| Average |
6.8 |
| Animation |
8 |
| Sound |
8 |
| Story |
6 |
| Character |
6 |
| Value |
6 |
| Enjoyment |
7 |
| Classy. Sensuous. Sophisticated.
Reckless. Passionate. Usurping.
These are the type of contrasting vibes that you'll walk into when watching Ryoko's Case File, or Yakushiji Ryoko no Kaiki Jinkenbo, a series where the paranormal meets a savvy, arrogant female detective alongside her rather calm, yet disgruntled sidekick Izumi Junichiro.
If there's anything about this series that jumps out at the viewer initially, is the note that the series has high production values in its animation and a soundtrack with strong, jazzy BGM with a French flair. The series, based on an award winning set of visual novels, dip into the daily adventures of Ryoko and Izumi as they deal with supernatural cases that threaten the balance of humanity and scientific advances. At first it proceeds as a regular series with sporadic episodes, but the biggest story comes in the latter part of the series where it deals with a more solid villain and developments between the two characters. I was left wanting more elements akin to the latter half of the series than the former, but I don't deny that the stylish ride it took me on was as slick as it was engaging and fun.
It does have its respective flaws, however. The only characters I would say were worth caring about in the overall story are the main two, who are so fun to watch and charismatic in their interactions that it's hard not to be drawn into them. Yet, they come with the kind of cliches that a "hot and cold" team often have. The supporting characters (including two French maids who are just there for...I guess fanservice, though their accents are quite awkward and there's not much blatant fanservice to be had anywhere in the series) are there, but largely forgettable.
For those with an eye for visual action, supernatural spirit busting and two charismatic leads, it's well worth checking into for an anime series of the present day, though you may want to note some of the bumpy details that might strike you in its progression.
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