Yotoden is a 3-part OAV based during the 1500s. It's also one hell of a piece of
historical fiction. The plot is basically as such: The Lord Nobunaga is trying to
conquer all of Japan, and there are forces trying to stop him. As the first episode
of the series opens, we are made pirvy to the destruction of an entire ninja clan by
some immense monster. Only one person, Ayame, survives. Her brother gives her the
clan's sacred weapon, a short-sword made of some special metal, before he runs of to
kill the monster in what turns out to be a suicide attempt. After his death, Ayame
masculinizes her name to Ayonosuke and begins to wander Japan in an effort to exact
her revenge.

Along the way she meets up with another ninja, Sakon, who has stooped as low as
common thievery after the destruction of his own clan. When these two run across
eachother, they are attacked by a group of raven-like ninja called the Oboro. An
old priest, who consequently saves their lives, sends them searching for the last of
the three ninja clans. Sakon, himself, carries a sacred weapon, a sword, made from
the same material as Ayanosuke's.

They find this ninja clan and make friends with its leader's son, Ryoma. Ryoma
carries a halberd, the blade of which is also made from the material as Sakon's
sword and Ayanosuke's short sword. These three weapons, we find out, are a part of
a legend, The Prophesy of the Enchanted Swords, Yotoden. It is said that by
united the power of these three weapons only then can they destroy the evil which is
washing over the land.

This evil is the Warlord Nobunaga Oda, who is using his own supernatural powers
the Oboro ninja, and a slew of monsters and demons to conquer Japan. The three
surviving ninja stand against him, and they go so far as to join a rebellion of
ninja, the Iga.

This anime comes highly, highly recommended. I've got all three OAVs, and there's
also an actual movie which compresses the story-line into about one-and-a-half hours,
which, to me, is unacceptable seeing as the three OAVs run a total of approximately
126 minutes. I'll admit, you're only losing a half-hour, but still. There was actually
a manga as well (this I didn't know until I surfed the net for pics), but apparently it
doesn't go as much into the historical aspect of the story-line, among other changes
which I won't get into for fear of ruining plot points of the anime.

There are, however, some downpoints to this anime. Now, while the animation is
quite often stunning and amazing, it's still not quite breakthrough. This is no
Akira or Ghost in the Shell, is what I'm saying. Also, what you find missing is a
long story. The OAV runs for only 40min or so per tape, making it a little over
two hours long. To escape the problems with this, the people who made this anime,
be it the writers or the producers or whoever, they used a narrator to explain what
has occurred from month to month or year to year (or, to put it simply, as time passes
and events which we do not witness occur). This series could have stood to be at
least another two tapes, if not more.

However, it is still a great anime, and widely overlooked. The animation, while
not quite breakthrough, is still fabulous. And the story is still quite good. Buy it.
It's worth the money, insofar as I'm concerned.

There. That's my two-cents worth. Now go and check out this anime!

[Yotoden Picture Gallery] [Anime Page] [Anime Link List] [Home]