Witch Hunter Robin

Witch Hunter Robin is one of those animes that, while I see many of its faults, I can't help but enjoy it. The plot and character development are interesting and draw you in, allowing you to overcome the somewhat less enticing art/ animation style. The anime is somewhat of a noir/ supernatural, though it is definitely more toned down than others. I'd say, for me, this is a very much character-driven story. Robin, the main character, is an interesting lead shrouded in mystery. She is not the typical weak main character, but she has plenty of room for growth. The side characters are interesting though some could have definitely been more developed! In general, the characters remain mysterious and yet likeable enough to build the story. The art style and animation are not the best but they get the job done, and the character design for each of the characters is unique and adds to the story. While the animation is a bit dated, it does not distract from the story at hand. Overall, if you enjoy supernatural action, badass female leads and some mystery, check out Witch Hunter Robin!

19 years after its release, I came across Witch Hunter Robin while looking for a mystery anime. I wondered why such a series with a striking female lead and catchy summary had so little popularity and decided to watch and see. Beautiful music and animation, classy and intriguing character design. It has been a serious while since I have come across an anime where every person has their own look, style, attitude, and even facial features. Lately, I have been doing an experiment by imagining each character without their hair. Usually, this proves they are all drawn in the exact same way and their differences hang by a hair (sorry, could not resist). Well, in Witch Hunter Robin, this is not the case – appears actual care was taken when each character was created and animated. The series’ Goth-steampunk-y reality gets an additional boost by its great soundtrack. The opening and closing songs are amazing and so is the music used all around the scenes. It is strong and beautiful and, at the same time, melancholic, alluring and mysterious – just like the lead character should be. Unfortunately, somehow this is all wasted. The anime fails to provide any background and any chain of events, but rather stays in the dubious genre of an action slice of life and this is a paradox on its own. The development is so slow that I had to watch on double speed. Even then, I would still get bored while waiting for people to turn their heads while speaking. This is not the full-of-details-and-context atmospheric slow of Akira Kurosawa. This is just pointless, annoying slow. There are no relations built between the characters. They appear to have feelings towards one another but there is no reason why and how. In the second part (starting with episode 15) the series’ creators try to introduce some conflict, but it is too little too late, especially in the crumbled mess of events slowly and gradually spread out during the previous 14 episodes. It seems like they had an individual story in mind for each character, then quit on each one of them, leaving multiple loose ends for the story to trip on. Seeing this, the creators probably got annoyed and, taken over by hopelessness, decided to quit on it altogether leaving us wondering about basics such as who and what’s behind each clashing side. All in all, we have a great setting and promising characters but no story. The team behind the series fail to even develop such simple and basic conflict as the torment and doubt when hunting your own kind. The anime ends up being the longest build-up in history without ever reaching a point. And anything that does not have a point is just pointless. I give Witch Hunter Robin a 4, as it is living proof of how difficult it is to create original content.

"Witch Hunter Robin" is one of those anime which grabbed me from the get go. The engrossing atmosphere drew me in, and the realistic art style is just the kind that I favour. But as the show progressed, it became obvious that it simply isn't as great as it first appeared, and I became less and less enamoured with it. "Witch Hunter Robin" takes place in a modern world where magic is a thing and an organisation called STN hunts down magic-wielding witches, often with the help of magic-wielding "craft users". The show focuses on the Japan branch of STN, where a young craft user named Robin becomes a latest member of the witching hunting team. "Witch Hunter Robin" came out around the turn of the millennium. Like a typical TV anime of the era, the series ran for 26 episodes and has a structure which starts off mostly episodic, establishing the settings and characters etc, but transitions to a second half more focused on a central plot. I found the standalone episodes quite enjoyable, but the second half disappointed me a little. Not because it became terrible, but because I expected the story to kick into a more exciting gear like other anime that followed a similar formula. With "Witch Hunter Robin", I didn't think the second half got much better than the first: the more substantial plot, while interesting, didn't quite reel me in, and I felt it told the internal political conflicts in a rather confusing manner. The world building is also quite confusing. The story of "Witch Hunter Robin" features some intriguing parallels between craft users and witches, raising questions around why society accepts the former but not the latter. However, the effectiveness of the concept gets blunted by the anime's reluctance go into details about the difference in classifications. As a result, you can read reviews written by three different reviewers and find three different understandings for something that should have been easy to clarify. One of my favourites parts of "Witch Hunter Robin" is the action. The battles can be quite flashy and tense, and the animation seems to excel particularly when the action involves flames. I wouldn't say the anime counts as an action-heavy show though, and part of me wishes it were. The battles tend to be short-lived affairs; outside of that, the plodding sense of mystery forms the main draw, but one that didn't engage me as much. The ending in particular failed to draw much of a reaction out of me, despite what seemed like an attempt to do something out of the ordinary. I think the main reason I couldn't engage with the story more is the characters. I'm very much a character-oriented person when consuming stories, and "Witch Hunter Robin" disappointed in this aspect. While initially appealing, many of the characters don't get much development, and for the ones that do, the development sometimes feel stilted, their changing attitudes coming across as overly-sudden or out of character. I do love the character designs of "Witch Hunter Robin" though. In a break from most other anime, the series goes for a more life-like look for the characters and for the most part pulls it off in style. Goofy anime staples such as super deformity and exaggerated expressions are nowhere to be found, which sits just fine with me. The designs also strikes me as distinctive, especially the titular character's hairdo. One minor grumble I have is the occasional stiffness in the characters' expressions, particularly around the mouth, although I suspect the only reason it's noticeable is because of the anime's realistic style. The characters' wardrobes frequently feature long, shadowy trench coats, and the anime's colour pallet consists of mostly dreary shades of dark and grey which complements the sombre atmosphere nicely. That said, while the anime does "dark and gloomy" well, it falls over whenever it tries to lighten the mood. The humour in the show sucks particularly bad. The dry deliverance of flat punchlines results in jokes that are hard to pick up. The show does have some funny moments, but I found myself wondering whether the writers even meant them. For example, one of the characters cocks up so many times it's like a running joke, but the show itself doesn't seem aware of the joke. The last complaint I have is regarding the music: I rarely complain about the music of a show because it's generally adequate. However, the music of "Witch Hunter Robin" is noticeably bad. The opening doesn't fit the mood; the background tracks are bland and not particularly pleasing to the ear; the ending track is okay until the singer tries to sing in English, and sings it so badly that I didn't realise the "English" parts existed until most of the way through the series. But despite all my misgivings, I'd still count "Witch Hunter Robin" as a good anime. The show comes off as refreshingly dignified and mature without resorting to the "edgy and violent" shortcut that some other anime take. While I don't see myself revisiting the series, I enjoyed it well enough as I was watching. I guess I'm simply disappointed that, after such a promising start, "Witch Hunter Robin" didn't end up as anything better than just plain old "good". Personal rating: +1.0 (good)

