Anime 5204 Kara No Kyoukai Movie 6 Boukyaku Rokuon Reviews

Kara no Kyoukai review Part 6

The sixth movie in the Kara no Kyoukai series is, once again, a departure from what one has come to expect. Unfortunately Boukyaku Rokuon (or Oblivion Recording), is a somewhat lacklustre effort compared to the rest of the franchise, and is only carried through by some great visuals and excellent sound.

The story takes place in January 1999 and focuses on Kokuto Azaka, Mikiya's younger sister who was "adopted" by their uncle. She is enrolled at Reien, a school for girls, and is also apprenticed to Aozaki Touko in order to become a Magus.

The movie begins in a fairly ambivalent manner, ... with Azaka remembering a scene from her childhood. Her current task is to investigate investigate a string of events at Reien which seem to involve "fairies", and to aid her investigation Touko sends Ryougi Shiki to work undercover at the school (posing as a student), something which Azaka is not too pleased about.

Now the plot itself is pretty straightforward, however this is also the biggest problem with this movie. Story-wise this is by far the weakest episode in the series, and even though simplicity may not be a bad thing in a show, in this case it comes at a price. The plot is extremely feeble when it comes to the characters and their development, and whilst the concept may be a good one, the movie is never given a chance to realise it's potential.

One of the reasons for this is that a great deal of effort has gone into fleshing out the two main characters (Kokuto and Shiki), who, along with Touko, form the backbone of the franchise. Azaka's inclusion however, seems more of an afterthought, and there is little in this movie to fully justify her presence in the series. Granted she adds a different dimension to the relationship between Kokuto and Shiki, but the impact is almost negligible, and viewers may find themselves wondering how she fits in to the grand scheme of things.

The art and animation are of a very high standard, but there is once again a drop in the overall quality of some scenes (the young version of Azaka being cross-eyed at times is an example of this). The action sequences are extremely well choreographed and executed, whilst the character animation is often fluidly smooth. Unfortunately though, there are again times when the movements do not match the actions, and while these occasions are not too common in the movie, they are noticeable because of the quality of the rest of the animation.

Sound is, once again, excellent. The music is extremely well suited to the movie, with the more cheerful scenes feeling cheerful, and so on and so forth. The pieces are varied, with some being more reminiscent of Maria-sama Ga Miteru, while others are very much what one would expect of the Kara no Kyoukai franchise. The effects are very well crafted and choreographed, and while there is some slight cacophony to be heard at times, this should not really impede on one's enjoyment of the movie.

The acting is pretty much what one would expect from the franchise, with each of the characters being portrayed very well overall. One does have to wonder what Sakamoto Maaya (Shiki) was trying to achieve this time though, as there are occasions where she sounds like she has blocked sinuses.

From the start of the movie it's clear that this outing will be all about Azaka, and whilst this isn't necessarily a bad thing, it could have been done far better if the story was tighter, more interesting, and a little darker (which is what one would have expected from the series). There is an effort to give Azaka a degree of depth which comes off as laughable at times, mainly because her "love" for her older brother is given as the reason for her adoption, her choice of school, etc. Her apprenticeship as a Magus is purely based on the fact that she considers Shiki a rival for her brother's affections, and while I have no problems with personal reasons being the basis for such actions, it just seems a little too neat an excuse in Boukyaku Rokuon. Having an unhealthy interest in one's siblings may cause some aberrent behaviour in people, but there is an expectation that the viewer will simply accept Azaka's actions and reasons without questioning them - not a good move on the part of the writers.

The other characters don't really get much screen time so there isn't any really much one can say about them. That said, there are some pretty obvious hints given about Shiki which feel more like preludes of things to come than any real attempt at development.

Given the flaws in the story and its characters, I was surprised to find that I actually enjoyed Boukyaku Rokuon as a whole. The movie represents a big departure for the franchise, and has a far more lighthearted feel to it at times than any of the previous outings. The action is well done, and there is enough going on to keep the viewer interested till the end. It's unfortunate then that the main feeling one gets from this episode is that it is nothing more than a prelude to the final movie, a factor which upsets the balance of the narrative and can leave the viewer frustrated that many obvious questions remain unasked or unanswered by the end of the movie.

