Anime: Kazemakase Tsukikage Ran 2o572

Leaving life to the wind perfectly describes Kazemakase Tsukikage Ran. The series follows the traveling swordswoman, Ran, and her partner Meow (or more likely, Miao) as they move from town to town, stumbling upon troubles and fortunes at the whims of fate and coincidence.

Story & Characters
There isn't a semblance of a central plot, it's not particularly dramatic and its episodes are a bit formulaic. Perhaps it is this simple, and gentle approach to story telling which forgoes the dramatic and melodramatic that makes this series so easy to enjoy. It's safe; you know what to expect, and no pretentious philosophy lessons or painful corny moments pop up to ruin the action-comedy in its simplest form. Of course the trade off is that the episodes become quite predictable, but the characters are amusing enough to make their light-hearted adventures enjoyable despite that fact.

Both Ran and Miao are foolish in their own ways. Miao is quite simply dense. She's often flattered by Ran's thinly veiled, backhanded compliments. Ran on the other hand, is blunt to the point of tactlessness. She doesn't give due respect to anyone except inn managers, and only because they bring her sake. Alcohol is her one worldly desire, and it's a fervid desire at that. Her laid back nature and simple wants hide her incredible skill with the sword, but unlike similar characters in Kenshin or Vash, Ran isn't much of a hero. Her laissez faire attitude extends to her morals as well. She'll punish wrongdoings, but only if it takes place in front of her eyes, and the way she es off desperate pleas demonstrates her "out of sight, out of mind" stance regarding justice. The formula the episodes settle on play off these character flaws. Miao will help anyone with a decent sob story while Ran refuses and looks for alcohol instead. They separate; Miao eventually realizes she's bitten off more than she can chew and Ran will come to the rescue, possibly because she can no longer let whatever evil was taking place slide, but more likely because she ran out of sake money and needs a loan from Miao.

The humor is similarly repetitive; playing mostly off Miao's idiocy and Ran's social impropriety. With only 13 episodes, it manages to scrape by without getting old. The ills of society Miao and Ran stumble upon, from drug dealing, extortion, swindling, amongst others, create enough variety in both situational humor and plot to keep the series somewhat fresh. I wouldn't recommend marathoning Tsukikage Ran though.

Animation & Music:
The 70's Asian pop opening and endings along with its 80's, Rumiko Takahashi look hides its age well. I did a double take when I read it was made in 2000.

Ran's bouts are fast and concise (at times to the point of being anticlimactic), not particularly well animated, but at the very least, fully animated, with no still screens or cut outs. While most of the characters wield the Katana with two hands, Ran only uses one, hacking with it like a machete. It's a nice fit to her unorthodox nature, and her dislike of Samurai. Miao fights hand to hand, but her martial looks look awkward at best, ridiculous at worst, though still commendable for being fully animated.

The music is a complete throw back. Not only the OP and ED, but also the regular BGM's, many of which even sound like they were recorded in old studios. They bear that slight fuzziness in the higher notes that typical of older recordings. To go to that extent for its classic appeal is impressive.

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Watching too much Tsukikage Ran at once will exacerbate its repetitive nature. On a sparing watch schedule, Tsukikage Ran is action comedy distilled to its purest form. There are no fetish characters, no social-political comments, just some nice good-guy vs. bad-guy action dealt by a classic boke tsukommi comedy duo.

