The early 2000′s was a golden age in contemporary anime. We were treated to masterpieces like Samurai Champloo (2005), Hellsing (2001), Inuyasha (2000) and Bleach (2004). You’ve probably also heard about a lil’ something called Naruto (2002).
Amongst all these giants, you might have missed a few animes during those years. I’m going to talk about a lesser known anime, a cult classic, one member from the “girls with guns” trilogy by animation studio Bee Train.
Twenty years ago, assassin partners Mireille and Kirika shot their way through armies of faceless men while they traveled in a pilgrimage to the past.
With a gorgeous backdrop of European cities, Noir is a story about vengeance and living with regrets, but also about survivng and atoning for the sins of the past.
An ancient organization with the power to influence the world, disposable men in the service of greed, and orange pekoe tea parties during a blackout in Paris.
Noir is filled with symbolism: the unforgiving past in the pocket watch, the significance of having your name printed on an ID card, and every stare between the two main characters is charged with emotion. Mireille’s anger, Kirika’s regrets.
This is an action anime, but the stoy goes deeper than just gunfights, it’s a mystery that unravels a little bit every episode and with every kill. With every life the pair takes, their pilgrimage gets ever closer to the end, to a stalemate they have agreed on, in which only one of them will come out alive.
The fights are amazing, with the spotlight clearly on Kirika’s elegant assassin abilities and her detached demeanor while taking out her targets.
The character design is sophisticated, using a bold palette of colors that blends well with the classic European style of the backgrounds, but also manages to merge with the synthwave art of the intro and the outro.
Noir’s OST is beautiful, Japanese composer Yuki Kajiura created something out of this world with the score. Moody, dark and ominous are words I would use to describe this compilation of heavily instrumental songs. Deeply atmospheric, the OST is the perfect companion to the most intense scenes of the anime.
The ending of the story is satisfying, and it leaves the viewer with a sense of hope, amongst all the loss. This is a must watch anime if you enjoy a mature story with a dark ambience.