Summary: Noir was produced by Bee-Train (makers of .Hack//Sign) in 2001, and it is meant to be the first in a trilogy of shows with the "girls with guns" theme. The two leads characters, Mireille Bouquet and Yuumura Kirika are on a quest of self-discovery within the larger parameters of them both being top-of-the-line assasins.
Review: An amazing show. There are many action anime shows produced each year. Few have a specific moment in which a terror or thrill grips your heart and sends a chill down your spine. Noir is one of those shows. In the first episode, when Kirika dispatches the final soldier sent to assasinate her, and the blood-red sun sets behind her, there is a singular impulse to finish the show.
Both Kirika and Mireille are admirable women characters. An interesting facet of the show is the realism with which its creators approched the show. None of the characters in the show ever turn into chibi forms, sweat large singular drops of sweat, or grow into a giant. All characters consistently remain within the bounds of the probable, physical world. The guns are all modeled after specific models of guns, and even the gunshots are meant to mirror the actual sounds of the specific models of guns. Amid all this realism, there is hidden symbolism and meaning. The entire show is open to interpretation and significance. Kirika and Mireille are neither perfect, nor invulnerable. However they are never used as the "woman in the refridgerator" as American comics have been accused of using their women (this is the theory that American comics victimize their women, typically putting them through some kind of tramatic event merely as a plot device for their male characters). Both characters must be awknowledged as incredibly skilled and talented. They invoke respect from characters male and female throughout the entire series.
Now to address the shoujo-ai aspect of the series. *sigh* what is with shoujo-ai? Anyway, this does not become a factor until the final episodes of the show with the introduction of another assasin, Chloe. Whoe is disturbing from the moment she makes her entrance. However, this too is within the bounds of reality. There is almost no fanservice in Noir. Even the character of Chloe merely provides more psychological depth and interpretation for the show.
The soundtrack is noticable throughout the show. In fact it is a major contribution to the overall crisp animation and themes of the show. I bought both soundtracks for the show at full price because they were so awesome.
As the show rushes madly along toward conclusion, the audience can only tensely sit at the edge of their seats. With the final moments of the show I remained breathless and as the song hit it's final closing notes I sat stunned. I'm looking forward to watching Madlax (part two in the trio) and this spring's El Cazador de la Bruja.
Here's one of the Best AMV's I've ever seen. It was made with some of the most amazing scenes from Noir. Don't worry, you can still watch the AMV without spoiling the show.
