"Servamp: Alice in the Garden" Movie Review: A Fusion of Charming Story and Visuals

SERVAMP Alice in the Garden review and details

■ Public Media

theater

■ Original Media

comics

■ Release date

April 7, 2018 - January 1, 2000

■Distribution company

Showgate

■Frequencies

59 min

■ Number of Episodes

Episode 1

■Original Story

Tanaka Strike

■ Director

Hideaki Nakano

■ Production

Animation Production: Platinum Vision

■Works

©Strike Tanaka・KADOKAWA/SERVAMP MOVIE PROJECT

■ Story

Tsubaki disappears and peaceful days return to normal, but suddenly, unseasonable snow begins to fall in the town.
Thinking that perhaps this abnormal weather is related to vampires, Mahiru contacts Arisuin Misono, the master of "Lust", in order to gather Eve and the others.
However, Misono was unusually vague in saying that he couldn't move at the moment and would meet up with them later. Then, worried about Misono who hadn't been able to contact them since, Mahiru and the others were approached by his older brother, Mikuni.
--The Arisuin family's hidden past is related to "lust" and "jealousy." Misono's sealed memories are now revealed.

■Explanation

A Servamp is a "VAMPIRE" that is a "SERVANT" who receives blood from humans with whom he has made a contract and obeys their orders.
There are seven original True Ancestors: "Sloth," "Pride," "Envy," "Wrath," "Greed," "Gluttony," and "Lust," and Mahiru Shirota makes a contract with the True Ancestor of "Sloth" - an extremely reclusive, NEET vampire named Kuro. Appearing before the two is a Servamp named Tsubaki who calls himself the eighth True Ancestor, "Melancholy," a being that shouldn't exist.
From that day on, Mahiru became embroiled in a conflict between vampires.

■Cast

・Mahiru Shirota/Takuma Terashima・Kuro/Yuki Kaji・Mison Arisuin/Hiro Shimono・Snow Lily/Kazuma Horie・Mikuni Arisuin/Tetsuya Kakihara・Jeje/Kenjiro Tsuda・Licht・Jekyllland・Todoroki/Nobunaga Shimazaki・Lawless/Ryohei Kimura・Tetsu Sendagaya/Yuki Ono・Hugh the Dark・Algernon III/Ayumu Murase・Otogiri/Atsumi Tanezaki・Mikado Arisuin/Kazuya Ichijo・Eisuke Toudou/Koji Takahashi・Mitsuki Usami/Ayaka Fukuhara・Yuri/Ayaka Nanase・Marie/Ayaka Senbongi・Girl/Mai Nakahara

■ Main staff

Original work: Tanaka Strike, serialized in "Monthly Comic Gene" (published by KADOKAWA)
Director: Hideaki Nakano Screenplay: Ayumu Hisao Character design: Junko Yamanaka Chief animation director: Junko Yamanaka, Toshimitsu Kobayashi Prop design: Tomokazu Sugimura Action animation director: Yasuhiro Saiki Art director: Masaki Mayuzumi Color design: Aiko Yamagami Director of photography: Shigeki Asakawa Editor: Yoshiko Kimura Music: Kenji Kawai Sound director: Toshiki Kameyama Theme song artist: OLDCODEX
Animation production: Platinum Vision

