Seems to be "Love it or hate it" - I love it.

Sparrow_in_flight

I'll admit - when I was first introduced to Witch Hunter Robin, back when Cartoon Network aired it in 2003, I wasn't very interested. Well, at least, not until episode 6 (Raindrops). Somehow, the idea of Witch controlling a bunch of what appeared to Barbies grabbed me. And I watched when I could.

But I didn't see the series in its entirety, or even the end of it, despite the fact it's only 26 episodes long. I forgot about it until a friend picked up the DVDs in 2006. When I borrowed them, I was hooked from the beginning.

As fans and non-fans alike have pointed out, Witch Hunter Robin appears to take a while to get to its actual plot. Subtle hints are given, however, in the beginning episodes. For instance - if Witches are so dangerous, why is the STNJ so unique in that they capture the Witches instead of killing them? Where's the benefit? And you have to wonder what Robin finds so disgusting about the Orbo, without even knowing its origins.

Once WHR does find its footing, however, it takes off. This is not an action series, not really. Or, at least, I never viewed it as such. There is action, but it's not as important as character development (even stock archetypes can be interesting when handled correctly, which Witch Hunter Robin does indeed).

This show is meant to make you think - what seemed black and white (Witches are bad, Hunters are good) turns into gray as the series progresses. Those Hunters who are Craft Useres can be Hunted themselves, if Solomon brands them a Witch. Some Witches commit crimes using their powers, but not out of malice (episode 8: Faith). And then Robin herself becomes the hunted, labeled a Witch shortly after killing someone during a Hunt.

Obviously, there's more to it- after all, Solomon routinely executes Witches on Hunts - the STNJ is an exception. By the end, we know Robin is a manufactured Witch, and we also see that she's no longer the same person from the first episode. But is she as large a threat as Solomon believes, or not? Witch Hunter Robin is a show of questions. Some of them are resolved, some of them are left for the viewer to provide an answer for. In this sense, WHR strongly reminds me of Fullmetal Alchemist (another show in which you can say good and evil isn't always clear cut and finding humanity within yourself can be difficult). Some will find the slow buildup to a rushing, only partially resolved finish boring. Others will enjoy it immensely.

Plot aside, I'd also like to note that the English dub is filled with exceptional talents. It is equally enjoyable to view in both Japanese and English, something I've not encountered with most anime.

Also, the art and the soundtrack - again, these seem to be on a love/hate level, same as the plot. Personally, I found the tone and style of both art and music fitting, and that they made the emotion of the story more real.

score 10/10

Sparrow_in_flight 16 November 2007

Reprint: https://www.imdb.com/review/rw1764273/