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narcasseI’d heard about the prospect of a Highlander anime quite some time ago but only got around to watching it today. As far as feature films or at least Highlander films go it wasn’t bad at all: the plot was fairly simple, the twists were predictable and the fights were as impressive as animated fights can be. It made more sense that plenty of Highlander films tend to really and that was a pleasant surprise all things considered. It reminded me of 300 in that respect since it was very formulaic running to the tune of: here is the plot, here are lots of impressive fight scenes, here is the hero living or dying with honour as appropriate with incidental moments of here is the honourable female love interest and here is the villain being appropriately villainous.
The update on the famous MacLeod background was reasonable enough pushing his date of birth back to some time during the Roman conquests and giving him a Roman antagonist. His antagonist is actually quite interesting since he seems to pursue the dream of a perfect civilization be it envisioned as Imperial Rome, a Middle Eastern Caliphate or a Nazi Empire. The second of those three examples isn’t shown but since the flashback montage always shows MacLeod on the opposing side, since he was dressed as a Crusader it would fit. Some interesting points were the fact that said antagonist points out at one point that he has spent his time in artistic pursuits over the span of his lifetime while MacLeod has simply been consumed by vengeance and has actively turned away from opportunities where he could help others to pursue that vengeance, as well as the suggestion of MacLeod’s state of mind and purity of purpose demonstrated by his sword breaking every time his fights his antagonist. MacLeod's sword breaking until he is finally resolved in his last battle was particularly demonstrative of things since it can conversely be assumed that his antagonist’s unwavering purpose of creating a perfect society has been absolute the entire way along, so much so that its been enough to defeat MacLeod right up until MacLeod discovers that he has a stronger cause to fight for. Another nice touch was the druidic ring of stones being sacred ground thus preventing Immortals battling because as far as I recall in the films and the TV series they’ve always been shown on Christian grounds seeking sanctuary. And MacLeod’s luck in finding himself deposited upon such grounds constantly suggests that his wife’s prayers in all her successive incarnations are answered by a kindly higher power which in this framework is another nice touch.
Highlander: the search for vengeance was actually fairly good for a Highlander film, though the odd moments of switches between animation and CG were occasionally a little surprising and the character designs were far too similar to Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust when I really think about it.
The update on the famous MacLeod background was reasonable enough pushing his date of birth back to some time during the Roman conquests and giving him a Roman antagonist. His antagonist is actually quite interesting since he seems to pursue the dream of a perfect civilization be it envisioned as Imperial Rome, a Middle Eastern Caliphate or a Nazi Empire. The second of those three examples isn’t shown but since the flashback montage always shows MacLeod on the opposing side, since he was dressed as a Crusader it would fit. Some interesting points were the fact that said antagonist points out at one point that he has spent his time in artistic pursuits over the span of his lifetime while MacLeod has simply been consumed by vengeance and has actively turned away from opportunities where he could help others to pursue that vengeance, as well as the suggestion of MacLeod’s state of mind and purity of purpose demonstrated by his sword breaking every time his fights his antagonist. MacLeod's sword breaking until he is finally resolved in his last battle was particularly demonstrative of things since it can conversely be assumed that his antagonist’s unwavering purpose of creating a perfect society has been absolute the entire way along, so much so that its been enough to defeat MacLeod right up until MacLeod discovers that he has a stronger cause to fight for. Another nice touch was the druidic ring of stones being sacred ground thus preventing Immortals battling because as far as I recall in the films and the TV series they’ve always been shown on Christian grounds seeking sanctuary. And MacLeod’s luck in finding himself deposited upon such grounds constantly suggests that his wife’s prayers in all her successive incarnations are answered by a kindly higher power which in this framework is another nice touch.
Highlander: the search for vengeance was actually fairly good for a Highlander film, though the odd moments of switches between animation and CG were occasionally a little surprising and the character designs were far too similar to Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust when I really think about it.
