Kino no Tabi: The Beautiful World

This anime is also known as The Good Mushishi. I almost wish it wasn’t so. While that descriptor is true, its existence points out the anime’s shortcomings. For all its imaginative moments, it settles into a pattern early on and never deviates. Even the last episodes which aim for some harrowing ends up slotting nicely without breaking up picture. It’s almost like reviewing Mushishi all over again, but the bigger scope makes Kino’s Journey better with more apparent flaws. Some anime can make it through with a narrow range of emotions, especially if they’re short. Narrow focus on themes is often the source of fantastic exploration of them. By nature, this anime has a wide scope. It follows a person through various countries, each one dominated by a theme. This anime sets itself up to be big no matter what. The stories aren’t small and intimate. They’re more about big issues like war, fate, religion and technology than personal issues. A single character from a country may stick out, but everyone in it are mostly the same person. Such shallow characterization can work, but you need someone to react to this symbolism. Character’s views and reactions are integral to exploring themes. It’s not enough to just have ‘fear’ or ‘technology’ as a dominating presence in your story. You need to connect it to the human condition. You need to show how it affects the people, how they react to it and live with it. The best stories show us characters in such crises, gain their emotional punch from a meaningful struggle. Kino is better than Ginko, but she shares more with him and not just a similar name. There are literally less than 5 moments in which some kind of personality is hinted at. Mostly, Kino does nothing but observe. When she acts, she’s pure convenience. She helps characters solve their problems by being nice, but what’s Kino’s stake? Decisions are another way in which we learn about characters. Decisions that relate to themes are even more meaningful. They illustrate a viewpoint and demonstrate it. Kino makes no choices. She comes to a country, observes what’s going on, does the thing that causes the least conflict and moves on. It’s hard to remember what exactly was Kino’s role in many of these stories. In the last episode, she’s interchangeable with any passer-by. Nothing about her is important to that story, only her role. That’s a problem you encounter with shitty role-players. A character is far more than their little role. If characters are symbolic of human beings, then human beings have various roles depending on who you ask. Even a soldier trapped in the army will have more roles than just a soldier. He’ll be someone’s good friend, perhaps the commander’s most hated and so on. Kino is defined only by her role as a traveler and does nothing else. A role can be a part of the personality, but we need to see how Kino views traveling. A soldier can be patriotic or just in it for the money. Both are different takes on the same role that leads to different characters even if they do the same thing and come from the same background. The anime never provides a view about traveling. There’s something vague about how the world is both ugly and beautiful and this grey area is appreciated, but what else? What do we do about the grey? Grey areas are difficult and I don’t expect answers, but great storytellers show me how they wrestle with the themes. If you can’t answer any questions – and you shouldn’t, because there are no definitive answers – at least throw something. A question shouldn’t drag itself for 10 episodes. The series barely asks a question, let alone provides angles to look at it. Asking questions is fairly easy. The difficult part is trying to find the answers. That’s when you deal with the ramifications. No question has an effect until you check the possible answers. Some episodes provide moral choices for Kino to make. They’re generic, morally clean choices. They don’t reflect a coherent moral worldview. Kino only chooses the least offensive path. She doesn’t even struggling with these decisions. Remember that this character has been around the world and to many different countries. Traveling and experiencing new worldviews should either give birth to a new, original one or leave you confused and full of doubt. Kino acts instead like a cliched ‘wise Zen master’, viewing things mostly through indifferent eyes. It’s believable, but only if there was a worldview behind it. The series is capable of darkness. An early episode shows the humanity of slave merchants. Even if it ends by vilifying them, it shows how they can enjoy family and raising kids and company just like us. It’s odd that in under 20 minutes they create simple but lively characters. Nothing about the slave merchants is particularly unique, but the juxtaposition of their ‘good’ and ‘evil’ side is effective for side characters. Kino never gets such interesting characterization. In the arena episode, she always offers her opponent a chance to surrender. Why? The slave merchants aren’t the only memorable characters here. This is where the series trumps Mushishi. Its side characters are driven, sometimes flawed and sometimes immoral. Many of the stories cannot be re-modeled for Mushishi since they deal with humanity’s dark side. The variety in characters and themes also lead to a variety in tones. Although the series is often stuck in its ‘contemplative’ atmosphere – a style which, except for Haibene Renmei, always comes off as pretentious – it experiments with tragedy, satire and adventure. The anime doesn’t dig deep enough. It offers themes but rarely shows their complexity, but the sheer variety of them makes the surface attractive enough. Some have pointed out that Kino’s Journey is very obvious in its themes. Often characters say exactly what the story is about. In one episode, it’s cringe-worthy. An oppressed tribe literally admits to killing people for the sake of revenge, because oppression. At this point, it’s the artist’s critique of an ideology sneaking up into the character’s mouth. Imagine if a Nazi in a story admitted how wrong Nazism is, but they have to do it because of economic hardships. It’s a lone case. The anime is all surface anyway. The only reason to put things under the surface is because your surface is already full, but Kino’s Journey already has little to say. Such an anime shouldn’t make the viewer put effort. It’s a wise decision to reveal everything, since it prevents an unpleasant air of pretense. The art is decent, with strong backgrounds and decent character designs. The character designs are distinctive enough. Town folks get different looks and important side characters look like they can be main characters in their own show. It’s minimalist almost to a fault – the lack of details don’t do anything – but it finds variety in things like mouth size and eye shape. The backgrounds, while similar, capture a unique feeling. A running theme is the idea of the world being ugly and beautiful at the same time. The backgrounds use a mix of bright colors and pretty shapes with a darkened atmosphere to achieve is. It’s not particularly impressive, but it’s nice to see colors that fit the themes. Kino’s Journey isn’t brilliant. Its popularity has more to do with it not being traditional, rather than quality. Some people are just dying for something without fan service. I’ve seen anime with weirder premises, deeper psychology and better art. Still, the variety in stories and the thematic focus makes it a show that’s worth most of its running time. No one yet knows how you achieve the greatest heights in art, anyway. 3 talking motorcycles out of 6

*This is my first review. Please feel free to give feedback on my profile; I would highly appreciate it.* Kino’s Journey is a masterful amalgamation of short stories which ingeniously explore the societal issues faced by independent countries; be they big or small, rich or poor, urban or rural, industrial or domestic, or authoritarian or libertarian, to only scrape the surface. These stories are told through the eyes of the observant, young, androgynous female traveller, Kino – the main character – who appears to take a rather laissez-faire stance towards the struggles of the people in the majority of countries she embarks. However, when needed, her quick-wit and impressive marksmanship allow her to take any necessary action, be it for the best or worst. Kino is a character almost entirely lacking any desire to change the world around her. Although this may normally be portrayed as negative, and can be a little bit frustrating, here, this only helps to heighten the viewer’s appreciation of the show, as it allows us to self-insert and breathe in the magnificence of the beautiful world. Furthermore, this also serves to let the stories of these countries play out naturally; as Kino usually has little, if nil, influence over the story as a whole. On the other hand, Hermes – Kino’s trusted motorrad (a motorcycle) – often aids to lighten the sinister tone through his rather humorous misunderstanding of common human phrases, whilst also furthering our understanding of the different countries in his own, subtle, quirky way. Kino and Hermes’ relationship is a tragic telling of selfish loneliness. Upon Kino’s meeting with Hermes, we are starkly informed of their means for unification; “I’ll give him balance, and he will give me speed.” We realise that the two cannot function without one another, which strikingly illustrates the profound sense of travel that the two crave, as Kino is willing to throw away her life to reconnoitre with a single, inanimate companion, who is simply glad to be ridden. Although Kino is happy, it’s hard to feel that way for her, as her hidden isolation makes us question her lifestyle choices. What will become apparent early on to newcomers is the show’s fairly odd art style. The show is from 2003, which, subsequently, makes it a little bit outdated for today’s standards. The character designs are all very simplistic, the scenery is drab and there is a lack of fluidity in animation. However, this is still an incredibly charming and pleasant experience, which cannot be found elsewhere easily. The art style is consistent and never strays away from what has been established. It is hard to convince people who only watch new, mainstream anime to watch an old show or one with a unique art style, as it is not the same as what they are used to. If you happen to be one of these people, do not be turned off by this show’s individuality. You will definitely get used to it, and you’ll regret dropping it over something so petty. What’s arguably most interesting is the show’s sluggish, thought-provoking pace, which contrasts with the ruthless sins juxtaposed on screen. Even though there is plenty of gunfire, the show manages to hold true to itself and avoid plunging through the gaping hole into pure action. There are a few episodes, which I believe are worse than the rest, which rely on action to push their messages, but are so few and far between, that they do not steal from the show’s enjoyment at all. Due to the nature of the show, the unpleasantness of many countries and the various aspects of the human condition is hyperbolised to such an extent that it may feel as if the show is enforcing its biased message on the viewer. This may be a concern for a few, but, personally, I thought this worked incredibly well, as it was clear with its intentions, which was engrossing and invigorating. Although to some, this may be a load of political rubbish; I, like many, was capable of accepting it as just a well-written and important story. As made clear, the show does not shy away from dark themes. The insincerity and ignorance of man constantly leads to abhorrent suffering. However, at the heart of all this agony is a definitive road of hope. Despite the dangers, we are encouraged to begin our own journey, to take to the sky and fly with the birds. As we peak into the livelihoods of those who miraculously live, we can’t help but feel enlightened in humanities duality. “The world is not beautiful. Therefore it is.” To conclude, Kino's Journey is one of my favourite shows. I recommend it to all, and I hope you can pass on the message.

Kino's Journey is unique from other amine’s that it doesn't have any of the typical standards that usually pull a person in to a show. Gratuitous amounts of violence, and/or sex are absent, as well as the typical cast card board cutout anime girls with rainbow florescent hair and puppy dog eyes. In fact you probably won't realize that the main character (Kino) is a girl until you actually watch it. The animation is plain the sound sparse and the characters underdeveloped. This is because all these things play backseat to what is the real focus of the anime, deeply profound exploration of the questions that at the core of humankind. Kino's Journey has a deceptively simple premise in that is the story of a girl and her talking motorbike traveling from country to country experiencing it's many sights in sounds. But, like in most cases, its simplicity is a virtue not a condemnation. Each country in itself is its own universe, with its own customs, beliefs and practices. What Kino's Journey really wants you to do is think. If you are looking for a show to watch put down and move on Kino's Journey is not for you. What it does do it makes ask deep philosophical question to yourself that may or may not even have answers. Everything from Nietzsche, to religion, to our very purpose in life is touched on and each with leaving a deep impact on the viewer. But what Kino's Journey truly shines is in it’s subtlety. Rather than going directly out and telling the viewer what to think (*cough, cough* Evangelion) each of these subjects are covertly wrapped around a story that prompts the viewer to think on a subject rather than tell them flat out. Don’t let the sharp angles and simple character design fool you this show is actually very well animated. All of these things are in order to give the show a deliberate story book like aesthetic that comes off very well. The sound is minimal at best and nonexistent the rest of the time. With the possible exception of its superb opening song the show has very little music at all, and what there is, is mainly there less as background music, like in most shows, but to accent the onscreen action. To put it bluntly its there, and you might appreciate it if you listen closely but you probably won’t. The character’s themselves in Kino’s Journey are simple yet not boring in a sense. Kino her self has particular transcendence of the world around her that gives her a sense of wisdom yet detachment from the world; once again completely intention to give the viewer an unbiased view of stories that the show tells. Then of course there is Hermes, while never boring is mostly there just so Kino has someone to talk to and to make an occasional joke. In the end Kino and Hermes themselves are the only consistent thing in this 13 episode show and one of the few things that tie the episodes together. Kino’s Journey overall is an excellent show that manages to make you think while still retaining a subtlety and telling it in excellent fashion. This show is not for everyone but anyone who feels that what they are watching lacks any intellectual depth should check this show out. In fact I have a test for you. Watch the first episode yourself. At the end you should be pondering the question of what leads to more suffering; openness or misunderstanding. If you instead were bored just found yourself confused by that very statement this show is now for you. If you passed my test stop reading and watch this show now! You will not regret it.

Kino’s Journey is one of those anime that I wanted to watch for a long while and it was recommended to me by my friends over the course of 2017. It was also around the time where the Studio Lerche was making the new Kino Journey anime which made me more curious about the series as a whole. After watching the first 4 episodes of Lerche Kino I decided to borrow my friends Out Of Print complete boxset from ADV Films and I watched the first 12 episodes of 2003 Kino and I absolutely adore it but at the same time I started to really dislike 2017 for its bad portrayal of certain arcs compare the 2003 counterpart as well having shallow writing and laughable production values. After I watched the final episode of 2017 Kino and it left me with a bad taste of my mouth while 2 hours later I watched the final episode of 2003 Kino and it was truly satisfied it to a point where I truly respect the show. So what made Kino’s Journey 2003 so great? How did it become a cult classic that everyone loves and why Kino’s Journey 2017 became a joke to many anime fans? You're soon going to find out. Story. The story of Kino's Journey follows a girl name Kino who travels through a mystical world of many countries and forest with her accompanied talking motorcycle named Hermes. Each location that travels to is unique in terms of how people and beings live in as well the overall customs that each world has to offer. She only spends three days and two nights in every two that she visits without expectation as she views that having a three-day rule she would have enough time to learn about almost every important detail about a place while leaving time to explore new lands. The story is awesome. It may be a full episodic show where every episode has a beginning, middle and end and the episode after that has a completely different beginning, middle and end it still able to tell great episodic stories that the viewer interested and engaged. It’s very well paced that keeps the viewers engaged and interested in every country that Kino visits. It does a fantastic job of presenting its themes and topics for each location that Kino goes and the writing overall was great and consistent. My favorite episode in Kino Journey was the Colosseum arc because not only it was well structured but it also it was able to present its themes as well giving atmosphere which the 2017 version clearly lacked. Unlike The Colosseum Arc in Kino’s Journey 2017 where it was just style over substance, shit show, that not only it features fight choreography that was ripped out of a generic A1 Pictures show but it also completely butchered the themes, tone, and message for the Colosseum arc for Kino’s Journey 2017. While the fights were not as flashy as Kino’s Journey 2017 the fights in 2003 version had better build up and tension allowing us the viewer to connect to the country atmosphere. Not to mention it was able to present its themes tone, and message correctly which the 2017 version failed to do. Overall the story for Kino Journey 2003 was beautiful and well crafted. Easily one of the best episodic shows I have ever seen period. 10/10 Characters. Despite being an episodic series the characters in Kino were interesting and likable in they own ways. Kino’s is a very likable and interesting character that I really adored. Unlike her bratty 2017 counterpart, she is more mysterious and adventurous person who likes to learn about the countries that she visits. The rest of the characters were pretty great in they own rights despite them being in one to two episodes. Overall the characters in Kino’s Journey 2003  were pretty great and enjoyable. 10/10 Visuals and Sound. Visually Kino’s Journey looks pretty nice. It may look outdated by today’s standards but I thought the visuals style for Kino’s Journey 2003 work here as it able use it’s muted colors to present the tone and location for each setting. The characters designs were pretty unique and cool especially Kino herself who is easily the best looking character in this show. As for the actual animation is pretty basic overall that get’s its job done. The soundtrack in Kino’ Journey overall pretty nice. Some say that the soundtrack is very forgetful and I can understand but it thought it does a great job of representing the show as a whole. My favorite tracks in Kino Journey is Everyone, Festival and night and dawn. The opening theme All the way by Mikuni Shimokawa is a wonderful opening that perfectly captures the adventures tone of the series. The ending theme The Beautiful World by Ai Maeda is a fantastic ending theme. Now for sub vs dub. The sub is great as you expect as all the Seiyuus did a great job with the roles that were given. The dub on the other is a mixed bag overall and while there were few okay performances in the dub overall many of the dub performances were just lackluster at best. The only performance that I consider to be good was Kell Cousins as  Kino who did a solid job voicing, Kino. Other than the dub for Kino’s Journey felt like an afterthought and its overall pretty underwhelming. If you had a choice it’s honestly best to stick with the sub. 9/10 Final Thoughts. What a wonderful and satisfying journey you were Kino’s Journey. When I first watched I thought it was just an about forgetful ADV film show that you would see in anime bargain bins however as I watched the show from start to finish not only I completely underestimated the show but I also started to appreciate the pure greatness of Kino’s Journey as a whole. The episodic stories were great and well told, the characters were great despite most of them only appearing in one episode, the visuals while dated to some people had a unique muted color palette that perfectly captures the tone and setting for each episode and the soundtrack was great.  The only negative thing I can say this show is English Dub other than that Kino’s Journey 2003 is a great classic anime that should not be missed by anyone. Final Score 10/10

