemist that drives you crazy, humor like Gintama that will make you rofl, THIS ANIME IS NOT FOR YOU.

This is one of the most overrated animes I have come across. Anyone that seriously has a passion for action/adventure anime will be fooled and disappointed with the ratings and genre.

Concept: 8/10

If there is anything good about this anime, it is the concept of the plot. ... The story briefly is about an injured man with a wierd mask that is saved by the people of a small village, that man suffers with amnesia and that village quickly becomes his home. Because of his wisdom and kindness, he quickly becomes the leader and then his forgotten past begins to haunt him. The anime involves many war sequences, some strategies involved, loyalties, betrayals and violence. Sounds like a good concept for a action/adventure lover.

Enjoyment/Characters: 5/10

The director of the anime did come up with a good concept, but failed miserably in translating a good concept to enjoyment. I thought the potential of a very good concept was totally wasted.

The main character in the anime suits perfectly for this kind of story, the major problem is some of the characters that surround him. There is very little character development and everyone else just pops out of the blue, you will know very little about every major character of the anime by the time you finish.

The plot is purely for simpleminded people, trust me, there is NOTHING genius about this anime. It had little to no twists and turns in the plot, everything seemed predictable. There are NO scenes where you will be amazed, there are NO scenes where you will get fired up. The whole concept of war is made a joke.

There is no humor in the anime, some will say there is some, but that is for simpleminded ones. There is absolutely NO humor in the anime and the very little efforts of humor add to the problems.

Be prepared for some very annoying characters that are sadly major characters in the anime, a female girl named Eruru and her little sister Aruru. The main character of the series (Hakuoro) is looked upon as father by the little sister Aruru while the older sister Eruru loves him. In one of the middle episodes of the anime, Hakuoro tells publicly that Eruru is like his sister, yet Eruru continues to love him. There is excessive romance between Hakuoro and Eruru, by romance I mean situations that involve Eruru showing her love, but Hakuoro showing indifference to her love. I personally could not take a pseudo incest relationship, every episode will have some.

Then you have moronic scenes that do not make any sense. Eruru and Aruru care a lot about Hakuoro and will insist on accompanying him to the wars and he agrees. I am talking about roughly a 17 year old girl with no fighting skills that wants to stay close to her lover at any cost and a 8 year old girl that just does not want to stay away from her dad even for few hours. They both accompany him to wars where there is massive killing happening around them, hardcore I mean. These kind of situations will make you feel "I could have done a better job directing this".

The art was good for the most part, but the fight sequences could have been better.

By end of the day I did not learn anything from this anime, dropped watching a couple of times in middle and still picked up because I had nothing else to watch, ultimately repented for the time I invested.

Utawarerumono

-I went into this anime not knowing what to expect but then i was suddenly surprised. After the first episode I sought myself wanting more and more and then before i realized it i had finished all 26 episodes.

-The story was quite interesting as well. I thought to myself why the heck would i want to watch an anime about a guy who cant remember his past and is unable to take off a mask that had no meaning throughout the story?(minor spoiler) Anyways when I continued on through the anime I was gaining more and more knowledge about what the meaning of his ... mask and his life overall and what had happened to him in the past. Its kind of hard for me to explain exactly what i liked about the story without giving you a spoiler. All i can say is dont judge a book by its cover. This show is very entertaining and will have you wanting more just like it did me.

-The art was the probably the best thing about this show. I was very intrigued by the art form that made up the anime. The characters and setting were all very very well done. My favorite aspect of the art was that it really brought out old and modern Japanese culture. Watch this anime and you will be amazed by how astonishing the artwork is.

-The sound was well done as well. I cannot compare it to the subbed version because i only watched the dubbed. If i do get around to rewatching this show i will watch it in the subbed version and then update this post. Anyways theres not much to say about the sound because it was really good the actors did a good job and the songs that were played were very suited to be in this anime.

-The characters were all great. I loved all of them. They were very well designed and brought something new to the table whenever there was a new character introduced. They were all very skilled warriors and made the battles very entertaining.

-My enjoyment as you can tell by the rating its pretty high. I never saw myself losing interest in this show. Everything from the action to the melo drama that was introduced kept me very entertained. If you give this show a shot you will not be disappointed!!

-Overall. As you can tell my ratings and statements you can see that i love this show. Everything came together nicely and concluded with a good ending that i was very satisfied with.

Thanks for reading this review I hope this somewhat helps you decide to give this show a shot.

This is such an awesome show...I really was not expecting this show to be as good as it was but maybe by everyone saying it was 'so good' you might pick up this series thinking it's this EPIC masterpiece of an anime like a ROBOTECH, Cowboy Bebop or Fullmetal Alchemist....when it really isn't. So I don't think you should let you expectations go overboard either. I'm just saying that if maybe you see the cute dog-boys and cat-girls and bird people and that's not your thing or you think “great this is one of those shows!” where everything is all cutesy lovely, then ... yes you will be surprised.....because this show is definitely not cutesy and lovely.

