Dantalian no Shoka – 5

There is no mandate that requires Dantalian no Shoka to take place in the English countryside in the early part of the past century.  A story such as this could survive easily in any setting, from modern, urban Japan, to medieval kingdoms, to a futuristic digital realm and anything else that lies within the limits of imagination.  Dantalian no Shoka has quite a distinctive setting within the current anime community in that there are very few that share any similarities, and its removal from the norm has been a breath of fresh air for those who are exhausted of teenagers in high schools.  So let’s just take a few and focus on the setting of Dantalian no Shoka.

Dantalian no Shoka – 4

What really completes Dantalian no Shoka is not the elegant artwork or the spectacular characters but the ever-unpredictable Phantom Books.  Each book offers a slightly different style and emphasis for each episode, depending on the content of the book and who holds it in their hands.  The Phantom Books add just enough mystery and enchantment to each episode to bring it above ordinary stories in originality and intelligence but are balanced enough to avoid being overpowering in the story and drowning out logic and reason.

Dantalian no Shoka – 3

Is there such a thing as too tsundere?  Just from looking at a character alone in their personality and mannerisms, it basically a judgment call based virtually all on opinion and preference, so it really doesn’t mean that much.  But when you start to factor in the story and setting, you can begin to see what feels appropriate and what does not.  For a series like Dantalian no Shoka, Dalian’s nature seems to conflict with the given story and setting.  Her strong tendencies to act like a stereotypical tsundere character seem misplaced and I’m beginning to feel her character, and perhaps the series, may begin to suffer as a result.

Dantalian no Shoka – 2

Who knew reading books could be such a grand, overpowering, and, above all, interesting way to fight mythical beasts like golems and dragons?

Dantalian no Shoka – 1

There certainly is action and adventure in Dantalian no Shoka and, with those elements skillfully interweaved with this fantasy background in post-WWI England, the story comes together as a solid and original anime.  But after the events of the first episode, there’s still some mystery behind what the whole series will be about.  Will this anime have a strong central story that progresses over the course of the season or will we end up starting a different book each episode and experiencing new treasures and adventures each time?  Or will there be something else?