Customer Reviews

Kino's Journey - Idle Adventure (Vol. 1) - With Series Box

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

A friend of mine and myself used to go to Hastings every monday, and pick out one anime and one obscure movie based soley on cover art and the screen shots on back. A strange ritual, I know. Anyways, after picking up Kino's Journey once a while back, this tradition changed into franticly searching for more Kino dvds.

Kino's Journey is not like any other anime I've seen, which is quite refreshing. Each episode tells the story of a different fictional country, many of which deal with very deep subjects. It's a thinking man's anime, with twists and turns that'll make your brain commit suicide. Often times you'll find yourself screaming "What the Hell!?!" at your t.v. screen when the catch (and every country, has one) is revealed. This is especially true in the latter episodes.

If you're tired of all the generic anime cliches, then this series is for you.

There's something to be said for the use of quiet as a story-telling device.
I did not know what to expect when I first sat down to watch Kino's Journey, but I was quickly captivated by this series.
Kino is an impartial witness, traveling from one land to the next. Her constant companion is Hermes, a talking motorbike with a sarcastic bent.
Together, they explore various social situations, and their potential consequences. Is knowing the thoughts of those around you a blessing or a curse? Is it right to live at the expense of another? What are the consequences of prophecy? Can a society truly divest itself of all its traditions? What does it mean to be a reasonable adult?
We aren't always given answers to our questions, either. Kino is not a judge. She neither condones nor condemns those around her.
In the second episode, we do see Kino fight against a group of slave traders, but this is only after they threaten Kino's own life.
Despite some moments of graphic violence, this is a series that I would seriously consider sharing with children about ten or older.
Oft times thoughtful, it is the quiet moments when we see that which is truly beautiful in the world.
My sole complaint is that Kino's identity as a girl was supposed to be a surprise in the fourth episode, but the ADV english translation reveals it a bit early.
The art style is intruigingly complex and simplistic at the same time, with vivid detail for the backgrounds and mechanical devices, but with remarkably plain character designs. The colors use a great deal of earth tones, and it is nowhere as brightly colored as some anime. The musical score is both vivid and haunting. The voice cast for both Japanese and English dialogue are superb.
Personally, I wouldn't mind seeing a few more like this one.

"Kino's Journey" is a fascinating, introspective show with a quality all its own. The show as a whole spans four DVDs and has no plot; Kino just travels around, visiting one country or another and interacting with whoever lives there. Sometimes Kino gets into trouble, and sometimes just watches. The various lands have nothing in common except a vaguely fairytale European quality, and like the best fairy tales, these stories don't shy away from grim brutality -- as well as an 'existential' quality which some may find amoral or unsettling. But through it all, Kino survives and heads on for the next land, the next adventure. For those who like their anime thoughtful, I don't see how this could be better. I didn't notice the "lines" that some found distracting. The backgrounds, skies and details are rendered in a watercolor style well suited to the stories' general mood. A fine show, well worth watching more than once.

Originating as a series of novels, Kino's Journey is the story of Kino, a young wanderer and Hermes, the intelligent, somewhat sarcastic motorrad (motorcycle) that serves as vehicle and companion. Kino travels are less adventures than they are philosophical moments that dig away as the thin veneer of the superficial that is the casual traveler's fare.

Limiting each leg of the journey to three days, Kino and Hermes seek to find a momentary vision that reveals the heart of each country, often in uncomfortable terms. The first episode, for instance turns into a reflection on the tragedy of a world where telepathy works, i.e., where nothing is secret. Where the very thing that should bring people together makes any closeness impossible.

From a technical standpoint, the artwork is graceful and understated. It acts as a setting for the frequent interplays of thought that Hermes and Kino share. This is the most onusual of conversations, moving from Kino's desire for food and Hermes' frequent worrying to sudden remarkable turns of phrase. Director Ryutaro Nakamura (best known for his work on Serial Experiments Lain) strives for a impact and affect as he works toward a different form of aesthetic experience. "The world is not beautiful, and therefore it is."

Like Lain, Kino's Journey is a thinking person's type of anime. The action often turns around intellectual reflections rather than external crises. Objects frequently have unexpected symbolic contexts. As such it will have a smaller but more dedicated audience than it's more active cousins. If you like to be intrigued rather than blown away, you will find Kino's Journey most rewarding.

Kino is a young girl who travels through different countries, never staying for longer than 3 days, because she is afraid that if she stays longer, she might settle down. Her only companion is her motorcycle, Hermes. Hermes has sentience and can speak to Kino and other people. Each episode is a different adventure as she encounters people of all types and countries, each with their own customs and problems.

This dvd has the first four episodes of Kino's Journey.
In "Land of Visible Pain", Kino and Hermes come upon a city that has no visible human inhabitants, only robots who wait on their every need. Where did all the people go? They will find out soon enough. The second episode is about Kino helping out 3 truckdrivers whose vehicle has become trapped in a blizzard and are starving to death. "Land of Prophecies", the 3rd episode concerns a country where the people believe that the next morning after Kino arrives will be the last day before the earth ends. In the last episode, we learn a little more about Kino in a flashback to her childhood in which we learn the origins of her wanderings and how she came to meet up with Hermes.

This was a great dvd and should appeal to those anime watchers who like a lot of story instead of giant robots fighting each other. It almost seems like a book, and actually, this anime is based on a series of books published in Japan. It is pretty hardhitting and philisophical and should appeal more to adults than to kids. There are scenes of some graphic violence, such as a man getting shot in the head and a stabbing. Great dvd.

