The season’s gothic lolita series has begun with quite a delectable display of eloquent tsundere charm only found in such a gothic themed series – alongside a plot superbly strange.
Several aspects are immediately noticeable when watching Dantalian no Shoka – some backgrounds in the scenes appear as actual photographs moving through the scene. Another striking feature is the gothic refined nature of the series which highly emanates a sort of elegance from the way the characters look and speak, to the appearance of the anime as a whole.
After a bit of a strange introduction with a mahou shoujo, a blond child is seen yelling some stuff. Many years later, another blond man is seen talking about his grandfather whilst driving – it’s clear the previous scene was a flashback and this is perhaps the same person in adulthood.
He arrives at his creepy destination, a mansion – one which as stated earlier, looks as if it were ripped directly out of a photograph. Traveling only a bit further within the rustic place, he comes across a loli – however this is not a typical loli, she is a gothic lolita one which our blond haired main character Huey just inherited.
His grandfather recently passed away and left for him a loli named Dalian as well as a certain tome entitled Dantalian. The story goes beyond a realm of originality and straight into a pool of weirdness as Huey and Dantalian dive into a circus of sorts inside the mansion of the man who stole Dantalian, Conrad. Episode one explains the basis of the series to the viewer in manner which is almost reminiscent to a tutorial level in a game, progressing in action and difficult issues gradually.
Specific books hold power and certain people are unfit for them – however when they are in possession of these texts they are unfit for, disaster occurs. The main book in question now is the Dantalian which was stolen from Huey’s grandfather by a man named Conrad – an event which appears to lead to a path of destruction unless stopped.
The first episode of this series is one most appropriately described as epic – for the first in a long time, a magnificent fantasy filled adventure on a rather unique subject, suited with some equally unconventional artwork and adorable characters. If any series has potential to be labeled the “best of season”, it would quite certainly be Dantalian no Shoka.
As Huey is in search of the Dantalian with Danlian in Conrad’s mansion they come across a variety of fantasy fueled creatures such as dragons and golden lions which Huey has no choice but to defend against using his meager revolver. After showing a bit of chivalry however, Danlian allows him to perform what essentially appeared as opening her heart, pulling out another mystical tome which she invites him to read.
Once Huey begins reading, a new realm of fiction begins pouring out of the book as if part of reality, defeating the monsters as well as serving as a new beginning for the relationship of Huey and Danlian.
