Kari’s Anime Corner: First Impressions of ‘Kurau: Phantom Memory’

Hi! My name is Kari Lane, and I’ve been an anime lover since I was just a little girl. Those good old days when classics like Sailor Moon, Dragon Ball/Dragon Ball Z, Card Captor Sakura, Digimon and Monster Rancher were on the most basic of cable.

Over the years, I have expanded my anime repertoire and have attended numerous anime conventions. I’m currently a host on AX Live, a web-based news program produced by the Society for the Promotion of Japanese Animation. Recently, I’ve been watching the first discs of various anime series’, and thought it an excellent idea to write reviews based on my “first impressions”. Of course, you’ll have many unanswered questions after viewing just 4, 5, or 6 episodes, but you can get a feel for the show and decide if you want to pick up the second disc! I hope my reviews will help introduce you to some awesome anime, or help you avoid the more mediocre junk that’s out there!

First Impressions! – Karau Phantom Memory (Disc 1, Episodes 1-6)

On her twelfth birthday, Kurau accompanies her father to his lab in an attempt to spend more time together. During her visit an experiment goes wrong and Kurau is hit with large amounts of “Rynax” energy. This energy is actually a life form which comes in pairs, and Kurau has been taken over by this life and its weakened companion. The story then jumps forward ten years, with Kurau working as an agent: a rough combination of bounty hunter, transporter, bodyguard, spy, and thief.

Though Kurau maintains all of her human memories, there is question as to how much of the her remains while the Rynax life forms are in her body. Having these beings around is not all bad however, as Kurau now has powers that make her one of the most efficient agents around. This show feels a little like Ghost in the Shell: the main character’s design, the overall animation style (also similar to Serial Experiments Lain), Kurau’s combat style and how far she’ll go to get a job done, and even her initial outsider persona before her partner awakens. There’s a lot of action/fighting as well, but the show is definitely not as violent as Ghost in the Shell.

The concept is intriguing and I’m curious to see where it goes. While the Rynax relationship is labeled as “sisters” to the human world, it has undertones of being a yuri (girl on girl) couple. This idea is strengthened by Kurau being depicted as tomboyish/androgynous while her counterpart, Christmas (yes her name is Christmas), appears kawaii (cute) girly. The animation is fluid and cool to watch, especially how the Rynax is animated. I will definitely be getting the second DVD, and I can’t wait to see what happens next!