Anime Review: Kure-nai

Genre: Action, Comedy, Drama
Episodes: 12
Aired: 2008
Producers: Brains Base

Most reviews I have read on Kure-nai begins with Kurenai Shinkurou, the impoverished 16-year-old high school student who moonlights as a 'dispute mediator'. But for me, little Kuhouin Murasaki is the show-stealer. And that is big praise, coming from someone who openly avoids children if she can help it.

Murasaki is a seven-year-old girl whose odd mannerisms reflect her aristocratic background. She is taken from her powerful, plutocratic family and placed under the care of Shinkurou, who now turns bodyguard (hey, wherever the money rolls, right? Shinkuro is strangely poor for someone in such a profession).

It isn't a kidnap though, more like a jailbreak. See, the Kuhouins have an age-old tradition where women born into the family are kept hidden from the world in an Inner Sanctuary, and taught to bear children for their own brother(s). In-breeding practice, basically, although the series did not explain why except that it has always been this way and should continue as such. So Murasaki is doomed to carry this burden when she turns 13 - an 'adult' according to the Kuhouins - if she stayed on.

This background is not revealed until halfway through the series. For the most part, Shinkurou has no idea why he is protecting the little girl. But he sees her pain and feels an affinity with her due to his own tragic past; His parents were killed in a terrorism act when he was a young child. Hence his decision to take the 'job'.

Now Murasaki has never been out of the Kuhouin residence (a sprawling Hundred Acre Woods with a maze of mansions) and never known people who are not a) her family, or b) her servants. So she immediately assumes Shinkurou is her manslave and that everyone she meets is hers to command. There begins a blossoming relationship where Shinkurou teaches her the realities of life and she, in turn, gives his life new meaning.

Despite her initial princessy attitude, Murasaki is matured in her thoughts and adept to change. In fact, she hardly comes across as a seven-year-old (perhaps that's why I like her so much? o.O). Yet she still manages to maintain the innocence and vivaciousness of a child. Except, perhaps, her 'brother' complex towards Shinkurou that borders on lolicon.

  

Still the series manages to keep their love for each other pure. The growing brother-sister love is a heartwarming sight to behold. I mean, how often can you watch an anime that shows the leads taking a bath together and instead of thinking "ecchi!", makes you go "awwwww.... so sweet!"?

This Shinkuro really lacks a libido, perhaps beacuse of his wallflower nature (an issue that is explored, but not concluded, in one of the OVAs). In school, he is a gentle soul. On the streets, he is a pushover. Yet all the eligible girls seem to fall for him. Not that surprising if you notice the serious lack of yang in the show. The only guys to ever appear are his two classmates (who have maybe 2% screen-time between them) and the men belonging to the Kuhouins.

In a nutshell, this series focuses on the relationship between the two protagonists and the people around them, including two of Shinkurou's female schoolmates who have a crush on him, his apartment neighbours - a man-crazy college girl and a gothic cat-lady, his lady boss who saved Murasaki in the first place, and her subordinate who takes it upon herself to guard Murasaki under the covers of darkness (goodness knows why she seems to have no life of her own).

Action only comes in sporadically and builds up towards the last episode. Shinkurou apparently has a 'weapon' inserted into his body - an impenetrable 'horn' that pokes out of his elbow during fights. Why this ability was included in this story is beyond me, as it has not served a significant purpose as far as I can tell. Could easily have been replaced with normal weapons such as knives, guns or nanchuks instead.

Oh wait, in the last episode, the horn did make a grand appearance, and reversed a dire situation. This was, however, too convenient a way to wrap things up. Someone was badly hurt, and this enraged Shinkurou who became possessed by the horn and was bestowed supreme fighting abilities, where he was struggling just seconds earlier. In addition, Murasaki's final decision to remain with the Kuhouins, too, is a bizarre twist.

Despite the patronising ending, this is a series I enjoyed enough to be in my fave anime list. A breathe of fresh air from the usual anime genres. It is not very often one comes across a simple storyline as gripping as this, with reasonable character development in just 12 episodes, and in detailed artwork too.

Rating: 7/10

Note: Forget the OAVs. Neither adds to the story, and in fact spoils the ending.