Boukyaku Rokuon isn't the best installment in the series by far, but it's not a bad effort on the whole. While there are a number of improvements that could have been made (in particular the rather haphazard plot), there is still an entertaining addition to the franchise here, and one that has a different feel to it than the other movies.

One can only hope that the final chapter will represent a return to form for the franchise.

In the 6th movie, Ufotable has taken Kara no Kyoukai to a particularly awful level. Frankly, nothing other than the nice effects of the anime makes it alright.

I'll start with the good news...
The art and sound direction in Boukyaku Rokuon (Oblivion Recording) are both very nice. If you've seen some of the earlier installments, you'll know how impressive they are. If you have not, well, they are refined and a step above most anime MOVIES (which is a step above anime shows).

Unfortunately, the plot does not shine quite as nicely as the effects. This one focuses primarily on the relationship between Shiki and Azaka ... (a side character in the series) and they attend an all-girls school to investigate the disappearance of a student. I'll take two positions in describing the plot depending on whether you have seen the series or not.

If you have, you'll be accustomed to and expecting a dark story that includes a lot of violence and... harsh themes. If you like the series because of that, you won't really find the same kind of enjoyment. The plot seems "girlier" and a few characters feel out of place in the Kara no Kyoukai world. That said, this movie is quite important in fleshing out some of the older characters as it delves into more of their histories and lifestyles so you might want to watch this just for that knowledge. However, the movie's plot isn't essential to the rest of the series, as it seems to be almost a filler. The way it expands on the magical world of Kara no Kyoukai can lead to a better understanding of the series (mainly in technical aspects, like how people attain magical powers and whatnot) but some of it seems rather inconsistent and random. Thus, I think it IS worth watching to know a little more about the characters, but be prepared...

If you have not seen the series and are just thinking about this movie in particular, I can understand how you may be drawn in. If you like things of the occult detective genre that centers around female characters, this movie would be a pretty good experience for you. However, just know that you might get confused by a lot of stuff that goes on, especially between other characters from the series that don't do much in this movie. The pacing of the story is fairly well done and will keep you interested, but the overall plot is decent at best.

Conclusion: You'll probably like this more if the dark nature of the series is not something you are interested in. Don't get me wrong, as this movie isn't completely... uplifting. Some mysterious elements were really good, but it could have been done better.

And before you suspect me about the "low" grade I gave this movie, a 5 means mediocre on MAL standards. Is it worth watching? Yes. Will it make it to the top of your list? Most likely not.

Welcome to 2015's Film Festival Week. We're kicking things off with yet another look at UFOtable's Kara no Kyoukai film franchise, based on the light novels by Nasu Kinoko. I've talked about the first five already, but let's reiterate a bit. Previously, in the Kara no Kyoukai movies Mikiya collapses on a couch because he likes dolls and gets left to rot in the first and there is much stupidity. The second goes back in time to Mikiya and Shiki's first meeting and the subtle mystery surrounding it and it's surprisingly good given the first one. In the third, a group of rapists are being ... justifiably murdered by one of their victims and our “heroes” decide to step in and put a stop to it. It had some faults but was pretty decent. In the fourth film we focus on Shiki's psychology and an existential crisis and it was epic. The fifth film gave us a mystery involving an apartment complex and magic and it was a great film. I'm a bit surprised that I've gotten to like the franchise so much given what a poor first impression it had, but there you go. Let's jump in to look at Kara no Kyoukai 6: Boukyaku Rokuon.

Story:

Our tale opens at a boarding school where Mikiya's sister, Azaka, is thinking about the taboo way she feels about her brother. Ewww. Fortunately, the story doesn't focus on that aspect all that much. We get an exposition dump about how Azaka has been studying magic under Touko and has been sent to the school to find out the truth behind a strange incident where magic faeries seem to be stealing people's memories and may have been behind the death of a student. Shiki is sent to help her since her mystic eyes give her the power to see things that Azaka can't. What kinds of dangers will they face and how will they overcome them? Matters are made worse with the animosity Azaka has towards Shiki, whom she considers her rival in love because her brother loves Shiki in a way that he doesn't love her.

