Uragiri wa Boku no Namae wo Shitteiru (Spring 2010)
Genres: Adventure, Drama, Dark Fantasy, Romance
- 2010 didn't have too much to offer in terms of anime of the genres that I had in mind, but Uraboku, or The Betrayal Knows My Name, in English, from its premise alone, filled many of those qualities that I've been looking for. It has a dark fantasy setting, surprisingly good action, an intriguing story, and an especially eye-popping art style.
Story: 8/10
Spoiler, click to view
- Uraboku takes the perspective of a timid yet kind young orphan named Yuki, who has the ability to peer into the painful memories of those he touches, and the reactions from the people he impacts this way cause him to feel conflicted and lost. One night, Yuki encounters an enigmatic man named Zess, and this sudden meeting of fate gives him feelings as if they've met before. Yuki's simple life continues to shift as another man, Takashiro, who reveals himself to Yuki as his "older brother", and the fact that Yuki indeed has a unique power slowly building up within him- and he is being targeted by demonic shadow-esque entities known as Duras because of that. Yuki is then given the choice to stay where he is, or to join Takashiro and the Giou Clan, a group of superhumans who fight against the Duras. Yuki is then determined to join the Giou Clan, to find out more about himself, through his encounters with Zess (whose real name turns out to be Luka) as well as the new comrades he comes to know.Art/Animation: 8.5/10
Character designs look sharp, and have the vibe of a shojo manga. I have heard of many boys-love manga and anime, and Uraboku's character designs are certainly directly inspired from the work. The characters overall range from pretty and handsome in appearance, and it's refreshing to see this type of art style compared to the many waifu-loaded moe anime out there. As a result, Uraboku is clearly aesthetically pleasant. The action scenes are surprisingly consistent, despite its occasional usage of CGI for the weapons and summoned monsters.
Sound: 8.5/10
- Shougo Kaida's soundtrack is a lot better than I anticipated. Dramatic scenes use a good selection of melancholy tunes, and when it matters, it hits hard. In terms of voice acting, Soichiro Hoshi does a fine job at voicing Yuki, and Takahiro Sakurai brings out the typical lone-wolf vibe with Luka. It's also nice to hear Takehito Koyasu's role as the Giou Clan's leader Takashiro, and especially does well in displaying layers of Takashiro's personality throughout the series. Personally, my favorite vocal performance goes to Shuusei, who is voiced by superstar Miyano Mamoru, whose gorgeous voice gives Shuusei a soothing aura to him. The opening and ending themes by Rayflower are also quite pleasant visual kei selections, with the first ending "Aoi Ito" and the second opening "Inishie" standing out the most, in my opinion.
Spoiler, click to view
Akira Ishida, in addition, does well in contrasting the quiet yet thoughtful Kanata to the cold and commandeering Reiga.
Characters: 8/10
- Uraboku is definitely a character-driven story. I really am appreciative of Yuki's empathetic nature, and his willingness to make sure the people around him are safe, yet his occasional features of self-doubt make Yuki feel more human as a protagonist. As a result, I find him quite relatable. While Luka normally comes off as cold and aloof, his loyalty to Yuki is admirable. Shuusei and Hotsuma also have good chemistry, but their closeness yet again may inspire fangirls to ship the two. I can understand that their interactions, as well as the closeness between the main duo may come off as crossing the line between being gay and platonic, I don't find it that distracting, as the characters' dynamics and drama make up for all of that. If there's one thing I'm not fond of in Uraboku, it's the Opasts that we see later, who just act like generic, cookie-cutter antagonists. It's cheesy and almost cringeworthy.
Enjoyment: 8.5/10
- Normally I am not fond of the boys love genre, but Uraboku is an example of an emotionally engaging story that doesn't go over the top with those aspects. If one is looking for a heavy-action anime, I wouldn't go for this one. But if one is looking for a chiller type of action, with vibes of romance, drama, or for those fond of this type of art style and the many archetypes it covers, I would recommend Uraboku.
Spoiler, click to view
What left me hanging however, is that the last episodes felt rushed and didn't exactly give me a satisfying amount of closure. Everything else was quite enjoyable, and that's what matters.
Pros: Yuki's personality is very relatable and warm, psychological aspects work well, dark fantasy setting, great Japanese vocal cast
Cons: Not as much gets resolved at the end; side villains tend to be very corny and they get old fast