Madlax Volume 1: Connections - Anime News Network

• Media Source:Anime News Network
• Reviewed By:Bamboo Dong
• Review Date:08/06/05
• Read the original review click here

"Shows featuring girls and guns are always made more impressive with dark, sultry atmospheres, and Madlax is no exception."

"...surreal and mysterious."

It?s impossible not to make comparisons between Madlax and Noir at first glance. For starters, the same guys worked on both series, and both have soundtracks composed by Yuki Kajiura, so that takes care of visuals and sound. Then there?s the strong lead female who mixes a sense of high class living with killer fighting skills. After that though, all the similarities start melting away. While Noir somewhat slugged around, Madlax whips its guns out at a furious pace... to the point that sometimes, it stops making sense for a while. A web of political games is being woven in Gazth-Sonika, a country torn apart by a civil war. On the fringe is a gun-toting babe named Madlax who does the work of whoever hires her. In the thick of it all is a shy girl who has a book that could be the key to ending the war. What makes Madlax so confusing is how hard it tries at times to be surreal and mysterious. With unexplained cuts to dream-like sequences with unintroduced children, random pans across shadowy men at altars, and brief clips of scenes that may or may not be important, the whole show is shrouded in mystery. Backed by Kajiura?s haunting melodies and her gripping chants, the show has an edgy flair to it that can?t be shaken off. The series may not make complete sense right now, but the curiosity will keep plenty of viewers glued to their seats. Shows featuring girls and guns are always made more impressive with dark, sultry atmospheres, and Madlax is no exception.

Posted on Saturday, August 06, 2005 (Archive on Tuesday, September 06, 2005)