<object width="640" height="385"> <param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/DTTCUzmHKvI&hl=en_US&fs=1&"> </param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"> </param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"> <embed wmode="transparent" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/DTTCUzmHKvI&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="640" height="385"> </embed></param><param value="transparent" name="wmode"></param></object> Let me first state that this review is based off the first three episodes of the recent release of Soul Eater, Part 1. In an attempt to get more reviews and impressions, we're experimenting with alternate forms, like, say, partial reviews as placeholders for full reviews... Soul Eater, Part 1 (of 4) Release Date: 2-9-2010 Studio: FUNimation Discs: 2 Runtime: 13 episodes (315 minutes) MSRP: 59.99 Episodes currently viewed: 3 Plot: Weapons and Witches, Meisters and Monters. The Soul is power, and power, unfortunately can corrupt. Evil souls will eventually hunt down and consume others to expand their power, while good souls band together to take them out. Toward this end, weapon meisters and the weapons team up as pairs to take on these corrupted souls. However, the cast of characters are not real reapers, but are still in training...Dug it! I'd seen the clips, and am thoroughly familiar with the characters, but I've fallen in love all over again. The first three episodes are actually all dubbed "Prologue," and each walks us through a Meister/Weapon pairing. The teams are youths in training, and the key concept is that they all must quest to gather the souls of 100 corrupted humans, and 1 soul of a witch. If they do this, the "weapon" will evolve into an incredibly power tool. Despite the cast of powerful characters, it seems that very few actually accomplish this feat. When the story opens Maka and Soul have collected all 100, and are attempting to finish the deed with the much more dangerous witch fight. Tone and Soundtrack: Hilarious! The one vibe that none of this has illustrated yet, is that the show is an action/comedy, with the scales constantly tipping back and forth. With a really, really great soundtrack pushing dramatic moments, I almost get caught off guard with how cool the characters can become. If I had to make a comparison, the use of a fairly frontal ambient soundtrack closely resembles the light rock feeling of certain Gurren Lagann's moments. Though, I'll not that my initial spree with the English Dub was not entirely pleasant. I think newcomer Micah Solusod does a relatively brilliant job with the cool-obsessed Soul Eater Evans, but I am just having such a hard time getting behind Laura Bailey's Maka Albarn. The design and plot seem to convey a youth I just don't hear yet in Laura Bailey. Not too fond of the Black Star VA either, though that has more to do with just how much I enjoy the Japanese voice actors. Screen Shots From Episodes 1-3 Pros and Cons: Positives +++ Great Animation Great Soundtack (loved the ED) HIlarious, yet still full of some wonderful fight sequences. Negatives --- Being a comedy/action series, I feel like most of the VA's hadn't figured out yet how to be both funny and cool.The soundtrack does that weird thing where the background music is like, 2 notches quieter on the English dub. Cannot speculate as to why. Final Verdict:I couldn't stop if I wanted to. 3 episodes isn't a great deal to judge, since it is the "prologue" to a 51 episode series, but I found myself in absolutely in love with what I've seen. Even having read the manga, this is a series that is just better seen than read.
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