Cheap Requiem from the Darkness - Turmoil of the Flesh (Vol. 1) (DVD) Price

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Customer Reviews of Requiem from the Darkness - Turmoil of the Flesh (Vol. 1)

Stories around a camp fire
Every so often an anime series really stands out against the backwash of all the tedious cliched junk produce in the industry. <
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>I have to say I loved the first volume of Requiem from the Darkness. Japanese Horror is an profoundly different experience to the western horror genre, deeply rooted in paranoia, guilt, and traumatic personal experiences, and heavily interweaved with cultural traditions and folk-tales. Spirits and mites and otherworldly specters are acceptable (and required) elements in this Edo-period horror-series. <
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>Where Requiem suceeds is subtly translating what seem like unusually familiar tales into a form of experimental minimal animation, going with a combination of abstract backgrounds, shifting lighting effects, and an eerie use of cg to create something which pushes the medium to unexpected directions, all completely in the service of the mood of the story. If you're a fan of experimental animation I'd definately recommend this series. The character designs are extremely iconic and varying (remeniscient of Ninja Scroll), often strangely standing out against their exquisite abstract backgrounds, and although the character animation isn't stunning, the way its heavily computer altered and coloured before reaching the screen more than makes up for it. The experience is very involving and unpredictable. <
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>The music is understated but extremely effective in this series, going from the incongruously jazz/funk opening theme to the compellingly creepy combination of contemporary downbeat hiphop (similar to Amon Tobin's 'Chaos Theory' album) with the occasional traditional japanese influence. <
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>The stories so far have been very enjoyable and the compulsory ending 'twists' required of a Horror movie/book/series are generally unpredictable and very satisfying. The series has what seems to be developing into a subtly evolving plot, told through the lens of each stand-alone episode story (something akin to Samurai Champloo or Cowboy Bebop, but more like Junji Ito). Many anime series get bogged down in their own continuity with pretentious, convoluted and too-long 'save-the-world' plots, but this series takes pride in rather than trying to avoid its episodic format, with all of the charm of telling scary stories around a campfire. The premise of the series, a young writer putting together his book of 100 ghost stories is a great simple premise for a series such as this. <
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>Thoroughly recommended.

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A macabre blend of dark storytelling and disturbing visuals-- and brilliant at that.
Requiem from the Darkness is far from your average anime. This statement, vague but poignant, does well to describe the essence of the series. It isn't normal. It delves into the human psyche in deranged and supernatural ways and, in all honesty, probably shouldn't be viewed by anyone under the age of 16. If made into a movie, an R rating would be more than deserved. But here I am, 13 years old, and after watching the show I'm still alive and kicking. Basically, if you're squeamish, Requiem from the Darkness may bother you at times. Satoshi Kon's masterpiece tends to have some pretty graphic stuff in its openings-case in point, one introduction depicts a grotesque obese man rigorously chomping on what could very well be slabs of human flesh-another shows seven women being burned on stakes, blood running from their eyes. In all fairness, those are the two worst cases, and the main body of the episodes usually don't contain anything close to such violence. The point is you don't want to be giving this to your eight year old. <
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>I've talked about the violence, so I feel obligated to tell of the sexual aspects of the show. Firstly, there's very little-to-no nudity. If memory serves, there are no topless scenes. That is not to say there are not sexually inappropriate episodes. One episode is devoted largely to a scandalous sexual relationship between a father and his (notably over 18) daughter. There are, well, "motions" and a couple flicks of a tongue shone. In the very last episode a shadow of a woman being raped is depicted. <
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>So, understand first that if you're too young to make an Amazon account than you most definitely shouldn't be watching this show. Now, moving on. <
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>While there is an ongoing plot, Requiem from the Darkness is largely episodic till the last few shows. Each episode is an independent, and singularly brilliant, entity in and of itself. The writing and storytelling is simply amazing, the plot lulling you into a trance and capable of rushing you forward at any moment. The tale usually unfolds as you follow the main character, an author looking for stories to write in his book "100 Ghost Stories." The author gets tied in the affairs of three supernatural exorcists, who find and (eventually) murder excessively sinful souls. The exorcists seem to always know what's going on, while the author has to put together the facts like a detective to realize often strange and obscure situations going on around him. The resulting rhythm and story is, simply, magnificent. <
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>If anything is a drawback in the series, it's the animation. Many people criticize its looks, and I can't blame them. The art isn't particularly well done. It is stylistic, in a way I think is good for the show. Only the main characters have detailed faces, crowds and onlookers with strange, almost inhuman looking complexions. The environments are often warped-perhaps not fully in color, or bowing like someone had bent them inward. Some people might think of these effects as a bad thing. I'm personally indifferent. <
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>I'd go on discussing Requiem from the Darkness, but-lo! life is harsh. If you're of age, get this show. You'll not regret it. <
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Great Anime! but not for everyone
I've read some of the reviews for this title and I have to say after watching the anime itself I for one just loved it from the first episode on now I know that it will not appeal to everyone visually and in way of story it's very dark and sometimes twisted but original from anything else out there right now the thing that I like about it most that it doesn't become tired or formulaic it always leaves you wondering what happens next which is a rare thing to find in most animes today.