Witch Hunter Robin Review
By ShinoMatrix
Witch Hunter Robin Review
Bandai Visual
Review Statistics
- Times Read
- 1,330
- Comments
- 24
- Reviews
- Tv
Plot Synopsis
In the near future, being a Witch doesn't so much require using actual magic as it requires gaining supernatural abilities through one's genetics. People who have the gene but aren't "awakened" to the Craft are classified as Seeds, and then reclassified when they show signs of awakening. There are even some Witches who use them as they see fit; giving in to darker emotions and abusing that power. This is where the STN steps in. The STN (or Solomon) is an organization dedicated to the capture of Witches.
Centering around the Japanese branch of the organization, simply called the STN-J, the story picks up where they have recently lost one of their members, Kate. Headquarters promptly sends in a replacement: Robin Sena, a fifteen-year-old girl raised in an Italian convent. Possessing the power to start fires, she is a Craft user and a Hunter who utilizes the abilities of a Witch.Immediately things do not go well for Robin: along with getting used to the STN-J's unusual custom of using a substance called Orbo to repel the Witches' power and refusing to kill Witches as Headquarters does, her uncontrolled use of the Craft starts Robin off on the wrong foot with her assigned partner, the mysterious Amon. However, Robin and her fellow Hunters come together as they uncover disturbing truths concerning the ancient struggle between humans and Witches, Kate's sudden disappearance, the organization they work for...and ultimately, the dark secret surrounding Robin's very existence.Written by iamrobinsena.Story & Characters
Serious witch based stories seem to be a small niche in the anime world. Either witches are used as a side plot/material or the series delves very much into the comedic side of it. To this end, Witch Hunter Robin presented an original premise and hoped for a very intriguing and engrossing story.
Surprises seem abundant throughout the show but you really couldn't tell that they were meant to inspire awe or the sense of actual surprise in you. When plots twists, many a times you're left there saying, "I'm sorry, what? Someone died?" and realising something happened that was of some significance perhaps 5 days later while musing in the school toilet while trying to avoid that boring lecture on the Salem witch trials.
The pacing of it was relatively constant enough, but just because it was constant did not mean it was slow. Essentially, I believe that the entire plot could have been told in under half the length of the full series, and maybe that sense of urgency if it had been done in half the time could have helped to make this less of a dull-fest.
- Rating
- 6 (average)
Art
The clean and realistic character designs were a definite plus for this series. Certainly it helped in the atmosphere that it delved in which was more often than not rather melancholic. This goes for the all the background and other images surrounding the series. A large portion of the show featured dull browns and greys and certainly abundant in shadows. This personally made for some tedious watching and made it hard for me to fully relate to it, even when my mood was sullen at the time I was watching an episode.
I'm not suggesting that this anime should have had more different colours, because really I don't think any other set would have done justice to the mood that was being portrayed, but merely saying that it didn't have to have them all the time. It made everything so lifeless that eventually the characters themselves looked dead to it all.
- Rating
- 8 (good)
Sound
One thing very much noting about this series though is the opening sequence. In a sense it was a false promise of the drama and beauty that the series didn't rub off from its opening. It deserves an MTV award in my opininon. Certainly Shell, is one of my favourite anime based songs.
The seiyuu work was standard, and in a sense the series didn't really offer too many places for the voice actors to be adventurous anyway with what story they were given with. It really did sound all too often that the seiyuu would have rather been elsewhere for the overall feeling of the show was way too down and is reflected as well in most of the soundtrack.
- Rating
- 9 (very good)
Presentation
There were very few happy moments in this series and when they were happy, you really couldn't tell. There was a sense that the writers never meant anyone to be actually be happy and many a times everything and everyone seems to be drifting to some kind of unknown haze of depression. There were supposed to be many dramatic moments but they all fell flat on their faces once the next episode kicked in and did away with whatever impact the previous one had.
Sadly, this series tended to be something I watched when I have exhausted the list of anime I am watching at the moment because its yawn factor was very much there. Indeed one of the characters, Yurika Dojima, yawned enough in the series itself as to make it contagious and made this series borderline watchable. Plot twists didn't give much of an impact and the characters never got me to care enough for their plights. There is such a thing as being too pessimistic.
- Rating
- 5 (moderate)
Final Verdict
6.50 (above average)
Reviewed by ShinoMatrix, 2y 43wk ago
Only members can post replies, please register.
Hmmm, nice review, but you could give a plotline on the story part
even with the ones that people think is nice 
hehehe
After reading this, I do not think I would watch the series, cos you said it was dull, and am easily bored by anime
thanks for sharing
Nice review.
Which hunter Robin is one of my favorites anime series.
merged: 11-06-2005 ~ 11:34pm
Nice review.
Which hunter Robin is one of my favorite anime series.
Scks that you don't like the anime, I think it's awesome. <3
Pretty serious and intense, the art is also very cool.
i actually loved this anime O_O o well, i know some of my friends hated it so it's understandable.
