W. Scott Heitman | Gainesville, Fl United States | 04/19/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Anime, like many other forms of entertainment, is heavily riddled with cliches. Insert huge eyes and sharply shaped figures here, goofy humor there, plot-replacing fight scenes here, and voila! you have an anime series.
Scrapped Princess is one of those series that stands out from the rest. It has charm and a simple elegance that, combined with a reasonably complex plot, beats out just about any other recent fantasy series out there. Personally, I find every component of the series to be perfect.
Story- Scrapped Princess has no filler episodes. Every episode, while some may initially seem unimportant, is a vital piece of the story. The show does a fantastic job of creating a whole bunch of story elements and characters during the first half of the show and then throwing them around in the carnage that is the second half. Part of the reason why the story is so expertly told is that the series is based off of novels rather than manga. I would give a synopsis of the plot, but others here have done that, and I personally recommend watching the show knowing as little as possible.
Animation- The art style in this anime captured my attention before the story even had a chance to unfold. The character design and use of color are quite captivating- no slouch here. I might add that the action scenes, while usually brief until the last few eps, are very crisply animated.
Characters- Another great strength for Scrapped Princess, all of the characters in Scrapped Princess are very likeable- even many of the villains. The emotions, for once, seem very real, and at times, you almost forget you're watching animation. There are a couple of humorous characters, but the humor is clever, kept in check, and very well executed.
Score- The music in Scrapped Princess is fantastic; it's good enough that I often listen to it alone both for its beauty and to remember the anime (good soundtracks often evoke memories of their source material). The music is largely responsible for the epic feeling the series puts forth.
I don't actually buy much anime because it is so expensive, although sometimes I rent licensed stuff I haven't seen. I will make an exception for Scrapped Princess, though. I'm chomping at the bit to get the entire series, box and all. While I wish animes as mature and well-written as this were the norm rather than the exception, I am grateful that such a fantastic show exists at all. Don't miss this one!"
Things are not quite as they seem.
Nurse Washu | South Burlington, VT United States | 03/24/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Like Magic Knight Rayearth, Scrapped Princess is a sword and sorcery adventure. Like Ayashi no Ceres, it's the story of twin heir and heiress - one charmed, and one cursed. Pacifica, the central figure, is the cursed "Scrapped Princess". An unflattering title, but accurate, Pacifica is the poison that will destroy the world. Supposedly killed at birth, but now fifteen years old, forces of society and law everywhere are after her to destroy her before her sixteenth birthday. She runs from them and fights against them with two protectors, Shannon and Raquel. So are things presented to us, however things are not as they seem.
The basic premise of the plot isn't something new really, I've seen it used many times before, but what really makes this anime stand out is how the plot is presented. I came into the show without having seen any spoilers, and that is really how it must be done, so I'll be really careful about how much I say about it. Essentially the viewer starts off blind, just like the characters do, and the plot is slowly revealed, so the viewer experiences it the same way that they do. Scrapped Princess is one of the best written anime series that I've seen yet. Besides excellent plot and character development, it's also intelligent and thought provoking about various roles that people have in society and some functions of society itself. I read somewheres that this anime was taken from a large manga work of 12 volumes and that a good amount of material wasn't included in the anime. If this is so, I'll really have to get my hands on this manga to read all of the details for myself. I would highly recommend this series for any serious anime fan."
Finally!
Ben Carpenter | Amarillo, TX United States | 01/21/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I was beginning to think this show would never come out. It came out in Japan at the same time Last Exile did. Anywayz...
Its a show about a girl who is prophecied to bring about the world's destruction on her 16th birthday. She is supposedly executed at birth but is secretly hidden. It is now the eve of her 16th birthday and she has been discovered to be alive! Now the whole country is out to kill her. It is up to her step brother and sister to protect her but they wonder if they are really doing the right thing.
This was an awesome show. Very well thought out, with lots of crazy twists. It is WAY more than a typical fantasy story. Its got lots of humor and touching moments. Lots of action and excitement. Its a good watch and I can't wait to pick it up again!"
Hear's the story on how she got the name "Scrapped Princess"
Ronnie Clay | Winnsboro, Louisiana | 08/22/2005
(4 out of 5 stars)
"It revolves around a girl name Pacifica Casull, born into the royal family of the kingdom Leinwan, and then abandoned. The 5111th Grendal Prophecy said that she was the "poison that would destroy the world" upon her 16th birthday. As a consequence, she was dropped from a cliff as an infant. Nevertheless, she survived, and earned the name "Scrapped Princess" because of her fate.
rated 13 older: violence and brief nudity"
I DON'T WANT TO KILL THE WORLD!
Sesho | Pasadena, TX USA | 04/11/2005
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Pacifica Cassul just wants to be your normal fifteen year old in a Middle Ages type world, attending school and hanging out with friends. Except everybody in the world wants to kill her because she was prophesied to destroy the world on her sixteenth birthday. Well, ALMOST everyone, because she has two staunch allies, her adopted brother, Shannon, who has no equal with a sword, and her sister, Raquel, a ditzy but formidable sorceress. The trio doesn't really have a clue as to where they're going. Where can they run to? The priests of the god Mauser have sent commoners, knights, assassins, and the even more deadly Purgers to seek Pacifica out and destroy her. Even with all the forces working against them, a quixotic knight named Leopold, unaware of the identity of Pacifica, befriends them along the way, and even one of her assassins begins to question the validity of his mission.
This is a good start to what looks like a terrific series. Pacifica is demanding and cranky without being annoying and Shannon reminds me a lot of Spike from Bebop and Raquel seems harmless at one point then deadly then loving all wrapped up in the same package. That's what I think Scrapped Princess is going to be about in the end. Siblings loving one another even though it might bring about the end of the world. Even though Pacifica herself wonders at times if it just might be for the best if she WERE dead. There's something very human about the fact that she feels guilty about all the trouble she's causing for the world. And there's something touching about the fact that her brother and sister will have faith in her until the last possible instant, that the prophecy might be wrong. The only thing I worry about is that the show might degenerate into a last couple of episodes of Pacifica remaking the world and fighting for her identity a la Evangelion or Rahxephon or Escaflowne. I hope the creators keep it on a understandable keel. As for now, it seems a model of simplicity. Let's hope it continues that way. If you like adventure, comedy, and a little poignant drama, check this out.
The only extra on here is a textless opening. Wow. And the same 3 Bandai trailers that have been on their company's dvds for about a year now.