Based on a hit light novel series by Keiichi Sigsawa, the philosophical Kino's Journey employs the time-honored motif of the road trip as a vehicle for self-discovery and universal truth. Deeply meditative and cooler than zero, the series follows the existential adventures of the apt marksman Kino along with talking motorcycle Hermes as they travel the world and learn much about themselves in the process. Imaginative, thought-provoking, and sometimes disturbing, Kino's journey is documented in an episodic style with an emphasis on atmosphere rather than action or plot, though still prevalent.
_“Someone once told me that watching the birds made them want to go on a journey.”_ What’s more important, the journey or the destination? Usually this type of question requires a level of context to be able to answer properly. Sometimes the journey is nothing more than simple steps required in order to achieve something. Other times it’s the paths you take that leave the most impact overtime. If you were to ask me, I would generally say that the journey holds more weight as the journey is where one is able to grow and learn about themselves and the world around them. The destination, to me is a by-product on one’s journey and what they acquire from it. Because a journey is at its philosophical core a learning experience, one doesn’t even need a clear goal in mind, instead finding comfort and contentment within their own journey. Kino is the sort of person who embraces this kind of lifestyle and solely desires to travel. She is one who sees birds as beings able to traverse the land freely and wishes to follow; to see all parts of the world through the lens of her own eyes; expanding her own knowledge and understanding through discovering new people and cultures along the way as she goes on with her journey. Kino’s Journey was initially a series of critically acclaimed light novels detailing the journey of Kino, accompanied by Hermes, a talking motorcycle as they travel across a mystical world full of many different countries, each unique in their customs, technology and people. In 2003 an anime adaptation was made by A.C.G.T, a lesser known production company, and contained 13 episodes, almost all containing their own short story where Kino and Hermes travel to a country, learn about the people, values, traditions, as well as what lies underneath, before leaving after no more than three days for fear of settling down. The show is episodic, with barely any linear narrative present, only being concerned with showing glimpses of their journey together and what Kino and Hermes experience with each new setting. The countries Kino travels to are more like their own civilizations, completely cut-off from each other as shown through differences in technology, infrastructure, beliefs, etc. Through this episodic style of storytelling, Kino’s Journey manages to showcase different aspects of society and the human condition in each episode, providing enough ‘food for thought’ to keep viewers intrigued about the different societies and how they came to be. It is a very philosophical show despite never going in-depth with the themes present. However, I see this as a strength in regards to the way Kino’s Journey executes each of its themes. The main thing to understand when watching Kino’s Journey is that viewers are put in the position of observers alongside Kino and Hermes, who are also merely observing what happens around them with a neutral perspective. At the start of every episode, we are given a fairly rudimentary view at the setting and the people within it, each with their own distinct features and mysterious backstory. From there, our main characters ask questions that aim to bring light to the history of this country and/or citizens that help highlight the themes of each episode before unravelling the underlying reasons why certain things are the way that they are. The themes from these countries include societal elements such as religion, morality, communication, violence, etc. that while exaggerated, do contain a sense of realism to them, making each country seem more like an unnerving dystopia than just a simple place to visit. The way these elements are portrayed are never overly optimistic or pessimistic, instead I believe that Kino’s Journey accurately portrays these universal truths. It’s a presentation choice that can easily turn viewers away from the series, purely being seen as lazy writing if done poorly, but here it is arguably the show’s greatest feat: leaving each story open-ended with minimal explanation allows viewers to immerse themselves in the philosophical concepts presented and freely interpret what the core messages are behind each episode. There’s nothing here that feels forced and is in my eyes a show that respects the audience enough to tell an engaging story enjoyed on the surface, yet provide an abundance of thoughtful discussion for die-hard fans of the series. The numerous locations Kino’s Journey takes place at are an important part of conveying the themes present in this show, but this show is more than just Kino and Hermes travelling to uncertain worlds in my eyes. To me, Kino’s Journey is primarily concerned about looking at the essentials believed to make up humanity. It’s an anime that, while exposes the dangers societies can face, ultimately aims to find answers to who we are as human beings, the challenges and tribulations which stem from life and the issues that may come as a result. While not every episode involves a new country, it does reveal a new shade of humanity, whether good or