Mature (May contain sex, drugs, and extreme graphic violence)
Vintage:
January 8, 2009
Status:
Completed
Summary:
In this world, there are three identical looking people in existence who split between them an energy-like force called “Terra.” This energy can be attributed to the amount of “Luck” or “Life Energy” that an individual possesses. There also exists beings who observe the human world, maintaining the balance of Terra, known as the “Coexistence Equilibrium.” These beings possess ability that surpass that of a normal human being and reside in hiding in places known as the “Pure Place” in tribes. They are called the Terra Guardians. This is a tale of battle that begins with a chance meeting between a human boy named Keita and a young Tera Guardian girl named Kuro.
I'm a bit biased as I follow the manga. I loved the Manga. I loved the characters and how they interacted and learning about why they are the way they are. They had drive and emotion. Keita in the manga is pretty much a selfish person trying to realize his dream of making video games for a living when he is 'rudely' (from his stand-point) interrupted by Kuro with the end result being he is tied to her and her fate. He is sad he lost his mother but is clearly trying to move on. The Anime Keita is a brooding pot of Emo still openly grieving for his mother...very....openly. I call Manga Keita Tsundere. There's really no other way to put it. While the Anime Keita is just pure Emo. Changing one of the main character's personality so drastically really killed my excitement for this anime. They also changed the way the 'contract' is realized but I imagine someone thought it was too gruesome.
The action scenes are fluid and the story is intriguing. I just couldn't make it past the 3rd Episode. I don't mind when Anime don't follow the Manga. I kinda like the curve ball feel and not knowing what's going on even though I've read the Manga. As long as it's a good storyline and the characters don't stray too far beyond what would be considered 'normal' in the parameters set for the Manga. I don't approve of changing characters as drastically as they did here. Half of the fun of Kuro Kami was the interaction between Keita and Kuro. It's really sad as this series had a lot of potential.
It retains the action of the Manga, which is one of the points I fell in love with so I could recommend it based on that. However, if you must watch this don't read the manga until the credits roll on the last episode. Maybe I just get too attached to characters...