Night Wizard Review

Night Wizard flew under a lot of radars during its Fall 2007 run. Sure it started off as a run-of-the-mill game adaptation, with neither the story nor the concept being particularly original, but Night Wizard was still a solid show. It’s a shame that more people didn’t watch this show, because I think it had a lot going for it.

Synopsis:
Renji Hiiragi just can’t catch a break. Under the direction of Anzelotte, he is one of many Night Wizards that fight against the evil Bell Zephyr her Emulator forces who seek to control our world. Though he wishes for a peaceful school life, it isn’t meant to be with Anzenlotte calling the shots.

We are introduced to a new transfer student, Elis Shihou, who is in possession of a mysterious bracelet. She becomes involved with the Night Wizards’ struggle and joins Renji’s ragtag group which includes Kureha Akabane, Renji’s childhood friend, and Akari Himuro, a very stoic girl with a big gun. Anzelotte sends the group on various missions to retrieve the seven jewels of Elis’s bracelet, which will seemingly open the gate to the Emulator realm for a grand scale Night Wizard invasion.

The mission to find the jewels takes the group to many locations from Japan, the moon, and even Elis’s mind. Bell Zephyr and her episodic minions await at every corner, hoping to thwart Renji and company. Along the way, Renji’s group encounters many fellow wizards who help them on the missions to retreive the jewels. Kirihito, an especially powerful and mysterious wizard, takes a keen interest in Elis’s progress and always shows up when she is in danger. With each jewel collected, Elis gains powerful new abilities that shock everyone including herself.

Spoilers (Read at your own risk):
Not everything goes as planned when all the jewels are collected though. It turns out that Elis is the reincarnation of the Grand Emulator Lord, Shaimaal, whose existence threatens both the human and Emulator worlds. The seven jewels, created upon its first defeat, each contain a portion of its existence. When all the jewels are assembled on the bracelet, Shaimaal is fully resurrected with Elis’s consciousness deep within it.

Kirihito’s real identity is the god Gazer, Anzelotte’s direct superior. He was the one who orchestrated all of the missions. Having grown tired of the current world, he wishes to use Shaimaal’s immense destructive power to begin anew. Anzelotte rebels by joining forces with Bell Zephyr with the common goal of saving both their worlds. Renji takes it upon himself to somehow save Elis as well.

Thoughts:
I think Night Wizard is exceptionally good for its genre. Veteran anime fans should be able to predict when and where the major plot twists happen, but that doesn’t stop the show from being a fun watch. Night Wizard proves that generic doesn’t necessarily mean bad or boring. If nothing else, this scene alone will make it worth your time.

What I really want to say is that Night Wizard is very well-rounded. Since the show is about wizards, I’ll compare it to a Final Fantasy Red Mage. Both are good in all areas but don’t excel at any one thing. Sure the story is formulaic and the characters are basic anime staples, but despite these facts the show is still interesting because the story has good execution and I liked the cast. There is a good balance between of action, comedy, and drama. I also can’t help but laugh at the one-sided exchanges between Anzelotte and Renji. Anzelotte is indeed a cruel mistress…

If you’re in the mood for a good, short action show that won’t disappoint, give Night Wizard a shot; It’s definitely worth the 13 episode time dedication.

Night Wizard earns a respectable 7/10.