Spiral

Title:Spiral
Spiral ~Bond of Inference~
Spiral ~Bond of Reasoning~
Spiral ~Suiri no Kizuna~
Overall:Watch
Keywords: , , , , , ,
Notables: ASANO Masumi
ISHIDA Akira
MITSUISHI Kotono
R1 License - FUNimation
SUZUMURA Kenichi
Spiral is a mystery detective story serialized on Gangan magazine. The main character of the story are Madoka Narumi, her younger brother, Ayumu Narumi and Kiyono Yuizaki, a noisy girl who runs newspaper publication in the highschool. Together, they are trying to solve mystery by reasoning and putting even the smallest clues together.


[TV series, 2002-2003, 25 episodes, 23 min]

R1 license by Funimation
OverallArtAnimationCharacter Design MusicSeries StoryEpisode StoryReviewer
Watch 8 7 7 7 7 7 Dreamer [series:491#2279]
This series had serious potential but somewhere along the line, not enough was explained or explored to really make this stand out. It wasn't too bad, but could have been much better.

Art, Animation & Character Designs
Artwork wasn't too bad. It was on par with many other series out there. Backgrounds were well done, details were at a good level and the characters were presentable and detailed as well.

Music
The OP sorta got on my nerves. It was a pop piece with female vocals. The vocals is what did it for me.... annoying. The soundtrack had some typical "mystery" style effects and sounds. There was some eerie pieces with hallow bells and wind instruments that sorta turned me off. Not in a bad way but more a shiver down my back way. The ED was more a rock-ish piece with female vocals. It turned out ok. At least I caught myself listening to it few times over.

Series and Episode Story
Ok, I must agree with Ggultra2764 below. This is quite the flawed series. I'm not going to focus on the flaws themselves as I believe Ggultra2764 said enough on this topic. Aside from that, let me get to what I felt "contributed" to the flaw(s). The problem is, this series was so focused on our protagonist "Ayumu", that the exploration of the Blade children was lost along the line. The "concept" of the Blade children was there, but the exploration, the explanation and the development of this concept never materializes. Sure, we get a slight idea of the Blade children and very brief backgrounds but that's it, nothing else.

A mystery series typically answers the questions it first throws at you, at least by the end of the series. Here, we end up with more questions and more mysteries than it initially started off with. That's what makes this series frustrating. Now the concept of the Blade children was something that had some potential.... if only the writers took it further and brought it to life.

Overall, it could have been better if things were more flushed out or even backgrounds explored.

Last updated Sunday, December 12 2010. Created Sunday, December 12 2010.
Watch 8 6 8 7 6 6 Ggultra2764 [series:491#1552]
Spiral's quite the flawed mystery title. Being focused on the mysterious disappearance of Ayumu's brother and its connection with the Blade Children, the series sets up an interesting premise where Ayumu's encounters with the Blade Children bring him deeper into their world and where he becomes eventually becomes involved in their survival against the Hunters later in the series. The characters are also not your run-of-the-mill archetypes as many of whom we meet are clever and smart enough to plan things ahead and pick through the tiniest of flaws in the logic and plans of those that they target, as well as making use of the available resources in front of them when the situation calls for it. This becomes interesting enough when Ayumu and the Blade Children are caught up in the deadly games they put one another through or when confronting the Hunters.

Unfortunately, Spiral's search for answers doesn't lead anywhere. By the end of the series, the origins of the Blade Children and the Hunters are hinted at yet not greatly explored. Kiyotaka is still missing. Even with the interesting smart characters, many of them, especially the Blade Children, lack a great deal of background. Much of the focus with the series is on Ayumu being placed in situations that are supposed to boost his motivation and confidence in dealing with his involvements with the Blade Children. While a decent exploration, it still doesn't address the major mysteries that the series had introduced me to at it's start.

Spiral does make for a decent watch if you wish to see the deadly challenges faced by Ayumu and the Blade Children. But don't go expecting all the show's mysteries to be solved. Read the manga version of the series to get a greater look into the mysteries surrounding the Blade Children and Kiyotaka's disappearance.

