Old School Anime Review - 'Angelic Layer'

It's been a while since I reviewed an anime, so I thought I'd do a new anime review... although, this time I was a bit more careful in selecting a title. The last review that I did—Gall Force: Eternal Story—left me with a terrible headache, and I've still got the rest of the series to go through...

Not today though! Nope, today we're looking at a different title—one of my personal favorites: Angelic Layer.

The plot: 'Mortal Kombat' with... dolls?

The plot follows Misaki Suzuhara as she moves from the countryside to Tokyo and becomes enamored with Angelic Layer, a high-tech fighting game where two players (called deuces) control dolls (angels) in a virtual reality-type fighting arena—the layer.

Kinda sounds like a tamer version of Mortal Kombat, doesn't it? Each game runs for ten minutes and ends when one angel has more damage than the other, can no longer fight, or is thrown from the layer.

Misaki quickly rises through the ranks of the Angelic Layer scene, making friends along the way.

What works? And no, 'everything' isn't an answer!

What works about Angelic Layer? Why is it so popular? I could say "everything" and leave it at that, but it wouldn't help much, would it?

The concept of a fighting game centered around dolls and virtual reality is an interesting one and not something I've seen anywhere else.

Visually, everything from the character designs to the landscapes and backgrounds is just beautiful, and you WANT to see more of it. The soundtrack is great; both the opening and closing themes as well as the orchestral score are energetic and fun.

I also really enjoyed the humor in this series. The comedic timing is great, and although some of the gags do get a little repetitive, I laugh every time. Some of the humor is of the more... slapstick variety, and even that works quite well. Normally slapstick humor irritates me, but the way it's done in Angelic Layer always gets a laugh out of me.

What about the characters? I LOVE the cast of characters that the series boasts. Misaki Suzuhara is consistently fun-loving and cheerful throughout the series, and even when she has the expected breakdowns, they never last long. Misaki's friends Tamayo and Kotarou are just as likable and they are the Abbot and Costello of the series; most of the slapstick antics are between these two.

What doesn't work?

Ummm....very little? *dodges an apple*

What? I didn't say there weren't problems with the series! So, what are the problems with Angelic Layer?

Let's start with the titular game; it's kinda boring. I don't mean visually, but competitively, there's nothing really at stake. When your main character is always winning, it kind of takes away the competitive aspect of the game. Misaki wins almost every single match that she participates in—with one exception—so you know that she'll win most of the time that she's playing.

Another issue I have is that it cuts a bit in terms of the fights themselves. We see Misaki's first few fights and then you get a montage of victories without actually seeing the fights that led up to them. It's not a bad thing to do, and I understand why they did it, but I'd have liked to see more angel fights in the series.

Anime vs. Manga: which is better?

"The book is always better."

That's something you'll hear a lot of when talking about adaptations.

Angelic Layer was adapted from a manga of the same name which ran in the Shonen Ace magazine from July 1999 to October 2001. The series was subsequently released in five Tankobon volumes. Reception to the Angelic Layer manga was mixed, but it definitely has its following.

Now, I've only just started reading the manga myself, so I can't give a full review but it seems pretty much identical outside of a few minor changes. The art style is nice, and it's been an easy read so far—although I have to admit that I'm just ever so slightly biased in that opinion.

As to which is better (the anime or the manga), I guess it depends on your point of view.

Final Thoughts

With the likes of Tiffany Terrell, Tiffany Grant, Christine Auten and Jessica Boone bringing their absolute A-games to the table, it's kind of a pity that this series doesn't get much attention anymore.

If you haven't seen this one, then definitely check it out; it's worth a look.