Search - Kiddy Grade - Emerging Anew (Vol. 8) on DVD

A bit of a let down, but no matter

Kate Arin | 04/06/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Kiddy Grade has its ups and downs. There's a sort of general consensus that the first eight episodes are kind of pointless and fan-servicey but there's a vague explanation to each of mini-story later, though you have to think about some of them before you see the connection. Then ending, as other reviewers have said, is not so hot either. There are these gigantic plot holes left right and center - as Eclair puts it, "I'm the ES Member who never dies, remember?" - and you may have to watch it a couple of times to keep track of what happened when (but hey, that's why you got the DVD right?).

On the other hand, you've got this fantastic ensemble of characters, a decent conflict with a character based plot and some fast-paced animation that is gripping to watch. Who cares if you can't keep track of who's still alive and who isn't? The characters are irresistible; you get a feeling about what each of them is like without a whole lot of time being spent on character development. They all have a history, and in the end, this is what comes back to haunt them every time.

There are funny moments, there are serious moments, there are sad moments. The voice acting is impecable - I agree with the people who say the English version is more enjoyable than the Japanese, even though it's almost always the other way around. Colleen Clinkerbeard is wonderfully expressive as Eclair. The soundtrack is also great in evoking the mood of whatever situation our heroes happen to be in. A great series, despite plot misgivings and a not quite satisifying ending."