In my honest opinion, your review could use alot of work. I decided to read this review to find out what Witch Hunter Robin was about, and while you were complaining about the plot line being so slow, you didnt even give it to us. Let your reader know what your complaining about. You dont say anything about the characters at all, except that one of them yawns a lot.
Next time you decide to write a review, please include a plot line and an introduction to the main characters.
I loved this anime really I never got that "I'm sorry what?" feeling when I watched the show and was able to understand the whole story and didn't feel lost at all. Also keep in mind that this show was not meant to be happy. It was a slightly gothic type of anime and for it to not have many happy moments meets the whole idea of the anime. I'm sorry if you didn't like the anime due to it's non happy moments and such, but I would have given this at least a B+ or a A.. Sorry if this may.. upset some people.
It's nice to hear that you have a different opinion of Witch Hunter Robin than the rest of us Witch Hunter Robin fans ^____^ Your review sounds more like what I think of Shingetsukan Tsukihime, though I didn't dislike that series. Diff ppl, diff tastes. Anyway, I agree that you should have included a synopsis of the series, and you should have also talked more about the music (you only mentioned the opening song, what about the OSTs and how they contribute to the series?), otherwise nice review. I think that the plot twists that left you confused was one of the strengths of the anime because it goes with the suspense and leaves you something to think about. WHR in my opinion has more depth than most other anime. Hmmm...I guess that's all I have to say. *smile* Ja ne!
This anime really rocks! Most of my friends couldn't really understand it for some reason so they just stopped watching the show. But to tell the truth it's really not a boring show at all.
This was a good review, however I feel even as a critic, you were a bit too critical about the story, I agree that the story has many twwists to the point that you sometimes do not know what's going on, but the time the series took was needed, so as to not have 5 twists in 5 minutes. The length of the series was neccisarry, or it would be like watching the last half of a 15 minute short on IFC.
Can I ask how to add a plot synopsis (as in that section to the left of the review)... because I was trying and I really did want to put it there, but didn't know how. I didn't add a synopsis of the plot on the other part because that should be strictly the review of the show itself...
I just think it's plain boring. The art is good, but I don't like the mood...too eerie.
ive been looking to buy this series as i saw the trailer and peaked my interest and well the boxset just came out here (australia) heh
but it seems you complained about the series more than anything else
It was a little so but the story was picking up and then it just ended. I was watching it on adult swim if the series continued after its run there I would like to know what happen. I give it a C+
Actually, I believe after a second though, you're quite right there, scarecrow22.
It took too long to get to a certain peak, and just when it got into second gear, the end came crashing on to it.
speedfreak19, yeah, it came out in Australia and if nothing else, I quite like the DVD box set that it came out in.
your review is ok and i love witch hunter robin but not everyone apprieciate a good anime like that
I like this animation.
i think it deserved more then a C- this was a very good anime, and i think the story line only dragged on as long as it did was because of their job. they had to show and explain all that about witches. but it's what made it interesting
what! I LOVE this anime! the art deserve atleast 9! and the plot...ok it's not very origial...but...er....it is was reall interesting...
i love that anime the art his really good
To be honest, I liked this anime very much! Some of the episodes were totally gripping in my opinion, plus Robin is so cute and cool ^_^
This thread starts with a review of
Witch Hunter Robin that damns the anime with
faint praise.
What I think should be added is that WHR is better
than Ghost in the Shell, better than Samurai Champloo,
better than Neon Evangelion Genesis, better than
Cowboy Bebop (though Bebop comes
close.) Only Fooly Cooly in my current estimation is as good, though
much different in an altogether another way. I like FLCL better
but not by much. R.O.D TV comes in
third.
Better for what?
Better characterizations, thoughtful story telling,
an elegant and concise imagery.
A heroine that does not offer fan service, who takes herself
and her world seriously, who doesn't accend to pitches
heard only by dogs.
Other characters are equally well treated.
If you like John LeCarre tales (smiley's people etc)
then this series might appeal on stylist basis.
Worth mentioning is that the music
is as restrained as the palette.
But when Robin's theme creeps back
in, the effect is quite poignant.
The muted palette used throughout serves
wonderfully to make Robin's spells
stand out visually.
Zenolite
it does suck that u didnt like it - not everyone's cup of tea. it was very sad - it was done in such a differnt style - keeps ur curiousity in a tight spot - just too see what else robin can do.
good to hear your opinion
it's sad that u gave it a 6.50.it deserves far more.one of the few concrete serious anime out there.
Don't take it the wrong way, ShinoMatrix, but i think that you must watch this anime again since u didn't understand the purpose of it.
If you need more actions scenes, happy BGs and colourful scenarios, try something more simple like Naruto. Witch Hunter Robin was made to be dark and more focused on the psychological matters of the characters. Besides that, if you pay more attention to the storyline, u can understand well enough how big are the twists on the story. It's a pity that a great anime like WHR was so ridicularized by this review.