Review of Earl and Fairy
Hakushaku to Yosei is a delightful romantic shoujo fantasy. However, for one to enjoy it, expectations have to be set. The 12-episode anime is based only on a few volumes of the light novel series. Therefore, do not be surprised that at the end of the anime, there are still a lot of questions left unanswered. It is because the story still continues in the novels. Perhaps the producers are still planning or are leaving the door open for a second season. The characters are beautifully drawn and the designs, in fact, are slightly better than in the manga. The music, on the other hand,is average. The opening theme is an upbeat rock song that is tolerable enough to listen to, but not very appropriate to the Victorian theme. The closing soundtrack is a sentimental love song that fits the mawkish ending sequence well. This gratuitous scene that features the male characters lying in bed half-naked is likely conceived in an effort to pander to young female audiences. They even made Edgar’s seiyuu sing it, even though his singing voice isn't as pleasant to hear as his speaking voice. (I may sound so negative, but I'm not exactly complaining).
The two main characters of this anime are quite endearing. Lydia isn't exactly an extraordinary character but she is enchanting, graceful and kind-hearted, unlike the stereotypical shoujo heroines who are plain looking, dumb, clumsy, shameless, and whose only merit is their genkiness. She is a female protagonist who has self-respect and will not immediately throw herself to the guy she likes.
Edgar is an intriguing character. While his bearing is not mysterious because of his rather pompous personality, everything about him is a mystery: his past and identity. But despite his shadiness, he is a sympathetic character. The others (including the villains), unfortunately, are somewhat boring and forgettable. They are incredibly generic and we get to know very little about them.
If the other guys weren’t so flat, the romance would have been a lot more exciting and complex. Unfortunately, it is so obvious who Lydia will end up with even though she is surrounded by hot guys who are all interested in her. Raven is too loyal to Edgar to be his rival. Paul is such a dull character and too passive to challenge Edgar. Kelpie, on the other hand, though handsome, is rather charmless. But it seems the question this story is trying to answer isn’t who Lydia is going to choose, but how Edgar is going to gain her trust and love.
Although this is definitely not one of the best anime I’ve seen, I truly enjoyed watching this series. It is a good romance anime: charming and entertaining enough to engage shoujo fans.
If you are already a fan of the anime, I suggest that you read the light novels (the translations), so you'll know what happens after episode 12. They are also detailed and therefore more satisfying. The supporting characters are also more fleshed out and not dull as in the anime. I also recommend reading the manga since it is a more faithful adaptation (than the anime which is so condensed). It's also darker, whereas the anime is a little too girly.