First Look: Übel Blatt

Written by Ross Locksley on 16 Jan 2025

Based on the 2004 manga by Etorouji Shiono, Übel Blatt is a fantasy tale full of blood, revenge and action.

Using German influences in its title and chapter names, the series opens with a legend of 14 heroes selected by the Emperor of Szaalenden to travel into enemy territory with mystical lances in order to defeat the evil nation of Wischtech. Three heroes were killed by the enemy, while seven fled the quest, leaving four to complete their task and gain victory. Travelling home, the four victorious warriors were ambushed and slain by the seven that abandoned the quest, who returned home claiming they had won the battle for their emperor and branding those they had betrayed as the traitors. These men became known as "the Seven Heroes".

So quite the tale of treachery!

Two decades later, we catch up with Köinzell, a skilled young warrior trying to make his way to the peaceful lands blocked by a monastery that executes anyone who tries to sneak past it without donating handsomely to their church. It's quite a brutal opening, watching people hoisted by rope and then speared as they dangle helplessly, and I have to say this kind of cruel violence is seldom my cup of tea.  Still, gritting my teeth and knowing how bloody the show was likely to get (and the opening animation is a dead give-away here) I watched on.

We meet a young girl whose name we don't learn thanks to a roguish man named Wied nicknaming her Peepi as he bribes a monk not to execute her, and later a young woman, Altea, who runs a bar that's a front for helping people stowaway on boats. The first episode finds the group making a run for the next ship while evading the monks and the creatures that lurk in the underground. We're treated to Köinzell's skilled swordsmanship, get a hint that his power is linked to the moon and we end on a cliffhanger as a powerful new foe steps forward to block their path.

As beginnings go, it's pretty standard fare - not much different to, say, Magi in how it sets up its protagonists and their powers, albeit with a lot more blood. It certainly hits all the right notes, even if some are now a tad cliche. This can be forgiven due to the age of the source material, I'm sure it was a lot fresher at the time. 

The animation is very sharp, each still frame looking stunning, the action scenes exciting and well choreographed while the character designs translate well to the screen. Some of the almost fetish S&M outfits on the girls are a bit off-putting, but I'm an old man so I suppose it's not designed to suit my tastes anyway.

I like the setup, the quest is clear (revenge) and while the initial tale has elements of Wolfsmund, it will hopefully move beyond that depressing premise and move into more expansive fare. I'd recommend it, but only if you have a strong stomach for violence and death.

Take a look at the trailer and sample it for yourself: