Woman Warrior

I found a really good show in the newest batch this season. It's called "Seirei no Moribito" and tells the tale of Balsa, a warrior trained in the short spear who hires herself out as a bodyguard to atone for her sins. She killed eight people and vowed to protect the same number of lives as penance.

She ends up being hired to protect a young prince whose father the Emperor plus the head of the religious order of that country have decided to kill. They believe the boy has been possessed by a water demon who was slain by the first emperor of the land when it took over a child's body. I know the plot is a common one in the fantasy genre but this show comes with high production values, The animation is gorgeous. And unlike "Noein" where the CGI was used extensively for the background and the character designs looked like crude sketches, "Seirei" 's characters are rendered as good as the rest of the scenery.

I've seen up to episode three and hope the series maintains the same quality throughout. I heard Geneon has already licensed the show even before it finished its run in Japan. I can't wait for the DVDs to be released here. I'll buy them for my collection.

I saw the opening song on YouTube. Although it's a bit grainy, it should give you an idea of what the show looks like. Plus I'm a sucker for female characters who don't need to be saved by a prince and who can fight their way out of any battle.