Ulysses: Jeanne d'Arc and the Alchemist Knight - A deep review of the fascinating story and characters

Ulysses: Joan of Arc and the Alchemist Knight - A magnificent tale where history and fantasy intersect

The TV anime series "Ulysses: Jeanne d'Arc and the Alchemist Knight," which aired from October to December 2018, is based on a light novel by Mikage Kasuga. The anime depicts a unique worldview centered on the historical figure Jeanne d'Arc, incorporating fantasy elements such as alchemy and magic. Below, we will delve deeper into the appeal and details of this work.

■Overview of the work

"Ulysses: Jeanne d'Arc and the Alchemist Knight" is a story about the encounter and adventures of Jeanne d'Arc and the alchemist Montmorency, set against the backdrop of the Hundred Years' War in France. The original story was written by Kasuga Mikage, the illustrations by Melon Tomari, and the animation was done by AXsiZ. It is directed by Itagaki Shin, the series composition and script are by Kingetsu Ryunosuke, and the character design is by Sawada Joji.

The broadcast period was from October 7 to December 30, 2018, and all 12 episodes were broadcast on TOKYO MX and SUN TV every Sunday from 10:00 pm in a 30-minute slot. Copyright belongs to "© Kasuga Mikage / Shueisha, Ulysses Partners".

■ Story

Was it a kiss between the two that put an end to the Hundred Years' War? Another story of Joan of Arc based on historical fact begins now...

Although he is the son of an aristocrat, Montmorency is a young boy who is absorbed in the study of magic and alchemy. He leads a busy but fulfilling life at the Royal Knights Training School in Paris, surrounded by many other knight and princess knight candidates, including Richemont, the sister of the Duke of Brittany. However, the destiny of France and the young man changes drastically after the devastating defeat at the Battle of Azancourt.

After Paris fell and the knight training school was closed, Montmorency lost everything and became a wanted wandering alchemist. He met a mysterious girl named Jeanne in the village where he fled. Jeanne was a shepherd girl living in Domremy. Her village was attacked by mercenaries and her sister was killed. Since then, she has been praying with the forest fairies for an end to the war. After meeting Jeanne and Montmorency, the two set out on a journey together that will change the fate of France.

■ Characters

The charm of this work lies in its unique characters. The main characters are introduced below.

Montmorency

The son of a great nobleman from the Kingdom of France, he showed more interest in alchemy and magic than fighting at the Royal Knight Training Academy, and received the worst grades since the school's establishment. Wanted throughout France as a black magician, he is on the run with the winged fairy Astaroth when he meets Jeanne in the village of Domremy. Making full use of his knowledge of alchemy and magic, Montmorency embarks on an adventure with Jeanne to change the fate of France. His character is filled with a thirst for knowledge and a spirit of adventure, and has a strong will that refuses to give up even in difficult situations.

Joan of Arc

Jeanne is a shepherd girl living in the village of Domremy. After her village was attacked by mercenaries and her sister was killed, she has been praying with the forest fairies for a quick end to the war. She meets Montmorency, who is on the run, and thereafter begins to travel with him. Jeanne is a pure girl with strong convictions, and her existence is at the center of the story. Her courage and faith have a great impact on the people around her, and become a force for changing the future of France.

Astaroth

A rare species of winged fairy, she looks like a tiny human girl, but her body is palm-sized, making her very small even among fairies. She has a wealth of knowledge about alchemy, and is like a teacher and partner to Montmorency. Astaroth is an indispensable presence in Montmorency's adventures, and her knowledge and advice play an important role in advancing the story.

Richemont

Richemont is a princess knight of the Duchy of Brittany, located in the northwest of the Kingdom of France. She is a genius in war, but also values ​​justice, is earnest, inflexible, and easily makes enemies. In order to protect the independence of Brittany, she stayed in Brittany with her brother, who succeeded her as duke. After studying at the Royal Knights Training School with Montmorency, she participated in the Battle of Azincourt. Richemont demonstrates bravery and leadership on the battlefield, and plays an important role as a character in the story.

Charlotte

She is the princess of the French Kingdom, and has an arrogant, condescending princess-like disposition. She grew up hating men, due to her rebellion against her mother, who had a promiscuous history with men, but she also resembles her mother in constitution, and as she grows up, she acquires a beauty and body that bewitches men. She does not get along with the earnest Richemont, and they have been on bad terms since their days at the Royal Knight Training School. Charlotte is a character who is troubled by her complicated family background and her own beauty, and her growth and change add depth to the story.

Philip

Philippe is a Duchess of Burgundy, located in the eastern part of France, and a girl with a gentle personality in contrast to her cold-hearted father. She enrolls in the Royal Knight Training School to apologize for the crimes her father committed. She has been called the Good Princess, the Crybaby Princess, and the Bedwetting Princess. Philippe is a character with kindness and a sense of responsibility, and her actions influence the development of the story.