bad. The show tells us in the beginning that “The world is not beautiful” and it does not shy away of showing terrible pasts and heinous acts. And with each terrible event it seems as though Kino is always questioning the philosophy behind it all, yet never makes wholly assumptions based off them. Kino, despite how many times she may have seen similar cases of awful deeds, remains sceptical of everything and everyone. And with this trait, numerous questions arise about how circumstances may be flawed, but gives little comments on how these problems could be solved. No matter how dark the show gets, it never overpowers what you’re watching or hinder one’s enjoyment. Alongside the morbid subject matter, Kino’s Journey offers some light-hearted and uplifting events spread across the 13 episodes, balancing out the darker themes present throughout, and gives the show elements of hope. Never before have I seen an anime offer so many dense questions about philosophical, ethical and moral dilemmas associated with human nature so effortlessly, and it made re-watching the series all the more rewarding. Because Kino’s Journey is episodic, it’s rather difficult for me to be specific about the different themes, questions and messages provided in this show. Because of this, I’ve decided that I’ll go over some of my thoughts for each story and what I interpreted from it. And with respect to Kino’s take on travelling, I shall restrict each part to only a few sentences. Warning: Many spoilers will be here so if you don’t want to know what exactly happens in Kino’s Journey I encourage you to skip this part of the review. With that said, here are my thoughts: ****************SPOILERS**************** 1 – Land of Visible Pain: If human could hear each other’s thoughts, wouldn’t they grow closer? Actually, it caused the opposite; dissension and separation. Peace with all was not achieved when all privacy was lost. No one can completely love everything about someone – there’s always conflict, we are all individuals, after all. But it’s the relationships that can appreciate each other in spite of these conflicts that remain strong through any kind of tribulation. 2 – A Tale of Feeding Off Others: More like a tale of a traveller among wolves in human flesh. These people have committed heinous acts, but if what they said about their families are true, they are still human beings with some sense of morality among them. Yet an experienced traveller like Kino has probably faced situations like this before, and she still chose to help them survive, sacrificing rabbits whose death she acknowledges were in vain. Humans have as much potential to hurt each other as they do to help. 3 – Land of Prophecies: This episode covers four related stories: first a town where the apocalypse is believed to be upon us, followed by a place that wants so desperately to belong they base their culture on it, then we see a land whose unintentional connection to a past town seems concerning, before witnessing the result of this; destruction. The episode focuses heavily of beliefs and religion, specifically the fanatic side of it all. Humanity is gullible, attaching itself to beliefs no matter how incredibly off their interpretation of it all is. Context is everything. 4 – Land of Adults: It’s Kino’s backstory. There’s more to life than this dreary world made up by working adults, and people know that, but they’re afraid of never experiencing everything they could want. And thus, someone decided it would be better if that ambitious mentality was excised out of everyone, but what else was lost. Hell, her own parents tried to murder her for wanting more out of her life. Everyone in that town was just another brick in the wall, and now that Kino has broken away from said wall, she is free to consciously do as she wishes. 5 – Three Men Along the Rails: Kino comes across men who have done their job for decades that oppose one another, essentially making all that work meaningless, and a country that crumbled under an extreme form of democracy. Humans need direction in their lives to keep their lives fulfilling and important, no matter how unnecessary, pointless or pressured. Once this is removed, one ceases to have meaning in one’s life. The fork in the road at the end is interesting, with Kino’s reasoning being if they end up at a place they dislike, they can always backtrack and try the other road. 6 – Coliseum: Kino stops at a country reputed for its beauty, she finds it under rule by a cruel and hedonistic king who subjects all visitors to gladiator-like duels. The end-result, Kino stands tall and kills the king, followed by issuing a new law: First-class citizens can fight until the last one standing is king. This new rule, while cruel on the surface, is actually providing safety to travellers, lower-class citizens; people that don’t wish to fight, and leaves the higher class’ desire for bloodshed to themselves, leaving the consumers of gladiatorial combat to confront the horrors they have subjected onto others for their own amusement. 7 – Land of Wizards: In the Land of Wizards, one’s worth is measured by one’s ability to increase crop production, but here lies one girl who wishes to build a successful flying machine, to the disproval of her townsfolk. However, with perseverance and the help of a traveller and her motorcycle, she achieves her dream. Similar to Land of Adults, the one who strives to reach something beyond what the people around them think. How can one can human without actually living one’s life? Despite the happy ending, the episode showed how steadfast people can be in their old ways of thinking and when witnessing something they do not understand, see it as magic. Weakest episode though. 