“Well… That happened.” That sentence was always the one thing that endured in my mind as soon as the screen had faded away. As the ED played on in the background, this was all that dared be present in my head. It’s a powerful feeling, a morbid mix of shock, awe, and melancholy that leaves behind a particularly special kind of impression. I felt like I just reached the end of an entire show after finishing a single episode. Kino’s Journey leaves behind great impact. It’s something only a show like The Twilight Zone can ever really match. When you compare them, there’s nothing but striking similarity. There’s always something off. Sometimes, it’s clear as day. Things are moving when they’re not supposed to. Places are deserted. The sky isn’t blue. Other times, you just can’t put your finger on it. That hasty man you just passed by seemed to be hiding something, but maybe he’s just late for work. People look at you with dirty suspicion even if nothing you’re doing is wrong. You feel as if your shadow had got up and left, but when you look down, it’s still right there underneath your feet. Maybe everything starts completely normal, a completely average day, but something happens along the way that violently puts everything into the realm of abnormality. Whatever it is, it is clear that you are not in Kansas anymore. You’ve just entered the Twilight Zone. *Twilight Zone music plays* Within this realm of ambient menace, things start to build up. The air starts to move. Feelings turn into choices. Actions beget reactions. Things escalate. Then… climax. The climax is central to everything in the two shows. Ranging from simplistically brilliant as that of Time Enough to Last (S1E08 of Twilight Zone) to brutally tragic as that of A Kind Land (E13 of Kino’s Journey), climaxes are these two shows’ ‎forté. Whether it is a plot twist that so perfectly brings a new light to all pre-established context or a five-second tragedy that burns its message into memory, these two shows have shattering climactic impact and indulge in it. There is, however, another work out there that is also worth comparison. Ever read The Little Prince? Life is a journey, and the wisest men are those who have traveled it the most. Some travel it with a destination, and others without. Some who travel it have a home to come back to like the little prince’s small comet and his perfect but ephemeral rose. Others do not, finding solace in the journey, like Kino the traveler who refuses to be anything but a traveler. Some are hesitant because of what they had to leave behind, those unmaintained volcanoes and that neglected lamb, while others feel nothing but desire to journey, looking up at the birds and desiring to follow them. These two works are about travelers. As they journey, they meet new people, people whose eyes see different sights and whose minds think different thoughts. And from them, they learn. Whether or not those people they meet are wise beyond their years such as the fox that must be tamed or foolish in their ways such as the lands wrought by misinterpretation, good travelers learn from them nonetheless because, no matter what, the views of the people they meet will expand their own. And that is the essence of these two shows. These two works are centered around showcasing concepts and ideas you would have never even considered if you were holed up at home. These two works are philosophical, asking questions you wouldn’t have pondered on if you never went out to look for them. These works’ impact now extends beyond emotional as with the Twilight Zone. They leave philosophical impact, the type that changes how you think of and see the world. Now that I’ve touched upon the subject of philosophy, I must give you a warning regarding this and how Kino’s Journey has handled it that may dissatisfy viewers. You may see this as a criticism of the show, but you may also see this as a defense of this show from others’ criticism. Kino’s Journey doesn’t go in-depth with the themes it presents. The show doesn’t dig further to all but a few of the logical conclusions the subject matter implies. It leaves these subjects open-ended, with few comments, both stated and implied, being all there is to further deepen them. Unlike the Little Prince whose protagonist has much to say on its ideas and whose narration has much to say on its protagonist, Kino’s Journey saves on its commentary, just like its protagonist. Because of this presentation choice, the viewer is free to wonder about the philosophical concepts as deep as he chooses. Kino’s Journey doesn’t explain its ideas so much as invite the viewer into thinking about them, a process the show has mastered with its impeccable tone-crafting. This means that the viewer wouldn’t be forced into complicated reasoning when he doesn’t want to and that the viewer wouldn’t find himself disagreeing with what the show is trying to say. However, this also means a bounty of discussion-worthy material is neglected. Some questions stem from previous answers, and neglecting to provide these answers, however subjective, also means neglecting to ask these following questions. There’s a whole threshold of enlightening topics that could’ve been reached if the show took more advantage out of the biased viewpoint of its protagonist like The Little Prince. This would disappoint and lessen the show’s impact on some. Yet, when Kino’s Journey does attempt a deeper commentary on its ideas, its results polarize. Kino’s Journey is at its worse when it is directed in a way that dictates to you what you should think. You’re obligated to agree. If you disagree, that’s it. Your willing suspension of disbelief is destroyed, and the impact this show is so good at crafting is ruined. You are now limited in the ways you can think about the subject matter. If you agree with what the show is saying at these moments, then great. No problem. However, if you don’t, you won’t like some episodes. The episodes that are like I described (from the top of my head so be wary of what I say) are episodes one, three (kinda), the latter half of five, and nine. That’s already more than a fifth of the entire series, but I assure you that all the rest is worth it. The show is at its best when Kino herself does the commentary. When she comments on each presented idea, it doesn’t feel like the show is forcing any specific viewpoint on you. Instead, it feels like you’re talking to someone who sees the world in a specific light. You’re not obligated to agree with Kino. Instead, Kino presents an alternate perspective which builds upon the ideas yet allows the viewer to break away from. This has the added effect of adding nuance to Kino’s character, allowing us to form a personal connection with her. There is a lot that constitutes character nuance, but worldview is a large part of it, and slowly etching out what exactly this worldview is also means slowly etching out her character. Now, once we accept Kino as an actually interesting and nuanced character, we’re willing to accept what Kino says, even if we don’t necessarily agree. I want to point out that Kino also manages to do implicit commentary. She says many things on the matter at hand indirectly through her humanly emotional reactions to them, such as through her expressions or actions. Sometimes, even without making any clear body or facial expression, we still are able to at least get the gist of her emotional reaction through the way the scene is directed. It is through these emotional reactions that we can understand the ideas in a way other than logic and reasoning. We are able to understand them in a personal way through Kino. Now that I’m talking about her, I want to talk a bit more about Kino. She is a protagonist who is fleshed out and interesting to watch… but only sometimes. Sometimes, she is a well-characterized character whose worldview, motivations, and emotions are subtly apparent to the viewer through her choices,…