The art is very good. This show offers some nice-looking characters and there is great use of colors. They did reuse some of the fight scenes, especially the one where the lead character, Haruko, does this killer move with his fan/weapon...which kind of felt like deja vu. But scene looping and stuff doesn't annoy me unless they really over do it and I don't think it will bother you either unless that's your pet peeve. There is good animation movement in this series and you can tell that there was some CG work used as well because the way some of the battle scenes were laid out and how the camera panned or the way the lizard-horses were moving. It was all very cool.

This show seems to have an all star cast when it comes the voice actors, I see a lot of names from a lot of other series. I really am not good with voices and names except for a very limited few, but these names I have seen the a lot of times from shows like Inuyasha and FullMetal Alchemist. They are all very good actors and they make watched dubbed shows very enjoyable. The music is OK but not really a 'must have' or anything. The best song for me is probably the ending song probably because I don't know if I would classify it as J-POP or Rock or what, but it sounds good though.

From the very beginning you will get hooked because it is kind of a mystery, the lead character has amnesia and he does not know who, what or where he is not even his name. Anyway that's how I got hooked, I saw episode one on Anime Channel's VoD and I needed to know how it turned out. I think a lot of people who are into action and military type of anime will also like this one! There are a lot of brutal battle scenes with blood and violence, these are always pluses for me when it comes to selecting anime shows to watch, but you might as well know that it does get pretty gruesome. There is also some comedy in there, so this is really not a really heavy hard-hitting series or anything. One main issue I have with the story though is that there seems to be no essence of time. It could be 5 minutes, 5 years or 5 months the show doesn't really have a firm grasp of depicting time passing. You get the feeling that some time has passed somewhat but then again, just how much time...no one knows.

I'm not into cat-bird-people or beast-people too much, I like just plain human looking people, but this was tolerable. It's not like they had complete tiger faces or Minotaurs or anything like that, thank goodness. The were relatively attractively drawn people and they all had nice personalities, especially the core group of characters. Just like how I was talking about the strange “time-warping” issue that occurs with the story narrative, you can really get that sense with some of the characters popping in for a bit then poof they disappear and their side of the story seems unresolved or maybe kinda rushed.

I really liked this show though, mainly because it so very much surprised me as to the type of anime I thought it was going to be. I really thought it was just going to be some fluffy nice [shoujo-style] anime and it wound up being this fantastic, gritty and gory series. That really changed my opinion of this show, but maybe it might freak you out if you are not into that kind of show,

Utawarerumono was the progenitor to Kemono Friends; the plot for the famous mobile game franchise is actually near-identical to Leaf's iconic visual novel! The fantasy world is massive and is part of a regressive, post-apocalyptic premise. The character's have warring tribes, unique cultures/names, etc. Aquaplus delivered every ounce of writing prowess it could muster when creating this phenomenal story!

This review of Utawarerumono is spoiler free!

—Story/Characters

Synopsis: An injured man is found in the woods by a girl named Erurū, and everything about him is mysterious. Without knowledge of his past nor even his own name, he is welcomed to Erurū's home and is given the ... name Hakuoro by her grandmother, and younger sister, Arurū. While the inhabitants of the village have large ears and tails, Hakuoro's defining physical trait is quite different as he has neither ears nor tail, but only a mask that he cannot remove. Soon after he becomes a part of the villagers' lives, a revolution against the tyrannical emperor of the land begins, and the conflict finds its way to his new home. Hakuoro must do whatever he can to save the people and the village that he has come to love, all while uncovering the mysteries that shroud his past.

Like Texhnolyze, Utawarerumono is a series that I went into, not sure if I was going to like it at the start, but then ended up developing a deep affection for the franchise! I don't say this with very many series, the two that come to mind are Urusei Yatsura and Macross Frontier, but I actually love every single character in this series! Even characters that I was iffy about in the beginning! Like Arurū, she came across as a pertinent child when the series first began, but then she was unraveled and it's revealed that she's an awkward, genius strategist with interpersonal issues.

The characters are all flawed and have their weaknesses, but are incredibly likable in one way or another. I have heard critiques leveraged towards the main character, Hakuoro (or just "Haku"), for being an amnesiac. But—if you watch the series all the way to the end, you discover that he has a big role as a catalyst that permanently altered the world, so there's a reason! He isn't just an amnesiac for drama; it greatly serves his purpose in the story.

I hadn't read any spoilers before going into the story, so I was bamboozled at how deep and intricate the plot became! I watched the first few episode and was like, "cute kemonomimi girls in a tribal village," and then towards the end, I was like, "this is a serious war drama that is deep, meaningful, and philosophical." The series starts like Kemono no Shōja Erin and ends like Neon Genesis Evangelion!

The series emphasizes the importance of family and community, while showing the horror and destruction that war can bring.

—Technical

Tomoki Kobayashi (director, storyboard)
* Akame ga Kill!
* Amagami SS+ Plus
* Hundred
* Ichigo 100% (OVA)
* Infinite Dendrogram
* Seiren
* Sola
* Tears to Tiara

Commentary: Despite the hate that it typically gets from disgruntled fans of the manga, I really enjoyed the last half of Akame ga Kill. I liked Hundred, too, and what I've seen of Tears to Tiara. The directing could be a little jumpy in Utawarerumono, but Tomoki Kobayashi was able to preserve the integrity of the source material. Verdict: Mr. Kobayashi should direct more Aquaplus adaptations!

