IFC (ended 2007)



User Score: 333

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Show Summary

Containing the elements of a classic tragedy, this anime show is similar in some ways to a Shakespeare Novel: Romeo & Juliet. The story begins right after a long running cease-fire between two rival clans (Kouga and Iga) was abolished. These clans have been battling each for centuries and they share a inner hate against each other before the cease-fire was made. To make matters worse, the cease-fire has been abolished at the worst possible time, because by the clans initiative a fusion has been planned with the marriage between Kouga Gennosuke and Oboro Iga. Now the clans have no alternative but wage war against each other. But Gennosuke of the Kouga clan and Oboro of the Iga clan, despite the arranged marriage, are truly in love. Can their love prevail or will a centuries-old blood feud be too much for the young lovers to overcome?
Jason Liebrecht

Jason Liebrecht

Saemon Kisaragi [E]

Chris Cason

Chris Cason

Shogen Kazamachi [E]

Stephanie Young

Stephanie Young

Kagero [E]

Laura Bailey

Laura Bailey

Oboro Iga [E]

Nana Mizuki

Nana Mizuki

Oboro Iga [J]

Kousuke Toriumi

Kousuke Toriumi

Gennosuke Kouga [J]

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  • I watched it in less than 24 hours

    the last episode, ultimately makes it a good show so forget the people giving it bad rep. The quick flash of Oboro and Gennosuke along with the two elderly as if they were married awesome and overall complete. you watch each episode but the end makes you reflect on the first and the circle is complete. I liked the show. I would suggest it ( even though i always suggest shows). This was very good though and i liked it more than most of the stories i've been watching lately.

  • By the end of it all, I wasn't sure what exactly I was watching. A tragic love story or an action show? And here thus lies the problem of Basilisk; it's really confused on its identity.moreless

    We are with no hesitation treated to some great and awesome lookin' battles upon the first three episodes of Basilisk. Like really, some of the best anime has to offer combining strategy with aesthetic value, and with the way the plot set itself up, ten ninjas on one side and ten on another, it looked like it was going to remain this way for the rest of the way. Though there really needs to be a clause in anime where producers can't spend more than half of its budget on just the first couple episodes, cause although the show has some great fight scenes, most of them are in the beginning.

    Animes are normally built on the strength of its story and characters, though with Basilisk's action oriented approach, this looks like one anime that you would rather watch for its fights, cause there really isn't much story to it. Basically the shogun are presented with a conflict of choosing their next heir, so they pit two ninja villages who hate each othe against each other, and the winner will decide the outcome of the next shogunate. The plot is remarkably thin and doesn't have much going for it in the form of plot twists.

    Character development? This is something that Basilisk handles better than the story. Ten ninjas on each side, there's surprisingly good character development amongst all of them. Each with their own personality, history, etc. The down side? A character dies every episode. There's no problem with that, except that other than the two main characters, most of the character development for each of the characters happens upon the episode that they are killed in. So the pattern is rather predictable, and we really have no opportunity to fortify ourselves with the characters, since they all just die off.

    A story thinner than noodles and characters that can't seem to stay alive, doesn't sound like a show that has anything going for it, right? The charm comes from its fights and the concepts behind each battle. The ninjas all possess powers as diverse from a Marvel or DC comic. One guy has elastic skin where he can stretch his legs and arms, a woman can kill you with her very kiss, another guy whose whistles can create blackholes, an immortal who has lived for centuries, etc. The creativity behind all the fights are sure enough to keep your attention despite the lack of character development and story.

    Now the problem is that all the good battles occur in the first half. The first three episodes give us some super juicy looking battles, then the aesthetic value slowly tones down every episode, and then eventually the battles become somewhat average. In addition, Basilisk opens up action oriented, and suddenly changes its focus on a hardcore love relationship. No problem with this, except that because of this change, Basilisk feels like it lacks an identity and there wasn't enough committment on any of its themes that it feels incomplete.

    Basilisk for half the way looked like it is going to be a rare exception where its great looking and well thought out battles is pulling it forward and not the characters and story, and then the battles get worse, an instant change of heart midway through, somewhere along the way you think to yourself "where did it go wrong?" Though it does have an epic "tragic romance" ending like William Shakespeare himself wrote it. In the end though Basilisk is without an identity that lacks enough development in any of its areas to feel really whole.moreless
  • omg...wait.....i thought...this was shippuden.....

    well..all that i can say . . is . . this . . anime got so many things out of naruto that im not going to even bother saying them . . its a good anime. . .a little to much with the violence and stuff . . but it was a'worth seeing'. . . . but than again..if you have seen naruto. . . . theres nothing new to see here . . . . but watch it . . if you are a hard core anime fan . . . so . . peace ! ! ! .moreless
  • story wise its terrible action wise its sub par. spoilers ahead

    ok i watched this series and i have to say it was pretty much just a crappy ninja version of romeo and juliet. with alot and i do mean alot of innapropriate sex scenes. seriously could the writer have been anymore sexist towards women? their only power is to kill the enemy while being raped. fail.

    the art style and some of the fights were really the only enjoyable parts of this anime. having watched both the dub and sub i can honestly say their about the same.

    the butterflies were very nicely animated and pretty to look at but sadly had no abilities or creativity used for them. at least bleach knows how to properly use a butterfly. all the female characters suck due to poor writing. why were they even allowed to be ninja if your going to treat them like they have no say in anything. what is this the 1400s?

    most of the male cast were either ugly, rapists, or ugly rapists. the only nice ones with neat attacks die a couple eps in. poor fatty mudwall blackhole and hair guys they were the only ones with actual abilities. the rest of them could only spit at you or look at you with their eyes to kill yamoreless
  • Basilisk is a great anime. It has love stories, conflicts, action, vengeance, treason and much more.

    Basilisk is a great anime. It has love stories, conflicts, action, vengeance, treason and much more. It is impossible not to love it. When you see an episode, you can't stop seeing until you finish the whole story. It has an addiction quality.

    The animation and the sound are superb with a great care for the minimum detail.

    The end is very tragic, but realistic. Some may say it was unoriginal, but I can´t see other possibility for an end, so it fits like a glove.

    Some may say the battles are too short, but I think this is one of the qualities of the show. It serves to show us how life is fragile and gives it a sense of speed that fits the story perfectly.

    It has some flaws, but they are a minor problem, because of the quality of the rest of the show. One flaw that I can say is the use of gratuitous nudity scenes. Some are necessary to the history, but some are forced. Although none is really disgusting.moreless
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