Soul Eater (Review)
Soul Eater is the Kinder, Gentler Side of Death.
While Soul Eater seems at first like a series that jumps all over the place, after a few episodes, it becomes clear that the anime strives to create a delicate balance between dark and quirky, creating something the likes of which I’ve never seen before. When I first sat down to watch the series, I had to force myself to stick with it. The first few episodes are a lot to take. However, soon after those, I found myself desperate to sit down and watch more and more of the anime. Even after watching every episode, I find myself at a loss to explain exactly what the appeal of Soul Eater is.
The 51-episode anime (based on the manga written and illustrated by Atsushi Okubo) revolves around the teenage students at the Death Weapon Meister Academy (DWMA), which is run by Death himself. The school matches weapon users (called “meisters”) with human weapons in an attempt to create a new “Death Scythe” by devouring the souls of 99 evil humans and the soul of one witch. The protagonists of the series are the students Maka (voiced by Laura Bailey), Black Star (voiced by Micah Solusod) and Death the Kid (voiced by Todd Haberkorn), along with their respective weapons Soul Eater (also voiced by Solusod), Tusbaki (voiced by Monica Rial) and the Thompson sisters, Liz (voiced by Jamie Marchi) and Patty (voiced by Cherami Leigh). While all of these characters have their own quirks, they pull together to face incredible odds, including the ultimate evil known as the Kishin. However, they aren’t alone as they head into battle with their fellow students, the instructors from the DWMA and even Death himself by their side.
The series strikes a delicate, yet bizarre, balance, and, despite sitting through all of the episodes, I still can’t decide if this series was originally intended for adults or children. While the simplistic and quirky animation style, filled with odd images (including a sun that laughs itself across the sky), might seem like it was intended for preteens and young adults, this is constantly countered with images of intense violence and adults themes, such as the grinning moon that has blood pouring from its twisted smile. While there are certainly humorous aspects of the series, such as the quirks of the characters (it even takes time in one episode to talk about the rules of three in comedy), it starkly counters these ideas with themes of madness and death. Neither side seems to win in the end; however, they both serve as contrast to each other, trading the spotlight just in time to have the greatest effect. Due to this seemingly constant battle between the two sides of the series, it seems like most fans can find a common ground with Soul Eater.
While the series is full of interesting characters, it doesn’t seem to facilitate any real growth in them. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, since kids will be kids and all that, but I can’t help but notice, from the beginning of the series to the end, the only real change in the characters comes from them stating that they will change, not from tangible and visible growth. Sure, they learn more powerful attacks, but still their personalities seem to be completely engulfed by their quirks. While I found myself feeling empathetic for the characters and enjoying them, I wasn’t as invested as I have been with other series. Still, with all the interesting imagery used in the series and the wide variety of characters, this is a small concern.
The world in which this anime takes place seems to draw inspiration from gothic film director Tim Burton, and even has some references to the David Lynch series Twin Peaks. Soul Eater filled with intriguing imagery, such as its strong use of bolts and arrow designs. A perfect example of this would be the character Franken Stein (voiced by Chuck Huber), who has stitches running up and down his clothing and skin and a massive bolt sticking through his head. While, the name might be groan-worthy, the fact that his character struggles with madness throughout the series makes him strangely appealing.
Looking back, it’s no wonder I enjoyed Soul Eater. After all, the director was Takuya Igarashi, who directed one of my favorite series, Mushishi. While it might lose a bit of itself from being all over the place, the impressive balancing act it delivers creates a compelling anime that quickly earns its viewers love. However, the fact remains that, at first, the series might test your commitment to it. In the end, though, it will suck you in and refuse to let you go.
