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- This article deals with the anime series Noir. A separate article deals with film noir.
Noir, a 26-episode anime series, is a story of two young female assassins. It was produced by the Japanese animation studio Bee Train and was licensed for American distribution by ADV Films. The series has a very small recurring cast, all women.
"Noir" is also the French word for "black" and many films were made in the noir style. It is from this that the anime Noir was named after and this is probably why most of it takes place in France.
The music in Noir is often the most commended aspect of the series, often praised for it's 'bizarreness' and creativity, mixing a blend of techno, opera, and French-flared music. It has also been noted as having influenced viewer perceptions on analysis of the series.
The series composer is Yuki Kajiura, also known for her work in .hack//SIGN & .hack//Liminality, Aquarian Age, Blood: The Last Vampire, Madlax, and Double Cast. Accompanied with Kajiura are primary vocalist Yuriko Kaida, secondary vocalist Yuri Kasahara, and Yuki's band See-Saw.
The opening and ending themes are not by Kajiura, however. The opening song, "KOPPERIA no Hitsugi", is written and performed by ALI PROJECT, and the ending song, "Kirei na Kanjou" (along with its piano-only BGM version), is by Akino Arai.
Despite the gunplay and a sizeable body count, Noir features no gore and very little blood. Originally a simple consideration for network TV, the DVD released remains bloodless, intriguing fans. It is said this makes the death of many suited agents less troubling, becoming faceless "storm troopers" popularly termed mooks. However, in limited instances, main characters such as Kirika display blood, perhaps to show their humanity and will over the thoughtless soldiers following orders.
Characters
- Kirika Yumura - Kirika is a schoolgirl who has lost all memories of her past, knowing only that her true name is Noir. She meets up with Mireille in the first episode with an offer to take a pilgrimage to the past. She is an excellent marksman and uses a Beretta M1934, but can also use a great deal of mundane objects as well. Kirika's theme music is 'Canta Per Me'.
- Mireille Bouquet - A Corsican woman born into a powerful family, Mireille is the sole survivor of a brutal attack on her family. Already a well-established assassin, she receives an email from Kirika with an attachment of a familiar melody. Mireille uses a Walther P99. Some people generalize her nationality as French rather than specifically Corsican. Mireille's theme music is 'Corsican Corridor'.
- Chloe - A mysterious figure that appears about halfway through the series, she claims to be the True Noir. Though she is about Kirika's age, she is extremely skilled as an assassin, a quite remarkable fact since she uses throwing knives instead of guns. Chloe is very faithful to Altena and is working on the side of Soldats. Chloe's theme music is 'Secret Game' (in addition to the instrumental song 'Chloe')
- Altena - A motherly figure who is high-ranking in Soldats, who seems to be working for "Le Grand Retour" (The Great Return). She resides in a place called "The Manor" which is a vineyard run with medieval technology. The Manor is between the border of France and Spain, and is a "forgotten place" to the world. It appears she had a tragic childhood, though the details are unknown. Altena's theme music is 'Lullaby'.
Fandom
The creators of Noir are aware of its sizeable yuri fan base, due to the slight (official) ambiguity of Mireille and Kirika's relationship later in the series, and Chloe's child-like but unsettling obsession with Kirika. The former was even addressed in an Easter egg in the official American DVD release, featuring a amusing sock puppet segment by the two American dub voice actresses of Kirika and Mireille.
External link
de:Noir_(Anime)
it:Noir (anime)
ja:NOIR
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