Review of Phantom: Requiem for the Phantom

We Are Ghosts, Meant for the Shadows The Phantom returns. What you didn't know that there was a Phantom series before this? Phantom the Animation moved in and out from the anime conscious like a ghost. Phantom: Requiem for a Phantom [Phantom] is supposed to be a remake for that tragic three part OVA, as well as extending the story. It greatly improves upon the original, but does it succeed on its own? Phantom welcomes you to the underworld, where gang families trade dollar bills and bullets, the players run the game and the game plays with their lives. Inferno, an upstart organization, backed by mysterious Mr.Mcguire,has only one objective: to unite the underworld. It's an interesting premise but not the focus of Phantom. It's sniper scope focuses on two character's Ein and Zwei, the brainwashed assassins of Scythe Master, a scientist for Inferno.

The story is interesting at first, as Zwei try to come to terms with his existence and amnesia. He struggles with the idea of killing a person against surviving himself, afraid of losing his true nature in a bloodbath. It's hard for him accept the assassin credo: Kill or be killed. Ein is a desolate voice, a melancholic mentor to Zwei in the shadowy world. She has a resigned view of the world, death being the only thing defining her life.

The plot is compelling , the character interaction fascinating on many levels, from the understated to romance between the leads to the slave/master relationship between Ein and her creator Scythe. It is up until the halfway point that its when the tight seams start to loosen and the edges begin to fray. The action is pushed forward with jarring plot twists and a piles of grating melodrama. Around Episode sixteen, I was concerned that the show hadn't ended after Episode 10. But I am glad I continued, as the ending was deeply satisfying, giving closure to the characters I had fallen in love with in the first half of the series.

Production

There are two halves to the art in Phantom, as excellence soon becomes underwhelming. The dark and muted palette is abandoned for brighter colors. The excellent cinematography, which contained dynamic cuts, camera angles, and used liberal shot framing from compelling viewpoints to push the unearthly atmosphere, is regrettably simplified in the second half. The character models were well made, each actor being unique, designed interestingly, and their clothes personifying their identities. That's how models should be, a reflection of the person's soul.

The music was hit or miss. The first opening was perfect, dark and brooding, the vocals strong and filled with yearning. The second one was upbeat, almost frantic in it's execution. The best piece was the second ending theme, "Transparent", a haunting tune that sent chills down the spine. The voice acting was sharp, though many of the seiyuu performances are strained in the second half, as the script aims to be overly dramatic.

Watchability and Enjoyment

As I said before, the show is split into two halves. The first 10 episodes are engaging and will keep you hooked. From there, the show's quality decides to drive off a cliff. Its surprising to see how noticeable it is, the craftsmanship is compromised after the time lapse. But I kept watching, consumed with the desire to know how it all ended. I fell in love with Ein and Zwei and the nuggets of their interaction threaded throughout the other half pulled me along. Sticking with it, rewarded me with a great ending that returned to the style of the first few episodes, the use of atmosphere and interaction to create an emotional effect.

Closing Thoughts

Phantom is a mixed bag. It has a good start, but the trail becomes rough. At times I felt the series was too long, and would have been better off had it run a shorter schedule like Jyu-oh-sei or Shingetsutan Tsukihime, both of which paced out beautiful stories in a small amount of time. Overall, I can recommend it because of a strong beginning and finale.