Initial Impressions: Karneval

For some reason it took me twelve minutes to realize that the purple tufts aren't actual animal ears, though I'm sure that's the symbolism behind them.

There's something about the Josei genre that's very different from what most manga and anime denominations do with themselves, and I'm of the opinion that that's usually a great thing. It's not the fact that it's different that sets it apart, but rather the way in which it chooses to be different; for instance, Josei series never really stick to one genre. They tend to be multi-faceted narratives which blend various different strains of exposition and development, and they tend to focus on grittier or starker material than their Shoujo and even Shounen/Seinen counterparts. There's also a tendency to explore in-depth character psychology, and usually in a much bolder way than the norm. Of course, there's plenty of other ways in which the genre diverges from the expected, but the point I'm trying to make is that Karneval itself is a great example of what makes Josei series such interesting adaptation material.

That's not to say this premiere is perfect. There's a bit too much going on for just 24 minutes of screentime, and I'm sure I'm not the only person with huge question marks about what the heck happened in those few minutes. Despite that, however, I'd argue that this has been one of the best executed first episodes so far this season (I'm not through everything yet, so I can't say that with absolute certainty though) and that it was definitely an engaging experience. The animation is very nice and occasionally beautiful, and while there's an abundance of bishounen (I'd say saturation, really), they at least have real personalities and characterization going on beneath their flashy exteriors. Nai (Shimono Hiro), for example, is a curious little thing with exceptional hearing and an equally mysterious backstory, and while there's not a whole lot to say about him or his new bromance partner Gareki (Hiroshi Kamiya) right now, it's probably safe to say that their interaction will yield more clues about their individual identities sooner than later. We do get to see a bit into Gareki's thought processes, beginning with an interesting self-monologue where he admits that all people are either "enemies, nobodies, or prey" and which ends in him taking Nai along, though what category he's placed him in is up to interpretation.

So far the real pillar holding the series up is the intrigue and premise, however. This is shaping up to be a bit of a conspiratorial series, what with multiple factions working in the background to achieve Hylia-knows-what as well as all sorts of crazy magical or monstrous ongoings in the foreground. Clearly we're supposed to be as lost as Nai and Gareki at the moment, so I'm not too worried about not understanding what's going on. What matters is that what we do see is exactly the sort of hook a series needs to get on its feet; in typical Josei style that involves some pretty outlandish plot devices (they don't always have to be fantastical as is the case here; Josei series are just good at picking almost whimsical ideas to drive their plots forward) and, in this particular series, more action and explosions than some Shounen battle manga. These are pretty stylish scenes to watch as it is, and it always helps to have a couple of shock factors thrown in for good measure. In any case, I'm pretty happy with this premiere, and hopefully the characters flesh out the way I think they will over the next few episodes. As to blogging status, this probably makes it onto the schedule, unless the premiere turns out to be a fluke.

N.B.: Thanks once again to Ivan for the wonderful caps!

Episode 1 Screencaps: "Rainbow-Colored Fuse"
ED "REASON" by KAmiYU