It’s pretty weird how I struggled to have this anime series, but didn’t give a sh!t about it for three months. Luckily, I had to feed Leïla’s need of Anime and watching stuff, so I remembered the 13-episodes Anime lying quietly somewhere… Which isn’t weird, however, the fact that I got completely hooked on this tale of tales, a simple non-stop journey with a human-Lain like heroïn and a speaking Motorcycle. This anime is a Must-Watch, whether you like surrealism, philosophy and stuff or not. I feel I could tell Kino’s trips for children in bed, people who wait or any quiet person sitting near and who doesn’t give a sh!t about what I may do or say. When it comes to anime/manga, I usually choose what I want to read/watch: I don’t have time or money to waste on fanservice/commercial/ecchi/hentai/clichés material. So, if I am to watch something, it ought to be original and outstanding…Kino no Tabi had the original layout, the outstanding description. Besides, she reminded me of Lain and she had a Motorcycle: God knows how these two details may make me cheer up for Bush while he’s not even in the campaign for presidence u_u… The scenario (meaning the story and the way the main characters react to the outside world) was very intuitive: it made me feel like it was written without even thinking. Yet, it’s highly philosophical and discussing ethics in the way I find ethics should be discussed. Kino is constantly confrontated with her own beliefs and disbeliefs:although she may be compassionate, she doesn’t fall from the path she’s drawn to herself and I highly appreciated this about her. Thus, she may be brought to make hard choices without regreting it after. She doesn’t waste time on showing on feelings or defending a sake. She’s just a traveler, a sightseer that wants “to live consciously“. Hermers the motorrad is a smart trick in the scenario: with his annoying questions, he pushes Kino to reveal some of her thoughts and reasons of acting such this or that to the watchers. He’s also a way to discover a long-time relationship along with someone as Kino. The supporting characters are just well-written for the stories they live. This shows my point of view about the smart and well-written scenario. The Animation focuses more on the landscape than the characters, but it gives such a bright effect. In addition to this, the action is quick and well-done. The soundtrack matches perfectely the atmosphere of the series and there’s nothing more that I like than the ending credits. Kino No Tabi is a beautiful and philosophical collection of tales, which deals with society issues in a subtil way. It’s a nice opportunity to rebound with humanity, to stop looking at the world in the white/dark glasses and to feel more human. I loved these series and I think they’ll last on my lap like SE Lain.

It's honestly hard to pick a place to start with Kino's Journey. There's so much to talk about and so little to complain about. So what is Kino no Tabi: The Beautiful World about? The story focuses on Kino, a young dark haired girl and her talking motorrad named Hermes, as they travel from country to country, experiencing the abstract and hyberbolic customs and traditions of each land, staying only three days in each country before moving on to a different one and repeating the process. So lets start with the setting. Kino's Journey has arguably the most impressive world building that I have ever seen in an anime. Every episode (with the exception of one 2 episode long country) we are treated to a new country with traditions completely different from the previous one. The lands that Kino and Hermes arrive in show off the different aspects of the human condition brought on by the circumstances of each country. It is jarring to comprehend this show's ability to create such distinct and fleshed out setting and to be able to do it as many times as they do during the course of the show. The soundtrack in this show is and interesting point to discuss since music is seldom used. The saying "less is more" is something I would use to describe the way music is used throughout the show, when music is used so little during the show, you really feel the magnitude of the moment when music is used. It really captures the crucial moments in the series. Kino no Tabi's soundtrack is seamless and the music chosen is chosen perfectly for each part. The story is not a character driven one because the events themselves are what put forward the anime's heavy messages. Because of this we get very little insight into Kino's motives, aside from episode 4 where we learn about her past, she still remains a fairly static and mysterious character. Hermes, Kino's talking motorrad, acts as Kino's voice of reason and for the most part serves as an extension to Kino's character and allows for dialogue throughout the story since Kino and Hermes are the only major characters we see. despite what may be thought of a talking motorbike as a major character, Hermes is not by any means a comic relief character and offers realism in situations where Kino is challenged. I think that character is this story's weakest point, but is by no means bad. Static characters are okay when the story does not rely on character development to present it's themes. The art style is really quite simple, you wont get anything spectacular from the visuals but you won't be disappointed either. The colours chosen are deliberately dull and plain. The art takes a back seat to the story and serves as a canvas to convey the more important messages. Overall, Kino no Tabi: The Beautiful World is an elegant dissection of the characteristics that compose human existence represented by foreign lands and exaggerated cultures. If it sounds like a lot to comprehend that's because it is, this is a story that must be paid close attention to in order to comprehend it's depth. Every episode raises a heavy existential question that will leave you lying awake all night trying to figure out it's meaning, that's my favourite part about it and these are the reasons that I think Kino no Tabi: The Beautiful World deserves it's 10/10.

Interesting show! I could discuss it for a long time, but instead I'll make this quick. This show is a journey. The viewer travels with Kino and Hermes as they go to many different lands and see different cultures and customs. Each episode tells a story of a hypothetical society and is engaging by appealing to our curiosity. It presents a world open to questioning, and wants us draw our own conclusions and learn more about life, etc, etc, etc. The world of Kino's Journey exists in an allegorical space. There is very little meticulous attention to logic of the "real world" - it ignores concepts such as geography, diffusion of technology, agricultural production, trade between societies, spread of culture, etc. It simply asks a question and builds a society around it - What if machines did all the work for humans? What if everyone could read everyone else's mind? What if there was an surgery that created a definitive distinction between children and adults? Kino stays at each society for three days, and through this brief window into each society we can speculate about the connections between our own world and maybe (on the conceptual level) reconsider the values we hold in our society. The nature of the show is also relaxing (despite many dark episodes) because as a traveler, we have few stakes in each society - we are simply outside observers. Unfortunately, at the same time Kino's Journey is a little... shallow. This is of course true by nature of the show, because each society is constructed as an allegory and we only see a small aspect of each. But beyond this, the show generally sets up very simple scenarios that get fairly repetitive in nature - most center around conformity and how bad it is. There are fairly obvious messages such as "Censorship is bad! Adults aren't always wise! Work can be meaningless!" It reminds you that many animators were probably once outcasts in highschool. There is generally a clear divide between "right" and "wrong." In one episode, Kino arrives at a society which is a silly caricature of the Roman Empire which simplifies the complex original into a world of hedonism ruled by a psychopath (who has an evil MWAHAHAHAHA laugh). Without spoiling, while this story offers some interesting thoughts on revenge, it's mostly a shallowly developed "defy the oppressive regime" story. The worst story is probably the shallow take on literary censorship where the entire society is preoccupied with books and the Evil Government wants to ban books (because you might stop distinguishing books from reality!) while the Brave Rebels wants to bring them back - would an entire society be so obsessed over literature? The societies can get one-dimensional like this. But there are some gems in here as well - an episode meditating on work, an episode about a brave inventor, and the last episode, which is probably the strongest. The aesthetics help enrich the show as well - designs of the different cities are Western-inspired, but the creators have put their unique spin on things so that the world feels familiar yet different. Technologies come range from "real world" stuff to common sci-fi designs to Vinciesque machines and steampunk. The colors are toned-down with earthy browns, grays, greens, pinks, and blues - stuff you find in nature. Music is one of the most surprising aspects because a variety of acoustic instruments are used to create a soundtrack unspecific to any time or culture. It adds to the flavor of the show and helps make it memorable. So in all, though the show isn't anywhere as "deep" as I had expected, some fascinating concepts and the lovely music & aesthetics built an interesting world I was glad to explore with Kino.

If I were to describe Kino's Journey in one word, it would be relaxing. There is a very calming atmosphere that permeates throughout every single aspect of the show; from the artwork to the many characters met during the course of Kino's trip, right down to the sound and music. The first thing to get out of the way is the episodic nature of the shows plot. The show isn't devoid of an over-arcing plot; as a young girl, Kino takes a traveller visitng her city to her family's hotel. The traveller happens upon the discarded remains of a motorrad, a talking motorcycle and decides to rebuild it. During this time we learn that all children in her country, at the age of 12 are considered adults and are forced to undergo an operation that physically removes a part of the brain that contains childhood. After asking what would happen if she didn't want to undergo the operation she is forced to flee the city with the newly rebuilt motorrad (who she named Hermes) after her own family tries to murder her for simply asking. As interesting as that may sound, the show never truly goes deeper into that tale for any more than a single episode. Kino every once in a while will make mention of her past and towards the end of the show it's revisited in a way, but it isn't the main focus of the series. As the title suggests, the show is about Kino's...well...journey. It's about the people and places she comes across on her travels. So, with that in mind episodic makes a lot of sense. Personally, I was a little worried about that fact; I'm not a huge fan of those types of shows since I find it tough to really form a strong connection to any characters due to the constantly changing nature of the settings and stories. But like Cowboy Bebop before it, Kino's Journey very successfully pulls it off. Like CB, every single episode manages to produce extremely memorable stories and unforgettable characters. Indeed, you could take any one of the episodes and easily turn its plot into a full series of its own. Don't misunderstand; I'm not saying the stories should have been elaborated on or are not satisfying, they're just that well done. In fact, much like Tsubasa Chronicles many different worlds, you'll likely find yourself excited to get a chance to see the cultre of the next country Kino finds herself in. WIth that in mind, the show does put something of an emphasis on Kino's own self discovery, though, unlike most, I never felt like it was the central idea of the show. To me, it was more a tool that was used to tie things together. As far as the characters go, they're all extremely well done. As mentioned, the many faces you see are quite memorable and a lot of work was put into making the viewer fall in love with them despite the very limited time spent with them. Unfortunately, that leads to one of the few issues I have with the show, and that's with Kino herself. In keeping with the relaxed nature of the show, Kino is a very calm and reserved character, and that makes sense. The problem though is that she sometimes comes across as emotionless, and at times, melancholy. For example, in one episode, she witnesses the slaughtering of a group of completely innocent people. During that whole event, she remains expressionless and silent. Afterwards, she does ask why the people allow and are okay with this, but through the entirety of the conversation to the end of the episode, she remains emotionless. I understand why that is; they wanted the viewer to be more concerned with the current country and the feelings of its people rather than with those of a single character who is an outsider, it's just that sometimes it leads to her seeming a bit cold. Art is another strange case. The show almost completely lacks any vibrant colors. The most common colors you'll see are brown, white, and tan, and anything else is washed in pastels. Under normal circumstances, I'd say that sounds pretty awful, But in this case, it actually works very well as the soft colors perfectly compliment the overall calm of the series. Still, other than that unique aspect, there's nothing really too impressive and some of the characters actually look a bit odd. It's not nearly enouh to say it's poorly done, but you'll likely notice it nonetheless. And now we get to sound. I'll say it right now; the work that was done with sound and music is by far my favorite part of this show. The most ironic part about that is that, as far as music goes, the show actually lacks in it. In most cases, I'd be totally adverse to that, be it a video game, a movie, or anime, music is a very important part of the experience for me. The result of it's absence in Kino's Journey however, is a greater focus on sound and ambience. And in that regard the show excells. Honestly, it's somewhat hard to explain. I guess the best way to put it is that the lack of music that you'd normally hear in the background makes you more aware of all the other sounds that you can hear. The crunch of snow beneath Kino's steps, the metallc clinks and clanks as she practices quick-drawing her gun, the sound of wind rustling the leaves of a tree; being able to hear them with such clarity is a surprisingly unique experience, and the effect is more powerful than you may expect. When there is music playing, it's all very soothing and generally consists of just a single instrument, and it's subtle enough that you can still hear the ambiance with next to perfect accuracy. In the end, Kino's Journey is a show that caught me completely off gaurd. On paper, it seemed to be made up of all the things I disliked in most anime. It was episodic, the art and animation looked bland, and the premise seemed cliche. But after watching just the first episode, I was completely and utterly captivated with the show. So even if it seems like a show you wouldn't like, I'd urge you to give it a shot if you can, you may be surprised.

Good Adaptation. WATCH if you desire a series with : - Outstanding characters and character progression - An episodic structured series similar to 'Mushishi' - Explores the core attributes of humanity and journeys to multiple countries each with their own unique histories, customs, and cultures. All are interesting; some are dangerous. DON'T WATCH If you desire a series with: - Ecchi harrem hentai shit - A lot of action, kawii hime-sama, mecha or anything close to Trust my words, when I say something is good.... it's good.

