Nazca

Genre: Action / Fantasy
Parental Guidance Recommended
1998. Hiroki Tokita (director). Genco and Radix.

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Cover Description:
Can a past life affect the future? Kyoji, the only member of a small Kendo (traditional Japanese wooden swordplay) club has his world turned upside down! Sudden visions of past life events during the age of the Incas revive ancient rivalries and ambitions, clouding modern day relationships and turning friends into deadly enemies! Kyoji's former mentor, Tate, fully accepts his past life as Yawaru, an Inca warrior, and has adopted his old ambition to cleanse the world of it's weaker elements. However, he also remembers it was the betrayal of Biruka, Kyoji's past life, that thwarted his original attempt! Does the past really play an important role in the future? Nazca is a story of past lives and present conflicts. A story of friendships shattered and reformed by events that happened hundreds of years ago during the days of the Incas.

(13 episodes)

NOTE: Some of the reviews were written sometime in 2001 and was recorded in the classic Otaku Fridge as ??.??.2001. Unfortunately the database would not accept non-numerical values, so this review is now dated January 01, 2001 by default.

One of the greatest animation artwork I've ever seen. >>> by firesenshi
That's what drew me. You look at the back cover to the opening animation credits... wow... it's all wonderful! They even added certain CG effects to show the arrival of the powerful tower called Irya Tesse. The battle scenes were rendered very well though not fairly executed since there isn't really a fight scene that excited me. I also like the costume design wherein the warriors Kyoji and Tate became somewhat like neo-Inca warriors complete with spectacular swords and twentieth century versions of Incan headdresses. The details in the artwork were totally amazing even to the strands of Tate's hair. Wow... that Tate is absolutely handsome.... sigh. Voiced by Takehito Koyasu, also seiyuu of Zechs Merquise from Gundam Wing, just makes me gush.

But sadly, that is where I'm going to stop. Being fascinated with civilizations of Incans and Aztecs in Mesoamerica plus the concept of reincarnation in this anime, I was expecting a lot. The ancient Incas had an ancient mysticism in them and you can clearly see that here wherein the Incan powers called Irya Tesse are implored by the greatest of its warriors. The central theme here? Love, rivalry, ancient warfare, reincarnation. All great elements, aren't they? But why is it that for such an anime of seemingly great production values, the dialogues are just... BORING. I also think that development of the story took too long because most of the scenes focused on too many closeups -- closeups on Tate/Yawaru (not that I'm complaining), Kyoji, and the leading lady Aquira, whose role here as the object of a love triangle seemed to me too much of a decoration as to just add meaning to the 'love aspect' than being a central character. The funniest part is that all the people who are supposed to be reincarnating from the old Incan empire all conveniently belong to the same school in Japan, all meeting at the same place and all of them are friends! Geez... I know some things are meant to be but there's too much 'coincidence' going on around here. I love the sub stories though of the other characters although there isn't much time for 13 episodes, it seems, to focus much on them. Oh well... come to think of it, if the pacing of the storyline didn't include too much flashbacks, talking and convenient reincarnation, it actually would be good. As I said, I love the art. It's a 10! But that's all I love here. I do see that a lot of people like this though.

Individual Rating: Art/Animation 10; Story 7; Characters 7; Sounds 5