Makoto Uezu (script, series composition)
* Aa! Megami-sama!: Sorezore no Tsubasa
* Akame ga Kill
* Akaneiro ni Somaru Saka, localized as "The Hill Dyed Rose Madder"
* Amaenaide yo!!, localized as "Ah My Buddha"
* Ansatsu Kyoushitsu, localized as "Ansatsu Kyoushitsu"
* Aoki Hagane no Arpeggio: Ars Nova (script composition)
* Arslan Senki (TV), localized as "The Heroic Legend of Arslan"
* Carnival Phantasm
* Danganronpa: The Animation
* Jinrui wa Suitai Shimashita, localized as "Humanity Has Declined"
* Kamisama Dolls
* Katanagatari
* Kono Subarashii Sekai ni Shukufuku wo!
* Kūtei Dragons, localized as "Drifting Dragons"
* Kuzu no Honkai, localized as "Scum's Wish"
* Maburaho
* Nanatsu no Taizai Movie: Tenkū no Torawarebito
* Quiz Magic Academy: The Original Animation
* Ranpo Kitan: Game of Laplace
* Rikujō Bōei-tai Mao-chan, localized as "Ground Defense Force! Mao-chan"
* School Days
* Seikon no Qwaser, localized as "The Qwaser of Stigmata"
* Seto no Hanayome, localized as "My Bride is a Mermaid"
* Tayutama: Kiss on My Deity
* Tentai Senshi Sunred
* Yumeria
* Yūki Yūna wa Yūsha de Aru: Washio Sumi no Shō

Commentary: Really wonderful script-writer. I really loved his work on: Carnival Phantasm, Katanagatari, Kono Subarashii Sekai ni Shukufuku wo, Ranpo Kitan: Game of Laplace, School Days, and Yūki Yūna wa Yūsha de Aru: Washio Sumi no Shō! I'm really hyped about him writing the script for the new Yūki Yūna wa Yūsha de Aru series!

I watched Utawarerumono subtitled, so I can't comment on the English dub. Also, I will put green checkmarks (✅) by the seiyūs with the most roles, so I can keep track of their best performances. The "best" part is, of course, entirely subjective!

Ryōka Yuzuki as Erurū, notable roles:
* Minagi Tōno, Air
* Tokiko Tsumura, Busō Renkin
* Yukino Sakurai, Candy Boy
* Takako Shimizu, Chobits
* Satsuki Kiryūin, Kill la Kill
* Shamal, Mahō Shōjo Lyrical Nanoha
* Ino Yamanaka, Naruto
* Tetsuko, Oh! Super Milk-chan, localized as "The Super Milk-Chan Show"
* Charlotte Hazelrink, Princess Lover!
* Cattleya, Queen's Blade
* Marie, Sister Princess
* Akio Fudō, Trinity Seven
* Arashi Kishu, X (TV)
* Shizuka Hiratsuka, Yahari Ore no Seishun Love Comedy wa Machigatteiru, localized as "My Teen Romantic Comedy SNAFU"

Commentary: Ms. Yuzuki has a very sweet and refreshing voice. Even in her more terse roles, like Shizuka in OreGairu or Ino in Naruto, there's still an element of kindness and humility to her performances. I really love her as Erurū. She's the best heroine in the franchise, sorry Kuon fans!

Rikiya Koyama as Hakuowlo (or Hakuoro), notable roles:
* Eutus, Abenobashi Mahō☆Shoutengai, localized as "Magical☆Shopping Arcade Abenobashi"
* K, Aoi Bungaku Series, localized as "Blue Literature"
* Retsu Kaiō, Baki
* Curtis Miller, Biohazard: Degeneration
* Yukichi Fukuzawa, Bungō Stray Dogs
* Victor, Busō Renkin
* Kogorō Mōri, Detective Conan
* Kiritsugu Emiya: Fate/stay night, Fate/Zero, Fate/kaleid liner Prisma☆Illya, and Emiya-san Chi no Kyō no Gohan
* Mamoru Takamura, Hajime no Ippo, localized as "Fighting Spirit"
* Azazel, High School DxD
* William A. Zeppeli, JoJo no Kimyō na Bōken (TV)
* Kogarashi, Kamen no Maid Guy
* Narumi Katō, Karakuri Circus (TV)
* Klaus von Reinherz, Kekkai Sensen
* Yamato, Naruto
* Sensei, Planet With
* Rokurōta Sakuragi, Rainbow: Nisha Rokubō no Shichinin
* Jōichirō Yukihira, Shokugeki no Sōma, localized as "Food Wars"
* Shinigami, Soul Eater
* Rudolf Ushiromiya, Umineko no Naku Koro ni
* Tora, Ushio to Tora (TV)

Commentary: He has an amazingly expressive voice! I especially love Mr. Koyama as Kogorō in Detective Conan! He is more silent and contemplative in Utawarerumono, but despite that, it's still easy to get attached to his characterization of Hakuoro and feel his struggles as a leader!

