Kamikaze Kaitou Jeanne
Synopsis
A normal looking high school girl on the outside, Kusakabe Maron is actually the reincarnation of Jeanne d' Arc. With the help of the angel, Fin Fish, Maron works as the thief Jeanne at night to seal the demons that reside in pieces of artwork, preying upon the weak hearts of the owners. She is branded as a thief due to the fact that the artworks disappear after she seals the demons. One day, a new neighbor and classmate appears, as well as a rival in her night job, the thief Sinbad. With her own best friend being the detective's daughter, out to capture her and the appearance of her new rival, Maron's work is anything but easy.
Audience Consensus
Audience sentiment is mixed, with many viewers appreciating the characters and romance elements, but finding the anime repetitive and flawed in animation. Many fans of the manga were disappointed with the anime adaptation, especially the rushed pacing and changes to character relationships. While some find it enjoyable as a typical magical girl show, others are critical of its unoriginal plot and weak ending.
Strengths
- Strong character development, especially the leads
- Catchy opening and ending themes
- Enjoyable blend of adventure, fantasy, romance, drama, and comedy
- The developing romantic relationship between the main characters is a highlight
Weaknesses
- Repetitive transformation sequences and demon sealing animations
- Inconsistent animation quality with frequent use of still screens
- Monster-of-the-week format in the first half can feel episodic and repetitive
- Rushed or incomplete feeling ending in the anime compared to the manga
- The plot twist is unoriginal.
- The art and animation do not do justice to the manga's style.