Someone asked me which is my worst review. Based on no votes, I think it's this one. SO, rate it! I know it's an 8-year-old show. I know you're stumbling on this. But hey, let me know you ed this way! This review is based on the R1 DVDs and is considered fair and final.[br][br]Quick Take: Kazemakaze Tsukikage Ran (TKR for short) is a samurai anime with a twist: the ronin are women. Hijinks from traditional reed-thin main character (Ran) and feminine, noisy sidekick (Meow). It was so darn funny, and I loved the characters so much, and the action pieces were so amazing, that I wished the writers had been given a full flight (26 eps) to do. It's about a female ronin (Tsukikage Ran) in the Edo period (mid-1600s) who is going wherever the wind takes her (no master, no home). She loves her sake. She's blindingly fast and fluid with a sword, which she uses only when necessary, but she's like a leaf on the wind otherwise. And she's helped/bugged by a female sidekick who uses a Neko Kung-fu style (she's called Meow and is absolutely hilarious). It's a buddy road trip, kinda like Hope and Cosby or Abbott and Costello, with swords and fistfights. They battle bad guys, societial evil and their own weaknesses, and the banter is off-the-charts funny. So short you could have missed it when aired, but don't it by, as you will most likely enjoy it, and I predict you'll be hooked if you watch just two episodes.[br][br]Animation: Fluid fights and goofy comedy with enough drama to balance it out (though no real romance). TKR was a 1999-2000 project of MADHOUSE Studios. Judging from what's on the screen, it's technically in the mid-range of anime for that time: average backgrounds, middling in-between animation, average facial and side-character animation, but it really shines when there is fighting going on (and it's in almost every episode). No attempt at cinematics (no lens flare, no forced perspective, etc) and there is no 3D at all that I could find.  It's good old 2D cel animation, and the colors in my DVDs look a little washed out. Done today, it would be largely digital. [br][br]In order to complete the project on a series budget, no less than 5 writers were assigned to the project, each with one to three episodes to write. Therefore, it's episodic, and the character development isn't carried from one episode to another, but occurs within each episode. The director, auteur Akitaro Daichi (Fruits Basket, Now and Then, Here and There) also edited the screenplays, so there is substantial continuity as well as great character moments. If it were the fights, I would love to give this a 9, but the lack of money and work on the backgrounds and inbetween animation scales it back a notch to an 8; otherwise, it's as good as 2D cel animation in 2000 gets. The same budget now would be executed on computers, and the backgrounds would be lush. Still, it's good animation, for it's time.[br][br]Sound: The soundstage in my DVD is not wide, but it is directional. It's got good foley but moderate sound design otherwise. There is not much in the way of ambiant sounds, though you'd expect some crickets or cicadas every now and then at times. The OP is interesting, as it's a "folk" song style, but the ED is sung by the same woman who does Ran: Reiko Yasuhara (she also sang the ED for Now and Then, Here and There as well as doing characters in Fruits Basket and N&T, H&T). It's her fighting style that makes this such a fun watch, but the seyuu don't have much to do when fighting; she shines when she's drinking or complaining. She's got a good command of the part, but she's not nearly as funny as Meow, as voiced by Akemi Okamura (Shuzo "Shu" Matsutani in N&T, H&T). She's the best part of the comedy team, and without her, the comedy is flat. So, I give the seyuu a solid 9, the technicals a 7, and the end result is an 8. Not bad at all.[br][br]Story: Oi, is it episodic! No real "arrival," not much of an ending, but each episode stands well on its own. The episodes could have been shown in a random order and it would not lose much. The characters are given some development, but the running gags never much change. The fact it, the writers did good work in each episode, but because it didn't have an overarching direction, the story is much too sitcom to earn higher than a 6.  Still, though it's the weakest part of TKR,  you won't be completely disappointed, just left a little empty when it ends. There is a lot of banter. There's good character gags. Lots of samurai fighting, a la Zatoichi. Good elements everywhere. But it really doesn't go anywhere. Like a Hope and Crosby road trip, or an Abbott and Costello movie.[br][br]Character: Ran is one of the best strong female leads in anime. She's quiet, fiercely independent, a master with the sword, she's cool, she's strong, she's a sarcastic bitch at times, and she can drink you under the table. She's drawn in an androgynous style, and the point of this gender-bending is to bend the samurai icon (similar to the cowboy in the American West for iconic value) through a cultural prism and see what happens. We need more backstory on her. Meow is feminine, noisy, often a little irritating, more often incredibly funny, and much more a foil to balance Ran: everything she is, Ran isn't, and vice versa. They work as a team because of the differences, I think. So, Character gets an 8 for this, and would have gotten higher if there had been some real direction to the character development. And yes, I'm charitable because of the shortness of the series.[br][br]Value and Enjoyment: I guess you could say I have bought the farm on this series. I have two sets of fansubs and the DVDs. I have watched it several times, and laugh every time. It's a good value for rewatch, and it's a funny series. Well done, and earning a 8 and 8 respectively, losing points only because the darn series never really went anywhere.[br][br]Conclusion: Get this series and get ready for the tears as you laugh your way thru. What do you expect; it's samurai women, no less![br]