Well, they say you always remember your first... this was the first anime series that I watched. Brings back a lot of memories but anyway on with my review... Why I liked Witch Hunter Robin... 1. It's dark, mysterious and calming all at the same time. (I have insomnia, so this is a plus.) 2. The English Dub didn't make me want to commit suicide... or take a power drill to my temple. 3. The art is fantastic. 4. Dynamic characters and great character development. 5. Worth watching over and over. 6. Music is perfectly matched to the anime to set the mood. 7. It started my "obsession" with anime... it's gotta be good. 8. The plot follows a steady pace right to the end... it doesn't jump around like some other animes I've seen. Overall, it's a great anime with dynamic characters and an ever evolving plot. I was sad when I finished Witch Hunter Robin because there was no more, it made me one sad panda. :( This is my first review, be gentle. :)

Witch Hunter Robin is a 2002 original anime by Shukou Murase (Director of Ergo Proxy, Gangsta and Gundam Hathway). It's a very underrated show that you would not find today with it's dark 2000's gothic aesthetics, experimental ideas and satisfying style. The mature storytelling, serious tone and smart writing like this severly lacking in the modern era. While it does have action it's not an action show. Rather it's a slow burner. A hidden gem that's absolutely worth watching. Plot (4/5): The story folllows Robin as a newly joined member of the STN-J, an elite tactical unit that deals with witches who're basically people with supernatural abilities. Doubts and moral dilemmas pop up by each passing case which makes you question who to root for. Things get more complicated than anyone ever imagined as the show progresses. The first half is a Monster of the week type which're episodic and deals with witches who use their powers to commit murder and other petty crimes. It helps you get a feel of the world and how the team operates. The second half follows a more continuous story with politics, conspiracies and mysteries. Right of the bat this show has an incredible direction and writing. It is thought provoking and gripping throughout. You do need a level of maturity and attention to appreciate the show. The mystery deeps every episode as shit goes down. They nailed the atmosphere. The show oozes style. It feels like a police procedural with supernatural elements, kinda like X-files. The world building is also interesting with their own system and hierarchy with the STN's relation with Solomon HQ. The biggest gripe with this show is the ending. I feel I rant about the ending for every show. I've seen soo many anime where it gets more and more convoluted as it goes on and towards the end they leave you scratching your head with a lot of unexplained questions. What is explained is done in a vague and cryptic way. This show is a perfect example of all of that which was disappointing. I felt it was rushed. The plot did feel quite inconsistent. It doesn't help that this is a mystery, so it feels quite confusing at the time for the viewers and the characters as well. Characters (4/5): There are quite a few characters in here. Robin's the main character and she's quite unique. She's soft spoken yet a strong character. It is not in your face and it's done very well that it feels natural. In fact one the biggest strengths of the show is that all of the characters feel very realistic. The character designs also help. Everyone's stylish and fashionable with long black, badass trenchcoats, yet have more realistic proportions that makes it feel grounded. They all act older then they actually are but that's an anime thing. Amon is the dark, tall, brooding and stoic badass that's the leader of the hunters. You have others like Michael the Hacker, Sakaki the brash one, Dojima the rich slacker, Karasuma the tomboy? You have other characters too like Boss of STN, Zaizen, Owner of Harry's cafe.... Harry except he appears very gay, Nagira the attorney who messes around where he shouldn't. The character interactions are some of the best as the members of the STN always seem have some banter among them. All the characters get some development towards the end, dealing with their weaknesses which was great to see. We don't learn much about the character's pasts as much as most people would like, which does make it a bit hard to relate to them. The biggest flaw however is Amon. His motivations seem to be very vague and inconsistent throughout the show making it very confusing and harder to understand him. Animation (4/5): I really loved the animation. One of the biggest things about show was it's visual style. You could see it a lot with the dark and moody 2000's shows but it fits perfectly with this show. The lighting and darker color palette blends well with CG backgrounds that feel ahead of it's time. It isn't just aesthetics, it sets a grim atmosphere for the show. However, it came out at a period when Sunrise was not at it's best state. This explains the inconsistent animation and budget constraints. The character's faces look very off model initially but gets better over time. Robin looks stranger with her weird hairstyle. That being said, the action animation remained great. It's smooth and you even get some quite a bit of sakuga even if it's for a short while. I found this was in 480P everywhere so that was a downer. Music (5/5): Hands down, it has some of the best OST's I've ever heard. Composed by Taku Iwasaki (Noragami, Soul Eater, Gurren Lagann and currently Gachiakuta). It contributed immensely to the show's atmosphere. It makes everything appear better than it already is, not says the shows bad by any stretch. Whether's it's setting the mystery or suspense, it elevates the scenes by heightening the emotions as all shows aim to achieve. It would not be the same without it, it is that important. The opening is a banger, that I did not skip. Very much 2000's. The ED is even better. Sad and Melancolic, makes you take a moment and let everything sink in. Both performed by "Bana". Enjoyment (4/5): Most people seemed to find it slow or boring but I found it be very engaging from start to finish. The slower pacing is what helped me stay invested in the story. It would not feel the same if it were fast. It gets better as the show progresses and it does get faster in the 2nd half. But it did get quite convoluted and the ending wasn't very satisfying even if it was conclusive, hindering my enjoyment a bit. I scrambled around the net for answers but returned with limited answers. 0.5 or 1 point gets deducted from the show for that. Overall (3.5/5 or 8.5/10 rounded to a 9/10): It's been a while since I got this hooked to a show. It was the type of show I was craving for. It really is a shame you don't get shows like this anymore. I would recommend this show for anyone who wants a dark yet stylish 2000s crime thriller/noir type show with supernatural elements. Similar Shows: This show is extremly similar to Ghost in the Shell: SAC. Both feature a strong female lead that works for an elite unit which deals with special cases within their jurisdiction. They're both confusing yet thought provoking. Pretty much everything is similar from the vibes to the characters. If you liked one, you'd like the other. It didn't rip off SAC, rather, this show came first. Psycho Pass is another one. The Moral Ambiguity in their line of work gets questioned a lot. They're quite dark too. Monster also fits the bill, again very similar to various things like atmosphere and mystery.

