How many times have I heard "desu" in an anime? Well, too many of it came from a certain character in Rozen Maiden. Despite that the word rang in my head like a woodpecker, the series is a keeper. Let's see, I suppose it's another title I didn't expect to like so much, but it got my approval.
Jun Sakurada is a hikikomori: a person who experiences acute socially withdrawal. Because of this, caused by being traumatized by an embarrassing situation, he refuses to go back to school. Because of this, he is known to make online orders for certain products, only to return them during the grace period. He turns skeptical when he receives a letter stating that he won a contest of some sort. Following the instructions provided, his "prize" was a realistic doll. After being wound up, it reveals itself to be Shinku. She is one of the Rozen Maiden series dolls, names after their creator, and Jun becomes her medium, using his life force to move freely and use magic.
Of course, it doesn't end with just this, as there are seven in all, Shinku being the fifth. With Jun as the medium, he and Shinku are participants in the Alice Game, in which one of the Rozen dolls defeat the other 6 and capture their Rosa Mystica, their life force. Should one succeed in doing so, the last standing becomes a being of purity and beauty known as Alice, and the other dolls become inanimate: losing their ability to move. This also means that the medium's link with the fallen doll is also cancelled. It seems like an ordinary game, but for Suigintou, the first antagonist, it's more than just a game, and it's personal when dealing with Shinku. Maybe, just maybe admist all the chaos, Jun will open up more...
The anime has two titles, one succeeding the other: Rozen Maiden, and Rozen Maiden: Traumend. Both titles were made in the Studio Nomad, licensed by Geneon Entertainment, and ran for 12 episodes each. A two-part title Rozen Maiden: Ouverture just got green-lit for US licensing, and took place between episodes 6 and 7 of Traumend, revealing insight on the creation and past of Suigintou, as well as reveal the source of her animosity towards Shinku. In addition a special 7 minute episode featuring Detective Kunkun, a character seen in a show the Rozen Maidens watch, foiling a gem heist, though unlike Ouverture, this was available only through a visual novel Rozen Maiden: Duellwalzer. Jun is voiced by Mona Marshall in English, while Shinku is voiced by Mela Lee. It is also noteworthy that Traumend has a different story, compared to the manga.
Rozen Maiden is up there in my book, though hasn't reached perfect status. Still, I guess a 9.6 of 10 is a great score for it.
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