Let's start with the film's story issues. The biggest one is probably obvious, Azaka's incestuous feelings towards her brother. I'll give Kara no Kyoukai some credit over a lot of other things I've seen with incestuous overtones, it does treat the situation like it's creepy and screwed up and I'll give it some credit for not focusing too much on it. However, there is a pretty substantial amount of time spent on flashbacks that serve the sole purpose of helping establish why Azaka has a creepy brother complex and it's just annoying. Exacerbating matters is the fact that the incest sub-plot ultimately does nothing. It doesn't need to be an element at all for the film to work. The only function it has is to give a reason for the animosity between Azaka and Shiki, but that animosity itself does basically nothing. There's a brief stretch where they're arguing but it never really affects their ability to function as a team. All of which just begs the question, why in Sir Ian's name does this need to be here at all? They could have removed it completely and used the extra time to develop their scenario better. Maybe they could've used the time to show some of Azaka's training under Touko and avoided the annoying exposition dump.

On the positive side, the investigation itself is quite interesting. Initially, it looks like the solution is going to be kind of obvious, but there's more to it than meets the eye. No, that doesn't mean that something turns into a giant robot. They just keep introducing more complexity as it gets further in until they finally reveal the whole truth of the situation. Flashbacks aside, the narrative also flows really well.

Characters:

The main character focus in this one is on Azaka and Shiki. Shiki remains a good character and you get a good sense of her personality in this. The problem is Azaka. Her personality is pretty much defined by her brother complex and her being generally commandeering. Maybe the final film develops her more, but as she is now she's just an insipid, unpleasant character and having her as such a big part of the movie does hurt it. At least we get a super cute border collie. UFOTable probably thought that it would make up for having to deal with Azaka, at least somewhat because cute puppies are the best way to make up for gross things. Of course, they could have just not had gross things and just had a cute dog as a bonus. That would have worked. The antagonists are kind of interesting and fleshed out in this. They could have been given more depth, but given the length of the film they're pretty decent.

Art:

The artwork and animation are spectacular. The backgrounds look really nice. The battle sequences are intense and somewhat surreal. Like several other movies in this franchise, there are some intense and disturbing images. And, like the rest of the franchise, the characters are well drawn but their designs are pretty standard.

Sound:

The performances are really well done. Sakamoto Maaya gives a strong performance as Shiki. Fujimura Ayumi., in spite of voicing a completely uncompelling character, does give a good performance as well. Really, there are no weaknesses in the cast. The music in this one is strong as well. Kajiura Yuki did a really good job.

Ho-yay:

One of the antagonists has a motivation that does read as a bit homoerotic, but there's not enough of it to say for certain whether they were going for that or something else. Aside from that, there is no ho-yay.

Final Thoughts:

Kara no Kyoukai 6 takes a strong story idea with some compelling elements and weakens it with an unnecessary incest subplot and over-used flashbacks. The film itself is still pretty decent given how much it does well, but it's not one of the strongest films in the series by any means. My final rating is going to be a 6/10. Tomorrow we'll continue film festival week with a look at Hetalia: Paint it White.

Kara no Kyoukai 6: Boukyaku Rokuon,in this movies its mainly only focuses to Kokuto Azaka who's Mikiya's younger sister with the help of Shiki to investigate a murdered that involved magic at Reien Academy which being order by his apprentice,Kazaki Touka.The investigation was about a fairies that can erased a memories.....in this movies the viewer will know the past and the story about the both sibling and the relationship between them..the story in this movies was a bit slow and the mystery of they investigate was not that really hard to figured and its was a lame mystery that involved magic and some friends of ... Azaka apprentice...
The Art was excellent and kinda fresh to look,the environment was good and the movement time action was kinda dull but still good neither that bad...
The sound and the BGM still in an average,,,nothing special,same as usual
Overall for me,i think this movies got nothing special that been added it only a story about Azaka and Shiki to show their talent to investigate some cases..its more like a filler episode for me cause they's no thing that an importance that related to the previous or next movies,accept the last part after the credit....

I'll preface by saying I read the light novels before watching the movie.
I'm going to have to bash on this one.