How truly beautiful or disgusting is the world? What about human beings, are we divine or repulsive creatures? If you're looking for a plot that has epic action scenes, hilarious comedy, cute romance, amazing graphics, hi-tech technology, hot girls, and/or lots of gore... Then you have come to the wrong place. But if you're looking for an deep, adventure anime that contains views from multiple perspectives (different cultures), that makes you think about the world, how tragic and disgusting yet amazing and beautiful the world is... How precious "life" really is. How important being out in the open, being free, and living your life the way you want to... Then this is the anime for you. The story is a journey (just like Mushishi) of a young female, Kino. She has a talking motorcycle, Hermes (I know that sounds stupid, but the anime really makes it symbolic and interesting). Throughout the anime, Kino and Hermes ravel through a mystical world of many different countries and forests, each unique in its customs and people. While traveling around the world, Kino and Hermes start to think about the world (I'm talking all sorts of things, the beauty, the repulsive side, the tragic side, the happy side...) and they also start to learn more about themselves in the process. Imaginative, thought-provoking, creative, disturbing (in a good way, because of how sad the anime makes our world seem at times, which is true) and absolutely genius. The plot explores human's (our) bad points and our good points, our best points as well as our worst elucidating whenever we face adversity. It's because of this that Kino’s Journey regards vapid optimism with little beauty. Looking at the world within Kino’s Journey and the world without, suffering is not too hard to come by. But the show says its because of humanity’s seemingly permanent ties to pain and hardship, etched on landscapes and people’s faces, in the attempts of these cultures to deal with pain and hardship through belief and practice, that that the world is beautiful. Beautiful despite suffering, in spite suffering, in defiance of suffering, or even because of suffering. So it is crucial that, in order to see the beautiful underneath the ugly, that you, the audience, engage the show with an open and critical mind, the mind of an anthropologist, the mind of a traveler. Deep and interesting enough? As you can clearly see from this, the anime is pretty ironic... The title is "The Beautiful World", yet the anime makes it very evident that our world is indeed NOT beautiful. Miserable windswept desert wastelands, habitat loss (destruction of forests), ruined husks of cities. In addition, the countries she visits aren't hospitable places, and many of the people she meets are selfish and quite indecent (human nature, it's reality). "The world is not beautiful: And that, in a way, lends it a sort of beauty." - Kino What did I enjoy about the plot? I enjoyed how the anime made our reality into an entertaining anime. We got to see all sorts of different people from all sorts of different countries since our main character, Kino was a traveler. Very very interesting, but you do have to think while watching the anime. "The world is constantly changing. And you can't expect it to stay the same, even for a second. If that's true, there's no need for you to go on a journey, Kino. Even if you stay in one place, you'll be able to keep experiencing the world!" - Hermes The art is not like Fate/Zero Code Geass, Sword Art Online, and Aldnoah.Zero (HD, crystal clear art). The art is more of the old, classic style like Death Note, Monster, Mushishi, and Natsume Yuujinchou's art. Personally, I like the old art style more, because of how much more realistic it seems (personal opinion). The cities, forests, waters, mountains, deserts, animals, people, and even the food were all so realistic, which adds on to the worldly realism in the anime. Although at first look, it may not seem like beautiful art, the art will grow on you as you watch the anime. There's only one opening song in Kino no Tabi and it's rather beautiful. The lyrics to the song are along the lines of "The sky is endless, because it's a mirror of my heart, It's like it reflects how every day changes the colors" which adds onto the "The outside world is filled with infinite opportunity, cruelty, excitement, sadness, and happiness" and "world is always changing" concepts in the anime. Other than the interesting opening, the anime doesn't have much other soundtracks worth paying much attention to. There's only one main character, Kino who is a tomboy traveler. Hermes could arguably be a main character, but once you watch the anime you'll see that Hermes is really a reflection of Kino, kind of a part of Kino's person. Kino's real name is actually NOT Kino. Her real birth name isn't exactly mentioned in the anime, although it is hinted at that it was "Sakura". Kino inherited the name "Kino", when Kino (the original), a traveler died saving Kino (The protagonist) from the customs of her country. We get to learn more and more about Kino's (the protagonist) true self and personality and view of the world as the plot goes on, though we don't learn much of her past. But that's okay, because this anime is about living in the present, and moving onto the future, rather than holding onto the past. The other side characters in each village all have different personalities, beliefs, and perspectives on the world which was VERY VERY VERY interesting to watch. "My interest is in the future because I am going to spend the rest of my life there. The future starts today, not tomorrow." - Kino Wow, this anime may not have been epic at all, but it's not like there's no action at all. What am I even saying... the action is not even important... The way this anime portrayed themes about our world, human nature, life/death, the past/future and the mix of cultures, makes it one of the deepest, greatest, well-written anime ever! I enjoyed watching this anime so much... I don't know what else to say. Watch it, unless you don't really like to think about worldly concepts. Actually just watch it. Now, I'll ask you, how do you feel about the world that you live in? Would you kill in order to save? I hope you watch this underrated series~

This anime got 10's straight across the board with me. The Story: First of all, the story was very psychological. I enjoyed how the author of this series dived into the human psyche and brought out the dark side of people. Often people think about things like "What would it be like to be able to read other people's minds?" Kino's Journey takes those kinds of thoughts and twists them into reality. Through Kino's eyes, we see the world as it really is, not the Utopia we often try to live in. Thus the popular quote from the series "The world is not beautiful, therefore it is." Art: The art suited the series very well. It was plain, earthy, but in some situations very abstract. The creators didn't use high detail, and in truth, if they did, it would have distracted the viewer from the important aspects of the series. They seemed to make each scene relate to human senses and delusions. Sound: Just like the art, they interacted sound with the senses. They did this especially during fight scenes. Just like in reality, the senses are heightened when one's life is on the line, and they really focused on this aspect with the sound. You can hear everything going on, clothes ruffling, boots pounding against the ground, even the breath of the one who has realized they just lost. Character: There are really only two main characters. Each character though, has their own story whether main or supporting. They give in abstract and direct detail as to why each character acts the way they act, and each character is fairly well developed. Overall/Enjoyment: Love this series. Has to be my favorite series of all. I really wish there were more episodes, but at the same time, they made the series just long enough for it to be amazing and leave the viewers wanting more without them becoming bored. The story really draws people in and makes them part of Kino's Journey as she drifts between the different countries. This series is not just an anime, it is a piece of art.

Kino's Journey is a show that I had meant to watch for a long time, after stumbling across the light novel in a Barnes & Nobles and reading it all in one go a year or so back, and it turned out to be everything that I had hoped for, even more surprising to me because I watched it dubbed, which I usually try to avoid at all costs. The one aspect that really sticks throughout the show is the feeling of dreamlike wonder at the world that Kino and Hermes travel around in. Everything in the show feels simultaneously as something part of a distant dream while connecting situations, aspects of human nature (especially more base ones), and a hardness of reality that create a world in which everything is relatable emotionally and yet seemingly distant. A particular theme throughout is the concept of a "utopian society", approached on many different levels and idealisms. The show does not tear into these concepts (though it does display their absurdities often), and the part that Kino plays through these episodes is often more observer than participant. The tagline "The world is not beautiful, and therefore it is" rings clearly throughout as a main theme, as a multitude of human atrocities are displayed, from brutality to indifference, but there are little bits of hope and possibility everyone, even in the darkest of places. Seemingly unmentioned before, the soundtrack really does well to set the mood throughout the series, as does the artwork, and though both are fairly minimalistic they do quite well in setting the tone during each episode and as a whole in the creation of the world that Kino and Hermes travel through. An unexpected and pleasant surprise were some fairly well done action scenes throughout; I hadn't expected the quality of these interludes to be as high as they were. That seemed to be the recurring theme throughout watching the show: even though I'd read the book, I still found myself enraptured in each episode and impressed by the variety of styles and genres that they were able to tie in to a 13 episode series. Each episode seemed to place almost in a different world, and could stand alone as a great work of art. All in all Kino's Journey is a series that I think anyone can enjoy, anime fan or not, for it brings just about everything to the table that you could ask for: great writing, philosophical questions about human nature, solid action scenes, a world similar and yet different to our own, and a protagonist duo that you can really feel for and relate to. Watching Kino's Journey is an experience in anime unlike any other I have been through, and I envy anyone who has yet to stumble across the dreamlike masterpiece.

