Shingetsutan Tsukihime

Director
Katsushi Sakurabi
Production
J.C.Staff
Country of origin
Japan
Format
Series
Running time
25 min x 12 Episodes
Year
2003

Tsukihime Lunar Legend Volume 3: Nocturnal Fate

By otaku_kei
24th Feb 06

This mini-series comes to an end with this volume. With a lot of questions still to be answered has this show got enough time to wrap everything up satisfactorily? Roa remains on the loose, the Tohno family secret is still shrouded in mystery, Arcueid is not all she seems and Ciel also has her own secrets! But for a show that was originally based upon a dating sim game we get more airtime for Shiki to reconcile all his relationships with women until he can pin down just who his real affection lies with. Tsukihime Lunar Legend builds towards a gripping finale that delivers action and emotion in equal measure!

The Tohno family residence has been swathed in mystery since the start of this show. The secrets held within its walls, as well as the secrets that Akiha Tohno keeps to herself. When all of these mysteries are revealed it will bring Shiki and the Tohno bloodline closer to the horror that Roa is behind. These revelations also shed light on all of the disturbing flashbacks that Shiki has only been able to half remember, memories from his childhood that have haunted him to this day. But unexpected relationships with Roa abound in this volume, as it turns out that both Ciel and Arcueid have their own personal reasons for hunting the villain beyond simple public safety! But the search for Roa will not be easy for the main characters as several decisions are made that will irrevocably change certain relationships!

Roa's appearance in this volume finally brings a sense of urgency to the proceedings. The brooding menace on the periphery has finally been unleashed and with this we can finally see why he is so feared within the immortal community. His arrival forces decisions upon Shiki, as well as open the path for the revelations about the Tohno family line. But can Arcueid and Shiki actually stop Roa, or will this monster be the end of this odd couple?

As a counterpoint to the action, we get the interaction between Shiki and all the girls that populate his life. Just which girl will he end up falling for: his high school crush, Ciel who has based their entire relationship on lies, the twin maids of the Tohno mansion, the enigmatic and beautiful Arcueid, or in typically disturbing Japanese fashion his very own sister? Each of these relationships have developed since the start of this show, and whilst I have no intention of spoiling the outcome for you, I think the result will come as little surprise! This plotline, whilst not as immediately engaging as all the clandestine goings on, and vampire hunting, has actually been the main thrust of character development. The decisions that Shiki makes about who he really is, and who he wants to be come from all the relationships that have shaped his life. These decisions then go on to have a direct impact upon the vampire hunting that the rest of this show is devoted to.

This volume manages to do everything that a finale should do! Not only do we get the stunning showdown between the heroes and villains, a showdown that will require sacrifice, but there is also love, hope and a brighter future! Shiki Tohno has come a long way from the introverted boy with a penchant for brutal murder, to the confident young man aware of his own potential and willing to do whatever is necessary to overcome any obstacle in his path! The closing to the show also works well due to the intimate character based plotline that has threaded throughout this series. Sure we wanted to get a resolution to the Roa plotline, but more than that we needed to find out just who Shiki would end up falling for and just what that would mean for the rest of the girls. If you have found yourself sucked into this show completely, then the reward really pays off. This series has been entertaining from start to finish, and just goes to show the diverse type of shows that can be supported by the UK market!

R2 DVD Notes

Features: English Language 2.0; Japanese Language 2.0; English Language Subtitles; MVM Trailers

Release information: COMING SOON - 13th March 2006

Notes: This is a real bare bones title. MVM continue to deliver the top qaulity presentation of the show itself, but with zero extras apart from some MVM Trailers.

-- otaku_kei 24th Feb 06

Shingetsutan Tsukihime Images