Ogy Anime Reviews: Puppet Princess
(Karakuri no Kimi)
Name: Puppet Princess (Karakuri no Kimi)
– Other aliases:
• The Clockwork Ones
• La Princesse Marionnettiste
Date Released: 03/24/2000
Genre: Fantasy, Horror, Adventure, Fantasy, Action, Supernatural
Age Range: 13+
Runtime: 41 Minutes and 41 seconds
Original Story by Kazuhiro Fujita
– Other works from Kazuhiro Fujita:
• Karakuri Circus (Manga)
• Moonlight Act (Manga)
• Ushio & Tora (Series)
Chief Directed by Hirotoshi Takaya
– Other Chief Directed Work:
• Project ARMS (T.V. Series)
(He has done a lot of work just not much General Chief Direction)
Sound Director: Katsuyoshi Kobayashi
– Other Sound Directives:
• Cowboy Bebop (Series)
• Gintama (Series)
• Miracle Girls (T.V. Series)
• Please Save My Earth (OAV)
• The World of Narue (T.V. Series)
Music: Kaoru Wada
– Other works:
• 3×3 Eyes (Series)
• Inuyasha (Series)
• Princess Tutu (T.V. Series)
• Silent Möbius (Movies)
• To Heart (T.V. Series)
Production: Shogakukan-Shueisha Productions, TMS Entertainment, & TOHO
Other Media Chronology:
• Manga???
**I can’t confirm if the manga exist or only a rumor. :(
Licensed by Anime Works / Media Blasters
Beginning Story:
-Story Insight:
A princess who lost her castle teams up with a skilled ninja to tackle their common foe and reclaim the Princess’s royal position.
- OVA overview:
This OVA start off with the title on the screen and Yasaburo, our main ninja, discovering a blood splattering and gruesome secrete as children scream. This scene is animated in the style a of film noir which is used well to depict the madness and inhumanity of the situation.
The next scene is the introduction of the music which is Inuyasha BGM. A group of ninja’s swiftly jump from the cliff side of the pagoda where these vile actions were made and into the woods in order to make their escape. Once the band of ninjas thought that they are safe, Yasaburo tells his group that he can still sense danger coming his way.
The enemies drop from above and each get stabbed in the head with a type of kunai. They fall and rise again which over panics Yasaburo’s crew. After their screams they were soon dead leaving only Yasaburo to escape from the clutches of The Deadless Ninja (Hmm, I think they might be puppets).
After that fast pace action and gory scene, we get a history lesson as a picture of feudal Japanese war pans through segues through something that Vlad Tepes would perform after he won his battle. The narrator soon tells us that our story is after that war. Here were introduced to ex-princess Rangiku. She is carrying a huge basket on her back and does her best not to step on a small flower.
She has traveled across the land to find a masterful ninja, Sir Katoh, to help her avenge father, former emperor and puppet enthusiast Hisashige Fumiwatari, who died last year by being defeated from Sadayoshi Karimata. Yasaburo who is still tired and depressed from his last battle answers her in a sarcastic manner while pointing out that what she is doing on enemy lines is not smart. The two continue to talk. As Rangiku shows her naïve personality, Yasaburo points out that Katoh is now dead and that they are about to be attacked.
Here enters the leader of The Deathless Ninjas. The leader and Yasaburo bark at each other with action movie one liners of “how dare you“ and “oh yeah.” While the two ninja bicker, Rangiku steps in front of Yasaburo and bows to her opponent. She tells him to send a message to his boss that she will come to his castle to reclaim her puppets/dolls. The leader snarls then Yasaburo jumps into the air. Ninja soon follow him, but Rangiku sets up her serious mysterious string box and enters her puppeteer trance. The top of the basket launches high above. Yasaburo was able to fend off all but one ninja during their encounter which left him open. Before the two could land with a Deathless Ninja striking a fatal blow towards Yasaburo, a mechanical arm with a griped sword emerges from the tall basket to block the strike from injuring Yasaburo. Rangiku reveals its name of Tarohmaru! This construct is a red suite of samurai armor in a size behemoth that can slice through The Deadless Ninja with ease. Both ninja were fascinated by this technique and causes the bad ninja to leave.