Miyuki Sawashiro as Arurū, notable roles:
* Maria, Arakawa Under the Bridge ✅
* Kaiser de Emperana Beelzebub, Beelzebub
* Slan, Berserk
* Cassandra Jill Warlock, Black Blood Brothers
* Yomi Takanashi ("Dead Master"), Black★Rock Shooter ✅
* Canaan, Canaan ✅
* Kei Yuki, Captain Harlock ✅
* Eiha, Chaos Dragon: Sekiryū Seneki
* Tōko Fukawa, Danganronpa 3: The End of Kibōgamine Gakuen
* Dalian, Dantalian no Shoka, localized as "The Mystic Archives of Dantalian" ✅
* Petit Charat, Di Gi Charat
* Celty Sturluson, Durarara!! ✅
* Aka no Saber ("Mordrid"), Fate/Apocrypha ✅
* Julia Jinyu, FLCL Progressive
* Yu Lan Xia, Full Metal Panic! The Second Raid ✅
* Mint Blancmanche, Galaxy Angel
* Kitarō, Gegege no Kitarō (2018)
* Yuzuki Seo, Gekkan Shōjo Nozaki-kun ✅
* Towa Akagi, Go! Princess PreCure ✅
* Reika Honjō, Goshūshō-sama Ninomiya-kun
* Katalina Alize, Granblue Fantasy ✅
* Saeko Busujima, Highschool of the Dead
* Kurapika, Hunter x Hunter (2011) ✅
* Queen Diamond, Kaitō Joker
* Kiari and Ririka Momobami, Kakegurui
* Kazune Kūjō, Kamichama Karin
* Tsugumi Aoba, Kannagi
* Ayane Yano, Kimi ni Todoke
* Himeko Inaba, Kokoro Connect
* Shinkurō Kurenai, Kure-nai
* Masazumi Honda, Kyōkaisenjou no Horizon, localized as "Horizon in the Middle of Nowhere"
* Myao Rei, Loups=Garōs
* Fujiko Mine, Lupin III ✅
* Dorm Mistress, Maria†Holic ✅
* Izuna Hatsuse, No Game No Life ✅
* Bishamon, Noragami ✅
* Aria Kurenaino, Occultic;Nine ✅
* Pudding Charlotte, One Piece ✅
* Cal Devens, Phantom: Requiem for the Phantom ✅
* Tomoe Misumi, Photokano
* Kotarō Higuchi, Pita Ten
* Kamitsure, Pokémon ✅
* Shion Karanomori, Psycho-Pass ✅
* Claire Forrest, Red Garden
* Narrator, Rokka no Yūsha
* Shinku, Rozen Maiden ✅
* Racine, Sayonara no Asa ni Yakusoku no Hana wo Kazarō, localized as "Maquia: When the Promised Flower Blooms" ✅
* Tarō Sekiutsu ("Maria"), Sayonara Zetsubō Sensei ✅
* Rita, Shingeki no Bahamut ✅
* Perrine H. Clostermann, Strike Witches ✅
* Shino Asada, Sword Art Online ✅
* Lag Seeing, Tegamibachi
* Tycho Science, Top wo Nerae 2! Diebuster ("Gunbuster 2") ✅
* Marisa Kirisame, Tōhō Niji Sōsaku Dōjin Anime: Musō Kakyō ✅
* Haruka Nanami, Uta no☆Prince-sama

Commentary: Ms. Sawashiro is great at conveying complex emotions; that's probably why she was cast as characters like Mordred in the Fate franchise, Fujiko in Lupin III, and Cal in Phantom: Requiem for the Phantom!

Atsuko Tanaka as Karulauatsuurei (or Karura), notable roles:
* Bayonetta, Bayonetta
* Silene, Devilman: Crybaby
* Caster ("Medea"), Fate/stay night
* Motoko Kusanagi, Ghost in the Shell
* Claudette Vance, Queen's Blade
* Kyrie Ushinomiya, Umineko no Naku Koro ni
* Jagara, Wolf's Rain

Commentary: The sexy seductress voice, Ms. Tanaka's archetype fits Karura's character very well! Great performance!

Kaya Miyake as Tōka, notable roles:
* Juli Sawaragi, Battle Spirits: Shōnen Toppa Bashin
* Maria van Hossen, Princess Lover!

Commentary: Tōka is one of the most likable characters in Utawarerumono, it's a shame that Ms. Miyake hasn't been cast in more roles!