When watching this I kept thinking "is this a sequel? am I missing some backstory" but no this is it. The first few episodes felt like Detective Conan and that it was going to be a 'hunt of the week show' but then it just becomes a story of 'office politics' There's supposed to be a deeper backstory and mystery but none of it is intriguing or remotely interesting, once again I watched this Anime at 1.5x speed and it was still painfully slow. It isn't unwatchable but it just isn't worth your time x Still haven't reached the text limit, this anime doesn't need an entire essay , it's slow, boring, lacks excitement etc etc

This show is a mixed bag. Its first half is a cookie cutter detective show, albeit, with a supernatural gimmick, whereas the second half is where the plot actually kicks in. Even then, it's pretty hit or miss, with the last few episodes salvaging it. The biggest problem it has, is that at its core, the plot revolves around a mystery. This isn't an inherent issue. The problem is the execution. It essentially has two plot lines that branch out before converging together at the end. Plot A is the mystery, and plot B is a fairly simple narrative driven by a conflict between different groups. The A plot is fine, but moves at a snail pace. Despite the core narrative only being present in the second half, the pacing could've been better. The B plot is mainly there to serve as a way to tie everything together at the end of the show. On its own, it's bad. Mainly because the conflict driving it is nonsensical and shouldn't even be happening to begin with. Produciton wise, it's pretty average. Overall, I wouldn't recommend this. There's better detective show out there, and better mystery series as well.

The only saving grace of this show is the overall aesthetics and atmosphere. The character designs have that early 00s / late 90s look that makes me feel nostalgic. The characters tend to have this blend of gothic/witchy 80s cyberpunk aesthetics that is very muted and I found that enjoyable. The environment art is typically lacking in detail, but often paints an interesting perspective of what life is like in this world. In general, everything is very muted and dark, which I find enjoyable. There are a lot of scenes with the main characters hanging out in their workplace or at a local restaurant, and I really enjoyed those more relaxing scenes. The animation is minimal, there's nothing here that will impress you. The music is oftentimes awkward and amateurish, but adds to the unique atmosphere of the show in a campy sort of way, though I'm not sure that's intentional. There are frequently abrupt scene transitions that feel unnatural. The voice acting in the dub is well done for the most part, though I feel either the writing is weak or a lot was lost in translation. There's many conversations that feel unnatural, and when exposition occurs about finer aspects of the plot, it sometimes doesn't make sense. The characters are all a bit one-dimensional and there's not much character development that occurs throughout the show. The plot is a bit of a mess. At times, it really drags. Some lore and exposition is kind of glossed over, while some other points are repeated so much that it feels like the writing either forgot itself, or doesn't respect my intelligence. There are a few moments where bombshells are dropped, and they typically fall flat. In summary, the aesthetics and ambiance of Witch Hunter Robin is interesting, but in all other regards the show falls flat.

