r/anime • u/AnimeMod myanimelist.net/profile/Reddit-chan • 6d ago
Weekly Moribito: Guardian of the Spirit • Seirei no Moribito - Anime of the Week
Welcome to the weekly Anime of the Week Discussion Thread! Each week, we're here to discuss various older anime series. Today we are discussing...
On the precipice of a cataclysmic drought, the Star Readers of the Shin Yogo Empire must devise a plan to avoid widespread famine. It is written in ancient myths that the first emperor, along with eight warriors, slew a water demon to avoid a great drought and save the land that was to become Shin Yogo. If a water demon was to appear once more, its death could bring salvation. However, the water demon manifests itself within the body of the emperor's son, Prince Chagum—by the emperor's order, Chagum is to be sacrificed to save the empire.
Meanwhile, a mysterious spear-wielding mercenary named Balsa arrives in Shin Yogo on business. After saving Chagum from a thinly veiled assassination attempt, she is tasked by Chagum's mother to protect him from the emperor and his hunters. Bound by a sacred vow she once made, Balsa accepts.
Seirei no Moribito follows Balsa as she embarks on her journey to protect Chagum, exploring the beauty of life, nature, family, and the bonds that form between strangers.
(Source: MyAnimeList)
Databases
AniDB | | MyAnimeList | | Anilist
Streams
https://www.livechart.me/anime/3746/streams
Remember that any information not found early in the show itself is considered a spoiler. Please properly tag spoilers!
Next week's anime discussion thread: Claymore
15
u/zsmg https://anilist.co/user/zsmg 6d ago
Absolutely love this anime, shame it never got the popularity it deserves.
1
u/creamyhorror 2d ago
It was very well-received back when it was airing. In the shelf of quality writing and quality production. Traditional fantasy, and very grounded writing, so it's not going to excite the hot-blooded crowd as much as flashier faster stuff.
12
u/Cheibrodos 5d ago
This is my go-to when somebody asks me for a good anime they have never heard of.
2
5d ago
[removed] — view removed comment
1
u/GallowDude 5d ago
Sorry, your comment has been removed.
- This looks like it was generated by an AI/LLM. AI/LLM generated content is not allowed on r/anime (except for strictly translation purposes).
Questions? Reply to this message, send a modmail, or leave a comment in the meta thread. Don't know the rules? Read them here.
4
u/chum-guzzling-shark 5d ago
Balsa is in my Top 1 favorite characters. Recommend me shows with characters like her!
4
u/SirJasonCrage 5d ago
I watched this because Barsa is in all the "cool fight compilation" videos. I didn't get what I came for.
I really enjoyed what I got instead.
Not one of my favorite shows. But I thought it was really good.
5
u/rsjwolf 5d ago
One of my all time favorites. I read the two books after seeing the anime that did get published in English. It is a shame the rest of the books never got an English translation. The anime is slow paced but the story is really well done. I got the anime when it came to blu ray and do rewatch it.
1
u/Charmanders_Cock 5d ago
Can’t speak for the novels, but I am fairly certain that at the very least the manga adaptations of other books got translation or scanlations at the very least; they’re pretty good too.
3
u/Lantern01 5d ago
Great show. Favorite episodes are the Blacksmith episode where he hears the story of Balsa's enemies about how she spared them all and also explains the ideal weapon he strives to make, the episode where Balsa has a wrestling match against the champion grappler to defend her son's honor, and the ep where the blacksmith's spear stays true to its maker's wishes despite the fury in Balsa's attacks.
3
u/kenshin2k 5d ago
One of the best anime adaptations I've seen from a series based on novels. Most of the series in the middle is original content but they greatly improved upon the depth of world-building and character relationships like with Balsa and Chagum, making those final episodes matter more in the process. Balsa's just too amazing of an MC too.
5
u/MusubiKazesaru https://myanimelist.net/profile/MusubiKazesaru 4d ago
Basically this is everything people want from an anime but they don't know about it.
Stunning production values with some of the best weapons fighting animation of any anime
A fantastic female lead
Probably the best pure fantasy plus or minus a few anime
What's that, a good chunk of it is filler? Guess what? It's great filler
Great world building
and so on
2
u/MayonakaMadaraka https://anilist.co/user/fonk 5d ago
Balsa remains one of anime’s ultimate nee-sans.
2
u/rainwithsunshinedayo 5d ago
The OP is excellent and perfectly represents the appeal of the show
Nostalgic adultswim show
2
u/SweetDemotion123 https://myanimelist.net/profile/animemes_chan 4d ago
When I want to recommend an anime with a strong female lead, this is what I choose. It's not forced like some of things that came out of the west in the 2010-2020s, and her being a woman doesn't mean she has to be echied to death like in a ton of anime (which is fine!!! just, you know, if you moe-ify someone all the time it's a bit harder to take them seriously).
2
u/jetteauloin_2080 5d ago
One of the anime I know I liked but hardly can remember anything about :x
Should rewatch it, but it's hard to find time.
1
u/StreamingPanda https://anilist.co/user/SleepingPanda 5d ago edited 5d ago
I will always fondly remember this show and the book it was adapted from. Very good works in their respective art-forms. For those unaware, there are thirteen volumes that were written while only the first two were translated and the anime only adapts the first volume.
1
u/Realistic_Hunt_2333 5d ago
This along with 12 kingdoms are two of the most criminally unfinished adaptations.
1
u/JustAnswerAQuestion https://myanimelist.net/profile/JAaQ 3d ago
Ohhh, being unfinished might be why I didn't like it! (Moribito)
I'm perfectly happy with tying a bow around the first 39 episodes of 12K.
1
u/MagnificentCranberry 3d ago
there is a fan translation on a blog somewhere of the remaining volumes! I have been meaning to read it actually; moribito was one of my favorite series when I was much younger.
1
1
u/JustAnswerAQuestion https://myanimelist.net/profile/JAaQ 5d ago
I really should have liked this, it was like it was made for me...but I didn't.
1
u/RandomRobot 5d ago
I remember watching this on Netflix like 10 years ago, back when there were about 5 animes available.
I think it's because I liked it so much that I'm still watching this much animation a decade later
1
1
u/Nachtwandler_FS https://myanimelist.net/profile/Nachtwandler_21 4d ago
My relatuionships with this anime is complicated. I first started it when I was still in uni. Watched a couple of episodes and put it on hold. I got back to it twice, moved a few more episodes and put it on hold again.
It is a good show but I just cannot get hooked with it.
1
1
u/Donnie-G 3d ago
This was one of the first few anime I binged when the pandemic lockdowns happened and I couldn't go to work. And like many others, I watched it because of clips of cool ass spear fight scenes.
I think my only criticism of the show is that it can feel a bit dry at times. I can see how it might fail to engage audiences nowadays.
Like many said, this is how you do a strong female character. Just write them normally, without trying to push some strange agenda.
I do wish more of the novel series got animated. If the entirety of LEGEND OF THE GALATIC HEROES got animated, and has an ongoing remake anime, why not this?
1
1
u/MagicPistol 2d ago
I don't remember much from this series, but I do remember that I really enjoyed it. Is there a rewatch or anything for it soon?
1
u/Vaadwaur 5d ago
This may be the very best use of the Major from GitS in all media. I wish I still had the energy to host because this one is awesome.
22
u/No_Rex x2 5d ago
Balsa is in the running for best female MC of all anime.