Daisuke Namikawa as Benawi, notable roles:
* Narsus, Arslan Senki (TV), localized as "The Heroic Legend of Arslan"
* Rokurō Okajima, Black Lagoon
* Araya Kawakami, Blade of the Immortal
* Jellal Fernandes, Fairy Tail ✅
* Waver Velvet, Fate/Zero ✅
* Leonard Testarossa, Full Metal Panic! ✅
* Van Hohenheim, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood ✅
* Kei Kurono, Gantz ✅
* Leon Luis, Garo
* Joe Hibiki, Gachaman Crowds
* Tatsuya Madoka, Gilgamesh
* Seiya Ichijō, Gyakkyō Burai Kaiji: Hakairoku-hen ✅
* Tōru Oikawa, Haikyū!! ✅
* Manabu Itagaki, Hajime no Ippo, localized as "Fighting Spirit"
* Rumaty Ivan di Raginei, Hanasakeru Seishōnen ✅
* Walter C. Dornez, Hellsing: Ultimate ✅
* North and South Italy, Hetalia
* Hisoka Morrow, Hunter x Hunter (2011) ✅
* Yashiro Hisana, K
* Shōta Kazehaya, Kimi ni Todoke
* Goemon Ishikawa XIII, Lupin III ✅
* Kōki Akune, Medaka Box
* Alfred Izuruha, Kidō Senshi Gundam 0080: War in Pocket
* Kid Eustass, One Piece
* Yū Narukami, Persona 4
* Lucario, Pokémon
* Jōji Nezu, Prison School
* Squealer, Shinsekai Yori ✅
* Fai D. Flōrite, Tsubasa Chronicle
* Gilbert Bougainvillea, Violet Evergarden
* Jin Kanzaki, Zetman ✅

Commentary: Mr. Namikawa is very good at voicing the serious and kind, Benawi. Calm and logical, but he also has an irritable side to him. His role as Benawi is similar to the character impression that he conveys in Fai D. Flōrite (which is crazy because Mr. Namikawa and Vic Mignogna apparently play both characters)!

Oboro as Daisuke Kirii, notable roles:
* Takashi Morinozuka, Ouran Kōkō Host Club, localized as "Ouran High School Host Club"

Commentary: I feel the same way that I do about Tōka's seiyū, Mr. Kirii needs to have more roles! Oboro is easily one of the easiest to feel affection for. He starts out as a complete butt-monkey, but then you find out that he's being so defensive because of his blind sister. Very emotionally compelling role and character!

Rie Kugimiya as Kamyu (or Camyu), notable roles:
* Yūhi Katagiri, Akaneiro ni Somaru Saka, localized as "The Hill Dyed Rose Madder"
* Astarotte Ygvar, Astarotte no Omocha!, localized as "Astarotte's Toy"
* Maya Jingu, Burn Up! Scramble
* Ikuto Noguchi, Digimon Savers
* Aguri Madoka, Dokidoki! PreCure ✅
* Rose, Dragon Crisis!
* Happy, Fairy Tail ✅
* Alphonse Elric, Fullmetal Alchemist ✅
* Kagura, Gintama ✅
* Vyrn, Granblue Fantasy
* Hasuta, Haiyore! Nyaruko-san, localized as "Nyaruko: Crawling With Love!"
* Nagi Sanzenin, Hayate no Gotoku, localized as "Hayate, the Combat Butler"
* Aria Holmes Kanzaki, Hidan no Aria, localized as "Aria, the Scarlet Ammo"
* Alexandrite, Hōseki no Kuni ✅
* Yukimura Sanada, Hyakka Ryōran: Samurai After
* Tio, Konjiki no Gash Bell!!, localized as "Zatch Bell"
* Koto, Kyōsō Giga
* Alisa Bannings, Mahō Shōjo Lyrical Nanoha ✅
* Tōko Matsudaira, Maria-sama ga Miteru, localized as "Maria Watches Over Us" ✅
* Mimi, Mnemosyne ✅
* Miharu Rokujō, Nabari no Ō
* Nora, Noragami
* Rise Kujikawa, Persona 4
* Koboshi Uematsu, Pita Ten
* Melona, Queen's Blade
* Angela Balzac, Rakuen Tsuihō, localized as "Expelled from Paradise"
* Airi Yukifune, Robotics;Notes
* Mizore Shirayuki, Rosario to Vampire
* Yūki Kataoka, Saki
* Shana, Shakugan no Shana ✅
* Momo Akanegakubo, Shokugeki no Sōma ✅
* Mametchi, Tamogochi!
* Iori Minase, The iDOLM@STER ✅
* Taiga Aisaka, Toradora! ✅
* Louise Françoise Le Blanc de La Vallière, Zero no Tsukaima, localized as "The Familiar of Zero"

Commentary: Ms. Kugamiya does a great job at giving Kamyu a very youthful personality, while also conveying layers of mysteriousness through her gleeful free-spirit!

Akira Tomisaka as Kuya Amururineuruka, notable roles:
* Alexa, Chō Robot Seimeitai Transformers Micron Densetsu, localized as "Transformers: Armada"
* Kate Ashley, Red Garden

Commentary: Another seiyū that deserves more roles; Ms. Tomisaka's portrayal of Kuya will leave you absolutely heartbroken by the end of the series!