8 – Land of Books: Arguably the most complex episode. What seems to be a look at the faults of censorship and authoritarianism on the surface delves into the effects of fiction. How one can lose themselves in an illusion, both damaging through escaping all of reality’s ties on you and a place of solitude from the harsh circumstances one is overwhelmed with. If all you could want in the world is in a book with nothing written inside, does that mean the world is nothing? We are the authors of our own lives. 9 – A Tale of Mechanical Dolls: A woman who saw her family die substituted them for her own mechanical creations. She loved them as her own, but the feeling was not mutual, only out of purpose. But when their purpose is lost, what then? Do they look for a new reason to live? Do they have a reason to live? Everyone copes differently and everyone has their own individual purpose to live, even if they aren’t human. 10 – Her Journey: This episode is all about Kino reflecting on the other people she had met on her journey, with most of the focus being around meeting a regarded wise man. But the wise man tells Kino he is not wise, for he wanted to rid himself of self-consciousness, thought to be the root of evil actions, however it also erased many other important qualities that makes someone human. How ironic with how he wasted his life living for nothing, and people thought of him as wise. 11 – A Peaceful Land: A war that lasted hundreds of years is resolved through a game that destroys the lives of countless innocents of a third party. The screams, cries, blood and death goes unnoticed when competition is at this level. But is the third-party as innocent as we think? Aggression only channels further aggression despite the initial look of peace. Ends do not justify the means here. An observation on how barbaric human nature can be, lacking any sense of empathy. Why do humans fight for ultimately nothing? 12 – A Kind Land: Kino travels to a land where travellers are apparently shunned, yet they are extremely welcoming and friendly to her. Her wish to stay longer than 3 days almost caused her death. Kino, no matter how unemotional she may act, is still a human, and cares for others like you would expect a good person would. Kino’s distraught expression as a helpless observer being one of the most powerful moments in the series. It’s a poignant end to the series yet also has a sense of completeness about it, with the choices of the people to die along with their town has this essence of beauty that’s hard to put to words. ****************SPOILERS END**************** One of the more undervalued parts of Kino’s Journey is how it goes about its characterization. Kino and Hermes are the only two characters the show has, with every other person being a part of their own setting, leaving all the development to our protagonists. Both leads are ambiguous characters in their own rights, however Hermes is a much simpler case being a talking motorcycle with no focus on backstory, acting primarily as the voice of reason throughout the series. Whereas Kino appears as a neutral observer all the time, making few comments on her thoughts about the circumstances present each episode and only getting involved when necessary. She plays her role as a traveller well, merely asking questions to broaden her own understanding and staying out of a country’s own business. While one may see this as Kino not willing to point out issues, I found it wise on her behalf; she knows she is only one person amidst the whole of society and knows that she will not be able to make any massive changes everywhere she goes. As Kino herself says: “Playing God is not my job”. Of course, this does not go as planned all the time, sometimes finding herself participating in each country’s way of life with troubles alongside. In these cases, intervention is inevitable, and even then she never “fixes” these broken parts of society, rather seeming content allowing nature to dictate its future. At the end of every episode, Kino and Hermes converse about what may be considered fun banter at face value but is more akin to understanding how the world functions and the difficulties that come with. Despite how the two may think differently, both realize the world is full of faults. But the faults are what drives human nature into individuals like all of us. The production values for Kino’s Journey are hit-or-miss for the most part. The animation is very generic with small bursts of life when Kino was forced into action, and the designs are all simplistic with a very lacklustre colour pallete that rids contrast for nearly every location. But I would not say it negatively impacted my viewing as it matched the relaxing vibe the show has, never requiring amazing visuals to keep me interested. And personally, I like the art style used here; early 2000’s similar to Fullmetal Alchemist ’03 and Wolf’s Rain. As for audio, it only helped enhance the viewing experience. The music was very ambient with both the opening and ending themes always being a pleasure to listen to. The English dub was done by Sentai Filmworks and they did a solid job in my opinion despite the lofty disproval of the dub by many fans of the series. Kelli Collins voicing Kino was the highlight of the dub, giving the young woman a sense of maturity all the time, whereas Cynthia Martinez voicing Hermes came off as cartoonish who I could definitely see irritating some