I love samurai animes. Perhaps it's a fetish of mine for asian culture's careful development of martial arts. Kazemakase Tsukikage Ran just happens to be about a female "artisan of the blade" whose whimsical personality carries on perhaps one of the funniest TV animes I have ever seen.

The Sake-swilling, sexy, female samurai...

Tsukikage Ran is an invincible samurai. Her posture, her style, and her speed are unmatched. However, Ran could care less about changing the world, as long as morality can be preserved. She also could care less about the trouble going on in the street, as long as she gets a nice cup of sake at the cheapest bar on the block. Myao, the Neko-Tekken (Cat Iron Fist, hence her name being "Meow"), does use her sense of justice with her power - and unfortunately, is pure enough to get involved in fights where she has no place. This anime is a collection of the various dilemmas she and Myao come across; from the last drop of sake, to the life of a friend.

The BIGGEST weakness in Kazemakase Tsukikage Ran is simply that it has no plot. Basically, every episode begins with Myao prancing down a dirt highway, singing some odd song about the weather. Soon enough, some sort of antagonist pops onto the scene, and the conflict is resolved with a blazing fast fight scene. While this is great for the first 5 episodes, I would have liked to see more story out of this anime than what it offered. Regardless, this anime isn't about it's story, but rather that it turns every developing pilemic into a hysterical, slapstick comedy, and sends the watcher back onto their ass in laughter.

Therefore, if you need a story, don't watch this. I personally feel that the story couldn't develop, since the "episodic comedy" routine proved more successful in the nature of the anime itself. Actually, if the story were to develop, this anime wouldn't be quite as amusing, thus it's better off without any significant changes.

Still, there are great plots that develop in each episode, and the ending somewhat suggests that the anime might continue someday in the future.

Amusing cast.

Obviously, Ran and Myao are the main characters - no questions asked. Absolutely everyone else in this anime is a minor character, who is only meaningful for the episode in place. This, however, does not mean they aren't important! I feel that episodes 3 and 9 proved to be the most powerful episodes, mainly because of the purpose of the minor characters. Some are silly, some are serious. It all depends on what sort of conflict develops in the episode.

Ran and Myao remain fairly static - but as I've said before - static isn't necessarily bad. Ran's free nature and skepticism make her very witty and comical, while Myao's cute and crazy "happy-go-lucky" (heh, you will understand this later) attitude adds a zany twist. I liked Myao in particular, mainly because she would often sit and think over things into chaos, and make an exaggerated guess as to why things happen. Their combination forms a satirical purpose for Kazemakase Tsukikage Ran, and that is partly why I feel the characters to be the strongest part of the show.

Great seiyuu, good music.

I should say that the seiyuu are wonderful. The seiyuu for Myao I feel is the most talented, since she is left with quite a bit of lines, and acts them out very well. Ran's seiyuu has to take on a monotone voice, but she still manages to put out her lines in a comical way, despite the lack of inflection. I feel the talent is exceptional, and would be comfortable recommending this to people who have a difficult time appreciating Japanese dubbing.

The opening music has a bit of traditional asian style in it, having a koto and a shamisen supplying some of the instrumentals. At some point brass instruments take over, but even then, the woman who is singing follows a very traditional style of Japanese vocalizing as well. It's a treat for someone like me, but I am certain that many people wouldn't like this sort of laidback, folklike opening.
The BGM happens to remind me of a lot of 90's shows, with a couple of silly chords on the synth going up and down the scale. I honestly believe it fits the atmosphere of the anime, despite it's sound. I think giving it a couple of episodes is fair enough to appreciate all of the music.