La Hire

La Hire is a female mercenary from Gascony. Her nickname as a mercenary, meaning "wrath", comes from her easily-angered personality. Although she always plays the role of a tomboyish mercenary captain, she is actually a young woman who dreams of becoming a bride. She allows her minions to plunder in order to make ends meet, but she does not tolerate violence towards women, children or fairies. La Hire is a character who combines strength and kindness, and her actions heighten the tension of the story.

Batal

He is Charlotte's cousin and servant, and although he dresses as a woman, he is actually a man. He is forced to dress as a woman because Charlotte hates men. Batar is a character who struggles to gain Charlotte's trust, and his efforts and growth add color to the story.

Alençon

Alençon is Richemont's cousin, and regards his cousin Richemont as an older sister. He aims to become a knight who pledges his love and loyalty to the noblewoman, and finds Montmorency, who is preoccupied with alchemy, to be a nuisance. Alençon is a character who has the pride and loyalty of a knight, and his actions influence the development of the story.

Zantrailleur

A member of the Gascon mercenary corps led by La Hire, he loves La Hire and big breasts. Zantraille is a character with a loyalty to La Hire and a humorous personality, and his actions add lightness to the story.

■ Staff

Many talented staff members were involved in the production of this work. The main staff members are introduced below.

original work

Kasuga Mikage

Illustration

Melon Tomari

director

Shin Itagaki

Series Composition and Script

Ryunosuke Kingetsu

Character design and chief animation director

Joji Sawada

Chief animation director

Yuri Ichinose, Shigeyuki Takahashi, and Miyako Nishida

Art setting

Takahashi Maho

Art Director

Kikuna Kaori

Color design

Kyosuke Ishikawa

Director of Photography

Machida Kei

edit

Mutsumi Takemiya

Sound Director

Ryosuke Naya

music

Taku Iwasaki

Music Production

Lantis

assistant director

Takanori Yano

Animation Production

AXsiZ

■Cast

The cast is also an important element in enhancing the appeal of this work. Below, we introduce the main cast.

Montmorency

Ryota Osaka

Joan of Arc

Yuuko Ohno

Astaroth

Hisako Tojo

Richemont

Manami Numakura

Charlotte

Saori Onishi

Philip

Takada Yuki

La Hire

Shizuka Ishigami

Batal

Yuki Kuwahara

Alençon

Junji Mashima

Zantrailleur

Hidenori Takahashi

Nicolas Flamel

Ito Hiroshi

Henry V

Satoshi Hino

Bedford

Kazuyuki Kokitsu

La Tremoille

Atsushi Abe

Jean the Fearless

Atsushi Axe

Glasdale

Hiroaki Hirata

Red-bearded Jean

Tesshō Genda

Catherine

Miyu Tomita

Enlil

Takehito Koyasu

Thomas

Ayaka Suwa

Narration

Unsho Ishizuka

■Subtitle

The subtitles of each episode symbolize the development of the story and are an important element in attracting the interest of viewers. Below are the subtitles of all 12 episodes.

• #1 Alchemy and Fairies
• #2 A Girl Named Jeanne
• #3 To the Court of Intrigue
• #4 For whom was that promise made?
• #5 Proof of Purity
• #6 Ashes to Ashes
• #7 Rain and Memories of Brittany
• #8 Return of the Saint
• #9 Dance of Black and White
• #10 The Beast of the Apocalypse
• #11 Paradise, and
• #12 In this wonderful world

■ Theme songs and music

The theme song and insert songs are also important elements that further enhance the appeal of this work. The theme song and ending song are introduced below.

Opening Theme

OP1

• Period: 1-12
• Song Title: Liberation
• Lyrics: Mai Fuchigami, Yohei Matsui
• Composer: KOHTAYAMAMOTO
• Arrangement: Tsukasa Yatoki
• Strings arrangement: Arata Kawamoto
• Sung by: Mai Fuchigami

Ending Theme

ED1

• Duration: 2
• Song title: One Hundred Years of Melam - First Song: Kiengi
• Lyricist: Yohei Matsui
• Composer: rionos
• Arrangement: rionos
• Sung by: rionos

ED2

• Duration: 3
• Song Title: Hundred Years of Melam - Second Song Enki
• Lyricist: Yohei Matsui
• Composer: rionos
• Arrangement: Yuxuki Waga
• Sung by: rionos

ED3

• Duration: 4
• Song Title: Hundred Years of Melam - Third Song Enlil -
• Lyricist: Yohei Matsui
• Composer: rionos
• Arrangement: Kitagawa Katsutoshi
• Sung by: rionos

ED4

• Duration: 5
• Song title: One Hundred Years of Melam - Song 4 Inanna
• Lyricist: Yohei Matsui
• Composer: rionos
• Arrangement: Hisaaki Hokari
• Sung by: rionos

ED5

• Duration: 6
• Song title: One Hundred Years of Melam - 5th Song Inanna (continued)
• Lyricist: Yohei Matsui
• Composer: rionos
• Arrangement: Hajime Kikuchi
• Sung by: rionos

