Miken: Hihi~ Miken here with a post that’s finally on schedule~ Then again, Minnie is threatening me…Anyways, on with the post of my favorite underhyped anime of all time!

When I just started getting deeper into anime and started watching subs and such, I was randomly choosing shows left and right. Then, along came Le Chevalier D’Eon. I was simply looking for more series done by Production I.G. after loving their work in the cutscenes of the Tales games and was pointed in the direction of this anime by the cover of a volume of Newtype USA, which I bought on a whim. I went into it unassuming, which is something I really wish I could do nowadays…But I digress. The wonderful visuals and charming if not slow plot did get the better of me. The added historical in-jokes got the better of my inner nerd too~

The Story

Synopsis (shamelessly taken from the back of my Vol.1 DVD — courtesy of ADV): “Paris 1472. A coffin floats in the shimmering Seine. On the lid, a world written in blood — “Pslams”. Inside, the body of a beautiful woman. Lia de Beaumont.

Now her brother, D’Eon, seeks the reason for her mysterious murder, and uncovers an evil that casts shadows in both the  palaces of kings and the dark alleys of Europe. A power wielded by spell-casting Poets and manipulated by royalty. A force so poweriful it brings Lia’s soul back from beyond to seize the only weapon she can possess to avenge her death — her own brother.”

Though I do suppose that a series with the plot involving a young man being possessed by his dead older sister and subsequently becoming even more feminine than before would offset some people, what with certain anime these days and the growing popularity of traps  (ie Kampfer and Maria Holic), it shouldn’t be too much of a problem. This transformation, however, is not played lightly. I mean, why would D’Eon be happy when he’s possessed by a vengeful spirit? Lia also kicks major ass whenever she takes control too, making her a stark contrast to her brother, who isn’t so willing to kill in cold blood.

I’ve always liked action series more than other genres, and Le Chevalier D’Eon fits the bill perfectly and adds some genuinely interesting intrigue to the mix. Obviously, there’s a reason for Lia to not want to rest in peace just yet. The added bonding of the “Four Musketeers” over the course of the story also endeared this series to me. Each one of them (D’Eon, Robin, Durand and Teillagory) has something interesting about their characters, and though they are teammates, they all still have their own personal goals…

The Art

Yes, that is D'Eon in a dress...

The art in this story really makes me love it more and more for both its simplicity and surrealness. There are no huuuuge bulging moe eyes or bustlines down to the center of the earth. Instead, we have gorgeously designed costumes fitting the era and eyes of a more physically possible size. The dresses are pretty amazing to look at. Though they do not shine and glitter and flap in the wind so much, the elegant simplicity is just so good and fits the characters well~ For example, Queen Marie has a beautiful creme colored dress that fits the elegant air she puts about herself while the Marquise de Pompadour wears a brighter dress with gaudier colors and many more frills and such. Character designs in general fit well and are not completely outrageous.

Additionally, the series has naturally strong production values because Production I.G. has pretty big budgets. This shows with the fluidity of the battles as well as some pretty well done CG work, including luscious shots of the Hall of Mirrors at Versailles. While there may still be a few awkward shots, the general high quality of the show still shines through.

The Music

While the music probably won’t be nominated for any amazing awards, it’s strong in its own sense. There are also two solid numbers as the OP and ED. Miwako Okuda’s “BORN” is strong and sets a nice tune for each episode to start off on while Aya’s “OVER NIGHT” is much slower and fades the episode out. Though “OVER NIGHT” might offset some people for being sung in Engrish.

As for the background music, it does its job and sets the mood well, but a good number of people will overlook the music if they’re not trying hard to keep track of it. However, if you’re good with gentler music, there are some very good tracks, here are a couple to sample out:  PSALMS, Saiaiou, Seiyaku Kawaseshi Sha, Sekiwan no Kenshi, Owari no Mata Kotoba Ariki … I could list more, but that’d probably be the entire OST. As you can see, the tracks are all orchestral, so there are no rock tracks to completely throw you off.

The Plot, Characters and Other Comments

Overall, the plot does well for itself and comes to a strong finish. The mystery does hold strong throughout and while there are some lulls slightly before the Russia arc and a little bit into it, the series does pick itself up. After all, despite being dead, what we do glimpse of Lia continually reminds us that she also has a story to tell, and that story encompasses the entire story. And although there probably isn’t anything new in the plots or characters, the way the characters are used make up for it. Speaking of characters — while the Four Musketeers are the central figures of the story, numerous others do add to the mounting pile of questions…Like why the hell does Queen Marie talk to the skull of a dead little girl every time she’s alone!? Additionally, it’s very interesting to see D’Eon’s initial shock and coming to terms with the whole possession thing…

Despite the name and the implications of it being set in France, the series does spend substantial time outside of France and in Russia and England. There are also little in-universe takes on historical events fitting the story and even involving the characters. The rise of Catherine the Great? Check. Maximilien Robespierre? Check (though not in the way you expect him). If you like history and you’re also open to it getting flipped on its head and mutilated a little bit, this facet of the series will amuse you. Additionally, the plot is riddled with many different factions who know more than they seem to tell pulling the strings and adding more substance to the mystery of Lia’s death. Obviously, it’s nothing so simple? After all, it’s a 24 episode series.

As for the action…Most of the time, it’s Lia fighting the battles as she possesses d’Eon with the aid of the other musketeers. These battles are usually normal swordfights — no loud shouts of skill names here. The battle choreography is flowing as well and not prone to overly flashy stunts. However, since the series has its own magic system of Psalms and such, there are a few instances here and there where  it enters into battles. It adds a nice twist but doesn’t come off as too much or out of place. In fact, it can call for some pretty…uh, gruesome? ways to die.

Interested now? Go watch it~ You just might like it!

(Also — if you want a more Hellsing-esque take on this series, go for the manga~)

<3

Next up in the countdown is Raccoon TAAN~ Be sure to check out his post because it’ll probably be more organized and easy to follow than mine is. Come back for more every day till Christmas Day to get the rest of the underhyped series that we want to hug to death. \o/