DVD Review: Buso Renkin Box Set One

The first question for any newcomer to Nobuhiro Watsuki's manga and anime is "Who the heck is Buso Renkin, anyway?" Turns out the eponymous subject of this popular shonen series is a magical device, a catch-all name for a series of tactical weapons powered by a paranormal alloy containing the "concentrated essence of alchemy." Said alloy, called the kakugane, takes the possessor's "fighting spirit" and manifests it into a personal weapon.

Our entry into the world of Buso Renkin — where alchemist warriors battle evil creatures known as homunculi — is a high school sophomore named Kazuki Muto (English voice: Steve Staley). Kazuki is temporarily killed by a homunculus in the "haunted factory" (shades of Scooby Doo!) near his school. He's rescued and brought back to life by a female warrior named Tokiko Tsumura (Tara Platt), who revives our hero by inserting a kakugane into the teen's lifeless body. Because the device is in sync with his fighting spirit, Kazuki is reborn into a new life as a warrior trainee. His Buso Renkin weapon: a giant Kirby-esque lance that he ultimately calls Sunlight Heart.

Tokiko — a tough dame with a red scar across her face and a predilection for spitting out the phrase, "I'll splatter your . . . guts!" in the heat of combat — feels responsible for our hero, so she takes charge of training him. Decked in a schoolgirl outfit, she shows up at Ginsei Academy, where Kazuki, his giggly freshman sister Mahiro and three goofball friends live and study. The concentration of young spirits in the Ginsei dorms, we're told, proves an irresistible lure for the homunculi, who get their strength from devouring human energy. Tokiko, who would otherwise be a high school senior, is devoted to killing the monstrous creatures, so she's clearly in the right place to ply her trade.

One of the students, a sickly rich kid named Koshaku Chono (Spike Spencer), has himself been experimenting with creating homunculi from various animals. Chono hopes to become a homunculus, so that he can live forever. Theatrically, he christens himself "Papillon" and wears a butterfly mask, sending out his creations in search of his own kakugane. With this, he believes, he can achieve immortality.

Article Author: Bill Sherman

Bill Sherman is a Books editor for Blogcritics. With his lovely wife Rebecca Fox, he has recently co-authored a sudsy comic fat acceptance novel entitled Measure By Measure.

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