[ComicGuy89]

Just finished Kemono no Souja Erin last night, it's amazing. Thought I'd write a review of it:

Title: Kemono no Souja Erin/The Beast Player Erin
Genre: Fantasy Epic
Year: 2009

It’s not uncommon to hear people, when talking about Erin, remarking at how surprising this show is. Starting off as a simple, episodic series about a little aspiring beast healer named Erin, it gave off the impression of being a simple children’s anime. Though there were hints, I did not realise then that it would eventually explode into an epic series of majestic proportions, a series that I believe would resonate with me for a long time.


The story and its politics
Based on the series of novels by Nahoko Uesashi, the anime tells of the Holy Kingdom of Ryoza, divided into two regions: the people of the Shin-Oh (the queen) and the people of the Taikoh (the duke). The Shin-Oh is regarded as a divine ruler, whose ancestor was said to have descended from the mountains and commanded the beasts to bow to her.

The first Shin-Oh subjugates the beasts

As the people of the Shin-Oh deplore war, the people of the Taikoh are tasked with the defense of the kingdom. They subjugate and ride fearsome, dragon-like beasts called Touda into battle, and with these creatures, they are unmatched in warfare.

What seems like a perfect setup hides a growing divide among the people. The Shin-Oh’s people look down on those of the Taikoh, who they regard as barbaric warriors. In turn, the Taikoh people are growing discontent with the endless war, bitter at the people they are supposed to protect.

The fearsome Touda

Among all this, a little girl named Erin lives with her mother in Ake village, which raises Touda for war. Curious and resourceful Erin has always had a love for nature and animals, and she is greatly intrigued by the Touda. A horrible tragedy sets her on the path to discover her talents and her destiny to change the face of the kingdom forever.


Complex and intricate characters and themes
With an impressive 50 episodes, Erin never shies away in taking its time to explore its characters and themes. Most of the characters serve a purpose to the plot, and they are almost never there just for show. Through their lives the viewers come to understand the key messages of compassion and love versus the rigidity of blind tradition and legalism. Though the themes are bold, their execution is beautifully subtle and never forced for the sake of edginess.

Character relationships are thoroughly explored

In fact, this may be the only nitpick one might have with the show: some may argue that it is too long. The show is rather slow-paced and makes liberal use of flashbacks. For me, it is perfectly balanced and I appreciate the emphasis of the recollections, but it may not be the same for everyone.

The beast player Erin: A truly remarkable character
Ultimately, the thing that sets the show apart is Erin. Erin herself is one of the best developed characters I have ever come across on TV. She isn't perfect: she could be immensely stubborn, and her views at times are myopic. But her earnest desire to see a better world and to live compassionately touches and changes the lives of many of the people she meets in the show.

Erin, bright and ever eager to learn

And here’s the best part: all this not because she's extraordinarily intelligent (though she is smart), not because she has magical powers (despite being rumoured to have so), nor because she has any position of authority. Rather, it is her sense of idealism, her purity and her great capacity for love that changes the course of destiny. Armed only with these, we see her grow from a bright young girl to a mature, wise woman with the whole experience of her life to guide her. Erin is truly inspiring.

A beautiful world, fully realised
Of course, a complex show that isn't similarly supported by the audiovisuals would not reach its full potential. Luckily, Erin’s visuals are gorgeous and detailed, breathing life into a world and populating it. The backdrops, in particular, have a special kind of intricacy to them. The artists have successfully blended culture and tradition to create believable architecture and towns.

The architecture shows great attention to style and culture

At times the show makes effective use of stylised art to illustrate some points, and each time it is dazzling and exquisite. The colours are striking, and by themselves they could be magnificent works of art.

Stylised art is used to great effect

This is coupled with a beautiful soundtrack that is both contemporary and traditional, whose tunes help illustrate the world.

Conclusion
It is difficult to accurately convey just what a terrific show this is without spoiling anything. In fact, to describe it more beyond the first 7 episodes is delving into major spoiler territory.

Suffice to say, Erin has everything: drama, politics, tragedy, romance, action, comedy, slice-of-life, you name it. All wrapped in a lovely package that can only be described as “epic”, in the grand tradition of stories like the Lord of the Rings. It needs to be experienced to be understood, and I can only wholeheartedly recommend it.

Where can I watch it?
The official stream outside of Japan is through Crunchyroll. It is available for viewers in United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Norway, United Arab Emirates, Singapore, Malaysia, and the Philippines.