Synopsis
When Mireille, beautiful assassin for hire, recieves an email which plays a haunting melody and invites her to “make a pilgrimage for the past,” she immediately leaves Paris to meet with the sender, a young Japanese girl.
Kirika woke up alone with no memories of herself or the house she lived in. Her only possessions are her student ID card, the pocketwatch which links her to Mireille, and a Beretta M1934 pistol which she uses with uncanny efficiency. Together they must not only uncover Kirika’s origins but the Mireille’s own hidden past and the secrets of an ancient and far-reaching underground organization.
Impressions
Noir is my favorite action anime. It has everything: characters, style, artwork, music. From the spy-thriller opening to the diverse real-world settings to the catchy and memorable BGM, Noir’s heart beats to its own rhythm.
Critics of Noir, and there are plenty, describe it as style-over-substance, saying that the characters are empty and the story creeps along until the tenth episode. It seems to me that those who say this just aren’t paying attention, for I see a wonderful depth of character in Noir. First, realize that Mireille is an ice queen and Kirika is a shy, introverted girl; you can’t expect them to wear their hearts on their sleeves. Just the opposite. So during the first nine or so allegedly slow and episodic shows we getting to know them through their actions and interactions with each other, not just when fullfilling contracts as the assassin team called Noir but in doing little things like cooking dinner, making tea, or hanging out on the beach. Then, once the storyline accelerates, the relationship they’ve built becomes the key to their survival.
Even those who disagree about everything else still acknowledge that Noir is unique and stylish. The backgrounds are stunning, the animation is top-notch, and the music is beautiful.
Random Thoughts
Director Mashimo Koichi felt it necessary to include liner notes commenting on the (mis)perception that Noir is a fan service show. He points out that Mireille is cold, Kirika wears frumpy clothing, and that there are actually only two scenes with Mireille that could be considered fan service: one with her wearing a bikini and one taking a shower.
Neko Factor
Poor Prince Myshkin.
- 2003-05-07 19:03 -