■ Main Characters

・Shirota Mahiru After picking up Kuro, he makes a contract with him and becomes his master. His catchphrase is "Keep it simple." His motto is "Simple is best." He has a bright and dry personality, is caring and good at looking after others, and hates worries and troublesome things, but he is not a lazy person, and is a good-natured person who willingly does the work that his classmates dislike.
・Kuro: The first Servamp, the "Sloth" True Ancestor, who was picked up by Mahiru. Nickname: "Silent End (Sleepy Ash)". He has a self-indulgent and lazy personality, and hates to move. He also doesn't like to get involved in troublesome matters.
The master of Arisuin Misono Lily. A first-year high school student attending the famous private Teiichise Academy. He is arrogant, but has a tsundere personality. Because he is physically weak, he often sits on a chair that is the lead, and has a childlike constitution that makes him fall asleep naturally at 9pm.
・Snow Lily The true ancestor of "Lust". Although she has a gentle and calm demeanor, she has a habit of stripping off her clothes, and her catchphrase is "Let's take off our clothes." Because of this, she is often treated as a pervert, which she finds unpleasant.
Arisuin Mikuni Jeje's master and Misono's older brother. He calls himself "an antique dealer whose hobby is traveling the world," and uses a rope as a leash. He has a particular fondness for Abel, a girl doll that he always carries with him, and shows no mercy to people who look at Abel in a sexual way.
・Jeje: The true ancestor of "Jealousy". Nickname: "Doubt Doubt". He always wears three stacked paper bags on his head, rarely shows his face and rarely speaks, but he is not cool and can get angry easily.
Licht Jekylland Todoroki Lawless's husband, a world-famous genius pianist. His parents are also famous musicians.
Lawless: The true ancestor of "Greed". Nickname: "The One and Only (Lawless)". Transforms into a hedgehog. Wears glasses. Has a frivolous and noisy personality.
Sendagaya The owner of Tetsuhyu and the heir to a hot spring inn.
Mahiru is taller than Misono, but is actually a second-year junior high school student.
Hugh the Dark Algernon III The true ancestor of "Pride". Nickname: "The Old Child of the Good Old Days". He looks like a child wearing a top hat, tailcoat, and monocle, but he has the personality of a selfish, proud, and haughty vampire.

■ Related works

TV anime "SERVAMP"

■ Theme songs and music

・Theme song・One Side
・Song: OLDCODEX

review

The movie version of "SERVAMP - Alice in the Garden" is an anime movie based on the popular manga by Strike Tanaka, and was released on April 7, 2018. This work depicts the story of a vampire and his contractors, focusing on the themes of "lust" and "jealousy". Below, we will explain in detail the appeal, highlights, and recommended points of this movie.

The appeal of the story

The story of this work is set in the world after Tsubaki has disappeared. When the sudden, unseasonable snowfall occurs, Mahiru suspects that a vampire is involved. She then asks for help from Arisuin Misono, the master of Snow Lily, the Servant of Lust. However, Misono tells her that he cannot move for some reason and loses contact. Later on, Misono's older brother Mikuni appears, and the hidden past of the Arisuin family is revealed, which is very interesting.

In particular, the scene where Misono's sealed memories are released is moving and has the power to draw the viewer in. In addition, the conflict between vampires and the complexities of human relationships are depicted, giving the story a sense of depth. For fans of the original work, this is a valuable work that allows you to learn about the backgrounds of the characters from a new perspective.

Character Appeal

Each character in this series is unique and full of charm. The main character, Mahiru Shirota, has a bright and cool personality with the motto "simple is best," and he also has a kind-hearted side to him, looking out for his classmates. His growth and struggles are depicted, making it easy for viewers to empathize with him.

Kuro is the true ancestor of "Sloth" and is a unique character who is a reclusive, NEET-type vampire. His self-indulgent personality and his relationship with Mahiru add excitement to the story. In addition, the characteristics of each character, such as Arisuin Misono's tsundere personality and Snow Lily's habit of stripping off, add color to the story.

In particular, the appearance of Arisuin Mikuni brings new developments to the story, and his feelings for his beloved doll girl Abel and his relationship with Jeje are depicted in depth. The appeal of these characters is a major factor in drawing viewers in.

Visuals and Music

The visuals of this work are very beautiful, from character designs to background art. In particular, the use of color and light is impressive in the scene where snow starts falling out of season and in the scene depicting the Arisuin family's past. In addition, the action scenes express dynamic movements, making it a visual treat.

Music is also an important element that enhances the appeal of this work. Kenji Kawai's music not only enhances the atmosphere of the story, but also deeply expresses the emotions of the characters. In particular, the powerful voice of OLDCODEX, who sings the theme song "One Side," helps to liven up the climax of the story.

Recommended points

"SERVAMP - Alice in the Garden" is recommended not only for fans of the original work, but also for those who want to enjoy action and fantasy. The story, which combines the fantasy element of vampires with the drama of human relationships, has the power to draw viewers in. In addition, the story, which depicts the growth and conflicts of unique characters, is easy to empathize with and contains many moving scenes.

In addition, don't miss the beautiful visuals and music. The beautiful character designs and background art, as well as Kenji Kawai's music and the theme song by OLDCODEX, add excitement to the story. Another big attraction is being able to experience the powerful images and sound that are unique to the movie version.

This film will be a rare opportunity for fans of the original to get to know the characters from a new perspective, and a great introduction to the world of vampires for first-time viewers. Be sure to experience this moving story in the theater.