Kino's Journey: V.1 Idle Adventurer (ep.1-4)

"Kino's Journey" is a fascinating, introspective show with a quality all its own. The show as a whole spans four DVDs and has no plot; Kino just travels around, visiting one country or another and interacting with whoever lives there. Sometimes Kino gets into trouble, and sometimes just watches. The various lands have nothing in common except a vaguely fairytale European quality, and like the best fairy tales, these stories don't shy away from grim brutality -- as well as an 'existential' quality which some may find amoral or unsettling. But through it all, Kino survives and heads on for the next land, the next adventure. For those who like their anime thoughtful, I don't see how this could be better. I didn't notice the "lines" that some found distracting. The backgrounds, skies and details are rendered in a watercolor style well suited to the stories' general mood. A fine show, well worth watching more than once.

Kino is a young girl who travels through different countries, never staying for longer than 3 days, because she is afraid that if she stays longer, she might settle down. Her only companion is her motorcycle, Hermes. Hermes has sentience and can speak to Kino and other people. Each episode is a different adventure as she encounters people of all types and countries, each with their own customs and problems.

This dvd has the first four episodes of Kino's Journey.
In "Land of Visible Pain", Kino and Hermes come upon a city that has no visible human inhabitants, only robots who wait on their every need. Where did all the people go? They will find out soon enough. The second episode is about Kino helping out 3 truckdrivers whose vehicle has become trapped in a blizzard and are starving to death. "Land of Prophecies", the 3rd episode concerns a country where the people believe that the next morning after Kino arrives will be the last day before the earth ends. In the last episode, we learn a little more about Kino in a flashback to her childhood in which we learn the origins of her wanderings and how she came to meet up with Hermes.

This was a great dvd and should appeal to those anime watchers who like a lot of story instead of giant robots fighting each other. It almost seems like a book, and actually, this anime is based on a series of books published in Japan. It is pretty hardhitting and philisophical and should appeal more to adults than to kids. There are scenes of some graphic violence, such as a man getting shot in the head and a stabbing. Great dvd.

No real extras except clean closings/openings, production sketches.

There's something to be said for the use of quiet as a story-telling device.
I did not know what to expect when I first sat down to watch Kino's Journey, but I was quickly captivated by this series.
Kino is an impartial witness, traveling from one land to the next. Her constant companion is Hermes, a talking motorbike with a sarcastic bent.
Together, they explore various social situations, and their potential consequences. Is knowing the thoughts of those around you a blessing or a curse? Is it right to live at the expense of another? What are the consequences of prophecy? Can a society truly divest itself of all its traditions? What does it mean to be a reasonable adult?
We aren't always given answers to our questions, either. Kino is not a judge. She neither condones nor condemns those around her.
In the second episode, we do see Kino fight against a group of slave traders, but this is only after they threaten Kino's own life.
Despite some moments of graphic violence, this is a series that I would seriously consider sharing with children about ten or older.
Oft times thoughtful, it is the quiet moments when we see that which is truly beautiful in the world.
My sole complaint is that Kino's identity as a girl was supposed to be a surprise in the fourth episode, but the ADV english translation reveals it a bit early.
The art style is intruigingly complex and simplistic at the same time, with vivid detail for the backgrounds and mechanical devices, but with remarkably plain character designs. The colors use a great deal of earth tones, and it is nowhere as brightly colored as some anime. The musical score is both vivid and haunting. The voice cast for both Japanese and English dialogue are superb.
Personally, I wouldn't mind seeing a few more like this one.