viewers. Overall I don’t think it hinders the overall quality, but the subbed version is better; characters sound better, emotions are better expressed, there’s more insightful commentary for each episode, if you want the better version, go with the subbed. In conclusion, the 13 episodes that make up Kino’s Journey tell stories of human interaction in different scenarios, each providing its own aspect and perspective on humanity and the world we live in. It’s rare to come across an anime that is so thought-provoking from a seemingly simplistic setup and presentation every episode, and while episodes will vary in their immersion and interpretations, each story shows a different side of philosophy that will keep you intrigued the more you think about it. Kino’s Journey, despite how neutral the show portrays its themes, comes off as one of the most human anime I’ve ever seen. It has no problem showing off all of humanity’s flaws, because that is half of the message underneath it all. We as complex human beings all have a mix of good and bad qualities, but rather than belittle all the negative parts, Kino’s Journey aims to show that all these aspects make up who we are and the world around us. _“The world is not beautiful. And that, in a way, lends it a sort of beauty.”_
__Kino’s Journey__ (__Kino no Tabi__) is a masterful collection of short stories which ingeniously explore the thought-provoking, socio-political issues faced by independent countries with distinctive cultures. Whether the country is big or small, rich or poor, authoritarian or libertarian; nothing is off the table – allowing for the multitude of countries’ philosophical underpinnings to be construed to their fullest potential by the audience, whilst also having their true purposes left deliberately ambiguous by the creators, so to allow for the audience to interpret the moral messages in a meaningful way. These stories are told through the eyes of the observant, young, androgynous female traveller, Kino – the protagonist – who appears to take a rather laissez-faire stance towards the struggles of the people in the majority of countries she embarks. Hence, Kino is a character almost entirely lacking any desire to change the world around her. Although this may normally be portrayed as negative, and can be a little bit frustrating, here, this only helps to heighten the audience’s appreciation of the show, as it allows us to self-insert and breathe in the magnificence of the beautiful world. Furthermore, this also serves to let the stories of these countries play out naturally; as Kino usually has little, if nil, influence over the story as a whole. However, when necessary, Kino’s quick-wit and impressive marksmanship allow her to take any necessary action against threats that seek to cut her journey short, be it for the best or worst. On the other hand, Hermes – Kino’s trusted motorrad (a motorbike) and sidekick – often aids to lighten the show’s sinister tone through his rather humorous misunderstanding of common human phrases, whilst also furthering our understanding of the different countries in his own, subtle, quirky way. Kino and Hermes’ relationship is a tragic telling of selfish loneliness. Upon Kino’s meeting with Hermes, we are starkly informed of their means for unification; “I’ll give him balance, and he will give me speed.” We realise that the two cannot function without one another, which strikingly illustrates the profound sense of travel that the two crave, as Kino is willing to risk her life to journey with a single companion, who is simply glad to be ridden. Although Kino is happy, it is hard to feel that way for her, as her hidden isolation makes us question the critical choices she has made in her life. What is arguably most interesting about the show is its sluggish pace, which contrasts with the ruthless sins juxtaposed on screen. Even though there is plenty of gunfire, the show manages to hold true to itself and avoid plunging through the gaping hole into pure action. There are a few episodes, which I believe are worse than the rest, that rely too heavily on action to push their messages, but are so few and far between, that they do not steal from the show’s overall enjoyment at all. Due to the nature of the show, the unpleasantness of many countries and the various aspects of the human condition, with all of its flaws, is hyperbolised to such an extent that it may feel as if the show is enforcing some sort of biased message on the audience – even though this is not the case. This may be a concern for a few, but I thought that the borderline amusing, yet tragic exaggeration worked incredibly well, as it helped to bring the show’s obscure messages to the forefront. It must be noted that what will become apparent early on to newcomers is the show’s fairly odd art style. The show is from 2003, which, subsequently, makes it a little bit outdated for today’s standards. The character designs are all very simplistic, the scenery is drab and there is a lack of fluidity in animation. However, this is still an incredibly charming and pleasant experience, which cannot be found elsewhere easily. The art style is consistent and never strays away from what has been established. Furthermore, the use of the interlaced video effect gives the show a coat of distinctiveness that I have yet to see used as effectively elsewhere. Despite this, it can be hard to convince people who only watch new, mainstream anime to watch an old show or one with a unique art style, as it is not the same as what they are used to. If you happen to be one of these