Overview: "Witch Hunter Robin" is yet another anime from the early 2000s that has since been almost completely forgotten. This is especially notable considering it was animated by Sunrise, a studio known for making all sorts of amazing anime such as "Inuyasha", "Cowboy Bebop" and "Code Geass" among others. And while this series may not even come close to measuring up to the immensely high quality of those shows, it's still a very good series in its own right that doesn't deserve to be overlooked the way it has been, especially if you're a fan of noir-style or supernatural anime. Story (7/10): Set in a mostly mundane world populated by mysterious people known only as "Witches", "Witch Hunter Robin" centres around the members of the STN-J (Solomon Executive Organization), an organization dedicated to combatting the harmful threat of Witches by hunting down and capturing any that they find (it's stated in the first episode that they have a strict rule against killing them, since they see capturing them as "more humane"). The story follows the titular Robin Sena, a young girl who is brought to Japan to become the STN-J's latest member. After a brief misunderstanding, Robin is introduced to the other members of the team, including the team's leader, Amon, who is assigned by the organization's administrator, Takuma Zaizen, to be Robin's handler and partner. See, Robin is a "Craft User", a type of human considered to be like Witches but not quite, having the ability to generate fire at will. As such, Robin is trained by the others to control her ability, both so she isn't deemed as a threat like Witches and so she can help the organization in capturing Witches. Overtime, however, it becomes apparent that there is far more to this seemingly simple conflict than meets the eye. The series is notable for having a unique format; the first half of the series consists of single-episode, self-contained stories where the team track down and defeat a Witch that's causing some kind of problem, while the second half evolves the series into a single, sequential narrative where long-buried secrets start to be revealed and we learn some shocking secrets about Robin's past, Witches and the truth behind the purpose of the STN-J. Personally, I would say this has its advantages and disadvantages. On one hand, the first half does do a decent job at setting up the world and themes of the series, giving us insight into the work of the team as well as Witches, namely by showing us that they're not always the monsters the STN-J treat them as. While some of them are certainly terrible people, there are some who are very tragic figures or well-intentioned people who wish to use their powers for a good cause, even if their methods are far from ethical. On the other hand, the episodic format means that, for the first half of the series, story progression is put on the back-burner. As a result, many of the early episodes feel like filler, to the point that you could skip them completely and lose nothing of significance. This probably wouldn't be such a problem if it weren't for the fact that there isn't much character development in the first half, either, with a few members of the team feeling like they're just there. Even Robin and Amon's relationship is given very little focus in the first half, with the two of them spending the bare minimum of time together despite the fact that they're supposed to be partners. Granted, things do pick up significantly in the second half, with a number of twists and turns and the characters being given a lot more depth and development, particularly the main six, but I still couldn't help but feel that they didn't have to drag out the original format as long as they did, especially considering I still had a number of questions left even towards the end, though the finale is decent overall. Art & Animation (8/10): "Witch Hunter Robin" is a fairly good-looking series. The character models and environments are very well-drawn and detailed and the special effects of the various Crafts and witch powers are great. The series' art has a very dark palette, but given that it's a noir-style anime, that was almost certainly intentional. However, while the character designs aren't bad, some of them are very strange, particularly Robin's- while her hairstyle is actually quite plausible, the fact that she dresses like a woman from Victorian England isn't, especially since she came from Italy to Japan. It's not a bad outfit per se, but it definitely feels out of place considering everyone else dresses in modern clothing. Overall, though, the series has aged quite well in comparison to some other anime of its time, if not so well when compared to some other Sunrise anime. Sound & Dialogue (9/10): "Witch Hunter Robin"'s sound design is bar none the best thing about it. The soundtrack is fantastic, being an early great from Taku Iwasaki, the same man behind great music for other anime like "Gurren Lagann" and "The Irregular at Magic High School". The music tends to be very moody and really empathises the tense atmosphere of the show. My favourite tracks would have to be the opening "Shell" and the ending theme "half pain", which were good enough that I listened to them every time I started and finished an episode. The voice acting is great as well- Kari Wahlgren does a respectable job as the shy, reserved Robin and Crispin Freeman has the perfect voice for the brooding, serious Amon. Besides these two, the series features a number of big names like Johnny Yong Bosch, Wendee Lee, Michelle Ruff, Dave Wittenberg and Jamieson Price, though since this was at a very early part in their careers, some of the performances might not be as good as you would expect from them. Characters (7.5/10): In the beginning, despite Robin having been aware of her power for quite some time, she starts off with pretty much no control over it- she can summon fire, but she has no control over what she burns or how much fire she produces. Naturally, this makes her something of a liability in the beginning, and so she is trained to control her power in the early episodes, particularly her accuracy with it. Soon enough, she is able to control it very well, and becomes much more formidable as a result. Personality-wise, she isn’t at all like how you would expect someone with fire powers to act, being very shy and reserved and not at all hot-blooded or energetic. While I did find her to be a great protagonist, particularly in the second half which delves into her origins and past, I also found her to be pretty annoying at times, mostly in early episodes where she has a tendency to ask very basic questions that should be pretty self-explanatory to the average viewer. She’s also shown on a couple of occasions to kill people with little-to-no emotion or remorse, which feels weirdly out of place in a team that otherwise has a strict “no killing” rule. There’s also Amon, the deuteragonist and leader of the team who, as I mentioned above, is assigned as Robin’s partner when she joins. However, to be perfectly frank, Amon is not a nice person, treating Robin very coldly for most of the first half, though this stems partially from his hatred of Witches due to his past, and he can’t see much difference between Robin and a Witch. As the series goes on, Amon frequently goes from protecting Robin to trying to kill her, but eventually he proves that he is well and truly on her side, even risking his own well-bring on several occasions to ensure hers. If I were to pick a favourite character, it would have to be Miho Karasuma, the second-in-command of the team and a “Craft User” like Robin (specifically, she has the ability to feel strong emotions via touch), who acts like a mentor to her in early episodes. Not only is she a highly competent agent, which she especially shows in the second half, but she also acts as a mother figure to the team, and consistently shows herself to be a far kinder and more am…

Witch Hunter Robin is a bit of an odd series. I liked it despite the crawling plot, simply because the ''feel'' it had was unique. It was definitely something more laid-back to watch, as opposed to some series where you're excited and desperately want to watch the next episode. Story: 7 Why doesn't it get a higher rating on story? Mainly because the plot progresses at a very slow pace for the first half of the series. There are quite a few mysteries and questions that take a while to get answered, but they aren't as surprising as one might hope. It's decent enough, but nothing truly shocking or exciting. Art: 7 The artstyle is somewhat plain, but does a good job of conveying the dark, mysterious atmosphere of the series. It is not fancy by any means, and strives for somewhat realistic proportions. All in all, a refreshing take as far as anime styles go. Sound: 8 The soundtrack is absolutely phenomenal. It's subtle, and at times either haunting or very atmospheric. Not a typical or generic feel to it, and matches the series very well in tone. It meshes well with the nature of the plot and the artstyle. Character: 7 The characters were somewhat cliché, but realistic enough to not become caricatures. Again, the way the characters behave match the feeling the series is going for, with few overly outgoing hotheads rushing out into danger. I am especially fond of the somewhat shy and withdrawn main character that still manages to have a personality of her own, driven by her search for answers. Enjoyment: 7 Although I was not particularly driven to watch the series, it had this ''pull'' that made me want to watch it nonetheless. There are few series out there with this kind of atmosphere, so that was a nice change of pace. I mostly watched it while eating dinner with my partner, and the series was suitable for discussing the events and world of the anime during and after each episode. I definitely enjoyed watching it. Total: 8 Looking back I remember little of the actual plot, but I think back on the atmosphere and setting fondly. All the above factors pulled me in despite its flaws, and I'm happy to have watched it.

