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[Blood Shadow box art]
AKA: 紅蓮 (Guren), Bloodshadow, Crimson Lotus, Red Lotus
Genre: Ninja action / hentai
Length: OAV series, 3 episodes, 30 minutes each
Distributor: R1 DVD from Anime 18 out of print.
Content Rating: 18+ (violence, gore, nudity, rape)
Related Series: N/A
Also Recommended: Ninja Scroll (as well as staying the hell away from Sword for Truth and La Blue Girl)
Notes: Based on a 18+ hentai game released only in Japan by ZONE. It was later followed by two sequels in 2002: 紅蓮天衝-修羅- (Guren Tensho-Shura-) and 紅蓮天衝-羅刹- (Guren Tensho-Rassetsu-).
Rating:

Blood Shadow

Synopsis

The world is attacked by demons wanting female flesh (in two ways). Fighting them is a team of ninjas known as the Crimson Lotus, an (almost) all female fighting team led by (the only male) Rekka.

After a vicious fight against a particular hard demon, Rekka and Tsukikage are forced to split up. And while Rekka is rescued and can later return to the Crimson Lotus, Tsukikage doesn't return at all. Thus, the time for revenge is here.


Review

Well, it's been a while since I've reviewed anything hentai now, isn't it. So, when this title was put up among the anime selection on my online DVD store, I once again acted on impulse (and a review praising it) and purchased it.

To be honest, the first episode made me worry whether I had made a mistake. This, namely, because it was practically a horror fest with girls being raped left and right and then killed in a rather grisly manner. At least, I thought dryly, the demons are BEING demons in this one. At least they're not promoting this as anything in the realm of the positive. Quite the opposite, in fact.

Since the dub was decent enough not to annoy me, I stuck with that one through the entire series. I haven't seen it with Japanese VAs yet, but if it's any worse than the English dub, I'll get back to that with a small update.

The art is decent enough, though the animation wavers between good to passable. The character's perspectives seems to change back and forth in the duration of this OAV, and this is particularly noticeable on the ... *cough* ... girl's figures.

*ahem* Anyway, let's just say that the art and animation are decent, perhaps even good. Certainly, the battle scenes -- while not being on Ninja Scroll's level -- is far superior to Sword for Truth's. In fact, the action scene flows pretty quickly and smoothly.

For all the seriousness this title projects, there are actually a lot of comedic elements to be had here. It's not exactly high-class stuff, what with the crotch-sniffing and doorframe-humping dog, but some of the expressions of the characters at times are pretty funny, even though they use the "have the male lead walk in on the naked females" gag a tad too often. All this, while not outright bad, nevertheless had me wondering where they wanted to go with this OAV.

Another thing that doesn't exactly speak in this title's favor would be the somewhat off-and-on plot in this title. The three episodes deal with distinctly different plots and the main goal of the OAV itself, as pertained by the cover, get drowned out by various side plots and an ending that wasn't exactly what I expected.

In the end, though, I can honestly say that it was an enjoyable series. With the nastiest stuff being solely in the first episode, the rest of it was purely ninja action with random (and VERY explicit) sex thrown in here and there. Hell, the ending itself -- despite challenging my logic circuits - almost made me go "awww." As such, it settles itself right in the middle of the rating tree.

One for the hentai aficionado and ninja action lover. (No pun intended.) Don't worry; it's certainly no LA Blue GirlStig Høgset

Recommended Audience: In the first episode, there are a LOT of nasty demonic rapes and killings, so I warn you to tread lightly. There's also some gory violence to be had, though not quite to the extent of Ninja Scroll or Sword for Truth. This lightens up a lot in the second and third episodes, though.

And, of course, we have nudity too. Full frontal, even.



Version(s) Viewed: R1 DVD
Review Status: Full (3/3)
Blood Shadow © 2001 ZONE Co., Ltd.
 
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