Search - Noir - Death Warrant (Vol. 4) on DVD

Three Against One

Marc Ruby? | Warren, MI USA | 07/22/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"After Chloe's dramatic appearance in the previous episodes, Kirika and Mirielle face what for them is a moment of calm. First Kirika finds herself being drawn to a young painter home from the Foreign Legion. But when a price is put on her head as a member of Noir, he is dragged into a deadly conflict, and the women go on a hunt that is part self-defense and part revenge.No sooner does the dust from that settle when Mirielle's uncle returns to Paris. He is the man who rescued her from Sicily when the Soldats killed her parents. A master assassin himself, Feyder acted as her father while he taught her the trade. But Feyder's work puts him in conflict with those of Noir with the inevitable violent confrontation. These two episodes form a parallel pair - poignant demonstrations of both of the women's human and killer aspects. Leaving the viewer to decide what lies at their center.In the last two episodes Mirielle and Kirik find themselves hired to bring down the leadership of a powerful Taiwanese triad - by Les Soldats of all people. Mirielle suspects treachery, but is now determined to pry out the secret of this shadow organization, and accepts the bait willingly. But a difficult job suddenly turns into and impossible on when Shaoli, called 'The Cold-Blooded Killer,' enters the fray against them. Shaoli is an unstoppable killer who specializes in deadly poisons. Les Soldats react by sending in Chloe to help, and the ensuing conflict leaves casualties everywhere.I was struck, again, by the find story line, playing Kirika's waif-like nature against Mirielle's strength of character. Chloe, whose motivations are always a mystery makes for a strange balance among killers. For the first time we hear hints of the relationship between Kirika and Chloe, which are still just as confusing as when we knew nothing. The directors have a knack of implying that there is some underlying spiritual mystery, where there very well may be none. In the shadows of Noir, anything may happen.Art, music, and choreography are excellent, as always."

Scrap by Scrap

Damian | Delaware.(It's a state) | 07/11/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Starting out as a compulsive decision to start buying this series, I have found that I have thoroughly enjoyed ever aspect of both the characters and the plot. Perhaps the most impressive feature of this series is its ability to keep structured and well organized. What do I mean? You know how anime is. The action has a tendency to degrade into ridiculous eye candy all for the purpose of "upping the ante" in terms of the fights. But not with Noir. These characters are real. They have the aim, firing ability, and manueverability that is within the bounds of a normal human. Granted, these are special cases with excellent assassin skill, but it is still within the bounds of belief. Even when Chloe, the throwing knife-weilding assassin wearing a cape shows up, the series keeps her character in perspective. In doing so, not only is she mortal, but she is displayed as even more human then the two main protagonists in some ways. When I say that, I mean her emotional mindset and humility. A cold-blooded assassin? Yes. But there is another side of her, one that specifically adores Kirika and Altena, making her age all too apparent. (she's only around 16, and it shows in her mannerisms with Altena)
Not only are the characters well-organized, but the plot is amazingly so. There are no confusing elements here, everything happens for a reason and one that is believable. There is nothing outlandish here that is past the realm of suspension of disbelief, which is what usually happens towards the end of anime series. Therefore I am hoping very much that the well-done progression of the story continues in the last two disks and follows after Cowboy Bebop as having a wonderful ending without purposefully confusing the viewer or having stupid symbolic events.
This disk only affirms the conclusions made above. We start off the disk with a nice personality insight into Kirika, everyone's favorite mystery. It seems she has taken up a hobby, painting. But the fact that she is an assassin will inevitably get in the way, and does, leading to a swift solution to the episode. The next episode details even more of Mirielle's childhood, and how she grew up. We meet another of her family members, a charming "uncle" who only wants the best for her. But things, well, go wrong and Mirielle is forced to choose what is most important for her. The dvd finishes with a two-part story in which Kirika and Mirielle recieve a job offer from none other than the Soldats. This leads them to the conclusion that there are conflicting factions within the Soldats themselves, and they warily accept the offer. This leads them to Taiwan where they come into conflict with the Triads, and especially with an expert assassin by the name of Shaoli, and she is an expert at poison. She also has the details on Noir, and sets a trap for them that they can't escape. Will Mirielle and Kirika be able to come out with their lives, even with the help of newly-arrived Chloe? Of course, they are the main characters, but the method of solving the crisis is excellent, to say the least."

"That's Why I Told You."

Bryan Weber | San Angelo, TX | 08/10/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"When Kirika begins to show an interest in an artist that she meets on the riverbank, Mirielle warns the girl not to get involved with him. When an old enemy of Mirielle's returns to town, she and Kirika are marked, and Mirielle's warning to the young girl is tragically proven when the artist is caught in the crossfire.
Then Mirielle begins to unearth dark secrets from her family's past, concerning Les Soldats, her uncle, and the reason her family was killed.
The mystery deepens when Les Soldats contracts Noir to eliminate a Triad in Taiwan. The Triad is served by a ruthless assassin of extreme skill. Mirielle and Kirika are drawn into an ambush, only to be rescued by Chloe.
After dispatching the Triad's assassin, Chloe bids the other two farewell, with the promise that "Le Grande Retour" was about to happen.
This series is amazing in it's ability to say a great deal without the characters speaking much. Kirika is not a flat, emotionless killer, but rather, a young girl, subject to the whims and fancies of love. We see her emotions most through her eyes, rather than in her words, and we also see her painting along the riverside as well.
Chloe, the deadly killer of Les Soldats, is not without her own emotional moments, such as those where she interacts with Altena, a member of Les Soldats who has designs on Noir, and the organization.
Even Mirielle tells a great deal with a single moment. After the artist is killed, she confronts Kirika, "That's why I told you." Then we see her alone, crying ,"That's why I told you not to do it."
I recommend Noir for everyone who enjoys a serious story with complex characters."

LETS GET PERSONAL

Sesho | Pasadena, TX USA | 06/22/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This fourth volume of the action-packed and excellent anime series Noir lets us in for a peek at the personal lives of Kirika and Mireille and starts charting deeper territory. The first episode, "Season of Hell", concerns Kirika. One day as she is out for a stroll with Mireille, she notices a painter making art by the riverside. She begins to paint with him and a relationship begins to blossom between the two. Whether it's romantic or not is up to you. In the second episode, it's Mireille's turn to be front and center as she runs into the uncle that saved her life when she was a child. She loves him but he is also an assassin and they just might be at cross purposes. The last episode on the dvd is a two parter as the two ladies are hired by the Soldats to kill one of the leaders of the Taiwanese Mafia. The problem is that they have their own hired killer who just might be better than Kirika and Mireille. Further complicating things is the return of Choloe, a minion of the Soldats who sometimes seems to be their ally and sometimes their enemy. This volume was excellent. No surprise there. The animation is good. The digital sound is great. Music good. The series plays more like a film that keeps going and going. That's a good thing. The only complaints I have is that the endings of some of the episodes are telegraphed from a mile away. And maybe that Kirika's outfit, what with her skinny legs and shorts and blue shirt, sometimes reminds me of Beavis from Beavis and Butthead. Well, it all ends at Volume 7. As usual, the extras were skimpy with a brief interview of the Japanese actress who does Mirielle and some promos. Clean openings and closings. Sketches."