What if witches were real? And that they been hunted for centuries, and still was hunted because of peoples fear of their powers with the help of other witches. And that those hunting witches mostly hunt other witches in their own fear to become hunted them self. That is a huge part of the show “Witch Hunter Robin” (WHR). It´s of course more complicated than that, but I find that being an important part of the show. I can definitely understand that WHR, is not for everyone. The world building, the pacing, and the development of the characters are a bit on the slow side. WHR also doesn´t contain a lot of neck-breaking speed action, classical huge anime eyes and vivid colours, exaggerated facial and body expressions, or the outburst of intense emotions. So, if you can´t coop with that in a show, WHR is most likely not for you. But, if you are on the more patient side and enjoying looking a bit deeper into a show, this is likely a show for you. Because, WHR is what I would call a “old” classic with its darker theme, way of narrative, and animation. Why I liked WHR so much that I gave the show an 8? I will elaborate that now. Story: 8/10 The story follows the people working for the organisation STN-J located in Japan. STN-J is a branch organisation that does things a little bit differently than their sister and mother organisations. They hunt down witches that gone mad of their powers, or just decided to use their powers for crime, and instead of killing them they capture them alive. Well captured, the witches are shipped to a facility called “the factory”, and no one at STN-J really know what´s happening to the witches there. The humans take the help of other witches’ powers (or craft users as the non-hunted witches are called), who are called hunters. These hunters are knowing that if their powers are to fully awaken, and they become a threat to the organisation, they will be hunted down to. Several individuals at the STN-J are craft users, and are used as hunters. The STN-J are the only branch that uses what´s called “the Orbos”, a liquid tool that makes them pretty much immune to a regular witch powers. Robin is 15-year old girl who grow up in Europe. She is a craft user, and has been brought up as a witch hunter to work for human organisations as the STN. Robin arrives in Japan as replacement for a hunter at STN-J, that was killed 6 months prior to this story. Well there she is partnered up with Amon, a very serious and brooding man in his late 20´s. At first, he is doing his best to avoid Robin and are quite harsh with her. But during time and several missions, a mutual trust starts to develop between them. Robin also starts to get know and trust her other colleagues, and starts to build a life for herself at this new place. But things are starting to move in the shadows, and the crew at the STN-J are dragged into someone´s plan to change this world for good, and the people responsible are much closer to them then they thought possible. I must say that I quite enjoyed the story. The “real” plot isn´t kicking in until midways, but I think I can see a reason for it. The first half of the show is very episodic. Each of them involves the STN-J´s crew and Robin solving cases (mostly murders), connected to witches, and to catch them. I think they choose to do so to let Robin interact with her new colleagues, to establish her relationships with them. Because that is quite important for the latter half, because almost no one would help and do so risky things for someone they almost didn´t know or trust. Robin becoming one trusted and liked friend and colleague was essential for the “main” plot. I actually enjoyed these episodes quite a lot, it was like watching a supernatural cop show, with some personal and relationship stuff little bit on the side. With that said, it raises some necessary questions, and some thoughts about ethic and morals. Is it really ok to hunt down or oppress innocent just because you are afraid of their powers, and that they may use them against you? Isn´t that just a way to create criminals and outlaws? If I´m personally was hunted for reasons that was out of my hands, I would use that power to defend myself and in worst case take vengeance on my hunters/oppressors. Yes, most of the witches that´s being hunted in the show has done awful things, but surrounding stories and such are told about the craft users fear of their powers and the humans that is keeping track of them. Because databases with descended witches and their relatives are kept, and those who may have the “power” (called seeds) are closely watched. If their powers are awakened, it’s a big possibility that they are killed or captured even before they even done something wrong. I would call that use of information and military tactic for oppression and grave mistreatment. Witches aren´t even looked upon as humans, they are something beneath humanity. Something the craft users that work for STN are highly aware of. All this felt necessary to latter half of the show, where the characters had to choose what kind of person they wanted to be. In many stories can elements within the show just to be there, for there reason to be there. Such is not the case in WHR. For, example the “Orbos”. In the first half of the show I started to ask myself some questions. Like, why are the STN-J branch the only ones that have these “Orbos”. They doesn´t know them self what the Orbos really is. What is happen to the witches that they captured? Do they end up in some special kind of witch jail? WHR gave me all the answers, and this happened to be an important part of the story. Art: 7/10 WHR is an anime original made by studio Sunrise 2002. The overall atmosphere is dark and down toned, and little bit gothic. Which I think suites the story and its characters very well. The typical anime bright colours are absent, instead are more earthy colours used. The show reminded me of “Monster” in its colorization and character designs – all over more realistic looking. Most of the characters aren´t super pretty looking, and they are more realistic showcased – no exaggerated body parts and such. Robin are 15, and doesn´t look anime 15, but like a premature human 15-year-old. The characters can look a little bit of in some angles and zoomed out panels, but for the most time they look ok. And just in like shows such as “Monster” or “Ghost in the Shell: SAC”, the character’s movements are much slower and less intense than in your usual anime. It’s can take some time to adjust to, but after a while it becomes one with the show. But the magic action scenes are actually quite intense – objects flying around, fire that obliterate anything in its path, cascade winds blowing people away, bullets that is caught in mid-air. They are pretty inventive in their fighting styles, which was very entertaining to see. Each witch with his or her unique elemental specialty and power level. Sunrise has managed to portray that very well for the year WHR was made. Backgrounds are actually very detailed. It´s creating a very believable atmosphere, and produces a perfect mood for the story of WHR. All the cables to the electronic, the runes of the magical circles, the guns and technology, and office environments are example of details that help set the mood in a specific scene. Sound: 7/10 The OP is a nice work called “Shell” done by Bana, and I grow to enjoy it very much during the watch. If you like the visuals or not, is something of personal taste. By the time I got to know the show and its characters, I started to enjoy it quite a lot. By 2/3 of the show, I really got the message behind it. The ED is a slower piece, which liked but never really felt to yam with. The overall soundtrack is a lot of lounge bar music, with piano and other down toned instruments. It became a part of the all atmosphere of WHR. A little more intense music was used in more action- or serious scenes. I watched the dubbed v…

