Seiken no Blacksmith
Rated: R+ - Mild Nudity
Status: Finished Airing
Source: Light novel
Score: 6.64
Rank: 6270
Popularity: 1325
Forty-four years ago, the surviving nations of the Valbanil War declared peace and forbade the use of the devastating demon contracts that ravaged the land. Now, inexperienced knight Cecily Cambell is eager to follow the example of her family and protect the people of the city using the sword she inherited from her father. Her first challenge arises in the market. A crazed swordsman wreaks havoc upon civilians and Cecily jumps into action to restore order. Overwhelmed, her weapon shatters, but a skilled stranger wielding a strange-looking sword intervenes. With the situation diffused, Cecily heads to a local blacksmith in an effort to restore her family heirloom. However, she finds out that her savior—the blacksmith Luke Ainsworth—may be the only person capable of such intricate repairs. Determined to have her treasured sword repaired, she seeks out the man who rescued her. However, a group of bandits suddenly attack a convoy headed for the city. The assailants look inhuman, and an ice demon appears. Luke suspects the use of a demon contract and calls upon a sacred power to defeat them. Meanwhile, a shadowy hooded figure lurks, watching from a distance. Who is this mysterious evildoer, and what does his appearance mean for the pair? [Written by MAL Rewrite]
Character dan Voice actor
Ainsworth, Luke
Main
Okamoto, Nobuhiko
Aria
Main
Toyoguchi, Megumi
Cambell, Cecily
Main
Fujimura, Ayumi
Lisa
Main
Toyosaki, Aki
Atkins, Fio
Supporting
Masu, Nozomi
Review
bjtdevera
What it's really about: A big-chested clumsy knight gets involved with a demon problem, as well as handsome blacksmith and his mysterious past. The Good: - Excellent production value - The relationship between the blacksmith and the knight is cute - The episodes that don't directly further the plot are still very interesting - The setting has an intriguing history The Bad:- The knight can be viewed by many as "annoying." - Those expecting a Lord of the Rings experience will be sorely disappointed. Conclusion: I think the reason this anime got so many below average reviews is because of the reviewers' preconceptions of what the anime should have been. If you can manage to dispel any preconceived notions you have about this anime, then you're in for a very nice treat. Just enjoy it for what it is.
NV2301
The Sacred Blacksmith is a really mixed bag. This could have been good, with the underlying story being highly interesting. The whole excecution of the story is unfortunately, horrific. The flaws in the storyline mainly lie with the protagonist. Cecily as the main lead has shown growth but this is unfortunately obscured by her annoying personality. The way her "talk" sequences were done was extremely off-putting, and her jarring voice made things even worse. This links to the lack of a logical flow to the storyline whenever it involves Cecily. One evening, she's in a life-threatening battle, the next dayshe's smiling at her potential killers (twice...same people, same arc!). Another example is excessive, irrelevant chatter during battles. It's as if her speaking has a "freeze" effect on the enemy (yea right!). The supporting main characters, Luke, Lisa and Aria were highly pleasurable and fun, each having rather interesting backstories as well as a good source of laughter. They fulfill their respective roles excellently. The art was average-good, with the use of an eye-pleasing palette. Afterall, I started watching after seeing the nice art at the Animesuki season preview. The girls were either cute or hot, depending on age! The monsters looked ugly but aren't monsters supposed to be ugly anyway? The animation sequences during battles were very well done. It's a shame the battles had to be rushed in a short, 12-episode series. The BGM is very good and it is a pity because of the lacklustre storytelling. This situation is reminicent of Tsubasa Chronicles season 1 where the music was awesome, but too lively for a poorly executed and slow story. The OP seems to have split people but I felt the beat and tone was a good fit. The ED is just awfully cute, and expresses Lisa as a character very well. Overall, I enjoyed the story because it had such potential, as well as the interesting and likeable supporting characters which kept me watching this rather mediocre series. That said, the lack of logical flow *points at Cecily* is a serious killjoy. People have asked me what I was watching during Autumn 2009. While I gave an honest answer (SnB was the only show I was following!), I have told every one of them to avoid.
