Title: Jormungand part 1

Director: Keitaro Motonaga

Writer: Keitaro Takahashi

Studio: White Fox

U. S. Distributor: FUNimation

U. S. Release Date: Feb. 11th, 2014

Format: DVD/Blu-ray/ 12 Episodes/ 300 minutes

Age Rating: TV MA

Overall Personal Rating: A

Synopsis:

Jonah is a child soldier and the newest bodyguard for Koko, an international arms dealer with an entourage of hired guns. The cold-blooded kid hates Koko’s line of work, but following her into the darkest corners of the black market might be the only way he can find those responsible for his family’s slaughter.

Besides, his employer isn’t like most merchants of death. She uses guile and cutthroat tactics to keep her clients armed to the teeth – all while cultivating her own warped plan for the future of world peace. With the CIA desperate for her capture, assassins eager to collect her head, and the potential for every contract to end in ultra-violence, Koko and her comrades in arms bring the boom to every corner of the world.

Commentary:

Very rarely are there serious dramas released for the U. S. market and thankfully Jormungand is one that has made its way to our shores. This hard hitting anime doesn’t pull any punches when showing the underbelly of the human condition. Jormungand joins a list of anime like Black Lagoon that stand out as the true existentialist series. The loss of the human responsibility toward other and their very special self proclamations or free will. As you move through Jormungand you will discover that at times it is easier just to detach and do what ever needs to be done no matter how insane it may seem. This don’t mean that there is no moral or ethical slice to this darker world of the weapons dealer it just means that there is a clear lack of value in the human lives that inhabit the same industry.

The animation is solid and at times comes across a little too slick, but the look suites the series well. I found the voice acting to flow naturally and that the english dub does a great job of capturing the essence of this dark series. The writing is clearly the strength of the series and it follows the manga well enough to maintain the high standard that was originally in print.

Overall Grade: A

Jormungand is a great reminder how well the Japanese create serious adult entertainment. From the quality of the writing to the high standard of animation Jormungand stands along side many other seminal series that both end up reminding us of our own failings and at the same time gives a picture of the world that very few of us ever really understand.

I will never recommend something Jormungand to anyone under 17 but for all adults who love a great action drama then this one’s for you. Even though there is lenity of violence it is always given a good reason to exist. There are moments is part one that does give me pause, but at those moments I can still see the point. Even though I know how the series ends I can still see a wonderful weaving of a tail that is pointing to something bigger than the limits of its parts. I am looking forward to part two. Now if FUNimation would find it’s way to stop making two parts out of these great series I think things would find a wider audience. Be sure to check this one out, it is worth it!