ED6

• Duration: 7
• Song Title: One Hundred Years of Melam - Song 6: The Collapse of E-Temen
• Lyricist: Yohei Matsui
• Composer: rionos
• Arrangement: Hiroki Kikuta
• Sung by: rionos

ED7

• Duration: 8
• Song title: One Hundred Years of Melam - Song 7: Giusdura -
• Lyricist: Yohei Matsui
• Composer: rionos
• Arrangement: rionos
• Sung by: rionos

ED8

• Duration: 9
• Song title: One Hundred Years of Melam - Song 8: Collapse of Paradise
• Lyricist: Yohei Matsui
• Composer: rionos
• Arrangement: rionos
• Sung by: rionos

ED9

• Period: 10, 11
• Song Title: One Hundred Years of Melam
• Lyricist: Yohei Matsui
• Composer: rionos
• Arrangement: rionos
• Sung by: rionos

■ Appeal and evaluation of the work

"Ulysses: Jeanne d'Arc and the Alchemist Knight" is a magnificent story that combines history and fantasy, and its appeal is manifold. Below, we will discuss its appeal and evaluation in detail.

History meets fantasy

The greatest appeal of this work is that it depicts a unique worldview centered on the historical figure Joan of Arc, mixing in fantasy elements such as alchemy and magic. The adventures of characters such as Montmorency and Joan against the backdrop of the real historical event of the Hundred Years' War provide a fresh impression on viewers. In particular, Joan of Arc's faith and courage are at the center of the story, and the way her presence becomes a force for changing the fate of France is deeply captivating to viewers.

Unique characters

The appeal of this work lies in its rich characters. Each character displays their own unique personality and enriches the story: Montmorency's thirst for knowledge and adventurous spirit, Jeanne's purity and strong convictions, Astaroth's knowledge and advice, Richemont's bravery and leadership, Charlotte's complicated family background and worries about her beauty, Philippe's kindness and sense of responsibility, La Hire's strength and kindness, Bâtard's efforts and growth, Alençon's pride and loyalty as a knight, and Xantrailles' humorous personality. The growth and changes of these characters deeply move the viewer.

Beautiful visuals and music

The visuals and music of this work are also a major attraction. The beautiful character designs by character designer Sawada Joji, the detailed art settings by art designer Takahashi Maho, the vivid color design by color designer Ishikawa Kyosuke, the beautiful cinematography by cinematographer Machida Kei, the skillful editing by editor Takemiya Mutsumi, the realistic sound by sound director Naya Ryosuke, and the moving music by music composer Iwasaki Taku - the talents of each staff member come together to provide viewers with beautiful visuals and music. In particular, the opening theme "Liberation" and the ending theme "Hyakunen no Melamu" series are important elements that enhance the atmosphere of the story.

evaluation

"Ulysses: Joan of Arc and the Alchemist Knight" is a magnificent story where history and fantasy intersect, and its appeal is wide-ranging. The growth and change of the unique characters, the beautiful visuals and music, the moving storyline, and more will deeply move viewers. This work is highly recommended for history and fantasy fans. Also, viewers who are interested in the historical figure Joan of Arc will be able to enjoy her new story.

■Recommendation details

After watching "Ulysses: Jeanne d'Arc and the Alchemist Knight," we also recommend the following works. These works are also epic stories that intersect history and fantasy, and will deeply move viewers.

Recommended work 1: “Fate/Zero”

"Fate/Zero" is a prequel to TYPE-MOON's visual novel "Fate/stay night." Set during the Fourth Holy Grail War, it depicts the Masters and Servants of each faction battling for the Holy Grail. In particular, it shares with "Ulysses: Jeanne d'Arc and the Alchemist Knight" the fact that historical figures appear as Servants. It also has beautiful visuals and music, and a moving storyline.

Recommended work 2: "The Heroic Legend of Arslan"

"The Heroic Legend of Arslan" is based on Yoshiki Tanaka's fantasy novel. Set in the kingdom of Pars, it depicts the adventures of Prince Arslan and his companions as they try to reclaim their country. In particular, it shares a commonality with "Ulysses: Jeanne d'Arc and the Alchemist Knight" in that it combines historical background with fantasy elements. Other attractions include the growth and change of the unique characters, the beautiful visuals and music, and the moving storyline.

Recommendation 3: "The Ancient Magus' Bride"

"The Ancient Magus' Bride" is based on a manga by Yamazaki Kore. Set in a rural town in England, it depicts the encounter and life of a young girl, Chise, and a magician, Elias. In particular, it shares a commonality with "Ulysses: Jeanne d'Arc and the Alchemist's Knight" in that it combines fantasy elements with human drama. It also has beautiful visuals and music, and a moving storyline.

Conclusion

"Ulysses: Joan of Arc and the Alchemist Knight" is a magnificent story where history and fantasy intersect, and its appeal is manifold. The growth and change of the unique characters, the beautiful visuals and music, the moving storyline, and more will deeply move viewers. This work is highly recommended for history and fantasy fans. Also, viewers who are interested in the historical figure Joan of Arc will be able to enjoy her new story. Please watch this work and feel its charm.