The man in the iron mask

// Synopsis: Hakuoro is a mysterious masked stranger who is found in the woods badly injured and without memories. After he is nursed back to health he is quickly accepted by the village. When he discovers that his new home as well as the entire country are being oppressed by their corrupt emperor, he finds himself the leader of rebellion which turns into a revolution.

// Review: Time to break out the anime Mad Libs for this one.

A mysterious male/ idealistic school girl/ androgynous reluctant hero with amnesia/ giant sword/ fantastically sculpted hair leads a war against an evil emperor/ government/ religious institution and his minions of sociopaths/ psychopaths/ ambiguous homosexuals/ long lost sibling. The hero is aided by a harem of over-developed/ under-aged/ demure girls that resemble cute bunnies/ cats/ angels/ top heavy super models.

Obviously this series doesn’t break any new ground, but it still worked for me.  Utawarerumono sort of feels like a mash up of Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion and 12 Kingdoms. Hakuoro is an outsider, who through cunning strategy leads a revolution. While there is plenty of action, it’s balanced out by the obligatory slap stick anime goofiness that keeps it from becoming too dark.  For most of the series it actually felt like Braveheart. But in the odd tradition of anime it takes a bizarre scifi turn and the final 2 episodes feel like a huge departure from the rest of the series.

Utawarerumono explores the meaning of identity and asks the questions “Are people more defined by their past or their present?”, and “Are all all Japanese men misogynists?” I found it becoming a bit convoluted towards the ends as they finally revealed Hakuoro’s back story through a flashbacks and jump cuts. You may need a wikipedia assist to make sense of it all.

The visuals were solid, the dubbing predictably uneven, and the pacing was good. Each story arc was between 3-6 episodes and I was pathetic bored intrigued enough to finish all 24 episodes in one sitting.

// Wrap up: Utawarerumono has many elements that feel very familiar, characters that grow on you, and even has a few tragic twists that surprise.  If you are looking for something that has a little main stream appeal without devolving into self-involved fan service, you could do much worse.

Entertainment rating: 3