Utawarerumono Volume 1

I’m glad that I watched these five episodes before jumping to conclusions on Utawarerumono because there’s a lot surrounding the show’s premise and origins that doesn’t bode well. For one thing, it is an adaptation of a bishoujo computer game: a recent trend in the anime industry that I can’t say I’m overly keen on. The use of amnesia as a plot device is also one of the most familiar and widespread ideas employed in anime and elsewhere; in this case it revolves around a man discovered gravely injured in a forest, nursed back to health by the kindly inhabitants of a remote village and soon becoming a strong leader against those who oppress them.

The ‘amnesiac hero’ idea aside, there’s a lot to Utawarerumono that is derivative and well-used. Perhaps the single most original aspect is the title – kudos to ADV for retaining it in favour of some more generic English language translation by the way – but while it’s easy to remember it proves to be damned hard to spell correctly! I’m copying/pasting it as I’m writing this review and can see it being a bit of a hassle when writing up about subsequent volumes…fortunately enjoyment of the series itself isn’t nearly as problematic.

As hackneyed as the premise of a hero who has lost his memory sounds, it offers almost endless possibilities in terms of characterisation and storyline. The man who becomes known as Hakuoro, named after the deceased father of Eruruu and Aruruu, the two girls who care for him, is a level-headed and honest individual who is also courageous and highly skilled in battle; whoever he was before, he comes across as a natural leader. The questions regarding his true identity such as the origins of that mask that he cannot remove or the location of his own homeland are left to one side in these opening episodes, save for one or two intriguing flashbacks.

There are other questions posed regarding the world in which Hakuoro has found himself. The forest is guarded by a vengeful god that takes the appearance of a giant white tiger, whose defeat earns Hakuoro the respect of his new friends; strange lizards replace horses as beasts of burden and the people of this strange land closely resemble humans apart from having ears and tails that look like those of cats or dogs. Utawarerumono seems particularly keen on introducing the characters and portraying the events that affect the course of Hakuoro’s present life; the two obvious aspects that hint at the series’ computer game roots, not to mention the setting – a type of rural fantasy environment that RPG fans would be familiar with.

Because the fantasy/historical genre is so full of similar shows that feature strange beasts, tyrannical emperors and invincible warriors it’s heartening to see that this one has gone to so much effort in the characterisation and the artwork. The music isn’t particularly outstanding but the animation is decent enough and details such as clothing and the character designs themselves are all really thoughtfully drawn. The likes of Eruruu and Aruruu look genuinely cute (although those of you with a liking for catgirls will be particularly drawn in by this) and there’s considerable emphasis on the relationships between them all. It’s not afraid to portray the violence either, with battles and bloodshed (even if it’s implied rather than shown) making frequent appearances. There’s a lot of kindness amongst the people who give Hakuoro safe refuge but life is hard and sometimes short for them as well so I’ll be interested to see how his efforts go towards helping their cause.

Although Utawarerumono shows much potential the twenty-six episode count means that it gets off to a sedate start with much going unexplained at this early stage. Many of the characters are also a bit stereotypical, and I suspect that having to wear a mask that covers half of his face limits the amount of emotion that Hakuoro is able to express. As interesting as he is in some ways, notably being capable of acts of brutality but showing remorse and questioning the morality of such actions, his amnesiac ‘blank slate’ personality is less interesting than the typical angsty hero with an obviously tragic past. On the plus side it offers ample room for development of his character, especially when placed in such a mysterious environment with an assorted supporting cast.

In Summary

An amnesiac protagonist and a historical fantasy setting are both concepts we’ve all seen before but Utawarerumono establishes itself as a well-presented and surprisingly enjoyable show that often manages to forget that it began life as an adult computer game. While it’s not devoid of derivative ideas, most elements feel in-context and offer plenty of potential for the characters and worldview to keep us interested.