Mai Nakahara as Yuzuha, notable roles:
* Rena Kunisaki, .hack/Legend of the Twilight Bracelet
* Chitose Nanbu, Amaenaide yo!!, localized as "Ah My Buddha"
* Hatsune Otonashi, Angel Beats!
* Akagi, Azur Lane
* Felli Loss, Chrome Shelled Regios
* Nagisa Furukawa, Clannad
* Chisa Yukizome, Danganronpa 3: The End of Kibōgamine Gakuen
* Thanast Useim Ruki Miu Sia Nostal Ren Naguregyug ("Miu"), DearS
* Haruka Niekawa, Durarara!!
* Juvia Lockser, Fairy Tail
* Reika Rikudō, Fate/Apocrypha
* Rena Ryūgū, Higurashi no Naku Koro ni, localized as "When They Cry"
* Watashi, Jinrui wa Suitai Shimashita, localized as "Humanity Has Declined"
* Karin Hanazono, Kamichama Karin
* Nanami Yasuri, Katanagatari
* Teana Lanseter, Mahō Shōjo Lyrical Nanoha StrikerS
* Mai Tokiha, Mai-HiME
* Yui Takamura, Muv-Luv Alternative: Total Eclipse
* Anna Aoi, Chōjūshin Gravion
* Aono Morimiya, Sola
* Nagisa Aoi, Strawberry Panic
* Morgan, Tears to Tiara
* Reimu Hakurei, Tōhō Niji Sōsaku Dōjin Anime: Musō Kakyō
* Morgan, Tears to Tiara
* Yashirō Shimogamo, Uchōten Kazoku, localized as "The Eccentric Family"

Commentary: I love so many of her roles. She doesn't get as much lines while performing as Yuzuha, but in the instances that she does voice her, the character comes off as very saccharine and blissful.

Conclusively, I really am completely captivated with Utawarerumono. There are top-tier seiyū, lush designs, a really well-thought out world, beautiful music, and a story that ends in a crescendo. There's a reason that this franchise has continued to live on decades after its release. It's such a good, wholesome, and often tragic tale of the trials that a village must go through. I give Utawarerumono an 8.5/10, and strongly suggest it to anyone interested in a dystopian fantasy series!

Rating: ★★★★★

I stumble upon this anime after attracted to the old-medievil-fantasy genre. Since it got high score from MAL, i decided to give a shot at this.

Unfortunately, after watching almost half of this series, i can conclude that this story is extremely, overly, overrated. This anime is extremely not interesting. I wonder why it got such high rating. Most probably due to the nostalgia..

This anime got almost all characteristics that any weak/terrible anime have.
1. Stupid story that make no sense with no background whatsoever plus with stupid, weak story-telling. extremely fast paced, skipping time frame, plus nothing about the world of this anime is explained.
All these ... makes me feel everything about this anime is dumb and stupid.
2. Stupid, annoying, typical trope of characters with weak seiyuu.
3. Inconsistent and terrible animation.

The only good bout this anime is the music but it is just OK at best. Nothing great.

What a waste of anime it could be a bit more interesting if it was executed/done properly. STAY AWAY from this crap. Stop wasting your time.

This is a show I really enjoyed when it was airing... But I later realized It I didn't retain those feelings.

First of all the story is really fun to get into. The setting is a land resembling feudal Japan. So it provokes a cool cultural feeling when it's watched.

The character are good, some are cute others are just cool. But it's a shame the show doesn't focus on them heavilly (but apparently the original game does). So yeah the character focus is a bit off and thats sad.

The fighting is alright. But nothing special. It's not fast (with some exceptions) but it's well coordinated. ... And most of the time it's not like the single animation still action shots (most of the fighting is REALLY animated haha)

Story is fun. But it's very slow. I didn't realize this at first. But the pacing is very bad. The developments are fun to watch. Especially as the cast becomes bigger.

Sound isn't much of a issue. Sword clanging is heard alot but it's not annoying.

For Enjoyment. I would say it's enjoyable. But you won't want to rewatch it.

Overall. Give it a watch if you want a nice feudal war anime.

Note: Tears to Tiara (which hasn't aired) has the story by the same people (the VN company Leaf).

Utawerurumono. Where do i start.

1. The story is of a mysterious man who awakens with no memories of who he is or where he is, and he has the unique feature of a mask he cannot remove from his face. The story follows the MC on his journey to discover who he truly is and overcome the obstacles that are thrown at this man as he meets new allies and faces his past.
2. The character are all lovely and great, they each bring something to the table with their own quirks and personalities. Even the antagonists are well done for the time era that the ... world is in.
3. The art is brilliant, for being an anime made so long ago, it doesn't bother you at all, it doesn't feel dated in the slightest and manages to make you appreciate everything about it. It does dabble with CG though at some points but it's small bits so it doesn't distract you too much.
Overall without giving away too much i'd say give it a try, it's definitely an oldie but a goodie. I love this one for many aspects and part of the wonder is just diving in, whether you've played the game or not this anime is for anyone who loves action, story, arty, and drama.

Well been putting it off for quite a while, but now i have finally seen it and let me give you my opinion on it.

Series Name: Utawarerumono

Story: The story is rather interesting, for the most part while it has elements of science fiction and fantasy, the majority of the series seems to focus a amenisaic man who becomes an emepror and must defend his nation and people against those who wish to do harm to it so it focuses mostly on war and fighting, at the same time there is background story that focuses on the history of the main lead and the truth of ... his origin and his relation with the history of the world.

