Review of Chrono Crusade

I first came across this anime in May this year. It is now November, a few weeks after finishing this anime, and I feel as though I must urge potential viewers not to make the same mistake I did all those months ago, lest you miss out on an outstanding anime. Don't judge it by the first episode. The first episode pales in comparison to the next 23. I finished Chrno Crusade and for a while all I could do was stare at the screen in awe. I'm putting on a big dramatic air here, but I really did feel as though this was what a perfectanime felt like.

The story. The characters. The stakes.
It was done perfectly.

Rosette is a STRONG character. She might come off as being erratic and irresponsible at first glance, but throughout the series I really came to understand just how deep her feelings of dedication, duty and loyalty towards finding her brother were. And when mixed with the bittersweet story of how she and Chrno ended up being intimately linked with each other made for an anime that you know is only going to end with tragedy.
If you love this anime, you will cry.

Some people might not think that Chrno's backstory was covered enough for the story to make sense. Sometimes it might seem like he's just a plot-convenient piece to be moved when it fits. But I think that enough was mentioned for me to get the overall picture without the story suddenly revolving around his angsty backstory. Certainly, his motivations about how he came to work with Rosette and the Magdalene Order are important, but this is a story about Rosette, her personal mission, and the short amount of time that she had in order to accomplish it.

If you've come here looking for romance, then take a pass. There *are* moments that pass between Rosette and Chrno, but it most certainly isn't the focus of this anime (at least from my perspective). It is subtle at times, but very sweet. Just thought I'd mention it, in case you were wondering. The moments that did pass were very bittersweet and there is one image in particular in the last episode that I just can't get out of my head.

The other characters, Azmaria and Satella make for an interesting pair. Azmaria gives strong Wendy (Fairy Tail) vibes but she's very sweet when she isn't getting in the way. Satella also has someone she wants to find, and she bonds with Rosette over this throughout the episodes.

Action is good, the suspense is good. There are even comedy parts to lighten the mood when needed. Chrno Crusade's strongest point is its dramatic side.

Some people have complained about how it ended, but I suspect that is only because it wasn't the happy ending 'all the bad guys are dead so let's move on now' that they wanted and expected. I thought it was satisfying and again, bittersweet. That word is how I would describe the entire series.

I was fascinated by the impact that religion has on the overall plot which continued to intrigue me as time went on.

Again, I must stress the point. Don't give this up if the first episode bores you - it has much more to offer if you let it.
I went from watching one episode in 5 months, to watching all of them in one day. It is a hidden gem that deserves to be in my top anime list.