This chapter in the light novel was originally pretty fanservice-y, but I decided to forgive it since I figured it was to let the viewer relax from the mindfuck that was chapter 5. Also, it could be serious at times, and in her defense Azaka actually was much more mature in the light novel than in the movie. But the movie I could just not take seriously at all. They made Azaka into a moe imouto-type character and changed around a large part of the ... plot, so much that it almost threw me off completely. The original chapter in the light novel was also actually somewhat relevant to the overarching plot, while in the movie they spent like 15 seconds on that, didn't even explain it properly, and just went straight back to Azaka.

Granted, the animation quality and sound are as good as always (actually not really; Azaka's voice actress pisses me off). But the plot in the movie was god-awful.

Do yourself a favor and just read the light novel translation for this one. It's incomparably better.

Another addition to the Kara no Kyoukai series of films.

To me this film does not seem to be anything more than a 'filler' if you will. This is due to the fact that there is little no development of any of the characters and the only thing that this particular addition brings any light to is the confirmation that Azaka Kokuto does have an elder brother complex.
Speaking of which, it is done in a very cliche manner, however, it does attempt to explore the past of Azaka and Mikiya the reason being 'Azaka does not remember the exact moment that she fell in love ... with him.'
The rest is entirely, almost sickenly cliche there are no real reasons given as to her love for him, from the film's point of view it is basically just 'it was bound to happen, let it be.'

Onto the actual story:
It has a reasonable premise, a suspicious string of deaths, a prime suspect, the supernatural aspect of fairies is also added. However, there is no building upon this, the actual perpetrator is revealed very quickly without any intelligent reasoning, simply 'revenge'.
Within the story there is also a factor of jealousy that Azaka feels towards Shiki in being too close to her brother. Azaka is initially very cold to her, yet towards the end of the movie this attitude just seems to fade for no apparent reason.
This is where I feel the movie failed the most on.
6/10

Art:
There is something about Kara no Kyoukai art that I simply cannot dislike, in other words, it is AMAZING.
There is no other word to describe it, I adore the character designs for one, but my main praise is for the fight scenes, not only are they beautifully choreographed and animated; they also seem to bring your whole screen alive with the fluidity of the motion.
This movie does not fail on this aspect either, in Azaka's fight scene with Ouji, her senpai, in the church; I found that my mouth was agape for the entire sequence, with the entire light spectrum flashing before my eyes and the fairies all over the place. Simply marvelous.
9.5/10

Sound:
The ED was nothing memorable... there were the standard sad tracks played in the BGM when Azaka is reminiscing about her days with her beloved brother, pretty standard.
There was also the usual 'epic' sort of music played during the fight scenes that I found fit quite well, however, the fact stands, there was nothing MEMORABLE.
It was decent, but at the end of the day, for the most part, remains forgotten.
Voice acting was also just... fine, nothing outstanding, I also found that Shiki's voice sounded a bit flat and nasally for the few lines that she did speak in this film.
7/10

Characters:
I find myself actually disliking Azaka for being such a possessive brat over her brother with Shiki, who actually doesn't view Mikiya as a love interest.
In addition her depth is equivalent to that of a puddle upon a road after a light drizzle of rain.
Read - VERY SHALLOW.
Her love for her brother is simplistic at best, her personality is one of the ultimate stereotypes of anime, quite disappointing overall.
As the story was mainly focused on Azaka I found that the other characters were basically omitted on the development area. Shiki, Touko and Mikiya all get basically no development relative to Azaka.
6/10

Enjoyment:
I usually tend to enjoy all Kara no Kyoukai films to at least a certain degree due to the fantastic artwork and choreography; and I'm afraid Boukyaku Rokuon is no exception, despite my previously bashing of pretty much every aspect except the art.
I did find myself having fun during the fight scenes, especially Azaka Vs. Senpai.
So all in all, 7/10.
I expect the final movie to be AT LEAST the standard of Mujun Rasen, ufotable do not fail us now!

Conclusion: If you have seen the previous 5 movies, watch this one, if only for the sake of continuity, however, if you have not then do not bother.
You would not understand what was really happening anyway, and I do recommend watching the rest of the movies, 1-4. As 3 and 5 are simply brilliant and are amongst the top anime films ever created, next to
Evangelion: 1.0 You Are (Not) Alone.

