NanashiMoriko

Hmmmmm, this was not exactly what I was expecting from this anime, I'm not sure what I was expecting but this wasn't it. Taking it with a view of the manga its.... odd. The main premise is the same but Ashura has changed sex and the God King was Lord Ashura. Slight differences which can be explained by less time to tell the story in the OAV's run. Except they don't tell the story, they don't tell any story, maybe a quarter of a story or half a story, but not a full one. It's left with no resolution. Taking it without a view of the mangaand ... well I can see why it didn't get picked up for a whole series. It's a middle section of a story with no start and no end, not even a semi resolution. In my opinion without the plot of the manga to lean upon this OAV flops, and I am so disappointed about that. The characters have been brought to the screen well, I have no qualms there, the music is fitting and the animation is good for its age. One other thing I feel the need to comment on is that the OAV doesn't have the grip on you that the manga has. It's a lot less intense and emotional, I didn't shed a tear watching it and I had been hoping for that, I love CLAMPs ability to tear your heart out but it just wasn't there. That could again have been time constraints but in the manga it doesn't take long for you to love a character and then have him/her killed. I'd say don't watch this if you haven't read the manga, there's not much to be gotten from it (except pretty Soma). If you have read the manga then watch it but with no expectations, it's nice to see the characters on screen but that's about it. Nanashi Moriko *disappointed fangirl* 29/05/07

ejala

Imagine if the Star Wars trilogy was redone as a single movie, and the only parts they included were the fight on Jabba's floating barge, and the conversation between Yoda and Obi-wan about the Skywalker family tree. Newcomers would have no idea what was going on, and those familiar with the story would be furious at how it was butchered. If you also randomly turn Luke into a girl, you would have the relationship between this OVA and the source manga. Rg Veda is set in a complex, beautifully drawn, fascinating world. Some of that is translated to the screen. The main charactersare strikingly done, and the main, if not only, enjoyment of watching is seeing them come to life in full color. The nameless soldiers and mooks? Seem to have been done on more of a budget, prompting flashbacks to 80's morning cartoons. I watched this having read only the first five volumes of the manga, as my public library never bothered to obtain the other half of this series. So I can't say how closely the second part of this anime comes to the original, that part must take place in a later volume. As to the first half, it isn't so bad as a 5-minute version of the story, but we're definitely in Cliff'snotes' territory. Also, Ashura's sex change lends a disturbing, Lolita-esque quality to some of her scenes with Lord Yama. Honestly, there are better things to do with an hour and a half.