Set Romeo and Juliet in a ninja world and make it awesome, and you’ve got Basilisk. Or at least something along those lines.


Now I’ve always been a lover of the serious, dark, dramatic type of anime, especially if there’s a historical setting to them, and “Basilisk” is just that. Thus, it may not be surprising that I count it among my favourites; but it may not be for everyone.

It may not be an utterly original setup. “Basilisk” does play on a Romeo-and-Juliet-esque premise, which has been used over and over again in literature and other works of fiction; and where it stays compelling, it’s never quite surprising how such works tend to play out. In that sense, “Basilisk” may not be utterly new; yet it’s definitely gripping, and still with a good handful of quite unexpected twists.

The story goes fast, and there may be moments at the beginning where it’s hard to keep track. It never quite slows down, either; at the most, it issues a flashback into the past, or takes on a more low-key, creepy tone. Nevertheless, the confusion tends to work itself out as the anime progresses, and the pace actually makes for much of this anime’s suspense. Each detail, from beginning to end, is important to the story; and when it begins to puzzle-piece together, and the bigger picture starts appearing, it becomes clear that this story, if not too original, is darn well thought-out.

It also rays authenticity; another aspect that makes for suspense. There’s the supernatural aspect, but that aside, “Basilisk” feels quite true to the time period it’s set in. Where the overall world and time, e.g. politics, may take a bit of a backseat at times, the characters and the overall design are believable for the time, and the anime never shies away from its subject--which is both good and bad, in a way, but I’ll get to that soon.

What also serves to set “Basilisk” apart from other anime is that there’s no apparent good and evil. There’s no shoving values in your face and no random last-minute hero. There’s misunderstandings, grudges, too-strict sticking to rules, but eventually, the viewer is able to empathise with both sides--which only adds to the tragic atmosphere of the entire anime, as well as to its depth.


The “ninja business” is conveyed quite well compared to most ninja anime out there. I won’t name anything in particular, but ninja in anime have often been flashy wielders of elemental powers, supernatural throwing knives, and whatnot. Whereas that’s understandable--it isn’t called 'supernatural' for no reason--and it can be helluva lot entertaining, it’s not how historical ninja were, and “Basilisk”, while still stressing the supernatural aspect quite a bit, conveys the shadowy moves of historical ninja quite a bit better than a lot of other anime out there.


All that would be naught without the characters, however. They’re very well-developed, and quite complex individuals, each with their motivations, aims, emotions, and so on. In short, they’re compelling, on both sides, which again makes it harder to choose one. Though some of them at first seem to be introduced as cannon fodder only, they all come to play significant roles as the anime progresses. It helps that the viewer is able to feel with them easily. There’s honest emotion, and though the atmosphere kind of changes towards the darker side throughout the show, it definitely adds to the suspense and compelling-ness. Character dynamics are very well-done; hate, love, and everything inbetween are conveyed realistically.

The dialogue script tends to be slightly lacking at times, but it’s still quite intelligent, and the voice acting is certainly up there. Even the English voice actors do a good job, nevermind a few (understandable) mispronunciations of Japanese names.


The music surprises with rather traditional background music, adding to the historical feel. Also, the opening and ending pieces are quite enjoyable IMO. The art is expressive and detailed; and though the pastel colouring tends to look a bit washed-out, taking away from the realism, it adds to the historical and “dark” feel of this anime. Character design is also quite interesting and realistic-looking; especially the unusual eye design caught my eye, pun fully intended.

The animation is smooth and detailed, with quite amazing sound effects. Every character has a fitting special ability; the resulting battle scenes are fast, with topnotch choreography, although they tend to get very bloody... and some of the ninja abilities are nothing short of puke-worthy. Like I said before, “Basilisk” doesn’t shy away from its subject...

I might not be entirely into those very bloody and/or violent shows (I don’t know how I always manage to stumble over them, either ^^"). Nevertheless, “Basilisk” counts as one of my favourites. It’s intriguing; filled to the brim with both action and emotion, as well as a huge dose of suspense. It’s exciting, and where it may not be utterly surprising, it is comparably unpredictable for this kind of setup. And it doesn’t just shove values in your face either. If you care to dig as deep, it’s a series that can actually make you think not just about the story presented, but also about human nature and life, which is quite amazing in itself. Due to its pacing and suspense, it’s also pretty darn sure to rope viewers in on the first episode and not let go until the show is through.

Be warned however that it is brutal as much as it is intriguing; it’s an aspect I personally was pretty torn about at first. It’s brutal in both the visual and the emotional sense of the word. Where there’s honest emotion, even romance, there’s a feel of desperation conveyed throughout. And the amount of violence and blood definitely isn’t for the faint of heart or stomach either. It’s gripping, yes; but it’s shocking all the same, and as such will only be for the older audience out there, and even among those won’t be for everyone.