people, please do not be turned off by this show’s individuality. You will definitely get used to it, and you will regret dropping it over something so petty. Similarly, whilst we are on the topic of the show’s production quality, the sound design – although not particularly impressive – helps to maintain the show’s seriousness and maturity. The voice acting, especially for Kino and Hermes, is solid. None of the characters’ voices come off as unrealistic, which retains the show’s down to earth atmosphere. The background music is practically non-existent, yet this is not a negative. Throughout the whole show, the absence of music actually meant that there was not one situation in which it felt like music was missing. This, subsequently, meant that when the sparingly used music _was_ utilised, it ended up having the clever effect of locking the audience’s attention towards certain key scenes, highlighting their importance. To conclude, regardless of some of __Kino’s Journey__’s downsides, it has been made clear that this well-written and important show is deserving of your time and thought. The show does not shy away from dark themes – with the insincerity and ignorance of man constantly leading to abhorrent suffering being just one reoccurring theme. However, at the heart of all this agony is a definitive road of hope. Despite the dangers, we are encouraged to begin our own journey, to take to the sky and fly with the birds. As we peak into the livelihoods of those who miraculously live, we cannot help but feel enlightened in humanities’ duality. “__The world is not beautiful. Therefore it is.__”
Kino and Hermes, a human and a motorroad, are the two characters we follow through this journey exploring or rather experiencing the different countries and landscapes. Another way to put it is they are experiencing every country's weird and inhuman yet human cultures and ideologies accompanied with a mysterious yet oddly compelling dark atmosphere and tone. {Characters} Even though the supporitng cast changes each episode, the various characters that are introduced make strong impact on the viewer to remember them. Then we have the two protagonists Kino&Hermes, Kino is a young woman who travels across the land to visit as many countries and cultures as she can. She is portayed as a mysterious personality throughout the series, only staying 3 days to each country, practicing with her gun before dawn every morning and most importantly most of the time not interfering with the country's customs and ideals. As a traveler she is stoic and calm, as a person she is accepting and curious that's what makes her an interesting and mysterious person and that's what makes this series tone&atmosphere. But without her buddy Hermes this wouldn't be possible, as a talking motorroad who lacks human common sense he has a very curious yet carefree personality that completes the duo's chemistry as travelling buddies and as good friends. {Visuals & Direction} Aesthetically the series has a dark pallete almost like a old tv that compliments its tone and atmosphere, the designs are simple yet they show you the personality of the person and the backrounds have a dark pallete yet they draw you in with their beautiful&simple structure. But what makes this series shine is its direction which elevates the previous stated aspects of the show. Creative and ambitious, simple yet complicated is the series strongest point and what make it a cinematically pleasing experience. {Music & Sound Design} The music is mostly absent and it plays in certain moments but when it plays it makes an impact through its very weird dark rhythm. Despite the music's absence, the series feels oddly alive due to the use of natural sounds and multiple disturbing sound effects. By letting the natural sounds in the backround they create a calming tone and with the addition of disturbing sound effects they destroy that calm and create an uneasy yet dark calm tone to the series that make it so special. In conclusion, Kino's Journey is filled with various dark stories&thematics, an oddly captivating atmosphere, a phenomenal cinematic experience and distinct yet human characters that make for a very special journey across the land along with Kino and her motorroad.
Kino no Tabi é um anime que conta as aventuras de uma viajante que percorre pelo mundo e aprende sobre a cultura de diversos países. Soa bem no papel, não é? No entanto, os personagens e o formato episódico acabam por tornar a experiência em um completo despropósito. Em relação aos personagens nós temos dois, Kino, a personagem principal, e Hermes, o Motorrad, que carrega a personagem pela viagem. Kino não tem nenhum objetivo ou motivação para seguir em viagem, sua caracterização é fraca e ela é distante e apática ao que acontece ao seu redor. Ademais, sendo uma visitante, faz parte do seu código de conduta não se intrometer nas tradições culturais de outros países, assim não afetando os lugares que ela visita. Falando nos países, o anime tenta desenvolver algumas reflexões através das culturas e formas de governo diferentes de cada nação. O que poderia ser interessante, mas, infelizmente, é arruinado por uma apresentação muito fantasiosa dos conflitos. As ideias desenvolvidas na obra são interessantes, porém, pelo pouco tempo que é investido em cada cenário da obra as coisas acabam sendo apresentadas de forma muito apressada e preguiçosa, já que a maior parte da exposição é feita somente através de diálogos e, também por isso, não vemos as coisas tomarem forma e mudarem a sociedade de um país: simplesmente ouvimos a