Review: I actually enjoyed this series as i watched it, I would not say that is one of the best anime or has one of the best storied but it is an interesting one and has plenty of action and drama to balance each other out with a little comedic moments in between, did i mention that everybody has animal ears and tails and some wings, now that is interesting to say the least. XD The music was ok i guess..nothing bad but nothing grand either and the animation i would say..it is average...nothing worht while but too bad either.

The Only few flaws i found in it..is that it really focuses a bit to much on jumping from situation to the next,,what i mean is that the pacing really starts to get really fast with shifting from one story to the next and maybe the focus on war conflicts and action were a bit to much..they should have given it more breathing room, to develop the characters..dont get me wrong they had plenty of development but i could say they could focused a bit more on there background.

Bottom Line i would give it a 8/10...it is a rather interesting story and for those who like a little bit of fantasy, action and war drama i would recommend to give this a shot.
I know there is a second season that just recently got released..but i am going to stop for now and wait for the dub to come out....yeah i watched the first season dubbed and i would say it is pretty good,,especially from the time period it was released.

Granted i could watch the second season sub only...it wont be the first time...but since i got a little advance that the second season is part 1 of a two parter and that a possible s3 is coming out when the game that it is based on it comes out.

i mgiht as well wait a little while...if the s3 starts airing before the dub is out than il just watch it before it does.

So when I first found out about this title, the first thing came into mind is, “What the hell does Utawarme….Utaworm…..Uta…Damn it, I can’t even say it right!! What does…that damn word mean?” Well, after that, the title of the show is translated into English as, “The One Being Sung”, which does describe one of the character’s rise in the series and funny thing about this being based on a videogame and how it was supposed to be a harem, considering I didn’t see the whole harem part in this, but more on that later.

A man awakens in an unfamiliar village with no memory of ... his past or identity. The only clue: a devil-horned mask which conceals the upper half of his face but cannot be removed. Still recovering from the bad wounds he had when he was found and without any clear direction, the man settles in to village life and soon becomes not only a valued and respected member, but effectively a member of the family of healers – old Tsukuru, young Eruru, and even younger Aruruu – who helped him recover, even taking on the name Hakuoro, which belonged to the long-dead father of the girls. Trouble won’t leave the village alone, however, as a discontented former villager tries to exploit their resources, a tiger-like forest god threatens to rampage, and an unfortunate series of events leads to unintended rebellion. Throughout it all Hakuoro stands as a stoic source of inspiration even though he is deeply troubled by haunting images of his past.

I got to say right off the bat; the story does have an interesting plot of an amnesiac main character that probably has a disturbing past of him and he probably does once you get further into the show. There is the aspect of war and how you think everything is going to be fine but it isn’t as worse shit continues to happen to them, deaths that can hit you hard emotionally if you really wanted them to live, and the trials of rebelling against the higher authority. Now, I know this is based on an adventure/role-playing/eroge game (or just Japanese adult visual novel) and I guess like the adaptations of that, you sense no trace of them nor do did I find any typical harem traits aside from the amount of girls there with wolf ears (then again, mostly everybody in the show has either wolf, cat, dog, rabbit, etc. ears) but saying it’s a harem because there’s lots of girls (or guys if it’s a reverse harem) doesn’t exactly make it one (OK: Maybe that one or two times). I will say that it does get too sappy at sometimes but just enough to not be overbearing melodramatic.

Characters are 90/10 on the love/hate scale although it is more of an ensemble cast of characters and most of them have these different stories to them, like Hakuoro and his unknown past, why later in the series people thinking he was a murderer and why he can’t take off that mask. I would have like to know more about the sisters Eruru & Aruruu and most of their family life but it was more preoccupied with the long war and all that. Oh yeah, one character that I couldn’t stand in fucking Nuwangi. I just cannot stand that guy and desperately either wanted him easily defeated or killed off. Luckily, he’s not in the show for long but he was still annoying as hell.

Animation is actually great here and it’s expected being at the 2006-2007 anime boom year. The show was made by animation studio Oriental Light and Magic, the same studio that did not-so-great animation for a great series (Berserk). Like I said, the show does have a very playful nature to it, but during the battle scenes, expect a lot of bloodshed in there but luckily, it isn’t overly excessive and violence for the sake of being violent. The opening theme is….dangerously catchy to listen to, but you might need to listen to it several times to not forget about it. Overall, the music is fairly decent for what it is.

The English dub by ADV Films (later re-licensed by FUNimation) is a great effort done with the script being close to the original source and although there aren’t any standouts, the performances of John Gremillion as Hakuoro and Kira Vincent-Davis as Eruruu deliver some great dialogue.

FINAL VERDICT: Utawarerumono is a delightful and ambitious show that has its playful side with the characters and also the more darker-toned and serious side of itself that seems to fit within and since FUNimation rescued it from obscurity, you can easily buy the whole series or watch it on their website if you want. It’s a watch recommendation from me.

