Scrapped Princess DVD 1: Family Ties
Sex/Nudity: None
Music:
Runtime Episodes: 25m / 23
Overall Rating: B
Artwork: A -
Story: A
Comments: Ending theme is particularly good
Voice Acting English: B
Voice Acting Japanese: A
Genre: Fantasy / Science Fiction
Extras: Clean Opening, trailers for Gundam Seed, Kaze No Yojimbo, Ghost in the Shell tv
Date Reviewed: 6/5/05 Last Updated: 10/26/09
Basic Premise: Scrapped Princess is the story of a princess who was foretold would bring about the destruction of the world the day she turned 16. Because of this dark prophesy she was never wanted since birth and was tossed off a cliff almost the day she was born. However she did not die. She was rescued by an unknown farmer and was raised with their other two children who were nearly adults already. The children stayed and helped raise the infant who was named Pacifica Casul, but were more brother and sister to her.
Review: This is a fantasy on a grand scale. This first DVD starts out with 15 year old Pacifica and her brother, Shannon, and sister, Raquel, traveling via horse drawn wagon to another village where maybe they can live without being hunted for a while. Along the way Pacifica is constantly complaining about the long trip and not having fine food and the comforts befitting a princess such as herself. She is a whiny spoiled girl and somehow it is done in such a way as to make you chuckle. For example She will try to grab some lunch from her brother claiming that it is hers by right and a tug of war ensues. Suddenly Shannon becomes momentarily distracted and lets go allowing her and her prize to fall into the pool of water behind her.
Pacifica is not just a one dimensional character though. We get the impression that while she is a 15 year old girl she is also using her feigned arrogance and delusions of grandeur as a front to her feelings of worthlessness and sometimes to keep the troubles that they face from weighing down on her brother or sister. Pacifica often broods over her fate as the destroyer of the world when she turns 16 and how the whole world wants her dead. After all, wouldn't the world be better off if she were dead and then never turn 16?
Another troubling thing is that these three can never stay in any one place too long and so Pacifica can never make friendships that last more than a few days or weeks, all of which takes its toll on Pacifica and adds to her loneliness. Kind of sad really.
Pacifica is very kind to all strangers, but is very close to her brother and sister. When her wagon is attacked she instantly bows to whatever her brother and sister say and puts her life completely in their hands.
It is easy quickly to get attached to the characters, which is a sign that the viewer is on to a great series. However, I have been let down in the past when a series starts out really well and does not finish well at all. I'll tell you now that I have seen this entire series before a few times and it does not disappoint or slow down.
This first DVD introduces us to Pacifica and her brother Shannon and sister Raquel. There is also the young naive knight to be Leopold who is smitten with Pacifica, but does not know that she is really the scrapped princess. He decides to follow the Casul clan to protect her "betrothed". There is the mysterious dragoon protector, named Zefiris, who appears and is sworn to protect Pacifica. The dragoon is pleasantly devoid of emotions making her all the more intriguing. Christopher the assassin sent to kill Pacifica who is very mature for his age and truly devoted to his work. There is no one who I wish were not in this cast of characters. Not even the quiet Winia who is really a minor character who shows up sporadically throughout the series.
The music is romantic, exciting, and uplifting and I look forward to the opening and closing themes every time! I never get tired of it! The artwork is beautiful and the characters are cute. One temptation for animators pressed for time is to cut back on animation, but they don't. There is no cutting away to look at a wagon wheel or something like that like while we listen to others talk like we see in some other series.
There are no complaints about the voice acting either in English or Japanese. You can listen to it easily enough in either format. I have to say that I prefer the Japanese version though. I am also very greatful that there are no high pitched whiny English or Japanese voiuce acting that can quickly grate on the nerves.
One complaint I have though is that the extras on these dvds are about as lacking as you can possibly imagine. There is no insert, there is no reversible cover, the DVD extras are practically non existent and even the DVD menu is very plain. Oh, well. The real high point and important part is in the story telling itself. The story is not slow paced and feels like I am reading a grand fantasy that may really be science fiction. there's a touch of romance, but nothing that feels forced. The fight scenes are not drawn out and rediculous and actually mean something and accomplish. The story keeps unfolding and does not stagnate here or there. Whoever created this had a clear idea of the story they wanted to tell.
Conclusion: This DVD and series is well worth your time and easily a classic. Enjoy!
Publisher: Bandai
Related Website: www.scrappedprincess.bandai-ent.com
Where Found: Suncoast, Amazon, rightstuf.com
Copyright: 2003 / 2005
Author: unknown.
If you enjoyed this anime try: none yet.
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