A thorough analysis of the appeal and depth of "Angel Sanctuary"!

A thorough analysis of the appeal and depth of "Angel Sanctuary"!

The charm and depth of "Angel Sanctuary"

"Angel Sanctuary" is an OVA based on the original manga by Kaori Yuki, and was released by Bandai Visual in 2000. This work is a dark fantasy depicting forbidden love and an epic war between heaven and earth, and has captivated many fans with its deep themes and beautiful visuals. Below, we will introduce detailed information and the appeal of this work.

Overview

■ Public Media
OVA
■ Original Media
comics
■ Release date
May 25, 2000
■Release and sales
Bandai Visual
■Frequencies
half an hour
■ Number of Episodes
Episode 3
■Original Story
Yuki Kaori (Hakusensha/Monthly Hana to Yume)
■ Director
Seiko Sayama
■ Production
Animation Production: Hal Film Makers Production: Bandai Visual, Lantis, Hal Film Makers
■Works
©Kaori Yuki/Hakusensha, "Angel Sanctuary" Production Committee

story

■ Story

The great war of heaven and earth begins again.
Forbidden love torn apart.
The angels awaken and sing a lament for forbidden love...

The Great War of Heaven and Earth - Thousands of years ago, the organic angel Alexiel teamed up with the evil spirits to purify the fallen angels. After a fierce battle with the inorganic angel Rosiel, Alexiel was deemed a fallen angel, his body was torn away to the angel crystal and his soul to the material world (the human world), and the rebellion ended. And then the Tokyo blackout - it meant the resurrection of the inorganic angel Rosiel.

The story of "ANGEL SANCTUARY" revolves around two major themes: forbidden love and the Great War between Heaven and Earth. The protagonist, Mudo Setsuna, is a boy who harbors the soul of the organic angel Alexiel, and is tormented by his forbidden love for his sister, Mudo Sara. Meanwhile, the Great War between Heaven and Earth begins again, and with the resurrection of the inorganic angel Rosiel, Setsuna and those around him face great trials. The work depicts the conflict between love and war, while raising deep philosophical questions.

cast

■Cast

・Mudo Setsuna / Kenji Nojima ・Mudo Sara / Ayako Kawasumi ・Sakuya Kira / Takehito Koyasu ・Kurai / Yuko Miyamura ・Kuon Shira / Mayumi Asano ・Kato Ko / Yuji Ueda ・Catan / Shinichiro Miki ・Rosiel / Susumu Chiba ・Alexiel / Ai Orikasa

The cast of this work is supported by voice actors who were selected to realistically express the emotions and conflicts of each character. In particular, the voice of Nojima Kenji, who plays Mudo Setsuna, conveys Setsuna's anguish and determination deeply, leaving a strong impression on the viewer. In addition, the performances of Kawasumi Ayako, who plays Mudo Sara, and Koyasu Takehito, who plays Kira Sakuya, are also important elements that add depth to the story.

Main Staff

■ Main staff

・Original story: Yuki Kaori (Hakusensha's "Hana to Yume")
・Series Composition: Masayori Sekijima ・Character Design and Chief Animation Director: Shuichi Shimamura ・Art Director: Junichiro Nishikawa ・Music: Hikaru Nanase ・Sound Director: Hideyuki Tanaka ・Editing: Shigeru Nishiyama ・Director: Seiko Sayama ・Production: Hal Film Maker ・Production: Bandai Visual, Lantis, Hal Film Maker

The production staff of "Angel Sanctuary" have succeeded in faithfully recreating the worldview of the original work while elevating it into a visual expression. In particular, the beautiful visuals of character designer and chief animation director Shimamura Shuichi enhance the appeal of the work. In addition, the magnificent soundtrack by Nanase Hikaru, who was in charge of music, further enhances the atmosphere of the story.

Main Characters

■ Main Characters

・Mudou Setsuna
A boy who harbors the soul of the organic angel Alexiel. He is in love with his own sister Sara and is tormented by it.
・Mudo Sara
Setsuna's younger sister. Just like her brother, she suffers from forbidden love.
・Kira Sakuya
He is like an older brother to Setsuna and is a good friend to her. He is also aware of Setsuna's feelings for Sara.
・Kuurai
A demon who fights against the heavens. The 14th princess of the Kehena Empire. Her life was saved by Alexiel.
・Arakune
A demon that appears before Setsuna together with Kurai.
・Kato Yue
A delinquent who gets involved with Setsuna. He is used in Rosiel's scheme.
・Katan A subordinate of Rosiel. Gained true form through Rosiel.
- Rosiel: The younger twin brother of Setsuna's previous life, Alexiel. He relentlessly tries to kill Setsuna.

Each character's struggles and growth are depicted within the grand themes of forbidden love and the Great War between Heaven and Earth. In particular, the relationship between Mudo Setsuna and Mudo Sara is the central theme of the work and deeply moves the viewer. In addition, supporting characters such as Kira Sakuya and Kurai also play important roles that enrich the story.

subtitle

■Subtitle

・Episode 1/ENCOUNTER-(2000/05/25)
Episode 2: Awakening (2000/07/25)
・Episode 3: Rebirth -REGENERATION- (2000/08/25)

The subtitles of each episode symbolize the characters' growth and change as the story progresses. Episode 1, "Encounter," depicts Setsuna and Sara's meeting and forbidden love. Episode 2, "Awakening," depicts the resumption of the Great War of Heaven and Earth and the awakening of the characters. And episode 3, "Rebirth," depicts the final conclusion and the reincarnation of the characters, bringing the story to its climax.

Theme songs and music

■ Theme songs and music

・OP1
・MESSIAH
・Song: Yuraku Mai

・ED1
・KNIFE OF ROMANCE
・Song: ΦPhl

The opening theme "MESSIAH" symbolizes the epic theme of the work with Yuzuru Yai's powerful singing voice. Meanwhile, the ending theme "KNIFE OF ROMANCE" expresses the sadness of forbidden love with ΦPhl's beautiful singing voice. These songs are important elements that enhance the atmosphere of the story and bring out the emotions of the viewer.

Appeal and evaluation of the work

"Angel Sanctuary" has captivated many fans with its deep themes and beautiful visuals. The two major themes of forbidden love and the Great War between Heaven and Earth pose deep emotions and philosophical questions to viewers. In addition, the conflicts and growth of each character enrich the story and leave a strong impression on viewers.

This work has been highly praised by fans of the original work, especially for the quality of the character design and music. In addition, even though it is an OVA, it has been successful in wrapping up the story in just three short episodes, and has been praised for its density.

Recommended points

The reasons we recommend "Angel Sanctuary" are as follows:

  • Deep Themes : The two major themes of forbidden love and war will pose deep emotions and philosophical questions to the viewer.
  • Beautiful visuals : The character designs and art are of high quality, enhancing the appeal of the work.
  • Epic Music : Nanase Hikaru's soundtrack enhances the atmosphere of the story and elicits emotions from the viewer.
  • Character Development : The conflicts and growth of each character enrich the story and leave a strong impression on the audience.
  • Denseness : The story has been successfully concluded in just three short episodes, and the denseness of the story has been praised.

"Angel Sanctuary" is a work that has attracted many fans with its deep themes and beautiful visuals, and is especially recommended for those who like dark fantasy and philosophical stories. Through this work, you will come into contact with the grand themes of forbidden love and the Great War of Heaven and Earth, and feel deep emotions and philosophical questions.

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