Studio OLM that brought the world Berserk and Pokemon in the late 90’s now brings an anime in 2006 that can best be described as anime-nerd-bait aka otaku bait. Together with new director Tomoki Kobayashi (Galaxy Angel Z) they attempted to adapt this eroge strategy game. At first, the product of Utawarerumono started off with an interesting high fantasy with semi-interesting characters and then takes a left-turn along the way.

The show begins with a cute wolf-type girl finding an injured man in the woods wearing a mask he cannot remove. She and her family nurse him back to health, but the man still does not ... have any memories of his past. Slowly, the audience learns the land, society, and the slow progression to war with strategic battle ensuing.

Mostly, Utawarerumono is formulaic in the characters with typical trope characters such as the quiet adorable little sister character. Even the plot is fairly simple from the start with oppressed people fighting back against the tyrants. Over the course of the anime there is little in character development and more towards the main group gathering other character arch-types to join the team. Basically, this anime wanted to be what The Vision of Escaflowne was. This was a show with a compelling premise that pretty much fails in its goal.

At one point, the people behind Utawarerumono decided to drop the story they were telling for almost zero reason like something anime fans had seen in something out of Votoms in the 80s as an example. Unlike Votoms though, the characters in Utawarerumono have the personality of either a stone or a carebear. Even the character art and animation does not seem much better than Studio OLM’s past works like Berserk and Pokemon from the 90’s.

This is not to say the show is completely terrible. Some scenes of battles and the fantasy world are interesting, but ultimately with predictable characters and a plot that is shallow, the show is just flat. There are plenty of other fantasy shows to recommend like The Vision of Escalflowne over this anime. In the end Utawarerumono should stay as an eroge game and was not a good adaptation.

STORY: the story of Utawarerumono is very good, but it's only an adaptation of the videogame's story, so some characters lost some deep. However the story can be fully understand by watching the anime, but for truly understand every character i suggest to play the videogame wich is fan translated in english.

ART: The animation is quite good, nothing outstanding, the computer graphic animation are crappy and seem to be out of place.

SOUND: the sound is quite good too, Op and Ed are nice, sound effect are good, and the insert song are realy sweet

CHARACTER: Nekomiki's heaven! if you like this kind of character then Utawarerumono ... will be an Harem for you, anyway every character is portrayed very well, but because of the summarized story, some character tend to be rather vague

ENJOYMENT: Utawarerumono will glue you on your chair, the story go on in a fast pace, sad and funny moments will kept the tension on good levels

OVERALL: Utawarerumono is a good anime, addictive and fun to watch, some defect however ruin the overall quality, otherwise Utawarerumono would be a masterpiece

Utawarerumono is a decent fantasy anime which although light on plot surprises does take an unexpected direction early in the series.

The story centres around Hakuowlo a man discovered badly injured in the woods with a mask on his face and no memory of who he is and how he got where he is. When he recovers from his wounds his leadership skills become apparent enabling him to lead those around him as events unfold through the story and persuading former enemies and vaious other waifs and strays to join his group.

Visually Utawarerumono is very pleasing with very good character design where the fantasy of the ... story is enhanced as the characters, with the exception of Hakuwlo, have animal ears and tails or wings. I wouldn't say any of the characters were spectacular individually but individually they all added something to the story.

For about 20 episodes I really enjoyed the show with battle scenes and lots of action but then it started to get all trippy. Almost as if the creators rolled up a joint or took something else illegal because all of a sudden we get a modern or futuristic laboratory scenes, fantasy mecha robots and monsters.

Personally I felt the laboratory scenes, robots and monsters were unnecessary and kind of ruined the end of the story. The last episode is really an attempt to salvage a decent ending which was done to a certain extent but a lot of damage was done already which was a big shame as if they kept it more simple the ending would have been much better.

All in all a very good anime ruined by the bizarre end to the story.

I truly consider this title a veritable Masterpiece! From story concept to execution to characterization to music score...everything was so well done it amazed me from first to last episode.

Funny is, I have never been a fan of fantasy and at first it seems a fantasy story, but it gripped my attention from the very fist episode...then the story unfolds and slowly you see that it is one of the best written science fiction stories ever made, mixng spirituality with science fiction magistraly well. The only thing left unexplained was the nature of Hakuoro's power...though there is hints of an ancient alien device (the mask). ... Remember that the only thing capable to control/restrain him was the space platform stationed upon Earth, controled by a kind of spirit (program?) left as a kind of controller. It was not claer in the end if the station was built by humans or not...the only thing sure was that it could control/restrain something almost Godlike (as a sceince fiction fan/writer I could magine it as a kind of quantum device...maybe buit left on Earth to develop intelligence...or left there by mistake...you can choose)

Especially beautiful is the spiritual link between the main characters...

As we see it to the end, we rejoice in seing that the main character was able, after thousands of years, to rejoin his lost love and beloved child so bruttaly murdered in the past, reincarnated in the sisters Aruruu and Eruruu, who received him as a friend and mentor, though the first encounter with Eruruu was not that pleasant.

I cried, I laughed, I cheered with this anime!

This is a must to any anime fan, and a jewel to any collection!