My record for finishing anime is really poor, given my habit of dropping and putting series on hold. Seirei no Moribito was one of those on-hold series, but I fully intended to loop back to it because of the compelling plot set-up and an even more compelling female main – probably one of the strongest female anime characters I’ve ever seen, actually, for all the right reasons. Since I finally finished Aria the Natural recently and felt like watching something completely different, I started up Seirei no Moribito again and was really glad I did, because it turned out to be one of the most enjoyable anime viewing experiences I had in recent years.
I could reel out many reasons why you should see this series just for the heroine if nothing else, but really characters are nothing without good setting and plot. One of the reasons I enjoyed this series so much was because the fantasy setting of the world was so beautifully set up. All the intricate background details help make the story feel tangible. Characters of different ethnicities were portrayed with great attention to various cultural details – I loved the costume differences between lower-class Yogo denizens and the earthy/native Yakue, for example. The New Yogo Empire kept me thinking “Korean” in terms of visuals… kind of interesting since most of the “historical fantasy” series I’ve watched tends to draw from Japanese or Chinese influences.
Having gorgeous animation was definitely key here. Many backdrops of the countryside recalled a more vibrantly colored Mushishi in the level of lush details, while the cityscapes alternatively connoted bustling energy of the lower classes and imperial grandeur of the royal family. Because the original source for the series was novels as opposed to manga, I feel like this help created a wealth of details for the anime to draw on. Seirei no Moribito is very similar to Juuni Kokki in that regard, minus many of the long (painful) character development stretches.
The richness of the world isn’t restricted just to the background setting – it’s also informed by a multitude of interesting and complex character interactions. Characters come and go and clash, but the series does a great job in presenting all sides of the parties involved so that you can sympathize with even the bad guys. Moreover, the main characters are simply awesome. Balsa as the protagonist of the story is a spear-wielding bodyguard who is strong with the blade and grew stronger through her resolve to not kill her enemies (think Rurouni Kenshin). As the story progressed, she also drew much of her strength from her maternal instincts – manifested in her rescue (and subsequent care) of Prince Chagum from a quick death at the hands of his emperor father.
I fell in love with Balsa because of her determined personality and steeled resolve – she’s so much more than the average skinny-waisted/big-breasted/doe-eyed anime chick. I give mad props to Production I.G. for playing/overturning traditional tropes through her character and several others in interesting ways. While Balsa in many ways became a “fatherly” figure to Chagum, Tanda, a herbalist and Balsa’s close childhood friend, played a more “motherly” figure to Chagum and Balsa. (In case you were wondering, yes, Tanda is a man.) While Balsa tends to be the proactive warrior/protector of the “family,” Tanda is usually the reactive doctor/caregiver. Torogai-shi, a blunt yet wise shaman who provides much of the comic relief in the story (and looks quite like Yubaba from Spirited Away with her big head), rounds out the core of this impromptu family.
Seirei no Moribito is about many things. How a prince under the “curse” of a water demon/spirit comes to terms with his fate and in doing so, grows into a man. How a female bodyguard tries to atone for sins from the past and finds peace in unforseen ways. How a shaman and an imperial stargazer (Shuga) digs back into traditional mythology in search for the truth. How a herbalist’s love grows and wanes. (The subtlety of the love story and how it steals back at key moments is something that I adored 
). The strength of unconditional friendship and love. There is so much in this series to uncover – you’ll just have to see it for yourself.
P.S. My only “gripe” with Seirei no Moribito is that the OP is really a massive spoiler for the ending, especially as you get into episodes 20+. The OP is gorgeous though. I started this series partially because of good word-of-mouth on the ANN forums, but mainly because of how great this OP looked. I adored this L’Arc~en~Ciel song as well.
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