TL:DR

Story : 6
Art: 10
Sound: 7
Character: 6
Enjoyment : 7
Overall: 7

Good fight scenes, crappy main character with very limited depth, typical brother complex to boot.
Sound is nothing special, but nothing very out of place either.
Good starting premise for the story, but fails to build upon and ends up being borderline mediocre.
Worth watching, if only for the fight scenes.
Above all - still DECENT enjoyment.

Splendiferous!

This was a rather mediocre-feeling entry into the Karo no Kyoukai series. And, I don't mean mediocre by the standards of the series (which is generally amazing), but rather, mediocre in general.

It is set in an all-girls' boarding school and starts promisingly with a speech about blatant incest, but quickly degenerates into a medium-paced murder mystery with no sort of zest, tension, or real zing, at all.

Shiki is almost pedestrian.

Okay, so, this is not really a bad episode, even standing on its own. It is a good drama with a murder mystery and minimal slice-of-life / school drama overtones.

However, it doesn't seem ... to fit in with the series at all.

Yes, there is something supernatural, but, it takes a big backdrop to the drama, and there never seems to be a sense of real tension or danger.

The "boss fight" is above average for anime, but below par for the series, because you never really believe that Shiki is really being stressed or endangered.

Overall, if you have to miss one of the parts, it could be this one...

It isn't bad, but, it is just, so... average, that in comparison, it feels pale.

Maybe I'll watch it again sometime and see if it looks better the second time around.

Story: 7/10 for the character development,
Characters: 7/10, it is missing a stronger threat or situation but the stock characters are good and the "villians" are believable, just, not supreme badasses.

Enjoyment: 6/10, it was a tad above mediocre.

Overall: 5/10, mediocre, considering how much more it could have been, given the source material and other parts.

Azaka Koukutou, a brave and vivacious young lady in the Rein academy investigates the strange fairies which are rumored to steal people's memories upon Touko, her mentor's order. But Azaka isn't glad about her assessment if it isn't for Shiki, her love rival, who was sent for her assistance. Now Azaka has to bear all the teasing by her brother's lover, all the while unlocking many mysteries of the academy and her past.

If you have followed the series up until now, in whatever order it might be, one can tell how narratively inconsistent the film feels. The movie is a letdown after what its predecessors ... accomplished, which is unfortunate. The majority of the series up to this point hasn't been afraid to depict the brutality and madness of the predicament our characters are in. However, there isn't any suspense in this movie anymore. The main mystery's key events, including suicide and significant deaths, were all conveniently slipped into the dialogue, which wouldn't have been a bad thing if the brutal tone of the visuals had been maintained. This is not to argue that the movie looks horrible; it is still just as well animated, if not even more so than its earlier installments.

It's just a bit of a letdown given how much tension and anticipation the series has created so far and now it just feels like a magical girl plot. Perhaps this was intended to be a filler-like episode, providing the audience a break from all the last several slaughter, but the source material doesn't appear to support that. The light novel chapter from which the movie was adapted, is just as equally violent as those of its forebears (Source: Google it). So, I suppose the filmmakers merely desired a light-hearted rendition for other reasons.

It is a fact, however, that the tone shift can impact the suspense. Azaka, our fearless and infatuated young girl, is the only character the movie is entirely focused on, which goes a bit in contrast to what the series previously does. Because in previous installments, even if for a short time, the series gives an insight on our culprit, aka the sinner. This film not only excludes that element but also introduces two sinners, like damn! I don't really understand how much the film creators wanted to achieve but they messed up the fundamental framework the series had up to this point.

The only saving element for this pointless fun of a film is the reveal, that something that happened in Shiki's past was forgotten, even by Shiki herself. And the post-credit scene that includes Araya and, probably the main culprit in the next film (aka the finale of the franchise, Murder Speculation 2).
Who should watch this?
I guess a better question would be,

Is this film necessary to view?
Short answer, yes. On your first watch.

The film necessitates a watch but that doesn't mean this toned-down film can be a worthy experience. If you're rewatching the series, however, you could probably skip this entry.

This review includes spoilers.

