Product Details

• Format: Animated, Color, DVD, NTSC
• Language: English, Japanese
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: Unrated
• Studio: Us Manga Corps Video
• DVD Release Date: January 28, 2003
• Run Time: 180 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (30 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B00007K01B
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #86,622 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

With her enormous eyes, Barbie-doll figure, skimpy costumes, and masses of auburn hair, Tiara is almost a caricature of the clichéd anime heroine. The theft of the mysterious and powerful Throne of Yord sends her from the magical Guardian World to Earth to recover it, accompanied by her weasel-like partner, Japolo. Tiara sometimes battles her old friend Lena and sometimes allies with her; both women seem more interested in their friend Sara and in winning Kagetsu's affection than in the fate of entire worlds. Director Mitsuru Hongo, who also wrote the original story, shows more of a flair for choreographing midair battles than presenting a coherent story. Numerous dreams and flashbacks interrupt the flow of the narrative, and much of the plot doesn't begin to make sense until the final episodes. Even fans of the series concede that Tiara's adventures are easier to follow if the viewer begins with episodes 9 to 12, then goes back to "The Throne of Yord." Shamanic Princess embodies the visual style of the Clamp studio at its most flamboyant, with lots of full moons, figures reflected in vast eyes, blizzards of flower petals, and so much hair blowing in sinuous curves, the screen resembles an Alphonse Mucha poster gone berserk. Rated 13 and up for nudity and violence. --Charles Solomon

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

27 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I don't think it's incoherent, August 23, 2003

By 

Thomas F. Hooker "bulmabriefs144" (Accomac, VA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Complete Shamanic Princess (DVD)

I've heard reviews from both the Amazon raters and from the Anime Encyclopedia claiming that this film is convoluted and incoherent. I checked it out anyway and decided they were wrong here (though they were right about Maze, it stunk) as I had no trouble following the plot. As I watched though, I found that there were several tricks to following the action. First, you need to learn to filter flashbacks and mirages from the current events. Second, you need a basic grasp of Eastern philosophy, particularly Taoism. Third, you have to understand that the last episodes were flashbacks. It's pretty easy to follow actually, even easier than A Man Called Hero.

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars PLEASE BUY THIS ANIME!!!!, July 10, 2004

A Kid's Review

This review is from: The Complete Shamanic Princess (DVD)

I bought this anime yesterday and I watched four times.I didn't really expect it to be this good. Tiara, a princess with awesome shamanic powers is determined to retrieve the THORNE OF YORD, a talisman.By disguising as a high school girl, she bumps into Lena, her ex-partener.In between the storyline,Tiara and Lena ally and fight with each other.Both women can transform into demonic figures that have awesome ablities.If you love action/adventure anime, Buy this one!

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A little known anime makes a big impact, September 26, 2002

By 

"du_kid" (hopefully not in Lilith) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Complete Shamanic Princess (DVD)

Wow. I didn't expect SP to be quite this good. I had read that some people found it confusing or disliked the way the story was laid out and was worried that, even though I was interested enough to purchase it, I would end up not watching it much.

What did I worry for?

The artwork and direction comes from the same people who brought you Magic Knight Rayeart and Outlaw Star, respectively. Though the big "anime eyes" are a bit larger than normal in this series, the characters and scenery are extremely detailed and the voice acting flows with events very well (on both parts, actually).

As far as the story, I really liked it. Of course, this is coming from someone who thoroughly enjoyed Evangelion and LAIN, despite having to think about things a bit. Sure, as people have noted, the last two episodes basically do belong at the beginning of the DVD, but it doesn't take long after the first episode starts to piece together what is going on. Tiara, the "main character," is a powerful Magic User sent to regain the Throne of Yord, a mystical entity that grants power to the Guardian World. Through the series, she interacts with other members of her world as an intricate story unweaves between them all and her objective.

Anyone who's ever read one of my other (short) reviews knows I give away very little about the series.

Anyway, if you are a fan of CLAMP work or interested in something a little less mainstream and more gothic in plot and style, don't hesitate to look this up.