Victory Angel Reviews Labyrinth of Flames
58Hi and welcome to victory angel reviews, I’m your host Venka Le Fay.
The anime I’m reviewing this time is a fan-service/ ecchi title called Labyrinth of Flames. Incase your wondering no, this review won’t be as long as my review Yoroiden Samurai Troopers. Because one, this anime really is not one of my favorites so I honestly don’t have 6 videos of stuff to say about this series. And two this anime is only two episodes long so there isn’t much ground to cover thank the holy powers that be.
I really don’t think this anime is worth watching more then once so, this summery will be doing everyone a big favor and spoil the entire anime. If you don’t like spoilers now is the time to click out of this video and go do something else…I mean gods why the hell would you be watching this review if you didn’t want to be spoiled. And it’s not like your going to miss too much, after all the freaking anime is only two episodes long. That’s doesn’t even count as a series that’s more like…two episodes of schlock. A series is more like a collection of episodes that have substance and a story…this series has…why the hell am I still talking and trying to defend my actions to you people. I wouldn’t blame you if you’ve all left this video to go check out Shin-chan or some other crap like that. What then hell while I’m still here talking to no one I might as well tell the summery of the story to myself since I have no one else to talk to.
The story centers around a boy named Galan who is a Samurai Otaku and dreams of being a Samurai himself. One day a girl at his college known as Natsu and her anemic servant/protector Kasumi arrive at his college dorm room. Natsu desires to choose her own husband she refuses to marry a man her father had chosen without her consent. So she lets Kasumi have Datenoshin, Natsu’s arranged fiancé instead. It is here that Natsu presents Galan with a short sword that she claims was just “Laying about her house” and that she had other swords she knows he would love. Kasumi is less then happy about this and even demands that Galan return the sword to her which Natsu tries to prevent through various means such as strangling Kasumi with her own I.V. cord until she passes out. When Galan begins to wonder why Kasumi is so adamant about having the sword returned, Natsu quickly insists that the sword isn’t any thing important such as a sacred sword that was passed down through her family or deciding her husband to be. Though she does add that Galan should bring the sword with him when they go visit her home.
In a weird and yet interesting turn of events Natsu’s home can only be reached by sky diving. However their arrival doesn’t go unnoticed by Datenoshin who welcomes Natsu home and even graciously introduces himself to Galan. Datenoshin then informs them he was about to show an “important visitor” around their town. This important visitor is a large chested woman named Carrie White who states she’s a reporter and that she was sent do a report on Natsu’s village. Supposedly Natsu’s ancestor had been a Japanese feudal lord who had fled war ravaged Japan with his subjects and settled in Russia. Meaning Natsu is actually a Japanese princess. When they arrive at the village which for the most part apparently is perpetually stuck in the Japanese Fudal era style and seems unaware of the modernization of the world beyond the mountain range separating them from the rest of the world.
When they reach Natsu’s house, she tells Datenoshin to have a fencing match with Galan while she goes to look for her father. While she’s looking for her father, she runs into her aunt, Shinka who tells Natsu that her father is in the bath. Natsu’s father Shigamitsu enthusiastically welcomes her before two woman come out of the bath house. Shigamitsu tells Natsu that they were his new girl friends, the dark haired one was named Nastassja Nijinsky and the one with light purple hair is Erola Nakedoff.
Galan is seriously injured in his fencing match with Datenoshin and wakes up in one of the guest rooms with Shinka tending to him. Shinka shows Galan the short sword and asks him where he god the short sword. Galan tells her that Natsu gave it to him. Figuring that Galan was telling the truth Shinka decides to return the sword to him and tells him that she is counting on him to look after Natsu from now on.
Elsewhere in the house Natsu is informing her father and Datenoshin that she has chosen Galan as her husband to be. Only God’s know why. Shigamitsu is furious at this and points out that he has already chosen Datenoshin to be her husband. Natsu however counters by saying she would decide what to do with her own life and she has no intention of following his orders. Shigamitu then laughs at her and tells her that as a member of the Aoi tribe she can’t ignore the stipulation that no marriage without the blessing of the sacred sword, their family’s heirloom, would be recognized so long as he keeps Galan from inheriting it. Natsu calmly answers that she figured he would to something like that which is why she had already given the sword to Galan. After Natsu and Kasumi leave the room, Shigamitsu still refuses to allow Natsu to have her way orders Datenoshin to kill Galan so that Natsu would have no choice but to marry the husband that was originally chosen for her.
Outside Kasumi wants to sneak into Datenoshin’s room with a digital camera so she can get some pictures of him sleeping when she notice Carrie snooping about. Elsewhere in the court yard Natsu informs a very stunned Galan that she wants to marry him. No sooner then she leaves Datenoshin arrives and tells Galan that circumstances require him to take his life and asks forgiveness for this deed. Galan blocks the strike with the sacred sword and demands to know why he had to be killed since as far as he knew he had done nothing to warrant a contract on his life. Datenoshin tells Galan that he would spare his life if he handed over the sword peacefully. Galan however refuses because it was a gift from Natsu. Seeing that he had no choice Datenoshin prepares to attack Galan once again, however Shinka appears and fends him off. She first demands to know why Datenoshin would do such a horrible thing but quickly realizes her brother must have ordered it. Datenoshin runs away instead of confirming this while Shinka chases after him. Carrie and Kasumi who have heard the commotion follow after, with Galan. Moments later Galan sees Carrie standing over Shinka’s body. Carrie tells Galan that Shinka was just unconscious and her injuries weren’t too deep. Before Galan and Carrie could return to the main house three demonic robot dolls drop down from the trees overhead and attack Galan and Carrie. Kasumi is able to fend off the demon dolls and effectively destroys one of the demon dolls because she’s a ‘doped up ninja’.
The next morning Natsu accuses her father of sending out Datenoshin to attack Shinka. Shigamitsu tries to convince her that Datenoshin was acting on his own. Natsu however doesn’t believe him knowing well that Datenoshin would never attack anyone of his own free will. Shinka arrives and tells them she was not attacked by Datenoshin but by someone else, but she didn’t see who it was since she was caught off-guard. Carrie enters the room and tells them there is an urgent matter she needs to discuss with them. She reveals her true identity to be an Interpol agent and that she’s after a couple of fugitives who have been stealing valuable treasures and selling them all over the world and that she has managed to track them to that village. Carrie shows them pictures of Nastassja and Erola. Shigamitsu is outraged at this news. Natsu however states that their house only looks impressive but they really don’t have anything valuable. Carrie then suggests that maybe Shigamitsu knew of something that would catch Nastassja and Erola’s attention, such as the Tokugawa government fund. Carrie explains that the story of Natsu’s ancestors being banished from their land and settling in Russia was only part of the story. The true story is they were sent to Russia on a mission with government funds which was to be used for the eventual restoration of the Tokugowa Shogunite These funds were said to have been worth of thousands of billions of yen to this day. Half the money was given to the Czar in exchange for land. But the rest of it was still unaccounted for. Natsu demands to know why she wasn’t informed of this. Shigamitu tries to tell her it was a strict family secret and that he couldn’t even tell his own daughter. Though he had foolishly revealed this information to Natassja and Erola. Reluctantly Shigamitsu whispers the truth to Natsu who is naturally that the short sword she had given Galan was more important then she had originally believe and realizes Galan must be in danger. Hearing something on the roof they see Galan facing off against Nastassja and Erola. Nastassja demands that Galan give them short sword. However Galan says he would protect it with his life because it was an important gift given to him by Natsu. Nastassja takes Natsu and Carrie hostage and says that if Galan wanted them spared he should give them the sword.
Shinka tells Galan that he is the one Natsu had chosen as her husband and he is the only one that can save her.the fact he accept the sword meant he agreed to take Natsu’s hand in marriage. Also regardless of it’s relation to the Tokugowa treasure it symbolizes tribal pride. Giving the sword to the thieves would not only nullify his engagement to Natsu, but it will also acknowledge the defeat of their family’s honor. But if he defeats the thieves and rescues Natsu she would give him the samurai license that is issued by the Aoi family.
Galan tosses the sacred sword to Nastassja but at last minute catches it in his mouth before cutting Natsu and Carrie free. Natsu punches Galan for being an idiot causing him to swallow the sacred sword. Shigamitsu shows up with the other villagers as the Calvary. Natsu and Erola are apprehended and take off to jail by Carrie. The series ends with Natsu chasing Galan through the desert so she can surgically remove the sacred sword from his stomach.
I don’t know what I can honestly say about this series. The series is to short too offer any particular character development and runs mostly on its non-existent plot. This series was created by the same people who produced Project A-ko and Agent Aika which means ultra mini skirts, plunging necklines, and panty shots abound through out the series. Along with moments involving double entendre and innuendo.
I really don’t see why this anime was even made as it hops around the main plot devices of
- The Samurai wanna-be
- The sacred sword blessed engagement
- The multibillion government treasure
All could have worked very well on their own and perhaps if this story didn’t sacrifice its plot for panties this story could have been able to make these three story lines into something remotely watchable. It’s almost like the director wanted to take several different ideas out of a hat, couldn’t decide which one he liked better and so decided to have all the ideas put together to see what kind of crap could made from it. Only one anime is more painful to watch then this one, but that is also debatable depending on your preferences as far as anime.
The dub of this series does not redeem this story in any shape or form. Nastassja’s Slavic accent and Carries Texan drawl are poorly done, while Elisa Wain’s rendition of Kasumi turns her voice into irksome screech.
This series was licensed for America by central park media which rarely has been known to produce well performed dubs. If you have ever considered checking out this series, don’t. It is not worth the plastic it’s printed on. If you ever want to watch it at all, I would say it’s better to download it via bit-torrent so you can delete after you’re done watching it. Or watching it on Veoh. But even then I wouldn’t say it was worth doing so. The slap stick and jokes that are meant to be funny just come out as sad. Even a narrator voice coming in and explaining that Kasumi is a doped up ninja and the side thing where Kasumi is trying to seduce Datenoshin don’t help things. Instead it just makes you more confused and dislike this anime all the more. This series is only good if you plan on doing Mystery Science theater stuff with it, but other wise it’s best you steer clear of this ecchi title all together. I give this series a 2.4 out of 10.
