Anime Day #1: Basilisk

"To the one I love, prepare to die."

This was my AWA DVD purchase last year. I bought it at a booth for $30 for the whole series on one of those value disks. It spans 24 episodes with graphic violence and sexuality, but if you're an adult, it's a great watch. It takes place in the 17th Century AD in Japan and tells the story of star-crossed lovers who are the future leaders of two long-feuding ninja clans.

There has been a no hostilities pact for decades that has allowed these two lovers to grow close and their impending betrothal could be the thing that finally unites the clans, but just before this can take place, a Shugun who cannot decide between two heirs decides to use this rivalry to gamble. Each clan is named the champion of a prospective heir. The pact is dissolved and a bloodbath ensues.

These ninjas have super-powers, which sometimes appear to be directly proportionate to the size of their eyebrows. It's a BEAUTIFUL anime with great fights and lots of suspense and deception. Surprisingly, there is very little fan service. All of the fan service of a normal anime seems concentrated on ONE character, who happens to be the tom boy.

It's perfectly paced and the romance between Oboro and Gennosuke is well developed. The ending is absolutely perfect and beautiful.

You can find it dubbed on Amazon on DVD and even cheaper on Blu Ray.