Last updated Thursday, December 24 2009. Created Tuesday, December 22 2009.
Buy 10 10 10 10 10 Violet D [series:491#1393]
I just started watching this one on Sunday evening. A worker at hastings told me about this one and I had to rent it and eventually buy it. I really like this one and like some of the others I watch. I watch them again and again. I like the storyline and the characters. They all have their own personality and make the show go faster when you watch it. This Manga is easy to watch and you want to see more of it. This one you won't be able to put it down once you see it and is another good one. I would like to review Spiral again and give comment on this Anime that has mystery, a little love interest and a story in it that because these Blade Children are different they are suppose to be the Devil children and gotten rid of. The younger brother of the older brother ends up helping the Blade Children and will end up making things better according to them. I enjoy watching how the younger brother gets himself out of danger. Ayumu in the end makes a comment he is not his brother nor is he one of the blade children so what can he do. but in the end after one of the older Blade children kunon wants to kill him can't. Ayumu says all I can do is what I can do and thats it. I like those last words because it is so true. In life all we can do is what we can do and no more.

Last updated Friday, September 12 2008. Created Wednesday, February 08 2006.
Rent 9 9 9 9 9 9 Ambriel [series:491#1357]
It's not a bad anime to watch if you like all the mystery and stuff. It's the kind of anime that doesn't exactly have a proper ending due to the fact that the manga is still being produced.
If you're hoping for something like 'Detective Conan' and all, forget about it. Spiral has created their own world of mystery and nothing really gets sloved. You'll leave thinking 'so what happens now?' but still it's a good anime. The characters are well developed. Music's good too. Well as long as you like mystrey and bishonens, you should like this.

Last updated Friday, April 23 2004. Created Friday, April 23 2004.
Watch 10 8 9 9 9 Christopher Granade [series:491#854]
This is a great series in that it is not at all afraid to leave the story incomplete, and to focus on one small part of a larger story. With that, they can develop drama and strength that would otherwise be deluded. No, the conflicts are not resolved, and no, many questions are left untouched, but isn't that the point? They've created a world, and shown you one small, potent part of it. For that, I applaud their efforts.

Last updated Thursday, January 29 2004. Created Thursday, January 29 2004.
Watch 10 9 9 9 7 9 Lutzie [series:491#786]
Personally, i really enjoyed watching this anime. It has a darkish theme but it's still humorous thanks to Hiyono and Madoka^^. I think Hiyono has to be one of my fav female anime characters because she's not only funny, but also super smart. Her part in the story is to be a sort of partner to Ayumu, and even though i wish that there was some blossoming romance between the two, there isn't. Anyhow, i think overall it's a great anime to watch, especially for girls who like cold and distant guys (Ayumu is a COLD person!). But if u want a good storyline, this is *ehh*...... after watching the last eps (which i didn't know WAS the last eps cuz there's only 25 in the series) i understood NOTHING more than what i knew since the first eps. the conflict is NOT resolved; in fact, nothing is solved. OR i'm just really dumb and didn't get it.....>< but i loved the art and character development was nicely done, so overall i give this anime 8.5/10.

Last updated Tuesday, June 17 2003. Created Tuesday, June 17 2003.
Watch 9 9 9 9 9 9 Azusa [series:491#718]
it's a pretty good series and is quite mysterious ...... but they seem to have a sence of humor for being a deep/sirious series.

Last updated Friday, May 23 2003. Created Friday, May 23 2003.
Rent 9 9 9 9 9 8 Kyou Nao Neko [series:491#550]
Ive seen only the first eps.. but i know that is not enough to know this anime is truly about... but the characters and the way it put together is well done... ^^

Last updated Wednesday, May 28 2003. Created Tuesday, March 18 2003.

Other Sites
NameURL
JC STAFF's Official Spiral Website http://www.jcstaff.co.jp/sho-sai/spr-shokai/spr-index.htm
TV Tokyo's Spiral site http://www.tv-tokyo.co.jp/anime/spiral/main_index.html
Spiral Bonds of Reasoning http://www.angelfire.com/realm/fightersofdestiny/anime/spiral.htm

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