Narutaru is not a series that is easy to describe, but it is a series that had me asking "How disturbed must the Japanese people be in order to put this show on Kid's Station?" Previous series had made me formulate similar questions, but Narutaru probably topped it off. So what makes Narutaru so...undescribable? Well let's begin...
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Set in modern day Japan, Narutaru focuses on a young girl named Shiina; very likeable and free-spirited and as of episode two: Hoshimaru, the star-fish shaped creature (the creatures are known as Dragonets) that displays some very odd powers. In a few episodes, the whole cast enters in - there is Akira, the depressed friend of Shiina who possesses a similar companion named Ain Soph and Hiro - Shiina's best friend who lacks a Dragonet but still manages to have some pretty serious problems herself.
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Akira
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There is Shiina's dad (if you couldn't tell yet, all the characters are branched off from relationships with Shiina; she is the central part of the series), and of course, there is the group of antagonists who are accompanied by a more...violent...set of Dragonets. Not much to say about the characters except that they all suffer from internal problems which are caused by the worsening situation around them - they're far from cliche, except for Shiina, I haven't seen any characters at all like them.
The plot is probably the weakest part of the series, and although there have been rumors pertaining to a second season (which is direly needed, as the ending was not the least bit conclusive), which is most likely going to be created (and if it isn't, it's due to a classic case of this-series-didn't-make-enough-money-so-we-won't-continue-a-good-story), it is not for certain.
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In general, the plot was left undevelopped due to a focus on the development of the characters - which in my opinion has always been a good thing. The antagonists wage war with their Dragonets and Shiina is caught in a classic Kamui-esque position: She doesn't want people getting hurt or humanity being vanquished, but at the same time she is being wooed by one of their members. I'll discontinue the synopsis now - just watch it for yourself and find out - the only real spoilers to this series do not relate to the general plot, but to the actions and consequences of the characters. And trust me, there are
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alot. Remember when I said the plot was the weakest part of the series? I lied. It's actually the animation and character designs. None of the characters look particularly good, and the animation is pretty choppy. But the colors are vibrant and the setting is pleasant; the voices fit the characters' varied personalities and the music is chilling - perfect for such an atmosphere (in addition to having a really great opening theme). As for the fansubbing - I used Triad's sub, was very good; no complaints whatsoever, and good quality.
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I suppose it's about time to disclose the true essence of the series - the horribly disturbing themes, situations, and characters. While it may not be apparant from the first episode, Narutaru is one of the most adult series out there (not including the giant library of hentai scattered across the internet and video stores) - it contains some extremely serious themes such as suicide, genocide, homocide, various other -cides, and stretches the ideas of friendship to the peak.
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In addition to this, there are the horribly graphic deaths (sometimes silhouetted; but just knowing what happens to some of the characters is awful) and emotional collapses. Do not be fooled by the first episode, or the opening theme - it is not a light-hearted series (but then again, you might be desensitivized or sadistic and find the series mild). While it's not at the level of Berserk's final episodes (or its manga form), it's still pretty psychologically trying.
I'm not quite sure how you've interpreted my opinion of the series so far - while I stand by my claim that the plot and animation and character designs are weak, it still has many other values that compensate. Great dialogue, great characters with great development, an amazingly good atmosphere, and...unique ...themes. Overall, Narutaru isn't for everyone, but it's still very good. I'd give it a B+.
| Series information |
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| Number of Episodes |
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13, 23 minutes each |
| Director |
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Iino Toshiaki |
| Author |
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Kitou Mohiro |
| Design |
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Hashimoto Keiji, Ota Masahiko |
| Script |
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Konaka Chiaki |
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