Knight in the Area (secretly by CLAMP)

[branchandroot]

So, today I wanted a little light sports anime to unwind my brain and inspire fic, after some fairly irritating research into how many tennis courts you can fit at the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium (not nearly enough) and other tennis venues (why was it not Ariake from the start?).

I started watching Knight in the Area.

O_O

Oh my god, you guys. If it were possible to have an uplifting soccer anime about a talented brother and a less talented brother who nevertheless loves the game, and it was written by CLAMP, this would be that series.

I am not kidding. This is an evil, evil series. It makes you think you're safe and then dumps death and angst and body-part swapping and strange psychic results therefrom on you. Smiling sunnily all the while! Good grief, even Madoka Magica had the good grace to know it was grim when the horrible things started happening.

...and the worst part is, you want to keep watching to see what happens. It's totally written by CLAMP!

Comments

[annotated_em]

o_o

Why... why would you do that to a perfectly innocent sports story?

[branchandroot]

I don't know! And this is only episode three! I mean, after this I suppose it probably gets less horrible, but there are signs that the "Kakeru is now kind of his brother also" will continue.

[jetsam]

Area no Kishi, right? I really liked that one. Packed a punch, and the art is great.

And it's football. What's not to like?

[branchandroot]

If it had been eyeballs instead of hearts, it would be "X Plays Soccer"! *disturbed*

The art is lovely, though.

[jetsam]

To be fair, it does get a little more conventional as it goes on.

I was rather flabbergasted first time through

[sabriel]

Hm...I remember reading the manga but didn't really pay any special notice of it. Maybe I should pick up the anime instead. I could use another sports anime to distract my life with.

[branchandroot]

It's lovely, once you're past ep three. The first three eps are downright brutal, though.

[sabriel]

I am forewarned~