Hoshizora e Kakaru Hashi Episode 8 HoshiKaka

Alternative title:
HoshiKaka (Japanese)
星空へ架かる橋 (Japanese)

release date: 2011-04

Cast

Aiko Ōkubo as Koyori Tōdō
Chiaki Takahashi as Tsumugi Tōdō
Eriko Nakamura as Ui Nakatsugawa
Ringo Aoba as Ibuki Hinata
Shintaro Asanuma as Kazuma Hoshino

Ai Shimizu as Madoka Kōmoto
Mai Kadowaki as Kasane Tōdō
Mayumi Yoshida as Hina Sakai
Shiho Kawaragi as Senka Yorozu




Of course, no one reads this kind of thing for originality, but it simply hasn't anything to separate it from the crop of (very) similar works available. It hasn't the punk sensibilities and emotional core of Naruto, or the crazed humor of Bleach, and lacks both of their flair for violence. For all its visual extravagance, spellcasting simply isn't as visceral as a sword to the guts or a fist to the face.

It isn't a total write-off though. There's some amusing humor revolving around a chastity spell that has been cast on JD, and some interesting (if slightly creepy) interplay between JD and his teacher Celine. And there's the art. Characters of both sexes are smoothly attractive and cleanly rendered. Settings are just as appealing, and are drawn, at least part of the time, even during more kinetic scenes. The real standouts, however, are the sleek armor designs, spectacular beasts, and the swirling, organic spell-structures; the beautifully grotesque ruler of the underworld is breathtaking in his complexity and symmetry. The problem is that, like the story, the art is too generic. It lacks the personality and distinctiveness that identify really good artists, and the sense of purpose that identifies a talented visual storyteller.