I watched WHR when it first came out in 2002 and I loved the living crap out of it even though I don't think I understood a lot of the seemingly intricate plot. I recently rewatched it and figured it was about time I reviewed it. You can read my summary for the TL;DR version or scroll below to read it in depth. --- Summary: WHR's Monster-of-the-week approach was, I believe, apt for the time it was released as that was the trend of the season. Everyone seemed to be doing it. But I believe WHR used the trend with stylistic and emphatic intention as it simply fortifies the idea that the hunters simply hunted in ignorance in contrast to the second half of the show when their actions all come under light. That being said, I believe even back in 2002, I thought the first 13 episodes tended to be boorishly slow. Slow pan-scapes of characters simply walking across the screen was painful but one could argue that it was how the creators intended to build tension. If you can get past those painfully slow pans, the characters are refreshing and intriguing. WHR is one of the rare anime that I didn't hate a single character; not even the antagonists. I believed every single one of their motivations and the decisions they made were completely in character. A second downside to WHR as well, are the references to various occult themes without any clarification on seemingly crucial plot devices. Aka the 'secret of the craft' or what have you. I can't even call it a spoiler because to date I don't understand what it is that Robin discovered. That was tied in with various other story arcs with Solomon and STN-J moving in conjunction in various directions so I think its importance as well as its existence got washed under the bridge except for the fact that Robin kept repeating that she 'discovered' the secret, or the arcane or whatever the hell that was. Plot review: The plot was immensely interesting but i think overall could be executed better. I think it most certainly requires a re-watch to catch some key plot points which go past you so quickly, you don't realize what just happened. Yet the slow parts are so excruciatingly slow that when the action picks up, you're just really not paying attention when important things happen. I don't mind the monster-of-the-week approach at first either simply because it makes me nostalgic lol. As I noted above with various plot devices getting all muddled up in between several other story arcs occurring at the same time, was one of my biggest gripes about how the plot was executed. However, things get tied up quite well, even with the open ending, I think. Character review: I loved all the characters. When I first watched it in 2002, I have no idea why I was under the impression that it was more of a romance than it actually is. Then again, I was 16 at the time. The entire Robin x Amon dynamic is super interesting as he takes on the role of a partner, but also a protector and a quasi-father-figure. The romance is hinted at and tbph, I wouldn't be surprised if they ended up making Witch-babies together. Even with the 10 year difference and Amon being hot and cold about Robin, I think their pseudo-romance was even sweeter because their level of trust in each other seemed to supersede the formalities of "romance". Robin made Amon re-evaluate his stance not just on Witches but himself. But anyway, all this is implied through how they re-act to each other so I'm just shipping them at this point. Robin's interactions with the other characters, down to the security guard is stellar. It's not forced and she develops as a character through the most mundane of her relationships. From the ever-silent guy that works for Nagira to Zaizen, whom she barely makes contact with. Zaizen on the other hand is an excellent antagonist. I do wish he had _a little more_ depth to him in terms of establishing a moral compass. We know he loves Touko but is not past using her as bait. So what? where does that leave him as an antagonist? In the end he is just painted with the "bad guy" brush which is fine, but I guess I just have a thing for emotionally complex antagonists lol. Art, Animation & Music Review: This anime was made in 2002. I thought it was absolutely flawless when I was 16 lol. Needless to say, the animation is janky and I noted several scenes where I could almost count the frames in between. That being said, the art style is far more stylistic than most new anime possibly because of having being hand-drawn. I think the moody, gothic style is quite apt without becoming oppressive. I find the steampunk elements quite pleasing as well. Robin's character design is absolutely beautiful as are the others. I even love her alternative costumes (the waitress uniform she wears at Harry's!) The music is absolutely stunning. I loved how well it complimented the show and even crucial plot moments are heightened simply because of how incredible the score was. In fact, I think the immersive quality of the music was how I was able to overcome the janky animation when I re-watched it.

Witch Hunter Robin (dubbed) is clearly a product of its time- clunky dialogue, bizarre performance, and weird story lines. Imagine Section 9 from Ghost In The Shell: Stand Alone Complex, now make them annoying teenagers who wear black trench coats who poorly solve crimes. Although unique in its concept at the time the show is mired in generic tropes, such as a government lead team of teenagers being responsible for the takedown of a hidden race of supernatural powered people. The take on witches is sadly boring- they look like normal humans but have supernatural powers like twisting someone's insides, driving them mad, sapping vigor, and controlling objects, while commonly having a supersonic screech. This leads to a pretty standard formula of "villain of the week" and a focus on Robin and one of her coworkers. The soundtrack for Witch Hunter Robin is surprisingly good. There's mood and urgency sprinkled throughout the tracks and it does a lot of the heavy lifting for this weak translation and voice directed anime. Characters often come off aggressive over mild interactions and bring a strange awkwardness to scenes that don't suggest it, I can't blame this on the actors as they're all well established, they're just directed incredibly poorly. Ignoring the strange character writing, some of the designs are rather pleasing in a simple way. There are notable oddities when the episode is bold enough to try different angles, but the strangest one has to go with the mile long foreheads some characters tend to have. For the time period it came from, Witch Hunter Robin is forgettable, but if you're a fan of surface level gothic designs perhaps you'll enjoy it. Some might say Witch Hunter Robin walked so Ergo Proxy could run, but considering how the only surviving aspect of this anime is the moody opening, I couldn't disagree more. What I'm saying is go watch Ergo Proxy instead.

Witch Hunter Robin is one of those cabinet detective stories with some few additions like Witches in the world. This anime has quite a few good sides but lacking others, you can be bored with its slow pace or dont understand heroes motivation here and there. On other sided you can be in love with main heroes, like their lines and simple-written characters and be enjoyed with plot twist & ending. Depends on your preferences and mood. You can watch and get: - some basic story with a twist; detecrive-like - gothic dark style that has similiraties to Ergo Proxy, which was also directed by Shūkō Murase - not too deep lore, focusing mainly on history and clashes between different groups - good characters design, especially Robin herself - silly jokes (in a good way) From big Dis - really bad motivation for actions people make and mid animation. Music was ok nothing special, plot was simple enough. Tbh there isn`t much detective anime (classic style), and for people who love this genre - you can watch this certainly. Also I dont think this deserves more than 7-8, dialog writing could be much better for some main heroes (as well as animation, music). 7////10

