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Plot Synopsis

No plot synopsis or other information available for Melody of Oblivion

Story & Characters

In the world of Melody of Oblivion (Boukyaku no Senritsu), monsters have come to utterly dominate humanity. Lone fighters known as Melos warriors struggle against these monsters in their quest to reclaim the elusive and myterious "Melody of Oblivion," though in doing so they risk their lives and end up being ostracized from society.

Bocca, the anime's protagonist, is a young and idealistic Melos warrior; the plot centers around his journey to confront the Monster King. As he travels, he encounters other Melos warriors and tries to sort out his relationship with his scantily clad friend and companion, Sayoko. Eventually, Bocca begins to learn that there are areas of gray between good and evil, and struggles to continue doing the right thing.

At first the anime is composed primarily of short episode arcs. These do not necessarily contribute much to the overall plot, but they do an excellent job of developing and expanding the world in which Bocca lives. They also serve to introduce the other main characters, such as the female Melos warriors Coco and Toune. Viewers will probably find that they enjoy certain mini-arcs much more than others, and so in that sense Melody of Oblivion can feel somewhat uneven.

In the final four or five episodes, however, the fanservice becomes distractingly excessive, and for the first time in the series, it begins to detract from the actual story. Depending on one's interpretation of the ending, one may come away convinced that there was a reason for the sudden onslaught of gratuitous silliness. However, different fans tend to interpret the ending very differently--the last episode makes a brilliant finale, given that it provides an adequate amount of closure and yet also offers enough evidence to support two opposite schools of thought regarding how everything really turned out.

Rating

8 (good)

Art

Judging Melody of Oblivion's art can be a difficult endeavor. For one thing, the characters almost never go off-model. The character designs are very sleek and appealing, with sexy, clean-looking highlights and smooth lines. Overall, the show's visuals are a large part of what make it stand out--the strikingly stylized backgrounds, the surreal imagery, the monster designs (which range from eerie to hilariously cheesy) and the innovative use of shadow and color all add greatly to the viewer's enjoyment.

Yet Melody of Oblivion's actual animation is a slightly different story. Though its battle scenes are smoothly animated, it re-uses animation sequences more and more frequently as the series progresses. The final grand show-down is utterly unexciting because at least half of it, if not more, consists of the same familiar footage recycled ad nauseam. However, Melody of Oblivion does make the best of what must have been a rather restrictive budget--the animation is never noticeably limited, and the fights, while not always flashy, are dynamic and cleverly choreographed. Unusual camera angles are employed to enhance the bizarre, dreamlike mood of the show.

Ultimately, Melody of Oblivion has plenty to offer fans of stylish and interesting artwork, but they must also be willing to overlook or ignore the frequently repetitive animation. While watching it, keep in mind that virtually every scene is packed with layer upon layer of confusing and even contradictory visual symbolism. For that reason alone, Melody of Oblivion has a great deal of replay value.

Rating

6 (average)

Sound

As is implied by its name, music is an important aspect of Melody of Oblivion. Thankfully, the show's opening, ending and stunning score more than live up to the expectations created by its title and themes. The opening song is energetic and up-beat: it has an aura of confidence that reflects Bocca's determination. Yet its lyrics are somewhat wistful, and this too mirrors a notable element of the show--its underlying tragedy and bittersweetness, not to mention Bocca's eventual desperation. The ending song is gentle and evocative, with beautiful vocals.

Melody of Oblivion's background music suits it nicely, though it does not always stand out or leave a lasting impression on the viewer. The most memorable parts of the soundtrack are the classical pieces, which tend to be either sorrowful or tense and dramatic: a heavy emphasis is placed on piano and string instruments. Interestingly, the violin music that plays during each next episode preview is especially catchy.

At the time this review was written, Melody of Oblivion had not yet been licensed, and so it has no English dub. The Japanese cast is certainly satisfactory, although there are few true standout roles. The most exceptional performances come from Souchiro Hoshi, who plays the character Sky Blue; Sanae Kobayashi, who plays Toune; Houko Kuwashima, who plays Bocca; Masumi Asano, who plays Sayoko; and Tomo Saeki, who plays Solo.

Rating

7 (above average)

Presentation

Melody of Oblivion is not an anime for everyone. It's eccentric, cynical and at times seemingly bipolar, veering between focusing on frivolous (if amusing) fanservice and the tortured emotions of various characters.

Though on the surface the basic premise sounds like that of any other shounen action series, Melody of Oblivion is almost wholly unique. The only previous series to which it strongly invites comparison is Revolutionary Girl Utena, and even then there are several notable differences between the two--Utena is shoujo, whereas Melody of Oblivion is shounen, and this is evident in its high levels of male-oriented fanservice. At times the fanservice is played for laughs; at other times it is used to throw the anime's dark sexual themes into sharp relief. Melody of Oblivion is particularly notable for how smoothly (and often creepily) it integrates blatant cheesecake shots into the overall atmosphere of each episode.

Fans of Revolutionary Girl Utena would do well to give Melody Oblivion more than a passing glance; the two anime share many staff members and employ similar visual devices. As in Utena, the environment of Melody of Oblivion reflects the anguish, confusion and uncertainty in its characters' hearts. Viewers who want the show to make perfect sense will find themselves saddled with a terrible headache: it is strange and surreal, and the situations it presents often feel right on an intuitive level while not being at all realistic or logical. However, the characters' emotions and relationships ring true, and that is what ultimately matters most.

The last episode tends to be a point of contention. Without spoiling anything, I intepreted it as validating the idea that the entire show is a dark satire of heroism--but where I saw tragedy, other fans would be perfectly justified in seeing (and being satisfied with) a happy ending. Regardless, Melody of Oblivion is an ambitious and avant-garde series that should hold great appeal for people in search of something different.

Rating

9 (very good)

Final Verdict

7.83 (good)

Reviewed by DaggerIX1, 3y 26wk ago