Moribito: Guardian of the Spirit (2007)

Adapted and directed by Kenji Kamiyama from a novel of the same name by Nahoko Uehashi, it's the story of Balsa (a bodyguard) and Chagum (a young boy she protects). One thing you should know from the very start is that Moribito is a character piece. There are action scenes from time to time, but they aren't the main focus, so if you're expecting large battles you'll risk disappointment.

Kenji is adept at scripting strong female leads, and Balsa is no exception. She's strong-willed and strong in passion. She could kick your ass if she chose, but only defaults to that when her reliance on her wits is unsuccessful.

Like his previous work, Moribito has a large story arc with standalone episodes interspersed. But it's messy. The 15 core episodes suffer from slow pacing and having no real cliff-hanger. Watch a number of them in succession and you'll see it's one large piece split into tiny chunks. It has an organic flow that needs time to grow. It's best assimilated that way. The episodes that sidestep the main story interrupt that necessary flow. They expand upon characters and the blossoming familial unit but they aren't well integrated.  They range from mildly entertaining to downright boring. There were times I wished the whole damn thing would pick itself up by the sandals and get the hell on with it. Slow and steady has its merits, but slow and boring is just slow and boring.

When it gets back to the main story, you'll maybe realise just how unnecessary half of what you've watched really was. The last half dozen episodes pick up the pace again, but I don't know how many people will stick it out that far.

Animation is by Production I.G, so it's top quality. It's a shame the series wasn't trimmed and tightened to half its length; it may have enabled Kenji to tell the story with more urgency, and certainly more much needed drama.

26 episodes, approx 24 mins each.

2½ saggy middle parts out of 5