Customer Reviews

Lyrical Nanoha: Season Set

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

 

 

Lyrical Nanoha starts out looking like a typical Magical Girl show - the main character meets a talking animal that gives her a magic item, which she uses to fight off a monster attack, and she is given the task of collecting powerful artifacts (Jewel Seeds).

The first difference one notices is that, atypical for the apparent genre, Nanoha throws herself at the task with enthusiasm, hard work, and responsible decisions. After Fate shows up in episode 4, the monster-of-the-week takes a back seat to character development and the conflict between the two girls. When another group shows up at the end of episode 7... well, I won't spoil anything further.

Lyrical Nanoha, despite being a show where the main character is a third grade girl with magical powers, is more targeted to the seinen (young men) demographic than the shoujo (young girls) one. That's not because of fanservice (there's a typical transformation sequence, but that's really it), but because of the more complex plot, the attention to detail given to the battles and the character development.

The product description for this anime doesn't really do it justice. From the description, one might think this a typical "collect all of the artifacts" mission typical of its genre. But the Jewel Seeds are not really the point of the plot.

As the titular character, Nanoha Takamachi, puts it herself at the start of the first episode, "Sometimes, a person's emotions can touch and clash with someone else's. And there's people whose feelings can bond with another so perfectly, they can talk without saying a word. Well, this is a story about people like that and what happens when they eventually meet."

For Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha, the battles and the Jewel Seeds take a back seat to the characters and how they are affected by the events that take place. In its 13-episode run, the series manages to do what many shows fail to accomplish with far more airtime: it tells a story of people, a story rich in character development, character interaction, and ultimately meaning. And amidst all of that, it still retains its place as a magical girl show, with flashy attack spells, a transformation sequence, and a third-grade girl with magical power.

Easily one of the most interesting and enjoyable anime series I've seen in a while, and if you like the magical girl style, Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha shouldn't be missed.

I know it looks like the typical magical girl anime and it does start that way and then verges into character building and considering it's a 13 episode anime it closes rather well. I loved watching the subtitled version with japanese audio better than the english audio but that everyone own preference.

People should give this a chance you won't be disappointed and look out for Lyrical Nanoha A's the sequel which is even better than this one.

Both of my daughters 10 & 14 love anime. It is a complex world to find anime that is both tame enough from adult anime and yet not so simplstic that you could categorize it with Barney. I was lucky enough to find this series among others for my daughters. It has a great Magical girl feel and while there is a hint of romance it; is not so in-depth that I need to restrict my 10 yr old from watching.

There's humor, drama, angst, action, even a tinge of romance! The girls are incredibly adorable and magical warfare couldn't have looked more awesome in the hands of a bunch of third graders!

So if you're a Magical Girl anime fan, you HAVE to buy this and High A's, and if you're not, you'll want this to be the first one you've ever watched. Trust me! ^^