"Kaidomaru" Review: A fusion of eccentric characters and profound story

All-round evaluation and recommendation of Kaidomaru

■ Public Media

OVA

■ Original Media

Anime Original

■ Release date

December 19, 2001

■Release and sales

Released by: SME Visual Works / Distributed by: Sony Music Distribution

■Frequencies

46 min

■ Number of Episodes

Episode 1

■Original Story

IG PLUS

■ Director

Kanji Wakabayashi

■ Production

Production: IG PLUS・Production IG
Produced by: SME Visual Works

■Works

©2001 Production IG/ANX

■ Story

A man and a woman led by a strange fate - a great Heian picture scroll filled with mysterious romance

In the Heian period, where demons and monsters roamed the land, there was a girl who followed her beloved and fought disguised as a man. She had a flame mark on her arm and was seen as one of the "Four Heavenly Kings" - "Kaidomaru". She fights for her beloved, Minamoto no Yorimitsu, who is willing to risk his life to protect the peace of Kyoto. One person who disrupts this is a "princess" who has become an evil spirit. This is none other than Sakuratanhime, who played with Kaidomaru as a child and loved her, but eventually turned to resentment and hatred.

■Cast

・Minamoto no Yorimitsu/Morikubo Shoutaro/Kaidomaru/Saigaku Mitsuki/Sakuratanhime/Hino Yurika/Ibaraki Doji/Orikasa Ai/Watanabe Tsuna/Masutani Yasunori/Urabe Suetake/Yanase Satoru/Usui Sadamitsu/Hanada Hikaru/Fuji/Kimura Ikue/Yamabuki/Osaka Fumiko/Fujiwara no Michinaga/Kobayashi Toshio/Abe no Seimei/Kaneko Yoshiyuki

■ Main staff

・Director: Kanji Wakabayashi ・Original work: IG PLUS
・Character design/Akio Tajima ・Screenplay/Nobuhisa Terato ・Chief animation director/Kyoji Asano ・Color design/Nagisa Abe ・3D director/Makoto Endo ・2D work chief/Tsukasa Kakisakai ・Cinematography/Natsuko Mori ・Sound director/Keiichi Momose

■ Main Characters

・Kitoki Sakata (Kaidomaru)
The symbol of one of the "Four Heavenly Kings" who gathered around Minamoto no Yorimitsu - "Flame"
She dresses as a man, but is actually a woman.
Is it because of the blood that boils within him as a man that he follows Yorimitsu into battle?
Perhaps because of her feelings for him as a woman, she is unaware of the truth.

・Minamoto no Yorimitsu has a tranquil presence.
However, the dignity and presence he has as he commands the powerful warriors known as the "Four Heavenly Kings" is no ordinary man.
A mysterious existence in which fierce ``hardness'' supports supple ``softness.''
He's a clumsy second lead when it comes to women.
There is no way that he can resolve his inner feelings for Kaidomaru.

・One of the four heavenly kings who gathered around Watanabe Tsuna Minamoto no Yorimitsu - "Wind"
Even among the "Four Heavenly Kings," all of whom are powerful warriors, his skills as a warrior are thought to be second to none.

What is hidden under the eyepatch on his right eye?
That has not yet been revealed.

・Urabe Suetake One of the four heavenly kings who gather around Minamoto no Yorimitsu - "Earth"
A cold, rejecting look.
An enlightened appearance that intimidates others.
It is hard to imagine that he would enjoy hot, bloody battles, but the fact that he still retains his monk attire and continues to act alongside Raiko and the others suggests that he must have had some significant past.

・One of the four heavenly kings who gather around Sadamitsu Usui: Water
He is an avid alcoholic beverage lover.
If you're not strong, you're just a heavy drinker.
Naturally, he's weak to women, he's just an idiot.

・Abe no Seimei, a rare onmyoji.
He has a close bond with Raikou and is always watching over his words and actions.

A girl chosen by Fujizakura Tanhime to be the vessel into which a certain person's soul can be poured.
Wisteria and Yamabuki.
It seems the two of them are like one puppet.

A girl chosen by Princess Yamabuki Sakuratanhime to be the vessel into which a certain person's soul can be poured.
Wisteria and Yamabuki.
It seems the two of them are like one puppet.

・Fujiwara no Michinaga: In terms of position, he was above Minamoto no Yorimitsu.
If he did his job honestly, he should be a righteous man, but is he really just like the old fox that he appears to be?

・Ibaraki Doji A young boy who exudes a mysterious aura.
Is that appearance borrowed or real?
Where does that soul come from?
Everything is unknown.

・Cousin of Sakuratanhime Kintoki (Kaidomaru).
An ugly dispute over the succession of the family arose between Kintoki's father and Princess Sakuratan's father.
This leads Sakuratanhime's heart to turn towards the supernatural.

On the other hand, he has a twisted love for Kintoki.

■ Evaluation and recommendation

Kaidomaru is an OVA released in 2001, and is characterized by its unique worldview and deep story development. Set in Heian period Japan, the story of a girl, Kaidomaru, who dresses up as a man and fights in a world overrun with demons and monsters, leaves a strong impression on viewers. Below, we will go into detail about the evaluation and recommendation of Kaidomaru.

Story and Themes

The story of Kaidomaru is set in Kyoto during the Heian period and revolves around a love triangle between Kaidomaru (Sakata Kintoki), Minamoto no Yorimitsu, and Sakuratanhime. Although Kaidomaru is a young girl who has feelings for Minamoto no Yorimitsu, she tries to protect the peace of Kyoto by disguising herself as a man and fighting. Meanwhile, her childhood friend Sakuratanhime's mind becomes warped by a dispute over the family succession, and she becomes an evil spirit who opposes Kaidomaru. The story, which skillfully combines this complex human relationship with the historical background of the Heian period, has the power to draw viewers in.

The themes depicted in the film are love and hate, destiny and choice, and the meaning of one's existence. Each character's inner thoughts are explored in depth, such as why Kaidomaru fights in men's clothing, the changes in Sakuratanhime's heart, and Minamoto no Yorimitsu's inner conflict, providing plenty of material for viewers to think about. In addition, the culture and customs of the Heian period are reproduced in detail, making it enjoyable for viewers who love history.

character

The character of Kaidomaru is very appealing as a girl who fights while dressed as a man. She is portrayed from many different angles, including her inner conflict, her feelings towards Minamoto no Yorimitsu, and her conflict with Otanhime. There are many elements that will draw the viewer's interest, particularly the reason why Kaidomaru dresses as a man and the meaning of the flame engraved on her arm.

Although Minamoto no Yorimitsu has a quiet aura, he is portrayed with the dignity and presence of a strong man who commands the "Four Heavenly Kings." His inner conflict and feelings for Kaidomaru are depicted with a human touch. The characters of Watanabe Tsuna, Urabe Suetake, and Usui Sadamitsu, all of whom are members of the "Four Heavenly Kings," are also unique and add depth to the story.

Sakuratanhime is a character who loves her childhood friend Kaidomaru, but her heart becomes warped due to a dispute over the family succession, and she becomes an evil demon who opposes him. The complex emotions depicted in the story, such as the changes in her heart and her twisted love for Kaidomaru, leave a strong impression on viewers. Historical figures such as Abe no Seimei and Fujiwara no Michinaga also appear, adding realism to the story.

Visuals and Music

Kaidomaru's visuals are a testament to Production IG's high quality. Character design was handled by Akio Tajima, who recreated the Heian period costumes and scenery in great detail. Additionally, under the direction of animation director Kyoji Asano, the animation is smooth and beautifully colored. There are many visually stunning scenes, particularly Kaidomaru's battle scenes and the alluring figure of Princess Sakuratan.

The music was handled by sound director Keiichi Momose, and beautiful background music was used to enhance the atmosphere of the Heian period. The character songs and insert songs are also impressive, enhancing the emotions of the story. In particular, there is a lot of music that will resonate with the hearts of viewers, such as Kaidomaru's theme song and Sakuratanhime's song.

Recommended points

Kaidomaru is an appealing work with a story that skillfully incorporates the historical background of the Heian period and deep character portrayals. In particular, the story of Kaidomaru, a girl who fights in men's clothing, and the love triangle between her, Minamoto no Yorimitsu, and Sakuratanhime leave a strong impression on viewers. In addition, Production IG's high visual quality and beautiful music are also points not to be missed.

This work is highly recommended for viewers who love history and who enjoy deep stories and characters, as well as those who are interested in the culture and customs of the Heian period. Immerse yourself in the world of Kaidomaru and ponder her fate and the choices she makes.

Supplementary Information

Kaidomaru is an original anime work produced jointly by IG PLUS and Production IG. It is directed by Kanji Wakabayashi, written by Nobuhisa Terato, with character design by Akio Tajima and animation director Kyoji Asano. Additionally, the color design is by Nagisa Abe, 3D director is Makoto Endo, 2D work chief is Tsukasa Kakisakai, cinematographer is Natsuko Mori and sound director is Keiichi Momose.

The cast of Kaidomaru includes a stellar cast of voice actors, including Morikubo Shoutaro as Minamoto no Yorimitsu, Saiga Mitsuki as Kaidomaru, and Hino Yurika as Otanhime. In addition, many voice actors who play unique characters, such as Masutani Yasunori as Watanabe Tsuna, Yanase Satoru as Urabe Suetake, and Hanada Mitsuru as Usui Sadamitsu, are also participating.

Kaidomaru was released by SME Visual Works and distributed by Sony Music Distribution on December 19, 2001. It is a one-episode, 46-minute OVA and is ©2001 Production IG/ANX.

Related works and recommendations

Works related to Kaidomaru include anime works set in the Heian period and works with historical backgrounds. For example, works depicting the culture and customs of the Heian period, such as "Hozuki no Reitetsu" and "Onmyoji," are recommended for fans of Kaidomaru. In addition, for those who want to enjoy deep stories and character portrayals, we also recommend Production IG's works such as "Ghost in the Shell" and "Death Note."

Kaidomaru is a fascinating work that combines the historical background of the Heian period, a deep storyline, and fascinating characters. Please watch this work and experience the world of Kaidomaru.