A Show

just watched 9th episode of Basilisk: Kouga no Ninpou Chou.

This anime is about two ninja tribes, Ogen and Kouga, who for many years have been prevented from killing each other off by a peace treaty from the Shogun. In the first episode, the peace treaty was broken by the Shogun to set off a great conspiracy, and the show started off.

Both tribes have their own 'special abilities', like Yashamaru of Ogen has the ability of deadly strings that can cut rock and flesh alike. Also, each tribe has 10 of such special people. At the beginning they were both given a scroll, which contains the name list of the 10 people of each side, and were to be striked off with a blood mark when they were killed. Even in the first episode, both leaders of the tribes killed each other off. Very straightforward.

Soon word of the broken treaty spreaded, and the Ogen tribe got news of it first. Blood started to spill. And this is the most exciting part of the show, being that the characters just get killed. While most anime and most movies seem to drag the death of their characters, main characters never get killed, Basilisk brings this to a new level by *just* letting them get killed. I didnt expect Shogen, who was a first episode protangonist, to get killed in the 3rd. Yashamaru, on the 6th.

Also, this is also a love story of the Ogen's daughter - Oboro-dono, and the Kouga's son, Gennosuke. Their marriage was as much arranged as they are in love with each other, but the broken treaty spelled the demise. Both of their special ability are in their eyes. Oboro is a very innocent girl whose eyes will "stop" the special ability of other ninjas when they come into contact. Gennosuke is portrayed as a very mysterious person, and only in the 9th episode, he shows his ability, a terrifying skill that when his eye comes into contact with the opponent, he cause them to either kill themselves, or kill others.

I thought that to defeat Gennosuke, Oboro is the key. Because when she looks Gennosuke in the eye, he cant use his ability, which was very powerful against most of Ogen. But once again the plotline was unexpected. In the very end of the 9th episode, Oboro, under the pressure of her tribe (now she's leader because Ogen died), blinded herself. Her idealism was to have peace, a shared dream with Gennosuke. And she wouldnt have it any other way. I felt alot of regret when it happened, because somehow I wanted to see Gennosuke and Oboro fight it out.. but the script wouldnt let it. :)

Very interesting story to me, including very good drawing. Especially the character's eyes.. expressive and pretty. Why must she cut her eyes?