The appeal and reviews of SUPERNATURAL: THE ANIMATION <First Season>

The appeal and reviews of "SUPERNATURAL: THE ANIMATION First Season"

■Overview of the work

"SUPERNATURAL: THE ANIMATION First Season" is an OVA released by Warner Home Video on February 23, 2011. It is a short but dense 30-minute episode based on the overseas drama series "SUPERNATURAL." The original work is a popular series created by Eric Kripke, and this animated version of that worldview was produced by Japanese animation studios Madhouse and TMS Entertainment. It was produced in a rare collaboration between directors Miya Shigeyuki and Ishizuka Atsuko.

■ Story

The story of the Winchester brothers, Sam and Dean, begins with the mysterious death of their mother. Believing that it was the work of the devil, the young brothers go on a journey to hunt evil spirits accompanied by their father John. 22 years later, the younger brother Sam is a college student aiming to become a lawyer, while the older brother Dean continues his journey with his father as an evil spirit hunter. However, after the sudden disappearance of his father and the death of Sam's girlfriend, Sam decides to go on a journey to hunt evil spirits again. The brothers join forces again and continue their journey to find their father and solve the mystery of their mother's death.

■Explanation

"SUPERNATURAL: THE ANIMATION" is an animated version of a popular overseas drama series in Japan. It is the first attempt to animate an overseas drama series in a Japanese studio, and takes advantage of the unique characteristics of animation to depict visual expressions that are impossible in live-action. The series is directed by Miya Shigeyuki and Ishizuka Atsuko, a rare co-director system for a normal production system, and is a new series that adds a new interpretation while keeping the worldview of the live-action version intact.

■Cast

The voice actors for this film are impressive, with Yuya Uchida as the main character Sam and Hiroki Tochi as Dean. Other cast members include Takaya Hashi as John, Mabuki Ando as Mary, Setsu Taniguchi as Bobby, Seiko Tamura as Missouri, Mie Sonozaki as Jessica, Daisuke Namikawa as Ryan, Nana Mizuki as Meg, Noriko Hidaka as Abigail, Yoshiko Sakakibara as the mysterious beauty, Mamiko Noto as Lily, Romi Park as Lyle, and GACKT as Andy. These voice actors breathe life into the characters and add excitement to the story.

■ Main staff

The creator of the original TV series is Eric Kripke, and the directors are Shigeyuki Miya and Atsuko Ishizuka. The series is written by Naoya Takayama, the character designer and chief animation director is Takahiro Yoshimatsu, the art director is Kenichi Tateto, the director of photography is Kohei Tanada, the color designer is Yoshinori Horikawa, the editor is Yoshiko Kimura, the sound director is Yasunori Honda, the music is Hideki Murai and Mark Ishikawa, and the music producer is Kozue Okada. These staff members work together to support the quality of this work.

■ Main Characters

Dean Winchester: The older brother of the Winchester family, he is an evil spirit hunter who pursues "something" that took the life of his mother with his father John. He has been hunting evil spirits with his father since he was a child, but after his father's sudden disappearance, he once again drags his younger brother into the evil spirit hunt. He values ​​family ties above all else and will do whatever it takes to save his father and younger brother from danger.
Sam Winchester: The younger brother of the Winchester family, he hated the work of demon hunters and left his father John and older brother Dean to enter college and aim to become a lawyer. However, after the death of his girlfriend, he decides to go on a journey to hunt demons with his brother. During the journey, he begins to awaken to special powers, such as the ability to predict demon-related incidents that occur near him.

■Subtitle

The series consists of 22 episodes, each with its own subtitle. Below are the subtitles for each episode.
・Episode 1: Another Me - THE ALTER EGO
・Episode 2: Drive to Death -ROADKILL-
・Episode 3: The Beginning - HOME -
・Episode 4: Ghost on the Highway
・Episode 5: SAVAGE BLOOD
・Episode 6: Bloody Mary -TILL DEATH DO US PART-
Episode 7: Temptation of the Demon
・Episode 8: EVERLASTING LOVE
・Episode 9: The Spirit of Vegas
・Episode 10/Moonlight
・Episode 11: Nightmare Returns -NIGHTMARE-
・Episode 12: Lonely Warrior -DARKNESS CALLING-
・Episode 13: What Lives in the Lake
・Episode 14: Reunion
・Episode 15: Devil's Trap
・Episode 16/Farewell -IN MY TIME OF DYING-
・Episode 17: The Place Where the Sun Rises - RISING SUN -
・Episode 18/Hell's Hound -CROSSROAD-
Episode 19: Coward -LOSER-
・Episode 20: Another World -What Is and What Should Never Be-
・Episode 21/The Chosen Ones (Part 1) -ALL HELL BREAKS LOOSE, PART 1-
・Episode 22/The Chosen Ones (Part 2) -ALL HELL BREAKS LOOSE, PART 2-

■ Theme songs and music

Two songs are used as the ending theme. The first song is "In My Head", with lyrics by Kenji Tamai and Yoshifumi Kanamaru, music by Jung Yonghwa, arrangement by Kenji Tamai and Rui Momota, and singing by CNBLUE. The second song is "Carry On My Wayward Son", with lyrics and music by Kerry A Livgren, arrangement by Mark Ishikawa, and singing by Naoki Takao and Goro Oshima. These songs add to the atmosphere of the story.

■ Evaluation and impressions

"SUPERNATURAL: THE ANIMATION First Season" has been widely accepted not only by fans of overseas drama series, but also by anime fans. In particular, it has been highly praised for its faithful reproduction of the worldview of the original work while taking advantage of the expressive power unique to anime. In addition, the performances by the gorgeous voice actors are superb, and the emotions and feelings of the characters are portrayed realistically.
The story also delves deeply into themes such as the bond between brothers, family love, and the fight against evil spirits, leaving a strong impression on viewers. In particular, the relationship and growth of Sam and Dean are carefully depicted, drawing viewers in.
This work has a total of 22 episodes, each with a different subtitle, so you can enjoy new developments and surprises every time. In particular, episodes such as "Another Me - THE ALTER EGO-" and "Devil's Trap-" depict important developments that get to the heart of the story, making them unmissable.
In terms of music, the ending themes "In My Head" and "Carry On My Wayward Son" add to the atmosphere of the story and are memorable songs for viewers. In particular, "Carry On My Wayward Son" is a song used in the original drama, so fans will feel nostalgic and fresh.
Overall, "SUPERNATURAL: THE ANIMATION First Season" is a work that can be recommended not only to fans of overseas dramas but also to anime fans. It faithfully reproduces the worldview of the original work, while making use of the expressive power unique to anime, the acting of a luxurious cast of voice actors, and the deep themes and story make it an attractive work. Please give it a watch.

■Recommendation details

After watching "SUPERNATURAL: THE ANIMATION First Season," we also recommend the following works:
・"Death Note": A popular anime series that depicts supernatural elements and psychological warfare. Like "SUPERNATURAL: THE ANIMATION," it has deep themes and a tense storyline.
・"Tokyo Ghoul": A dark fantasy work that depicts the boundary between humans and monsters. Like "SUPERNATURAL: THE ANIMATION," it has themes of brotherly love and family love, leaving a strong impression on viewers.
・"Attack on Titan": An epic story about the battle between humanity and Titans. Like "SUPERNATURAL: THE ANIMATION," the characters' growth and bonds are carefully depicted, drawing viewers in.
Like "SUPERNATURAL: THE ANIMATION First Season," these works also feature deep themes and fascinating stories, so be sure to check them out.