Yasaburo thanks her and gets overwhelmed by her power. Rangiku reveals that even though the puppets are powerful she is left very invulnerable to the enemy’s attack which is where he would better compliment her in battle. The two negotiate terms but eventually teamed up to tackle their foe and reclaim the Princess’s royal position.
Today’s lesson: Don’t take dollies from females.
Characters:
A.)
Name: Yasaburo Manajiri
Gender: Male
Personality: What’s in it for me and has a conscience.
Role: Master ninja who assist the princess to achieve her avengement.
VA:
Norio Wakamoto (Japanese)
Other Roles:
• Azumanga Daioh (T.V. Series) as Chiyochichi
• Cowboy Bebop (T.V. Series) as Vicious
• Dragon Ball Z (Series) as Cell
• Garaga (Movie) as Alf
• Kiddy Grade (Series) as Chevalier d’Autriche
• S-CRY-ed (T.V. Series) as Narrator
• Tenchi (Series) as Kagato
Michael McConnohie (English)
Other Roles:
• Appleseed (Movie) as General Uranus
• Disgaea (T.V. Series) as Captain Gordon, Maderas, & Zenisky
• Fist of the North Star (Movie) as Shin
• MÄR (T.V. Series) as Babbo
• Paranoia Agent (T.V. Series) as Keiichi Ikari
• Vampire Hunter D (OAV) as D & Symbiote
B.)
Name: Rangiku Fumiwatari
Gender: Female
Personality: Innocent, naïve, and determined.
Role: A princess who lost her kingdom and will risk anything to avenge her family and over come her past of her father.
VA:
Akiko Yajima (Japanese)
Other Roles:
• The Big O (T.V. Series) as R. Dorothy Wayneright
• Crayon Shin-chan (Series) as Shinnosuke Nohara or Shin-chan
• InuYasha (Series) as Kohaku
• Martian Successor Nadesico (T.V. Series) as Sayuri
• Mobile Suit Gundam Wing (T.V. Series) as Relena Darlian / Peacecraft
Georgette Rose (English)
Other Roles:
• Ai Yori Aoshi (Series) as Aoi Sakuraba
• Chobits (Series) as Chii, Freya, Minoru’s Persocom, and Atashi
• Gurren Lagann (T.V. Series) as Yoko Littner
• Lucky Star (TV) as Minami Iwasaki & Tsukasa Hiiragi
C.)
Name: Sadayoshi Karimata
Gender: Male
Personality: I have a kingdom. I have power. I’M BETTER THAN YOU, AH-HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!
Role: An inhumane emperor who is a bad dude that thirsts for power.
VA:
Kouji Nakata (Japanese)
Other Roles:
• Battle Athletes Victory (T.V. Series) as Grant Oldman the Headmaster
• Dragon Ball Z Movie 2: The World’s Strongest as Dr. Willow
• Silent Möbius (Movie) as Lucifer Hawk
Abe Lasser (English)
Other Roles:
• Cowboy Bebop: The Movie as Rengle
• Fist of the North Star (Movie) as Thugmeister
• Wolf’s Rain (OAV) as Quent Yaiden
D.)
Name: Head of the Deathless Ninjas
Gender: Male
Personality: Barks like a dog and whines like an ox.
Role: Head of this puppet ninja clan.
VA:
Takeshi Aono (Japanese)
Other Roles:
• Basilisk (T.V. Series) as Azuki Rousai
• Hurricane Polymar (T.V. Series) as Joe Kuruma
• Tenchi (Series) as Katsuhito Masaki & Nobuyuki Masaki
Anthony Mozdy (English)
Other Roles:
• Hello Kitty’s Paradise (T.V. Series) as Papa
• Metropolis (Movie) as Shunsaku Ban
• Royal Space Force – The Wings of Honnêamise (Movie) as Guy Washing Clothes
E.)