Episodic anthology series like Kino’s Journey have a tendency to be kind of a double-edged sword. On one hand, you can completely skip the episodes that aren’t to your liking without really missing anything. But on the other hand, if you’re a completionist, such as myself, you’ll watch every episode, no matter what. In this case, that mindset severely worsened my enjoyment of the show as a whole, seeing as I sat through episodes that I found completely uninteresting, while also knowing that they don’t matter in the larger scope of the show. Don’t get me wrong, a handful of the episodes are exceptionally intriguing, but overall I didn’t really get into this show as much as I had hoped to (probably because of modern internet brain-rot or something). Having said that, there were some aspects that I found consistently great, and I really appreciate the story for the concepts that it brings up. But jesus christ, this got real dark in some episodes, surprisingly so. Kino herself, for example, is absolutely ruthless when the situation calls for it, a surprising characteristic that enhanced many scenes that otherwise would’ve been resolved in much more cliché and uninteresting ways. And while I can’t say that I particularly vibed with all the stylistic visual choices, the music fits the bill perfectly and gives the whole show an almost ethereal, otherwordly feeling. 6 / 10, the first few episodes are the honeymoon period, most of the rest fell kinda flat when I knew what to expect. Unfortunately hasn’t aged particularly well either.

Kino’s Journey Story: 8 Being a largely episodic series the plot is easily identifiable. It is about Kino’s many journeys through a very strange and at times demented world. She is frequently faced with a moral question and I’ve always been impressed with how this series handled it. The plot is simple at first glance, but Kino’s actual background is covered in two separate episodes, both of which I was very glad for the insight into who she is and was amazingly well written. There was also one two episode plot halfway through which I thoroughly enjoyed as it was action packed and exciting. A few downsides to this series was that it just cuts off where I would be expecting, “well, next episode?”. I felt it was building up to something greater but instead it left me feeling half full at the ending. The last episode was certainly the best, but it failed to give any form of wrap up. Leaving you with many questions. The beginning of the series you find Kino in the middle of a desert, how she got there? You don’t know. Who is the master? You don’t know. Well I found out why. There is a movie. Kino’s Journey: Life Goes On, that was released as a prequel. It apparently explains all of these questions. I have also found that there is both a movie and special of Kino’s journey and I am going to be sure to check those out. Art: 8 This is the low point of the series, the art is just ok. It is simple so you aren’t distracted from the thoughts that are being portrayed. The backgrounds are all simple and I found them very plain. The actual animation is a high point. The movement of the characters are smooth and the action scenes are quite suspenseful. Character designs, well Kino was the only person of any real importance to the series and she looks memorable, I guess. So it’s a good piece all aspects accounted for, just not an amazing piece of art. The art is perfect for the mood of the story and GENCO tends to do this right (they also did Azumanga Daioh and Elfen Lied). Sound: 9 Oh the music! I loved every moment of it. Especially the opening and ending which I listen to regularly. The sound effects were very well done making you feel as if you are really there. The voice acting was great, particularly Kino’s voice actress Kelli Cousins, who hasn’t played very many roles at all but was able to make Kino a deep and at times conflicted personality behind her indifferent exterior. Cynthia Martinez played the raspy Hermes, Kino’s motorbike (it must have been horrendous on her cords!) was a great performer. And lastly there is Vic Mignogna, who plays EVERYONE ELSE. It got downright freaky at times. “It’s an intense scene and she’s in trouble and then he opens his mouth to spe- OH NOES it’s Vic!” He's still great, but his voice sometimes just is not appropriate. Character: 9 Kino quickly won my heart with her steady head and genuine personality. She’s indifferent at times but she really does have a deep insight. Her moral choices are unique but amazingly true and she knows when to act, and when to simply go on her way. Hermes was funny and an enjoyable, but not distracting, comedic relief. I especially likes how he was always getting phrases wrong. Overall: 9 The best episodic series I have seen thus far. It is extremely unique and the author Keiichi Sigsawa is a creator of masterpieces. This is a must own series for anyone who likes philosophy or simply a quiet show for a time which needs serenity. Parental Caution: Rated PG-13 -Some disturbing images such as a rabbit getting skinned and human remains. -There are the presence of the topics genocide, slave trading, and murder. -Many episodes deal with some form of tragedy. -Very little swearing and is very minor. -A tiny bit of violence. -There’s a king who has a harem, but their never focused on and despite how they dress the art form of the series makes this moot. -Honestly this series should have been rated PG.

Before I say anything else, I should say I have a biased love of shows like this. A character without knowledge of a society enters it, observes it from fresh eyes alongside the viewer, and typically leaves without knowing if or how the society will change as a result of the character's interactions with it. Think Star Trek: The Next Generation, though in this case with less starships and more talking motorcycles. Kino no Tabi has been described as a series of parables, and I don't think that's a bad way of thinking about it. The viewer is invited to ponder how a democracy turns into mob rule or how two warring civilizations can set up a peace that imposes harshly on a third party to avoid a net larger number of casualties. The result is a very thoughtful show with some big ideas to be examined, albeit for brevity's sake it merely gives you the texture and direction of the idea rather than let you see it go into action and be debated back and forth like you might see in a series like LoGH. Like the main character Kino, you're simply taking these moments in as pitstops on a journey, not trying to find right or wrong in them. In this way, I think Kino gets a bad rap as a character, normally for being non-interventionist to a perceived fault. I find it rather refreshing, rather, that Kino can be given to us as a self-interested character rather than being shoehorned into being the moral high ground. In DnD terms, Kino is a Chaotic Neutral, really only interested in her own freedom and self-development, though not in a way that entails disproportionately harming others. Kino has a role as a traveler as much as every citizen of each country has a role in their nation's perceived utopia. She strikes an interesting balance in accepting hospitality humbly, taking all that is given to her in good faith, and being firm about her prerogatives. Alongside her is Hermes, whose Tin Man nature as a living construct leads him to offer wry platitudes and question human irrationality in ways that either spark discussion or give us more insight into Kino's personal views. All that said, just how fun is KnT to watch? Quite; humor is sprinkled in a fair bit for such an introspective show, the visuals are of that distinctive, old school style with a fair bit of gun and motorcycle porn, and the laid-back atmosphere and lofi soundscapes can suddenly ramp up into tension, action, or emotional weight with a surprising lack of restraint. None of these are necessarily the focus, but all add to establishing KnT's aesthetic in a way that ties the experience together. The show is not perfect by any means. For one, it feels a bit too short. As an episodic show without a strong central narrative, you mainly remember it in terms of highlight moments, though there simply is not enough screentime to provide as many as I crave. There is a remake and a few 30 minute movies, though they have varying faithfulness to the aesthetics, mood, and presentations that I enjoy in this interpretation. Additionally, the pacing can be quite offputting. Some parables go for 2 whole episodes, others are a footnote tucked in the middle of a different thematic line of thought. It has a prologue and epilogue scene sandwiching the series, though they don't really have much significance Additionally, section title cards or bits of dialog that are thematically important will interrupt the story speedbump style. All that said, KnT is among the luckiest gems I have happened to find in the genre. Maybe it can be obtuse, but that is a small toll to pay for a show with both the focus to give you a real feel for the characters and genuine attention to the small stories of their lives and the breadth to examine whole societies and feel much bigger than its discrete, single season 'size' entails. Take a turn off your crowded viewing itinerary and stop in with Kino no Tabi; it'll put that much more meaning into each step on your path.

