Anime Review: Ragnarok the Animation
The Story
Ragnarok the Animation is an anime based on the Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing game Ragnarok Online. The story begins in the realm called the Rune – Midgard. An evil monster called the Dark Lord wanted to rule over Rune – Midgard and create havoc and chaos. He needs to get the seven crystals representing the seven strengths. After the death of her brother, Yufa, an acolyte and her childhood friend and companion, Roan, a young swordsman, must face this evil to save the world. With the help of Maya, a merchant; Takius, a mage; Judia, a hunter and their old companion, Iruga, an assassin, they set out for an adventure to find and destroy the Dark Lord.
Story review: 3 out of 5
The story is a bit over used in an anime adventure plot. There is nothing new – adventurers who sought to fight evil entities and become the heroes of the realm. It could have a great stories but it fell short on the execution. I know that the only thing patterned in the MMORPG Ragnarok Online is the monsters, setting, the characters’ jobs, and the skillls. Because the game has no actual story. But what I like about this anime is that it’s almost as if your inside the game – the use of the skills, the monsters, the background music and also the use of items. I wish they explore more on the skills, equipments, jobs and quests. There are so many aspects of the game that is lacking in the anime that is why when you watch this anime you should not have a great expectation and you should separate it from the game. Over all, I liked it especially the back stories and side stories of some character, specially Maya. You would not expect a bit dark side in a light anime show like this. That’s why I enjoyed some episodes and stories in this animation. It could have been better, but still good for its run.
The Characters
- Roan – is a young swordsman who swore to protect his childhood friend, Yufa. His main goal is to become stronger to be able to carry out the last wish of Yufa’s brother – look after her. He is a bit focused on that goal that he sometimes forget the people he traveled with. He only swings his sword aimlessly just to protect Yufa and others. At one point of the story he thinks that he failed Yufa’s brother and so blindly of his search for power, he travelled alone to get stronger. As he travel alone, Roan learned something and aims to be a Crusader. After succesfully becoming a Crusader, Roan is able to protect Yufa and the others. However, consumed of becoming strong he loses sight of his duty protecting Yufa. He realizes it, but Yufa is already swayed by his brother. Afterwards, he and the gand g went to Glast Heim where the Dark Lord is residing and to save Yufa. But on their way, they are confronted by a possessed Yufa. They finally managed the monsters controlled by Yufa and then they were transported to Glast Heim by Yufa. After the sacfrifice done by his friends, Roan finally found Yufa but he was tricked. Yufa slide a cursed ruby in Roan’s mouth. The ruby begins to kill roan. Yufa then stab Roan with a cursed blade. Eventually, Yufa was set free from her possession and save Roan from the dying. With the help of the other surviving team, they defeat the Dark Lord. In the end, Roan and Yufa become married and still on adventure with their friends.
- Yufa – is an acolyte and the chilhood friend of Roan. She is also the love interest of Roan. His brother, Keough, died in an adventure they had. She was entrusted with Roan. That’s why they are travelling buddies. But when Keough started to be seen but as an evil being, she suddenly becomes confused on whether o not to fight his brother. In an adventure they had, she felt that she needed to be strong in order to save lives and soul. She then set an adventure to become a Priest. Since then, after he became a Priest, Roan became ignorant and arrogant that it pushes Yufa away. Keough then sees this opportunity to persuade and corrupts Yufa’s mind. She eventually come with his brother. The reason her brother needs her is because by removing her soul crystal will reincarnate the Dark Lord. After stabbing Roan with the cursed blade, she then had a vision of her brother telling her to leave him. This vision broke Dark Lord’s possession on her. She then kisses Roan and with its he breaks the curse of the ruby giving life to Roan. With the help of their friends they sealed Dark Lord using her Magnus Exorcismus spell. At the end of the series, Yufa and Roan are seen with a matching rings, implying they are married.
- Takius – a mage that is controlled by her master, Zephyr. She had been consumed with her mission for finding the “ultimate truth”. But as the time passes he eventually learned of the truth abouth his master just using her to become powerful. She then sets an adventure herself to become a Sage and find her own truth. But during her final fight with her master, the Dark Lord suddenly kills Zephyr, obtaining his soul crystal. The Dark Lord is actually just using Zephyr to gain power. But at that time, Zephy had already cast a powerful spell, Lord of Vermillion, on Takius. As soon as Takius try to save her master, the spell activated collapsing the wall they are onto. They both fell. But Takius’s appearance does not end here. As Roan and the other fights with the Dark Lord, Takius’s wand helped them cancelling Dark Lord’s spell. With it they defeated the Dark Lord. At the end Roan is seen carrying Takius’s wand.
- Maya – is a merchant. She had a rather dark and tragic back story. She was abandoned as a child and lives alone in Alberta. She tries to sell apples with her self-made cart but eventually beaten by some merchants for selling without permission. She then grew up having a grudge on people. She trusts only herself and her poring. She met Roan and Yufa in the Prontera Sewers. She was saved by them and in return she also save the two. In an episode, she befriend an Alice, a monster in that resembles a maid. But in another episode she killed Alice without knowing it was her. Zealotus, a hybrid of human and monster, made Alice a monster that’s why Maya had to kill it in order to free the city of Alberta of monsters. But without knowing it was Alice all along. It was her story that I liked most because it will move you. A child like Maya, having a bad childhood and then not knowing she killed her bestfriend. It was so devastating and so dark that I didn’t know it was coming. It took me by surprise.
- Judia – a hunter who love Iruga. In her back story, she is not that skilled when it comes to archery. But when she met Iruga everything changes and she improves a lot. She also is good at tarot reading. By the end of the anime, she had a child with Iruga.
- Iruga – an assassin and also a childhood friend of Roan, Yufa and Keough. He witnessed the death of his friend Keough. Later on his travels, he met Judia. They become companions and later on meet with Roan and others. When he finds out that Keough becomes evil, he fights him in order to bring back the real Keough. During the final battle between the two, they fell beside each other fatally wounded by each other. Iruga finally releases Keough to Dark Lord's possession by stabbing Keough's wound. Unfortunately, they both died at the end.
- Keough - is the older brother of Yufa. He is a knight and after he died he was captured by the Dark Lord and became his minion.
- Dark Lord - the main antagonist in this series. He is the representation of all evil within the Rune - Midgard.
Character Review: 3 out of 5
I liked how they portray different jobs of the MMORPG Ragnarok Online. The role of assist, tank, hitter and nuker is seen in most of the battles in this series. I also commend the evolution of some characters and the back story. The thing that lacks in this anime is a strong plot and parallelism with the game. The plot is so weak that some backstory is more interesting than that of the real story. It also lacks of great character development. They only dwell on back story, and on side story that the character development is flawed and so weak. The use of equipment, skill and spells is also portrayed weakly. But some information like what is strong against undead and ghost are there. Still it lacks on giving life on the game itself. But if you did not play the game I think you will not be disappointed on some of these aspects. It is just that it fell short for me because I was expecting too much like the games. Nevertheless, the characters are mediocre in this series.
Music Review: 2.5 out of 5
The music is quite good. I like the opening theme song, "We are the Star". It sets the mood of the anime, being light and fun. I also like that they used some of the themes in the game. But overall it has nothing special.
Art Review: 3 out of 5
It was actually good if you think of what year it was released. But if you compare it today I think you will give it a much lower grade than 3. But nevertheless, the art is quite good and enjoyable. I can't complain anything about it.
Overall: 2.9 out of 5
I can round this off to 3 out of 5. It was pretty decent for me. It has nothing special about it but the fact that it is based on one of my favorite MMORPG of all time - Ragnarok Online, it made it somewhat special for me. I enjoyed all 26 episodes. I know it lacks some interesting bits and some special kick but I still liked it. I recommend it for Ragnarok Online fans and some who wants a light and fun series. But if you want a great one that has great art and other, I don't think you will like this. But still try this! It is only 26 episodes. Not much time will be wasted so watch it now!
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