The top review is my friend's, and the bottom review is mine (owner of the account.) -- Witch hunter robin: Magic CSI anime Witch Hunter Robin follows the story of a bunch of witch hunters who work as magic police, catching a new criminal every episode with a cold witch girl as the protagonist. As someone who picked up Witch Hunter Robin for the sick visuals, I felt very spiritually connected to the possible adult swim audience of the show. And boy it sure is an adult swim type anime. I can guess the staff attempted to appeal to a western audience by the character design and its more realistic proportions (of course it could also be following the trends of somber 2000s shows). But the way the anime is structured is also a dead giveaway, the cop show from the 90s elements, mixed in with sick action scenes and a more somber tone with no usual anime gags make it seem a tad try hard. Sadly, it failed to capture my attention because, by making the cast more somber and quiet, the show felt almost lethargic with the way nobody properly interacted with each other in any meaningful way except when they needed to inch the plot forward. Speaking of plot, it draaaags. The start of the show is very episodic, and without an interesting cast you are left with only the actions happening on screen. Each episode a random witch gets jailed and sent to a factory without any type of trial. Since the characters take their sweet time to question it (or react to anything at all) you start to feel like you are slowly going insane, “is anyone seeing this?” I asked my screen to no avail. While it is obvious that the show was on its way to critique the system in place eventually, the execution wasn’t the best and it just felt like an unearned conclusion to an extremely serious situation. Just like my police procedurals!!! Witch Hunter Robin has cool action scenes, moody coloring and nice framing from time to time, however it tries too hard to be something it’s not meant to be and it ends up just being mid. --- Woke Hunter Robin is like a six outta ten but legitimately one of the most interesting thematic dialogues I’ve seen in a long time. Animation? It’s fine. Gritty 2000s nostalgia vibes kind of carry and otherwise alright animation. The set dressing, character designs, and cinematography are all pretty good though; it's just the actual movement leaves more to be desired. Music is alright. Not noticeable, which is both good and bad. The OP and ED are fine, again; its a very 2000s anime type of nostalgic, which can be appealing. The characters leave a lot more to be desired. With the exception of the series protag, a lot of them are very flat, receiving little backstory. They don’t really form real bonds/dynamics, the supporting cast mostly existing to move the plot along. A lot of the show felt like it was just going through the motions. Robin herself is fine; she’s a very good female protagonist with her own agency and character---despite what the OP may lead you to believe, her life does not revolve around a man (thank god) and she’s a competent fighter. Where WHR is so interesting to me is that it’s fundamentally a pro-cop show. Our protagonists are the good guy cops who can do no real wrong, and every criminal they arrest is comically evil. In the early episodes, regulation steps in and prevents them from bringing the monster of the week to justice; there are no truly sympathetic monsters in this show, with the exception of maybe one or two which I’ll avoid talking about for spoiler reasons. The reason why this is so intriguing to me is that while the show is trying to tell me cops are good and necessary, everything else it shows clearly is not. At the end of the week, the monsters are kidnapped off the streets in unmarked trucks and taken to the “factory.” No trial, no notification to their families, no hope of freedom, nothing. While the show may be attempting to portray the classic cop case of “one bad prison system ruins the bunch,” everything else surrounding that prison system… is also like, ontologically evil. The thematic cognitive dissonance is utterly fascinating, because in an attempt at moral greyness, the director appears to have dipped far further into black paint than he may have realized. The thematic dissonance doesn’t make WHR a better show, just a much more interesting one to watch. It’s a little late into October, but if you’re looking for a spooky show that’ll make you think in a way the writers weren’t intending, WHR is a strong contender.

Hello, first of all, this is my first review, I apologize for any mistakes. I hope you enjoy reading it. Visual Impression and Animation: I would say that it is a good animation, it is not perfect, but for me it was very enjoyable from beginning to end. In addition to the scenarios, which I maintain the same opinion. Now, two negative points are the action scenes that end up being very tedious, as well as the first part of the anime mentioned below. But some are exceptions, and end up being cool. I also liked the futuristic touch, combined with a time when this would not be possible. And also the scenarios, locations and costumes, which contribute to the atmosphere positively. Script and Pace: I felt that the pace of the anime was slow. I think the plot could have made better choices to be more interesting in the first part of the anime, because it ended up becoming repetitive and, at one point or another, I ended up getting bored and even sleepy because I was watching the same thing and nothing surprised me. The good thing is that the second part came and revived the anime, breaking out of that repetitive cycle, containing more mystery, investigation scenes and battles that became a little more striking as the episodes went by. In addition, pieces of the protagonist's story were revealed, and external things fit together in due time. Another positive point is the good balance between calm moments and moments of action, and I particularly like how these moments convey a comforting feeling. One point to be commented on, and that many other people have already commented on, is how the anime sometimes leaves questions unanswered, despite the ending that answers many questions regarding the protagonist's story. But I wouldn't say that this ruins or hinders; sometimes, not answering questions is a good decision. And here, it didn't make a difference for me, my few doubts were answered, and others, I can overlook. Characters: Good to say the least, however, they could have been much more, and I felt that they lacked greater development. The only ones who grow in the anime, even if minimally (except for the protagonist), are Michael and maybe Amon. The others are there more to fill their own roles and, in 26 episodes, they end up not having that much importance in terms of development. Since, in the first part of the anime, this does not happen. We can have a minimal glimpse of development from the second part onwards, but it does not seem to be that important or significant. And, although I understand their motivations throughout the anime, I would say that it does not go beyond that. They do what they have to do. Soundtrack: Great. It was composed by Taku Iwasaki, the same person responsible for the soundtracks of Akame ga Kill!, Rurouni Kenshin (1999 and 2001), JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Noragami, Soul Eater, Black Butler, Bungo Stray Dogs and many other important titles. Now, returning to the anime, the soundtrack varies from rock to jazz, at least as far as I could detect and tell. In addition, there are many musical experiments and combinations of these aspects that I could not and cannot say now, but which were certainly good during and after the anime. And I recommend listening to the soundtrack on Spotify or YouTube to learn more details about it, because I really lack information to describe Iwasaki's beautiful work in this work. Commenting a little more about the soundtrack, there is also a background piano that appears frequently and that is very striking and emphasizes many moments that occur during the anime, and it ends up being a beautiful and even moving thing. In addition, just like these musical experiments, rock, jazz and piano also helped to build the mood and atmosphere during the anime's scenes. They gave an extra charm to the work and matched well with the proposal of the anime and its themes. And also, of course, even after all this, I cannot fail to mention and highlight the opening and ending. Both are particularly addictive and good, in addition to the vocalist herself, who did a great job. I wanted to comment more about them, but I am afraid of commenting on something completely unrelated, so I will stop here. But overall, I would say it is a good anime, with good potential, but due to some points mentioned above and the choices made in the anime itself, I believe it cannot reach a higher level. That said, it is worth watching if you want to experience something atmospheric, with genres of action, drama, supernatural, mystery and involving witchcraft, but explored in a different and interesting way. In addition to presenting gothic/noir settings, themes, and costumes.