The world is not beautiful; and that, in a way, lends it a sort of beauty. -Kino (Kino no Tabi) In Kino's Journey, the protagonist, Kino, accompanied by a talking motorcycle named Hermes, travels through a mystical world of many different countries and forests, each unique in its customs and people. Kino's Journey is a very rare case that defines a true anime about adventures. An episodic one-of-a-kind, a fascinating and intellectual ride from the start till the very end. The animation is rather simple, dont have many details even with the background, considering the show is more than 10 years old. But it fits the show perfectly. It surely doesnt need some over-the-top animation to be epic. The music is just gorgeous. It's like the theme song for any travellers ever. The op and ed are pleasant. If you wanna watch an epic anime about adventurer, coming to lands by lands, witness stories that will be told till ages. Kino's Journey is for you. This anime has my highest recommendation. WATCH IT NOW. YOU'RE NOT GONNA REGRET. IT'S TOO GOOD TO BE IGNORE. YOU CAN THANK ME LATER.

A Thinking mans anime, that isn't for everyone. Kino's Journey isn't for everyone. It's a thinking mans anime, that isn't for everyone. Kino's Journey isn't for everyone. If your one those people who only care about action and violence this isn't for you. Kino's Journey has no grand story like the end of the world or aliens from outer space. No real supporting characters, the key to this anime is the grand story that is there isn't any story, just Kino and her talking motorcycle. The story is a wondering Kid who has no destination and only travels with her talking bike. She doesn't stay with more than 7 days in one town so they don't become emotionally involved with the town or city. At some points it becomes a very lonely journey for Kino and sometime she thinks about stopping, but doesn't. They live the life most of us wish we could live. Never answering to anyone and going where we want to go. I know I wish I had done something like that when I was younger. Like I said this anime isn't for everyone. There isn't a lot of action, violence, or sex. So if you are on Prozac and need that to keep your attention this isn't for you, but if you want an anime that will make you think about your life and life in general Kino's Journey is a must.

Kino's Journey is Quite a Trip! This summer has been and interesting one for me. After coming home from graduating from college, I discovered that my father purchased a membership with Blockbuster online. One look at the website was all I needed to make a new goal for myself: Watch as much new anime this summer as possible. And boy, did I do exactly that! One of the anime on my list that I'd been so hoping to watch was Kino's Journey, something I'd heard many rumors about, but known little of. This sadly little-popular series is truly a gem. Though it only runs for 13 episodes, Kino's Journey delves into some pretty deep subjects; mainly, the nature of mankind. Each episode is self-contained, and the only regular characters are Kino, a young traveller, and Hermes, Kino's faithful and guick-tongued Motorrad (a sort of living motorcycle). Little is known at first about Kino, let alone the world Kino lives in, but soon we realize the depth of Kino's past and thoughts. I would say more about Kino's Journey, but if I did, I'd be spoiling a lot for those of you who haven't seen the series. What I can say, however, is that this series isn't like any other anime. The animation may be a bit choppy for my artistic preferences, but the story is enough to keep the viewer interested. The uniqueness of the style and the plotline makes this series well worth watching. Emily's Rating Scale: (1 being the worst/very little, 5 being the best/very much) Animation: 2 Story: 5 Brain-Exercise: 5 Character Design: 4 Length: 1 Dialogue: 4 Average: 3.5 Overall Rating (watchability): 5 There you have it, folks! If you can get past the fairly poor animation, and keep from getting too attached to this extremely short series, then go watch Kino's Journey! If you like this, then you'll like: Mushi-Shi (story) FLCL (length) Serial Experiments Lain (brain-exercise) Last Exile (story)

This is a completely spoiler-free review, because I want you to enter totally virginal to this. Not a show to be spoiled. "Every single person that watches a bird flying in the sky will feel immediate desire to travel" "World isn't beautiful, therefore it is". Kino. Sometimes, you find an anime that shows itself mysterious or with a vague argument, enough to make you wonder what will the series be like. If you are a Mushishi fan (like me), you will understand what I am saying. That strange feeling that surround the series enough to turn on your curiosity and watch it. Even when you're finally watching it, you don't really know what is going on. So well, prepare yourself for Kino no Tabi: The Beautiful World; pack your luggage, take your route map and don't look back, 'cause we are going for an unforgettable trip. As I've said in other reviews, Kino no Tabi is not a show for everyone. Most of the time, you'll find yourself inmersed in philosophic talks between Kino and some minor character. What makes this anime that special is not what it says but what it teaches. Every single chapter is the same: Kino, along with Hermes, the motorbike, visit a country. There, they stay for only three days, trying to understand how people live there. Every single chapter may be the same, but it is always teaching new stories. It may seem very simple, but in fact is the perfect way to understand the human plurality in his own, and tell different stories thay may be completely opposite from each other. Even if it sounds boring, I can't believe how Sigsawa Keiichi managed to make every chapter that engaging and interesting, because it is always dragging you back to pay attention. Every character and country has his own particular of seeing life, his own tradition and his own philosophy. They may be correct, they may be wrong. What makes Kino no Tabi that awesome is the fact that we are a neutral spectator, along with Kino, who does not involve itself in what is happening. He is always apart from the action. He's no judge, he's only a traveler. The art is what you might expect from a 2003 anime... Awesome! Well, not totally incredible (I gave this show a 9 in Art), but it has that brown shade in the animations and landscapes. Characters are designed in order to follow a normative canon: no extravagant hair colors or exhuberant bodies / vestments. The show has a way to use its clearly limited budget, and since it is not focused in fights or extreme movements, it fulfilled my expectations. It has a concrete art style (pretty much like Mushishi, but older). Sound is envolving and, even if purposely discret, fill the gaps and is perfect for the show. Opening is great, a chill-calmed song that advances how the show will be. I think it's pretty difficult to explain how the sound is, so if you watched the show, I recommend you to watch it again but paying attention to the minimalist music scenes. Character creation is simply beautiful in its own. Kino is such a complex character, with so many emotions, but still so calmed and badass when required. Kino is a friendly traveler that goes everywhere in his motorbike, Hermes. They are always encountering people that need help or want them to hear their story. Kino is heavily armed with some guns and it is pretty skilled with every single of them. When needed, Kino does not hesitate in using them and kill. As I said earlier, Kino is an impartial narrator in the show. Kino does not judge anyone, and Kino does not decide whether something is right or wrong. Kino is interested in watching world, travelling and understanding how people live in society, but it is definately distanced from judging people. However, Kino is a human being, and it is shown by different emotions you'll see when watching it. The rest of the characters are like a colorful bouquet of flowers (what the fuck Google Translate?). They are different, with different dreams, ideas or morality, and you are the one who has to say if they are right or wrong, but try to analyze what you are watching before forming any kind of judgement. Kino no Tabi was an exciting trip and every chapter was like FUCK THIS IS AMAZING. I am looking forward to read the novel (which is currently being published, since 2000) because Kino is one of my favourite animes as well as one of my favourite characters. So, if you haven't watched this show, please do yourself a favour and enjoy this masterpiece.