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Witch Hunter Robin Vol. 6

Witch Hunter Robin Vol. 6

Written by Ross Locksley on 23 Mar 2006


Distributor Beez • Certificate PG • Price £19.99


So, at the end of its run, WHR becomes exciting. Now if only it had been this good all the way through.

With a series of back-to-back episodes bringing the disparate cast back together for one final mission, the series finally displays a sense of urgency and danger that has been so sorely lacking throughout discs 1 through 5. It’s almost tragic, because this disc shows us what could have been, and leaves Witch Hunter Robin as a series that could have been a contender.

With the stand alone episode formula finally kicked into touch, many of the characters reveal their true motives and identities, and wave after wave of revelation hit the viewer with such flourish that you really wish this had all happened two or three discs back. Hardly anyone has been who they have claimed to be and, apart from wondering who on Earth vets the CV’s at Solomon HQ, allows the viewer to appreciate a hint of the series depth.

Solomon itself has so much more to offer. Clearly a hotbed of political machinations and untapped intrigue, the worldwide organisation deserved a more prominent presence within the series instead of being relegated to a backdrop. With such fantastic resources and corporate back-biting, I was dying to know more about its structure and the major players. Alas, the series safeguards its secrets well, and we're left none the wiser as the curtain falls.

I’m loathe to admit that the disc may just be good enough to make the rest of the series worth picking up, but only just. The overall performance of WHR has been patchy at best, with so much stoic posturing in places that you wonder if the cast aren’t robots. The English dub doesn’t help much either, but with so much going on throughout the final disc it becomes far less intrusive.

For those of you who enjoy moody, gothic anime, this may be for you. For those of us who prefer drama and characterisation above all else, there are other titles to consider. Cowboy Bebop, Gundam Seed and Gungrave spring to mind.

Extras include interviews with the cast and a live acoustic performance of the theme tune, which round the disc off nicely.

8
Almost enough to lift the series out of its rut, a fine end to a mixed bag of gothic action.

Ross Locksley
About Ross Locksley

Ross founded the UK Anime Network waaay back in 1995 and works in and around the anime world in his spare time.


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