Search - Popotan, Vol. 3: Decisions of the Heart on DVD

PoPoTan Forever

Scott Martin Gavin | Klamath Falls, Oregon United States | 06/09/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is the final disk in the three disk series, and is a bit hard to review without spoiling the ending. In the final story arc, the three sisters, Ai, Mai and Mii all begin to question the reason for their inexplicable journey through time and space, and since the audience hasn't a clue as to what is going on either, that makes the mystery unanimous. In these episodes, all the girls' chickens come home to roost - the friends they made - the hearts they broke - the people they left behind. And the mystery of the unexplained quest deepens as Mea begins to reveal that this is not the first set of siblings she has guided on the "quest", and she is determined that this quest will not end in failure like the first one. Each of the sisters is left alone to face a hard decision - abandon the quest or continue on - and forced to live with the consequences of their decision. And they come to finally understand the true nature of the "quest" they were on. The producers of the series were very subtle about this and if you aren't paying attention you may not get it, as they don't ruin the story by "explaining" it to us. The ending is very satisfying, and a bit of a tear-jerker. There are no super-villains, no giant mecha, no alien invasions - just three girls who are faced with trying to figure out what is really important in life. Unlike many anime series that never resolve the story line, Popotan does come to a satisfying end, and one that might leave you thinking about what is really important in your life. That's pretty deep for a cartoon show. Excellent graphics and voice acting, and a surprisingly deep emotional story line make this disk and the entire series a keeper. If you don't watch all twelve episodes, you are only depriving yourself of a real treat."