Reply With QuoteSeeing the huge response to this thread, I had best let everyone know that Volume 2 is out. Good stuff.
zero bubble
Having recovered from my Texhnolyze-induced depression (I mean that in a good way), I went out and picked up Madlax Vol I. This is a Bee Train ("Noir") production, and after watching the first four episodes, I'm fairly impressed.
Madlax is the name of a young female assassin, uncannily competent with firearms of all varieties. She works for a shadowy organization, and has been thrust into a civil war brewing in the fictional, vaguely Indonesian country of Gazth-Sonika (oddly populated by Caucasians). Her character is an interesting mix, coming across as sweet, aloof, drop-dead gorgeous and deadly serious all at the same time. The gunplay scenes are killer: beautiful choreography, hard-hitting, and set to some great recurring musical themes.
The parallel story involves Margaret Burton, a high-school girl from an aristocratic family who spends her time in a daze, spouting non-sequiturs and having scary/dreamy flashbacks about a young girl and boy in a war-torn landscape, and something about a book soaked in blood. Strange and highly unpleasant things are occuring to those who come into contact with Margaret. Margaret's hazy existence hasn't yet intersected that of Madlax, but I'm sure that's coming up in the next volume, along with the first hints at how their lives are related by some dark past.
Don't be fooled by the seemingly generic opening episode, which revolves around some jungle themed military ops. Things get quite dark and mysterious in short order: by the time the you're done with this first disk, you'll have been treated to a self-contracted assassination, a sniper-showdown (awesome), patricide by strangling, brainwashing, a heavy dose of freaky mysticism, and international conspiracy.
Character designs are great. The lighting is unbelievable (although that may be parly due to the fact that I was watching this on my new 56" DLP). The animation is wonderfully smooth, with a constant layer of subtle effects. It's all wrapped up in a great score -- good enough to make me consider grabbing the Volume I OST.
Last edited by Prince Planet; 20 May 2005 at 02:05 PM.
"Fiends! Animals! Bastards!"
zero bubble
Seeing the huge response to this thread, I had best let everyone know that Volume 2 is out. Good stuff.
"Fiends! Animals! Bastards!"
Ya Skunt
I checked out the first 2 episodes on Anime on Demand, it's definitely one of those "shows that you don't notice how average it is if it weren't for the great music."
I think Yuki Kaijura did the soundtrack, sounds a lot like it. I'll give the show a few more views if later eps start appearing on AoD.
zero bubble
Correct. Also, I've found it to be much better than "average" so far, but you'll see that I already commented upon the relatively mundane opening episodes. This is a six or seven disc series, so the story is still building.Originally Posted by TrialSword
"Fiends! Animals! Bastards!"
How does this stack up to Noir?
No handle, no identity.
thats like comparing cow shit to horse shit.
Except I really liked Noir.
No handle, no identity.
no one can like noir. You liked beetrain and came along for the ride, right?
No, I really liked Noir.
When Kirika flipped over the railing in the first episode to break the guys neck with his own tie I was hooked. Not to mention Chloe is one of my favorite characters of all time.
Besides, the music. Who the fuck doesn't love the music?
No handle, no identity.
I hate noir, i hate madlax but noir had good music.
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