Search - Buso Renkin DVD Set 2 on DVD

Finally!

Michiru | New Mexico | 09/14/2008

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I watched "Buso Renkin" back in Japan when it originally aired, and it quickly became a favorite. I was very excited to find out it was being released here in America.

The basic story, as introduced in the first box set (and/or the original manga volumes), is this: high school student Kazuki Mutou finds his small town is overrun by evil creatures called homunculus. A brave group of soldiers, called the LXE, fights them with alchemic weapons called "buso renkin". To save Kazuki's life one night, a female soldier named Tokiko Tsumura gives him a buso renkin, which inadvertently draws him into the battle. Kazuki thus is forced to try and balance his school life with his new role as a protector of regular people; he's helped by LXE soldiers (especially Tokiko, with whom he has an ongoing almost-romance) and his supportive school friends.

Everything gets more complicated in the second half of the series. The LXE, who were Kazuki's friends up until recently, suddenly turn against him; this forces Tokiko into a difficult position. Will she choose love for Kazuki or duty to her superior officers? Meanwhile, a mischievous homunculus named Papillion, up until now a villain, might be Kazuki's greatest ally--if he doesn't kill him first. What does he really think of Kazuki? The question, ambiguous in the first part of the series, becomes crucial here.

Episodes 14-26 are thus spent following Kazuki as he tries to keep himself alive, find out more about the LXE and homunculus, and finally is forced to make a terrible choice to save his loved ones.

All the characters from the first box set make welcome reappearances here to shake the story up, and a handful of new LXE members help add some dimension to the side characters like Tokiko and the LXE Captain Bravo. A good sense of humor and numerous actions scenes break up the drama and romance, which makes the series move rapidly. And, thankfully, the anime does a good job of changing bits and pieces of the original manga story. While the endings of the two versions are similar, the changes kept me guessing without being disrespectful to the manga and turned me into a fan of the anime in its own right.

This series is not perfect. Some bits are rushed, some action scenes aren't very good, and a few humor scenes seem pointless. But wonderful characters, great acting, an engaging story and a strong sense of fun made this series one of my favorites. Watching it for the second time subtitled, I found I hadn't lost interest in the least. Heartily recommended if you're looking for a fun action story."