Noein

When, maybe if, a working knowledge of quantum mechanics becomes widespread, Noein will look pretty silly; in the meantime, it’s a great show. Masterfully animated, Noein has solid characters and a quick, fascinating plot which gives only a few hints regarding the enigmatic title character.

Haruka is a preteen girl who hangs out with her friends and lives with her divorced mother in a countryside house. One of her friends happens to be Yu, who is having difficulty coping with the pressure placed on him by his mother to get into a good school next year. A ghost-hunting trip leads to an encounter with the warping, flying, black-cloaked figures known as the Dragon Knights. One of the Dragon Knights, Karasu, identifies Haruka as the “Dragon Torque” and attempt to take her away, only to be opposed by Yu.

Throughout the course of this series, Haruka (and Yu) end up in a variety of different locations. From the (nonexistant?) paradise of Shangri-la, to the dismal, industrial dystopia of Lacryma, Noein is anything but predictable.

The animation drops down to a fast-paced, comic-book style sketchiness during fights. The war-machines of Shangri-la are beautiful and terrifying. Lacryma looks like a universe fighting on the edge of death should.