Overview:

Jiyuu Nanohana is a ten year old girl who transferred to a new school. She has just been found by a samurai who has been looking for 300 years for a successor to his master, Yagyu Jubei's, powers. The wearer of the Lovely Eye patch made by Jubei will have his spirit live on in them.

This show is a pretty good combination of comedy and drama. I found my self laughing at quite a few scenes and also moved by others. The first few episodes are mainly comedic with the later touching more on the drama. Jiyuu is a young girl just wanting to make it after having her mother die on her when she was young. She lives with her father and she's going to a new school so she wants to make new friends. Kionosuke's arrival and the Lovely Eye patch make these things more difficult for her and so she wants nothing to do with them. She seems fairly naive about a lot of things and yet that is understandable as she is only thirteen. Though naive and seemingly easy going, she is not stupid and has a pretty good outlook on life. She begins by wanting what is best for her but ends up fighting the larger fight. This is also played out by her father in the final few episodes as well.

All in all, I was impressed with this show. Having such a strange premise, it took it on in a pretty cool way.

Music:

The opening theme is very short, not much there with no lyrics. I rather enjoyed the ending theme, especially the way that it would play in the background a little before the credits began to roll. It's a catchy tune and, I cannot really put my finger on why, but I like it. I also thought the bicycle riding was interesting although not enough to keep me watching through the credits to the extra "little weird guy" at the end (what was that?).

Animation:

I watched fansubs of these and so I cannot entirely say that the quality was good enough to adequately judge the art work. I am not a big fan of super deformed animation so that stuff bothered me but I could see what was being conveyed with it and deal with it. I also thought it was interesting how the characters sometimes commented on how unimportant they were only to get a two color treatment.

Suggestions:

This anime has very little that younger kids could not watch. The scene where Jiyuu's father is trying to bring down her temperature may seem a little inappropriate. Similarly, there are a few shots of girls’ clothed chests. Also, Taiko Daiyu, a spirit that holds a grudge against the Yagyu clan, possesses one of the characters. There are a lot of sword fights but there is no blood and everyone that loses to Jubei gets up and has a change of heart in the end. Mostly, my recommendation would be, 13 and up.

Favorite Scenes:

When Sai tells Hajime that he doesn't care about him, he only wants his girl safe. This, I think plays perfectly against what Jiyuu has just learned. Although possessed by the fighting spirit of Jubei, she still is doing what will help everyone and not just herself.

The understanding that father and daughter have at the end of the show that help them overcome their "possessions."