No real extras except clean closings/openings, production sketches.

I saw this series on Anime Network On Demand, & even though I missed a few wpisodes, It hit right off. This is a VERY laid back & slow paced anime with little action & no romance, but it's AWESOME. This is a relax-time anime that gives you the same squishy feeling as reading a book you're really into.

The only humor in the series is "is Kino a boy or a girl/short woman?" It took me almost 10 episodes to find out it was a tomboy. I should also mention that this anime is very well dubbed. I haven't finished the series yet, but I don't really want it to end!

I have a slight warning to be prepared before you start watching Kino's journey. In doing some checking to make sure it wasn't just my DVD, I found that the lines that are found throughout the anime were done intentionally and are not a defect. Like watching a movie in widescreen, this might bother some people and they might not be able to deal with it. For myself, I prefer widescreen and stopped noticing the lines through the video after the first few minutes.

As for the series itself, I have to say it's something of a marvel. Kino and Hermes, Kino's motorrad (a talking motorcycle) travel the world, visiting no country for more than three days. As Kino observes, it's enough time to get a feel for the region and then it's time to go because staying for more than three days means less time that he can stay in another country. Kino is also truthful enough to also admit that this reasoning may be a lie and that he's just afraid of liking a region too much and setting down roots, which would mean he would no longer be a traveller.

Kino and Hermes spend a lot of time talking to one another, having philosophical discussions as they travel, about the places they're going to and what meets them when they get there. Each country they travel through has their own set of laws and government and those who travel through them are not supposed to do anything to disturb their customs. This manages to give us an interesting look at the world and see how things work and don't work.

The first country Kino visits seems devoid of humanity, with machines performing all the roles that humans usually fulfill. Kino is greeted by a machine as he enters the town, is served food by machines and is even given a room by one. It's not until later that Kino notices there are people living nearby, but they are all alone and far spread out, with no one living with anyone else. It's as Kino is leaving that he finally speaks with someone and finds out why the town is like that and how their hope for a Utopian society had led to their downfall and isolation.

In the second episode, Kino doesn't actually visit a town but instead finds three men who are stuck in the snow and are near the point of starvation. Kino stops to help them but even then questions his own motives in doing so, as he feels no paricular regard for them. It's these ruminations that Kino and Hermes have throughout this episode that really intersted me.

In the third episode, Kino visits several towns, with several of the stories about the towns overlapping. It's done in an interesting style, the way these stories weave together, without the point being hammered into your head. I enjoyed the flow, especially with the first country, where the end of the world is being predicted the following day, so everyone gives Kino what he is shopping for for free.

I can't say much for the final episode because I wouldn't want to spoil anything for someone on their first viewing of it. There is a twist here, which is about all I can safely say without giving it away. Depending on whether you watch the anime in English or Japanese will also give you some clues as to what's going on. I think the English version gave away some hints too early on, but maybe that's just me. All in all, I recommend this show for anyone who likes to think. It isn't all out action for those that just like fighting animes, but for those who like their anime to challenge their intellect a bit, I can highly recommend this show.

KIno's Journey is subtle and thought provoking, and it grows on you slowly. In my mind, it was somewhat reminiscent of earlier Miyazaki films, a la Totoro, for instance. The same dreamy, idle pace is the mood for these first four episodes, but each one has a slight twist to it, and a darker insight into the aspects of human nature.
Both the Japanese and the English language tracks have something to offer. Kino sounds more feminine in Japanese, but Hermes, the motorcycle, has a more "machine-esque" voice in English.
The graphics are well done and soothing, with intricate backgrounds to make up for the somewhat basic characters. Each country has it's own individual look, which is an asset in this easy-paced anime.
Kino's Journey is the anime zen. I love it, and I think that most people will too, unless you only crave action packed shoot em up, blood and gore flicks. (which have their own assests..) This is much more psychological. Highly reccomended.

Kino's Journey - Idle Adventure is a one of a kind story! if you like humor or romance i would not suggest this but if you like a bit violence and somethink to make you think this is the one!

The first series Kino (a girl, took me until the second episode to figure that out^^)starts out in the desert on her motorrad,(a talking motorcycle)Hermes. They come to a city were machines run the city and everyone lives apart, I will stop there...

The second episode is a bit gruesome for some people. Kino kills a rabbit bloody )not to bad). She comes across three men who are stuck in the snow from the beginning of winter from there on out Kino helps them. The ending will take you by surprise!

The third episode has a lot in it. Kino travels to three countries the first one is one that say the world is going to end. The second is the country of amazing tuitions (pretty much explains it) and the third is a sad and sowerful. Kino is told a story about why it is so sad, the end is tied in with the first countries she visits.

The forth the adult land, were when you are 12 you are turned into an adult and forced to do what your parents did before you. This one explains how Kino past life got her where she is right now (once again violent) it was a bit touching for me. Also takes a quote from the first episode.

Kino's Journey starts off with a simple premise - a young traveler visiting the countries of the world, staying no more than three days. And quickly evolves in to a more reveling look at human nature through the eyes of the traveler. The countries quickly become a back drop for the deeper meaning of the episode. Using the current surroundings and dialog the between the main character and the motorrad Hermes the viewer is invited to take a deeper look at the world around them. This anime is highly recommended for anyone seeking a more deeply rooted anime that leads to philosophical thought and discussion. However, it is best noted that the DVD carries a suggested age rating of 15+ due to some disturbing moments in episode 2 "A Tale of Feeding Off Others" and episode 4 "Land of Adults".