And last, but not least - the animation.

I'm sure that those of you who have heard of this anime have heard about its magnificent animation. This is true, since everything about the animation is about fluidity and speed. Pretty much, if you are curious, watch episode one and be amazed by Ran's fast-paced, almost rhythmic swordfights. Or even better, watch Myao kick ass with her stunning flexiblity and lightning speed martial arts.
The one weakness, which I should point out, is the coloring. I feel some of the colors were too bland, even if the animation is flawless in every other way.

For samurai anime lovers - and for a few good laughs.

At the time I picked this title up, I was begging for a truly amusing animation, and stumbling across this one was no mistake at all. This may not be a bad title for newbies, particularly if they like crazy things with a lot of comedy. Also, there is some drama in the series - I basically could point this to anyone who likes good shows, full of life, and with simple plots to keep interest.

Much has been said already about the crisp and beautiful animation of the fight scenes, which beats more famous series like kenshin or samurai deeper kyo hands off in my opinion. The contrast between Ran's clean and deadly sword cuts and Miao's messy neko tekken creates some of the most vivid, funny and beautiful fight scenes I've ever seen in an anime.

But this is not the strongest point of this show. Above all, kase makase Tsukikage Ran is very, very funny.

It is also quite surprising in its way. Even though the plot seems repetitive at first, there are variations in the way the story will turn out : from pure comedy to the verge of tragedy, depending on each episode. This is a gret way to keep the spectator surprised and maintain a dramatic tension from an episode to the other.

Voice acting is especially good for Ran : your typical cold and low voice, matching very well her "fatal beauty" look. Miao's voice is also well suited to the character, but a bit high-pitched and tiring at times.

The humor is more subtle that it seems at first : behind the clowny shows of Miao, there is a lot of very enjoyable tongue-in-cheek dialogs, slightly out of place situations and delightful nonsenses, let alone the references to 70's samurai TV shows and gentle satire of martial artist machismo.

The characters do not lack in depth either. Some episodes will shed light on the past of the two main characters or the evolution of their relationship, but just enough to fuel the sympathy we feel for them.

Well of course I simply loved this show. It contains none of the usual audience-flattering tricks like fan service, endless fighting, meaningless violence, heavy sentimental sub-plots, etc. And yet it creates moments of pure entertainment.
A must watch!

Tsukikake Ran is a sitcom anime. You do not get an overall storyline that builds, climaxes, and ends over the 13 episodes, but they are really individual plots, idependent of one another.

The setting is feudal Japan, the main protagonists are Ran, a female samurai with a taste for sake and Meow, a martial arts expert from China.

I know, up now this does not sound like much... but: the show is one of the funniest I have ever seen. The humor lives of the character interaction (naturally, the characters are exaggerated to the max, but in a way that they still stay concience and believable) and "typical" human (often errornous) behavior. One interesting point of notice is, that the show is not ecchi at all, despite both main characters being female. Seems you don't need a nude ass to laugh your ass of ;-)

Conclusion: definitely not for everyone. If you look for a long story line, raw action, girls with skimpy clothing, this show is not for you. If you like a sometimes artful, sometimes slapstick type of humor (think Laurel and Hardy) it's a "must watch".

The summary is very much accurate for a change. This is a prototypical feudal anime, with the only twist that the two protagonists are women.

Every episode stands for its own, there is no story development at all. The build-up is always the same. They travel, someone does evil things, they beat up / slash the evil-doers.

Now why would anybody want to see that? Because it is very well animated. The fighting scenes are very good and fluid. Also some of the humor is not too bad.

The sound and voice talent both are very average, not really bad.

In the end I can recommend Tsukikage Ran to genre fans or people who can bear with an anime without story or development. But the 13 episodes are short and not boring. If you have doubts about it, do not hesitate to skip it, chances are high that this is not for you.