Witch Hunter Robin is off to a middling start

Emru Townsend · September 30, 2003 | Of late I've been impressed with meticulously designed anime series that intrigue me with interesting premises right at the beginning. The first five episodes of Witch Hunter Robin have got the design down, but I'm not quite intrigued—yet.

In this world, witches are for the most part a danger to humanity, and the shadowy STN is an organization dedicated to dealing with the threat using science and magic, with field operatives known as Hunters.

Robin, a nun fresh out of an Italian monastery, is the newest super-powered Hunter at STN's Japanese branch, STNJ, and there she meets her new team, helping fight witches while struggling for acceptance.

The five episodes on the first disc set up the dynamic between Robin and the rest of the hunters as they try to solve witch-related crimes. All of the characters seem to have a little something hidden away (from each other or just the viewers), but Robin and Amon are the most interesting so far. Robin herself is a little naïve, and not fully in control of her powers; her partner Amon is aloof and just a little too sullen for his own good.

Witch Hunter Robin Vol. 1 Bandai Entertainment, 2004 Originally released in 2002 Directed by Shuko Murase 125 minutes Shop for Witch Hunter Robin DVDs and more: Amazon.ca Amazon.com

What's Good: While some of the witches are of the diabolical cackling variety, others are so calm and seemingly ordinary that they're genuinely disquieting.

What's Bad: Good design, good direction, and good characters make for a great start, but I hope we start seeing more than menace-of-the-week episodes in the second volume.

DVD Extras: Textless opening and ending, STNJ personnel files, liner notes.