Kara no Kyoukai 6, like all of the other Garden of Sinners before it, is a supernatural anime based more off of mystery solving than great fights. The greatest differences between this one and the others is that the anime is focused on Azaka Kokutou, Mikiya's sister. She is in love with her brother and gone through great lengths to dismiss the "she's your sister, incest is bad" argument, having her uncle officially adopt her as his daughter (which just makes her Mikiya's sister and cousin, I don't see how that helps), attending an all girl's school (where the story actually takes ... place this time around) that has student dorms, and having a life outside of Mikiya's. For her, Shiki is an unwelcome surprise, a potential rival for Mikiya's love. Mikiya is completely oblivious of any romance conflict whatsoever. Ig that's to be expected from loving Shiki unconditionally, no matter what sex she physically is.

Due to an incident where a student at Azaka's school, Reien's Girl Academy, dies, Touko Aozaki sends Shiki to help Azaka take out a magus that is the culprit. Azaka could not be more dismayed at the aid but has no choice in the matter. She cannot see the "fairies" behind this and thus must rely on Shiki and her eyes of death perception.

In my opinion, this version of Garden of Sinners is much lower in quality simply due to Azaka Reien. She tends to be a selfish individual who is easily swayed by her emotions, especially in cases she deems offensive. This leads her to do things that are not exactly wise, such as shouting about magic and Magus in the corridors of the school with other people around and ransacking the principal's office for information on students in the same classroom as the deceased. She is not considerate of others, acting like she is superior to everyone around her and thus her decisions are the best course of action. Basically imagine Rin Tohsaka from Fate, but with Sakura Haruno's personality with a incestuous love for her brother, and you're in the right ball park.

Besides for Azaka Reien, the anime was fine. This version was more descriptive on what was going on at the beginning than the previous versions, although there was some room for improvement. The art and sound was as beautiful as its been in the past, although a noticeable hole in the story was during the fight scene at the end, where Azaka could see the fairies and a bit more than was previously explained, noticing the extra bit even before the magus did. It was a bit too coincidental for there to be a famous magus to be pulling all the strings in the back as well in this specific school. Although in my opinion the school system was sloppy, allegedly having strict rules but letting a visitor in during a school break to investigate a student's death without any issues. That's not even considering how there was a teacher that also dealt drugs.

I'd say the episode was fine. The art makes the anime seem like it should be rated higher, but I think a 6 out of 10 is reasonable enough.

This one just did not have much going for it, the fairy plot is kind of half baked. I will say the after credits were more interesting than the rest of this episode. The story in this one is just nonsensical. The cg used later in the episode did make the watch worthwhile to be honest. And fu**, I did not want this borderline inc*** bullsh** they got going on, really hoping that doesn't become the focus of the garden of sinners. It really did not have the fleshed out feeling the earlier episodes do, I cannot state that enough. You're gonna need a smoke ... for this one, it's a drag.

hoo boy. coming off paradox spiral this chapter is complete tonal whiplash. azaka kokutou, a minor character who appears in all of 3 scenes in the previous 5 chapters, takes center stage this time and right off the bat we learn that her needless cruelty towards shiki in her previous appearances is because ~incest reasons~. azaka is an infuriatingly bad character while shiki is largely relegated to the background but at least she gets like one cool scene. from what ive gathered the adaptation of this chapter deviates a bit from the light novel but i don't think the original was much better, it's purpose ... was a moment of levity after the much heavier paradox spiral which is fine but not entirely necessary. even if you remove the incest shit from the equation oblivion recording's biggest crime is that it's boring and very little happens to advance the overarching plot (seriously, the most important part of this chapter is the post-credits scene). ufotable and yuki kaijura kill it in the animation and music department as usual so it's not entirely irredeemable. highlight of this chapter was azaka slamming the back of her head into the edge of a stone fountain which got a gut laugh out of me. figures id have the most to say about the weakest entry.
dont do drugs kids!!!

story:more or less shiki going and assisting azaka to get rid of a potential faerie problem at a boarding school.

art: still awesome just like the others. :)

sound: brought out the fights in some scenes. :)

character: azaka if a peculiar person, but shiki is still awesome.

enjoyment: was okay. some action and left me wondering on some possible things left unsaid in the movie in a good way. :)

... overall: was good and a more subtle episode compared to the previous movies.