Narrator
VA:
Mugihito (Japanese)
Other Roles:
• Baki the Grappler (T.V. Series) as Doppo Orochi
• Ga-Rei-Zero (T.V. Series) as Naraku Isayama or Yomi’s father
• (The) Irresponsible Captain Tylor (Series) as Vice Admiral Mifune
Richard Barnes (English)
Other Roles:
• Doomed Megalopolis (OAV) as Narrator
• Hyper Doll (OAV) as Dr. Zaiclit
• Outlaw Star (T.V. Series) as Gwen Khan
*Both were done well with the tone that was given to the situation.
-Animation:
The animation is well done for its time period of the early 2000’s and late 1990’s. One bit of artistic style that may be off putting for some are the character’s facial expressions. More specific, I’m talking about the “serious face.” Given the situation that they are in the person will give a shocked expression to the dire or in humane situation. I will claim that these facial designs are appropriate for the story’s circumstance and plot does make this OVA unique enough to stand out; however, everyone and their gitty aunt will make jokes about how these faces will make them look constipated which makes it a better victim of the rifting.
Animation Rating: 3.5/5 High action to a chuckle satisfaction.
-Sound:
Kaoru Wada just reused the same Back Ground Music (or BMG) as he used in Inuyasha. There may be a new musical score or two in this OVA, but at that point I’m not really qualified to critique.
Sound Rating: 3/5(C) .
Overall Production Rating = 3.25/5 (C)
UHH, a puppet movie on film where the viewer can see the strings.
This must be a bad movie.
Pros, Cons, and Other Thoughts:
-Pros:
• To the point plot
• Understands what tone and story it wants to present
• Pretty good character development between the two main characters
• Not a bad Halloween watch
-Cons:
• Recycled music
• Translator doesn’t know if it’s a doll or puppet (sub/dub issue)
• Other puppets don’t have much of their abilities demonstrated
• I wanted to see what her mother was like (weak issue)
-Other Thoughts:
This OVA has a very similar premise to Chaika the Coffin Princess just no corps collecting.
The story is to the point with many questions answered (I’m not sure if there were some left unanswered).
The action is enjoyable and has many action cheese lines with plenty of them spoken during a fight.
It has creepy horror elements, but nothing too scary.
The main character’s relationship is very similar to (or how I see it) Zelgadiss Graywords and Amelia Wil Tesla Saillune.
Some slap stick scenes do happen during our heroes down time and is pretty laughable like in Gokudo.
Sadayoshi’s English dub sounds hauntingly familiar.
^^^Please do not get this series confused with ‘The Puppet Princess of Marl Kingdom’ or ‘Rhapsody: A Musical Adventure.’ The PS ONE has everyone/thing singing unlike the DS port. Also your Final Summon is a stack of pancakes.^^^
*Pro’s, Con’s, and Other Thoughts Rating: 3.5/5 (B)
Plot: 3.5/5 (B) Well done.
Performance: 3/5 (C)Done well for the most part but why does the English narrator sound like he is about to introduce the viewer to Whinny the Pooh.
Pace: 3.5/5 (B) Doesn’t drag.
Characters: 3.5/5 (B) Pre-Chaika.
Production Quality: 3.25/5 (C) Animation: Action Packed. Sound: Inuyasha!!!
Pro’s, Con’s, and other thoughts: 3.5/5 (B) Chaika.
Overall total: 3.375/5 (C) This can seem mediocre, but I found this to be enjoyable.
Note: Due to my own belief and further defining anime as a pop art, no rating will ever receive a 0, 1, or 5 (a Z, F, or A in my book). For this reason is that times will change as opinions. Anything can be far greater or worse than before. That’s just human triumph and error.
• More puppet action
• 15-20 more minutes of character development (debate able)
• Original Music (Pop stars are like pop tarts for anime)
+13
It does have a six minute bath scene where it would have been a naughty scene, but the bad intention doesn’t happen instead we get an explanation of questioned events that were not answered and tits.
It does have gore in it, but it’s not over the top like as if intestines were lasagna and a two year old brat was throwing it all over the place.
If six scenes were cut this could have a ‘G’ rating even though it might not make sense.
Similars:
• Chaika the Coffin Princess
• Inyuasha (By music and some characters)
• The Slayers
• Gokudo
• Ninja Scroll
Please let me know what you think in the comments below.
Also if your not familiar with Chaika the Coffin Princess please check out my review by clicking this: