Continuing the Spring 2009 Anime Roundup, this article looks at 07-Ghost, based on the comic series by Yuki Amemiya and Yukino Ichihara. Comments here are made based on viewing episodes one to three.
07-Ghost Story
Teito Klein has had it rough: he suffers from plot-beneficial amnesia, his father was murdered, he spent years as a battle slave for the amusement of others, and he manages to land himself in big trouble on the eve of his graduation from a top-rank military academy, abandoning his only friend in the world to go on the run.
Taken in by the Church (in the empire’s seventh zone and protected by seven figures, hence the show’s name), Teito must now come to grips with both his own past and that of his nation in order to survive. Aided (and antagonised by) three pretty-boy bishops - the unfortunately named Castor, Labrador, and Frau - Teito recovers while planning his next move.
It is worth pointing out the names here as well: 07-Ghost makes use of German loan words, but does so with the standard anime flair for “it sounds cool” versus “it’s useful and/or right.” A man named Frau (Mrs.) is an excellent example, and the German is uncomfortable in its presence: military ranks are split and character names are mostly Japanese, so the occasional word comes across as trying too hard.
Sound
The opening and ending sequences are pleasant, but bland outside of end theme singer Noria’s uncanny similarities to vocaloid recorders. The background music is entirely forgettable, and the general soundscape is decent but by no means a selling point.
Vision
Animated by Studio DEEN, who also animated bishounen laden fan-favourite Kyo Kara Maoh, the animation is colourfully cool with lots of blues and violets standing out against the blacks and whites of military and clerical uniforms. Unfortunately, Maki Fujii’s character designs are a weak point, she is clearly repeating herself: Frau resembles Teito’s friend Mikage in addition to one of the other boys seen briefly at the military academy.
Summary
The closest comparison to 07-Ghost from recent years would have to be either Pumpkin Scissors or Kaze no Stigma. All three are shows with largely generic stories but which manage to present just enough potential up front that they risk massive disappointment by the end. 07-Ghost already displays examples of misplaced comedy and a desire to keep everything mysterious to the borderline of frustration, but viewers could easily find far worse things to watch.
Jonathon Collis - Author is based in London, England.
