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From the makers of Cowboy Bebop, a moody, mysterious series in which nothing can be taken for granted. STNJ is the Japanese branch of a secretive global organization that suppresses the illegitimate use of witchcraft. Being a witch is a genetic trait, and STN maintains a registry of everyone with the trait, watching them, and moving in to eliminate them should their powers ``awaken''. STNJ recently lost one of its members, and morale is low. The office is run by a bureaucratic functionary who is mostly ignored by his staff of eccentrics. The real boss seems to be the grim, silent Amon and the mysterious man from ``the Factory''. Headquarters sends them a replacement for their fallen comrade --- 16-year-old Sena Robin, born in Japan but raised in an Italian convent. Robin, who dresses in solemnly archaic long black dresses (does she really wear a bustle? --- it's a bit of a relief when she switches to bicycle-messenger gear around episode 15) is herself a ``craft-user'', though one who seems to have limited control over her abilities. |
Initially, the series appears to take a ``victim of the week'' approach, reminiscent of the beginning of Noir. Also like Noir, by the eigth episode the world, the characters, and their relationships are established. At that time, the real story gets underway.
As the series progresses, Robin grows increasingly uncomfortable with her role in hunting witches. Some of her victims don't seem deserving of a fate at the hands of the creepily mysterious ``Factory'', and Robin herself begins to worry that she will become a target, and grows to suspect that her partner Amon will welcome the opportunity to hunt her.
Moody, dark (literally), this series is like Vampire Princess Miyu meets The X Files.
The amazing and unexpected parallels between Witch hunter Robin and Azumanga Daioh (the first few in English).
