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| Overall | Art | Animation | Character Design | Music | Series Story | Episode Story | Reviewer | |
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| Watch | 7 | 6 | 7 | 5 | 6 | 6 |
 Ggultra2764
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[series:1585#1552] |
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Kaze no Stigma is a shounen action series mainly focused on wind magic user Kazuma Yagami, a banished member of the fire wielding Kannagi family, who returns to Japan and gets caught up in the actions of his estranged family when he coexists with cousin and Kannagi family heir Ayano in several arcs that deal with paranormal happenings and some comical antics with the growing relationship between the two. Much of the show is rather standard in its developments with Kazuma and Ayano frequently butting heads with one another, the series teasing of possible romantic implications in their relationship, the use of elemental powers for action scenes and the villains confronted mostly been irredeemably evil and not having much in the way of depth. Ayano's yet another hot-headed tsundere whose short-fused temper can be obnoxious at points and while Kazuma is justified in the attitude he has toward many within the Kannagi for being an outcast, some of his bouts of attitude make him come off as somewhat of a jerk at points. The high point of the series though comes in the anime's final arc when more of Kazuma's past is revealed that unveils why he chose to acquire his wind magic powers, the personal grudge he holds for the enemy responsible for a tragic event after being banished by the Kannagis and learning to move on from said past thanks to his time with Ayano. Still, getting to this arc requires pushing through the anime's more conventional storytelling elements and the series suffering from an inconclusive ending as the enemy from Kazuma's past is still at large and Kazuma and Ayano not being an official couple. Coming from Gonzo, Kaze no Stigma is one of their middle-of-the-road quality offerings considering their notorious reputation for hit-or-miss quality offerings. It has a few engaging storytelling elements that make it worth a single viewing, but does not offer much else to come back to for more.
Last updated Thursday, December 24 2015. Created Saturday, August 06 2011. | ||||||||
| Watch | 8 | 7 | 7 | 6 |
 Xenoknight
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[series:1585#2967] | ||
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watching now... 23 eps watched... This anime is good and watching it through Netflix streaming (English dub) on the Xbox 360 in HD makes it even better!!! I'm too busy for anything these days with school and holiday prep at work. Thoughts and series page clean-up whenever time permits... Check out my award list to see some of the best anime titles in the world! Never forget Xenosaga. Last updated Tuesday, October 26 2010. Created Tuesday, October 19 2010. | ||||||||
| Buy | 8 | 9 | 9 | 0 | 9 | 0 |
 KBanger1
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[series:1585#1694] |
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As I sit here having a cup of instant miso soup, I'm contemplating about Kaze no Stigma. If Dual Parallel Adventures never had been, I'd put this series as a high replay value. I can't stop watching this series over and over (with the exception of the second arc) like I do with Dual. Kazuma Yagami, the former heir to the house of Kannagi, was banished by his father and shunned from the Kannagi family for his lack of skills with fire magic. A few years later, Kazuma returns to Japan from an overseas journey for his own path in life with a new power and runs into the Kannagi family out of coincidence. This triggers a set of events that ultimately leads him to take on the family who unceremoniously kicked him out. Ayano Kannagi, the current heir of the Kannagi family and Kazuma's cousin, is an explosive teenager who's power is only rivaled by her stubbornness. Not only is she the current heir to her family but is also the only one who wields the scared sword of flame, Enraiha. As Funimation puts it, "The cooler he gets, the hotter she burns." These two are the classic opposites attract couple. The more she is with Kazuma, the more attracted she is to him. Of course, she hides her emotions behind a whiny little princess facade. What makes this appealing is the fact that Kazuma is calm and deadly precise as far as the way he conducts himself and his fighting style. However, he's also your atypical loner who shows nothing but hatred for his former family. He wields the power of wind magic due to his contract with the Wind God or something. It was never made completely clear as how he obtained this power but it does show why he has it. To me, that makes for a protagonist that I look up to. Sort of like 'D' from Vampire Hunter D but a lot more verbose. I also do like the Ayano character as well. She's a strong-willed girl who doesn't back down for anything or anyone. She also has a very sensitive side which she doesn't show, especially to Kazuma. With that plus a one-sided stubbornness in which even when there is evidence to show her she is wrong, she relentlessly doesn't back down. Nothing like a strong female character with a stank attitude to round about the pair. Storywise, it's broken down to different arcs leading to an opening for a new season. Hopefully there is one, but I'm not holding my breath. Why? Who'd want to pay near $75 US for a 4-disc series? I sure didn't. So, I did the next best thing and got it BL'd. Note: I'm not condoning my actions but merely telling you what I did. Also, the author of Kaze No Stigma has passed away a while ago. I doubt that anyone will continue his work. In truth, I would keep this at a high rent due to the price of the retail DVDs, but if you know other ways of obtaining this series (like myself) I would highly recommend Kaze No Stigma to your collection. Action, comedy, and two characters who can't stand each other equal a great series. Last updated Sunday, March 21 2010. Created Sunday, March 21 2010. | ||||||||
| Rent | 9 | 9 | 9 | 7 | 7 | 9 |
 Silence
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[series:1585#2939] |
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Rent+ Kaze no Stigma is a very solid action series. But solid action anime can only make it a high rent. From the very start, I felt that this series will be cool, and it is. The animation is very well done, the artwork is not sketchy either. The fight between Kazuma and Gendou hooks me immediately. Right after he won, Kazuma said, "What should I do now, Cui Ling?" which i felt was awesome. It was as if his entire purpose was to surpass his father, hence highlighting the impact his father had on his psyche. Such little things kept appearing throughout the 24 episodes, providing ample food for thought. The personality of Kazuma is very well designed. His aloofness and arrogance exemplifies the attitude of someone who is superior and knows it. His constant teasing of Ayano is amusing too. The final arc showcases a totally different, ruthless side to him. I loved the character development and exploration throughout the series. Kazuma is the type of protagonist many try to portray, but fail. However, being an action show, the flaws of action series cannot help but creep in. Kaze no Stigma tries to buff up its action based show with philosophy, as many others try. Perhaps it fares a little better than most - I agree with the whole 'dying serves no purpose' rhetoric - but still it is kinda forced and insincere, especially if you chatter none stop during a battle. On this front, I'm afraid Kaze is like any generic action anime, with characters bordering obsessive compulsive about thinking aloud during a fight. Like, they just go on and on taunting and retorting like a radio while they wave their swords around (or worse, not paying attention to the enemy). Please, there is nothing wrong with talking after an intense battle and sorting out your emotions, but for God's sake, keep your mouth shut during one unless you really have to (see GITS). Also, the villains are equally loudmouths when it comes to revealing their diabolic plan (facepalm). With these frustrating flaws, I cannot possibly give a buy. Which is a pity because I genuinely like the story. Last updated Saturday, November 14 2009. Created Tuesday, November 03 2009. | ||||||||
| Buy | 9 | 9 | 10 | 8 | 9 | 8 |
 Ann
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[series:1585#2810] |
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I have been hooked to this series for a while now, it is funny, action-packed, and the story is easy to understand. Each episode is usually followed by two more episodes relating to the same thing like 1-3, 4-7, etc. Sometimes you just want to skip to the last ep in the "series", but each episode does have some info to keep up, that was the only reason why the episode story rating was given an eight. There isn't alot of music in this show, so just by judging by the opening did I come up with that. For all girls out there who like animated guys, this is one for you! And for anyone who likes fighting, super powers, humor, and you know the rest, this is for you!
Last updated Tuesday, January 22 2008. Created Tuesday, January 22 2008. | ||||||||
| Buy |
 Jan-Chan
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[series:1585#967] | ||||||
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I really want to rate this series as a BUY-, but you will have to be into fighting stories which have an strong element of mystical abilities (such as Kekkaishi or perhaps Darker than Black). Each 'story' chapter is three episodes long, and the chapters build on each other. With good animation and character development, it is easy to get sucked in - which makes for a fun anime ride. At first glance, this might appear to be a simple story of a group of teenagers, born with strange abilities and into a very complex (and interlocked) Kannagi family structure, but it is so much more. Kazuma Yagami (formerly Kazuma Kannagi) – the alienated defiant loner. Cast out of the family by his overbearing father for not having the En-Jutsu skills, Kazuma has returned after four years with the strong skills of a wind mage. Ayano Kannagi – the cute hot-headed flaming swords-girl. As the inheritor of the Enrai-ha and heir to the main family, she is determined to prove to everyone that she can be a strong and decisive leader. Ren Kannagi – Kazuma’s younger brother and current heir to their father’s title as being the family's strongest En-Jutsushi (or flame mage). A cute young man troubled both the disappearance of older brother and the expectations of success that his father is pressing upon him, Ren would like nothing more than to have his brother back and for everyone to get along. The storyline is fairly complex, mixed with a number of mystical and magical Japanese terms (much like the series -  Flame Haze,) but in any event, its well worth the time spent watching.
Last updated Tuesday, December 22 2009. Created Sunday, April 22 2007. | ||||||||
Other Sites
| Name | URL |
|---|---|
| Japanese Language Web Site | http://pc.webnt.jp/stigma/ |
| Gonzo (Japanese Language) Web Site | http://www.gonzo.co.jp/works/0705.html |
| Wikipedia entry for this series | http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaze_no_Stigma |
| Contains a good summary of the various mystic terms used in this series | |
