Last 2 weeks ,while browsing many series of anime titles on the shelves at anime shops in The Mines,I've noticed one of the titles that I've really wanted to watch; Kara no Kyoukai ~The Garden of Sinners~.It's a rare deal as to find all 7 movies in one set.As per said,the movies consist of 7 movies with each of them durate from 40 minutes to 2 hours.The movies were based on chapters in the Visual Novel created by authored by Nasu Kinoko and illustrated by Takeuchi Takashi , the same people who created Tsukihime and Fate/stay night series. In other word,the KnK is a parallel universe with those two as this is Type Moon's first project before those two.
Based on synopsis of tvtropes.org
"April 1995. I met her.
Shiki Ryougi is a girl who grew up in a family imbued with supernatural powers. In particular, certain members possess something close to dual personalities; the "male" and "female" sides, who are aware of each other, are both conscious, and essentially the same person with different qualities. This dual consciousness combined with her upbringing has led her to reject other human beings.
When she was in high school, she met a caring classmate, Mikiya Kokutou. Slowly, under his influence, Shiki begins to feel happiness in her life. However, that comes to an end when Mikiya becomes too close to her.
I don't... want to die...
A warm smile.
I want to kill you.
June 1998. Shiki Ryougi wakes up from a coma; her eyes are bandaged. In her mind, she feels only " "—utter void. Her memories are a blur, and she feels disconnected from them, as though they are not her own. Her doctor tells her that it was a car accident. She wants to be rid of those eyes; eyes that stare into the void. A woman stops her, saying that they are "too wasteful to destroy"; after all, they are the Mystic Eyes of Death Perception."
Each of the chapter are :
- Kara no Kyoukai 1: Overlooking the Scenery (俯瞰風景 Fukan Fuukei?)
- Kara no Kyoukai 2: Murder Study (Part 1) (殺人考察(前) Satsujin Kousatsu (Zen)?)
- Kara no Kyoukai 3: Remaining Sense of Pain (痛覚残留 Tsuukaku Zanryuu?)
- Kara no Kyoukai 4: The Hollow Shrine (伽藍の洞 Garan no Dou?)
- Kara no Kyoukai 5: Paradox Spiral (矛盾螺旋 Mujun Rasen?)
- Kara no Kyoukai 6: Oblivion Recorder (忘却録音 Boukyaku Rokuon?) Fairy Tale.
- Kara no Kyoukai Remix -Gate of seventh heaven- (空の境界 Remix -Gate of seaventh heaven- Kara no Kyoukai Remix -Gate of seventh heaven-?) -(NOT PART OF THE CHAPTER) It was released in theaters on March 14, 2009. This remix collection extracts the key themes and scenes from first six movies. The hour long movie is organized in chronological order, beginning from the 2nd movie, followed by the 4th, 3rd, 1st, 5th and 6th. It's a mixture of mostly existing scenes, and some new scenes.
- Kara no Kyoukai 7: Murder Study (Part 2) (殺人考察(後) Satsujin Kousatsu (Go)?)
Each movies does not occurred concurrently with its time line (1995 - 1999)as each movies has its own theme.For easier understanding, the sequence for each movies according to time-line are movie 2,movie 4, movie 3,movie 1,movie 5,movie 6,and movie 7. This unusual sequence is also part of the charm of the series as each movies are related to each other such as there are scenes which events in the third movie are reported on tv in the first movies.Novel readers and people re watching the movies will catch it, but otherwise it'll pass by without notice.
There are obvious hints with Tsukihime and Fate/stay night series such as Aozaki Aoko's sister (the "sensei" that gave Tohno Shiki, his glasses) Aozaki Touko is a major character and a scene which show a grail at Aozaki Touko'office which hints the Holy Grail Wars. The term 'magician' and 'Mystic Eyes of Death Perception' also showed the connection.
Since I didn't neither read the VN ,I couldn't compared it with the movies.Neither the least,the movies really gave more insight in Tsukihime and Fate/stay night world.
Definitely for me a 5/5
p/s : remember to watch the post-credits scene as they show preview to the next film :).
Here's a short trailer about all 7 movies
