UQ Holder Episode 4: Immortal but not Unstoppable

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Review:

Seems like we’re finally getting to some fun with this show. The exam is over and Tota and Kuromaru are sent on their very first mission. Though Evangeline just had to raise a death flag for them (even though we know they aren’t serious given they are firstly, immortal and secondly, the main characters).

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Despite that, the episode does start reasonably slowly, but once things get going they don’t stop. Even Tota’s do everything with your feet training was actually kind of fun to watch because you were kind of waiting for things to get serious.

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And then the bad guys show up. We’re not really given any kind of motive for their actions other than the general some people don’t like slums so lets burn it down, but given the main group are defending an orphanage full of kids I guess they aren’t really wanting us to see the other side of this argument. Plus, the bad guys all look like bad guys. You’ve got the blind swordsman, the wolf, and of course the shadow creep.

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Naturally the episode ends on a cliff hanger but I’m pretty happy with how this unfolded and am looking forward to seeing how this all gets turned around.


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Karandi James.

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Wolf’s Rain Series Review

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Wolf’s Rain Overview:

In Wolf’s Rain there’s a legend that says when the end of the world comes paradise will appear but only wolves will know how to find it. Wolves are believed to have been hunted to extinction but they are still living by hiding amongst the human population (using illusions to conceal themselves). Drawn by a strange scent, four wolves have gathered in a city and will now begin their quest to find paradise.

Wolf’s Rain Review:

Wolf’s Rain is one of those anime that will either draw you straight in and keep you enthralled from start to finish or have you raising your eyebrow and wondering what you are watching. For me, I was enthralled. The opening theme, the animation, the characters, everything was just perfect. Okay, the plot get’s a little convoluted at times but right from the start there is a clear destination and while we divert occasionally we are always heading toward that finishing point. This is an anime I strongly recommend watching if you haven’t seen it.

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The group of wolves that we meet are fantastic. They don’t just naturally get together into a group. They each have all of the baggage you would expect from ostracised individuals who have been living in hiding and faced isolation and betrayal before and yet they each deal with it in unique ways. They regularly clash in their views and yet still inherently understand that they need each other.



The other thing I love about the characters is that the writers weren’t so attached to any of them that you could rest assured that all the characters were going to make it through every situation just because they were the main characters. That added an extra level of tension and realism to the story. But they also don’t go around callously knocking off every character just after you get to know them.

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I genuinely loved the mythology constructed by this story. It tells it’s story or legend at the start and the events fit into it so smoothly and yet it doesn’t feel like we already know the outcome. The wolves who could give the illusion of humanity and Cheza as the one leading them to paradise just work so well both as characters and as clear plot elements. It all just fit together really nicely and there didn’t seem a lot of reason to clutter the story any further.

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That said, it would have been nice if just occasionally the human characters hadn’t been totally driven by self-interest, greed or prejudice. The audience get it fairly early on that humans are foolish creatures, we don’t need to have our noses rubbed in it literally every time a human character takes the screen.

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Alright, there’s a lot more I could say about this show, but to be honest I don’t want to spoil it. Any further details about the characters will take away the fun of getting to know them and the plot is kind of obvious from the start but there are some interesting moments that are kind of better if you go in blind.

Not much of a review but this is a great anime. The story is a little slow at times but it builds well and tells a cohesive story. There are some really emotional moments and if you are caught up in the story they’ll really stick with you after you finish watching.

If you’ve seen Wolf’s Rain let me know your thoughts below. If you haven’t seen it, give it a go.


Thank-you for reading 100 Word Anime.
Join the discussion in the comments.
Karandi James