If you know what you’re in for, though, “Basilisk” is definitely one of the best in terms of dark, suspenseful ninja action, with its fair amount of romance and intrigues; and though I did have my doubts about it at first, I can honestly say I count this among my favourites.


Thanks for the read.~ (show less)

A true Japanese love story disrupted by the conflicts of family I mirrors Romeo and Juliet however has its own flavor and Identity.

The story is sharp and reals you in despite is somewhat changing speeds of the story. It also makes you want to know the next part of the story

the Dialogue I found in either Japanese or English was spactacular.. not since Bleach or Deathnote has a series nailed all the voices in both languages.

The Animation is very good however I will note the characters can get out of sorts though that is preference I do feel the pastel doesnt quite fit the realism of the series... while shown little its still very odd though is a minor flaw on the overal wondeful Feal. I will say true to Animation Markmanship they made the eyes of each character very expressive however in this series are not over the top.

The Entertainment is tricky. It will real you in and compell you to want to finish it. But be warned, the Series is Sad. I call it brutal for the fact it doesnt try to shy away from its subject matter- being true to form and fantastic in its dilivery though note this show isnt for everyone..

If you like Nija/Shinobi battling, brutal shadow wars, champion battles or the struggle of Love to try to overcome insurmountable odds in tragic fall out... then this show is your nitch.

Brutal but spactacular. (show less)

Basilisk to me is one of the best in its class and its recommended for people who love the typical ninja fights between two clans with each ninja possessing special abilities. Basilisk is a good series and to be frank everyone I've introduced to it love it instantly. In terms of entertainment and animation i give a straight excellent, while the story and dialogue in my opinion can be ranked as good. Basilisk is a show of potential and can be in the rank of the big 3s (bleach , one piece or naruto shippuuden) any day. I am a fan of Bleach and Naruto Shippuuden and Basilisk fits this class easily. Basilisk portrays the typical ninja better than any ninja anime out there and there's no doubt if this series was still ongoing it would have been my #1. The sound effect and some of the ninjas abilities are just off the hook and basilisk stands out amongst other anime in the sense that u tend to wonder which side is good and which is the bad side as you grow to love the characters on both sides. More of the characters that were briefly shown could have been more involve in the series in terms of their special abilities rather than leaving the viewers wondering (what is he capable of or who is he). Finally there could be the emergence of other ninja clans later in the series. I personally believe this show could be re-open for a season 2 and that would be something superb for BASILISK FANS. If you havent't seen this series you need to immediately, drop any other for now. (show less)

This series has left me conflicted that's for sure... I wanted to watch something a bit darker and more serious than some of the recent series I've been watching but this one might've carried it a bit too far!

As other reviewers have mentioned, this is definitely a Romeo and Juliet-esque story where the overall story world takes a backseat to the individual characters. It is a very gripping, compelling story with lots of action and emotion. Since this is a review, and hence my own opinion, I could not rate it excellent as much as I would have liked to. Romantic tragedies such as this are good in their own way but I can't watch them more than once...

Technically the series was well drawn although at first I was wondering what was up with some of the character's non-typical eyes. That will be explained in the series as you watch. The animation was good, smooth with plenty of action. I enjoyed the OP and ED pieces, especially those by Nana Mizuki the VA for Oboro. BGM was also very appropriate and 'traditional' which added to the period feeling.

My main complaint, and again this is opinion, was with the entire premise of the romantic tragedy. The story was circular and thus frustrating. Yes, not every series has a happy ending and ultimately it is the characters that make this series worth watching, but at the same time I was left feeling a bit empty as if they had really accomplished nothing. Just a little backbone on the part of the supposed ninja-clan 'leaders' could have prevented the wholesale slaughter of their two clans, but again, this was not the point of this series.

As I said before, definitely left me conflicted.

Basilisk will hold you on the edge of your seat before gently pushing you over the edge... if you're up for some tragic romance with plenty of fantasy ninja action then you've come to the right place! (show less)

This anime is just so good. For the first time,i am watching a show , that is kinda realistic on the side that there will be no last minute hero,no one that will say : "I am here to save the day" ,and i realy liked it.The fights and the powers that characters have are realy unique and amazing.And i had no idea which side am i on,and even after the end i still don't know.
So this story actually reminds me alot of Romeo and Juliet,the forbidden kind of love thing,two clans,hatred all around them... :P
Just awesome,what more can i say,you should check it out,u'll have fun watching it :) (show less)