The relationship between Kurau and Christmas is the driving force of the series. As a character driven story, it’s pretty much a given. They are both dependant on each other; Christmas needing Kurau to compensate for her naiveté, Kurau to keep the loneliness at bay. The dynamics between them is really where this series shines. Most sci-fi shows delve little into character development, relying more on the intense action to keep the story moving.
Not Kurau Phantom Memory, though. Sure, action fans will find something to latch onto, but it is the characters that keep this train on its tracks. Kurau’s worries, Christmas’ innocence to the world, the quiet panic of the GOP, all lend to a tightly woven story that makes this series so damn good. Even the secondary characters, like a freelance agent who keeps tabs on Kurau for undisclosed reasons, have back stories of their own that keep the series from getting stale.
My compliments to the writers at Studio BONES.
I should also mention that the show is beautiful to look at. Every animation is fluid and graceful, giving the vital characters more realistic means to allow the audience to relate. The show also sports one of the most incredible opening sequences I’ve seen in any anime. They spared nothing when it came to quality. And for that they have my gratitude.
To be honest, I really found nothing seriously wrong with Kurau Phantom Memory. However, when I researched the title at hand, I noticed a lot of information idicating that the television animation deals extensively with heavy philosophical issues and is inclusive of complex and multi-layered metaphors, all of which is supposed to pose the question of what it truly means to be human.
I could not find any of these metaphors is these first four episodes of the anime. Granted, the more deep issues will be most likely addressed in future volumes, or I could be just not seeing them clearly. Regardless, I felt a little disappointed. I'm all for some philosophy in my anime, mostly because the Japanese like to address both Eastern and Western views these days. For the most part, the show played out like any other anime, with no real zing (aside from the factors I mentioned above) to make it stand out among other thought provoking shows such as Evangelion.
Also, there are heavy lesbian overtones present in Kurau’s relationship with Christmas. For me, this is really not a problem, but I fear this may turn some viewers away. Westerners are still iffy on programs with implied Yuri aspects (unless its one of those shows you hide under your bed). In Japan, this issue is really not a problem, since the Japanese are more open about sexuality. While the two characters never show any intimate behavior, the subtle displays given may irk some American viewers.
However, this closeness, in my opinion, only strengthens the incredible character dynamics that I loved about this show. Besides, these are miniscule things that I as a reviewer felt needed to be addressed. Kurau Phantom Memory is really looking hopeful as the latest anime to hit American shores, and am eager to see future volumes when they arrive. All in all, the program has gorgeous animation, incredible characters and a dynamic story.