One of the greatest joy with anime is finding those rare hidden gems. Yes i love Attack on Titan, Death note and the likes. I rate them higher. But you go into them with expecting greatness. With a show like witch hunter robin i go into an uncharted and unexpected territory not sure what will come. And then it just hits you, blowing you away I only learned of the show a few days before starting to watch it despite having many others on my plan to watch list. I think what draw me in was the darker and gritty feel it gave of reading about it and seeing the character art. And straight from the beginning watching it it delivered. Theres something about the atmosphere of the show thats very appealing to me. Again the art and animation. Early 2000. Dark and gritty. The characters personalitys. Its a serious and mature story. No goofy teenagers or fan service. No screaming. Id compare it to stuff like Lain or Hell girl, two other shows i enjoyed. The music is also very good and adds to the atmosphere. Story is split into two parts you could say. First half is more episodic. While im usually not a big fan of the episodic structure just like with gell girl it still worked for me because i really enjoyed the atmosphere and characters. For the second half theres alot more story going on that continues until the end. Feels like it happened a bit to late though or would need some more episodes to flesh out some stuff. That might have pushed it on to a 9. Although even without im very close to put one more point but gonna settle with the 8/10. If you look for a darker, more serious anime you should give Witch Hunter Robin a go

witches in 2000s Sometimes it's nice to watch a show I don't have to fix too much on it has that slowed him like I don't have to watch it like. Focus I can take my Focus somewhere else and then I can't go back when it is interesting. And it almost has a police procedure vibe in the beginning, so it's very predictable which gives it a nice you know I can just look at it when I want in the first 10 episode but then stuff happens and then it's like oh now I have you know to look at the scream and it is interesting even if I don't care too much about the characters. They are good enough and I would be sad if they were gone but they feel like they are Surfer they do that job. They're not the deepest. I also like the witches they feel more like psychics when it comes to their ability, but it is very nice to see them fight and use them sadly. It doesn't go too much in creativity so the fight gets release repetitive after Wild but it is relaxing to watch. But I do not want to be a jackass, so I really like the music. It has some nice atmosphere to it and I enjoyed early 2000 computer paint to colorize the character so now everything is a bit gray. It has a vibe all to it its own. And the show is willing to just go through dialogue with out too many hands up. It's like oh you didn't Focus on a conversation. plot is not going to go up again. It doesn't hold your hand, it is kind of nice. And when the plot gets growing halfway through you do care you do care even if you're happy mostly on in the background. You just like oh, I can't beat about it now and it actually interesting what they do with the plot and the plot twist so I would recommend this show if you want a slow burn kind of show.

Witch Hunter Robin is a popular anime series that premiered in Japan in 2002. Created by Sunrise Studio, the show tells the story of Robin Sena, a young girl with the ability to use magic, who is sent to Japan to join a secret organization that hunts witches. The show is set in an alternate universe where witches are real and can use their powers for both good and evil. The main character, Robin, is a witch herself, but works for the STN-J, an organization that uses the powers of witches to hunt down and eliminate other witches who pose a threat to society. Robin is a "craft user," meaning she has the power to manipulate fire, which she uses to capture and control other witches. The show's animation is a blend of traditional hand-drawn animation and computer-generated imagery, which gives it a unique and visually striking look. The characters are well-designed and have distinct personalities and motivations, making it easy to get invested in their stories. The pacing of the show is deliberate and methodical, which may not be to everyone's taste. However, the slow build-up allows for more nuanced character development and a deeper exploration of the show's themes. The show also has a strong sense of atmosphere, with moody, atmospheric music and dark, shadowy visuals that create a sense of tension and unease. Overall, Witch Hunter Robin is a well-crafted, thought-provoking anime that explores complex themes and builds a detailed and immersive world. While the slow pacing and dark tone may not be for everyone, those who are willing to invest the time and attention will be rewarded with a rich and rewarding viewing experience.

Witch Hunter Robin is the story of a fifteen year old girl crushing on her presumably adult coworker while burning people alive in the name of black budget police work. The show seems to heavily prioritize mood over all else, with its restrained and realistic acting and reasonably (for anime, at least) grounded setting. However, it seems to do so at the expense of the story and characters, overall. The story is unfocused. Plot points are routinely set up, given zero time to breathe, and then get unceremoniously dumped. A prime example is early on, when the show introduces the question of why Robin's powers seem to be unable to ever hit their target. I had thought that maybe the show was setting up how, like most teenage girls, Robin maybe had some unconscious qualms about lighting people on fire with her mind, and she would have to grow into the role of witch-hunter that was forced on her. Instead, it turns out that she just needs glasses, which is weird, because that's not how vision works. This is a problem that's shown off in episode one, questioned in the second, solved in the third, and no longer a problem by the fourth. This is a recurring theme with just about every plot the show has. Half-hearted attempts are made to suggest that Robin has a hard time grasping idioms, because she's foreign, but at a frequency that makes me forget that that's even supposed to be a thing. Amon's relationship with his girlfriend consists of two scenes of them emphatically not having chemistry before Amon does the whole breakup by phone bit. The end of the show raises the stakes by introducing an army of mass-deployed black ops soldiers, only to render them completely irrelevant by making their one weakness "being in Robin's presence for more than ten seconds." And the very end of the show turns an established character into a rambling idiot, spouting some asinine screed about "the purity of the human race" that couldn't be any more stereotypically "this particular period of anime history" if it tried. The muted performance of the characters, while a welcome sight in a genre marked by unfunny mugging, goes a bit too far. Characters all seem to have to make a conscious decision to show a genuine character trait, otherwise defaulting to low-key, neutral expression, no-emotion fact spewing that makes them seem like they're engaged in a constant contest of "who can look the coolest?" I found myself liking characters like Dojima and That One Guy on the Motorcycle that Doesn't Do Anything Important, because at least they knew how to crack a smile every now and again. Overall, WHR is a well-presented, but otherwise vacuous series. If it was perhaps a bit longer, maybe some of these plot points could have actually been given the attention they deserved. As it stands, it strikes me as a show with too many ideas and no firm way to bridge them all together. Still, I was entertained, at least enough to finish it, so I could certainly say it had room to get worse.