História. A narrativa, como eu já escrevi antes, é episódica. O que não necessariamente precisa significar algo negativo, pois contanto que haja algum ponto de unificação entre cada uma das histórias, é possível desenvolver uma narrativa excelente utilizando esse formato. E esse é o problema com Kino No Tabi: não há nada rolando entre as histórias; depois que o episódio acaba é quase como se o que aconteceu já não importasse mais, os personagens não se importam, o mundo não se importa, e nada do que aprendemos em um episódio faz qualquer diferença que seja ao próximo. E o que sobra a respeito da série, é somente a produção e atmosfera. A produção do anime é "OK" no máximo, a animação em si é escassa e os designs de personagens são demasiado simples para o meu gosto - os cenários tampouco são grande coisa. A direção é competente e consegue te imergir bem nos mundo da obra e, além disso, o ritmo lento vai absorvendo o telespectador aos pouquinhos. A atmosfera é daquele tipo bem "Iyashikei", vai num geral seguindo o mesmo tom e não apresenta muito conflito ou tensão, mesmo em momentos que aparentemente demandam isso. Enfim, ao que eu vejo é esse o ponto que vendeu a série pra maioria das pessoas. Se você está atrás de um anime lento, tranquilo e sem muitas surpresas, então talvez Kino no Tabi seja para você. Para mim o anime foi uma experiência completamente vazia, longe de ser inassistível, mas tampouco deixou-me uma impressão positiva.
Kino's Travels: The Beautiful World is a light novel series, created by light novel writer Keiichi Sigsawa, first published in March 2000, which was adapted into two anime series, with 13 and 12 episodes respectively, plus one OVA and two movies, It is about a restless young woman who travels the world accompanied by her means of transportation: a motorcycle called Hermes and with the ability to speak. She travels when and how she wants, but always fulfilling two very important premises: Not interfering with the peculiarities of the places she visits Plot Kino (who is a girl, which I hope you know by now) travels from city to city on her Hermes talking motorcycle, staying three days and two nights, getting to know the people and customs of the city, and They leave to continue their adventure. Where is Kino headed? Nowhere in particular, she just wants to see the world. Is there a relationship between one episode and another? Very rarely. In general, each chapter presents us with a self-contained story, so the work can be considered more of a collection of independent stories. That's right, the series is episodic and does not have a very defined continuity. This is something that makes it not a series for everyone, as there are many people who do not enjoy this modality. But for those who do, they will see a collection of very creative stories, with numerous messages capable of making us reflect for a long time. And it is that the ingenuity with which some of them were written is worthy of praise. They manage to cover a lot of interesting themes and social critiques in an easy and intelligent way, showing a creativity that I rarely saw in episodic series. There is a strong criticism of fundamentalist religions, and how they can interpret their sacred writings in the worst possible way, which would end in a violent and bloody way. In fact, the message that what is dangerous is the interpretation given to these documents, and not the documents themselves, is something that is dealt with in more than one episode in a different way and with different approaches, equally more ingenious. Another that I found very interesting is the idea of whether work alone is something worthwhile, even if it has no use. Does it have value for the simple fact of representing the effort of a person, and therefore deserves remuneration? I leave them for the philosophy of economic thought class. is a mature and eloquent series that features numerous dilemmas and jarring philosophies, but that's not to say there isn't some action along the way. After all, the world can be brutal at times, and it is necessary for the protagonist to know how to defend herself against it during her travels, which is why we can see moments of great tension in many episodes. Obviously, don't expect to see spectacular fights or anything like that, but the series is not just dialogues and monologues. There is much more than that. Art and Sound Well, let's keep in mind that it is a series that is many years old and produced by a not very prominent studio. The technical section is not entirely polished and shows a bit of age, yes. The animation (outside of the film, which was done by the Shaft studio) is rough overall. But it's not that it looks bad or anything like that, I just warn you that if you're overly critical in that aspect, it might bother you a bit. It fits perfectly with the calm rhythm that the series has, and it is also worth mentioning that it shows very the dark moments that it has thanks to the muted and tenuous colors that are used with shades of green and brown. The music is also quite nice, being notable for being atmospheric and relaxing, and it has a memorable opening and ending, albeit quite calm. Characters Well, the thing about Kino is that he tends to take on the role of a completely unbiased observer, being a very stoic person and barely reacting to the injustices he comes across. However, it seems to me that this is exactly what the character is about. He is not there to issue his value judgment regarding the situations he finds himself in, but rather so that we can see the world through his eyes, to make a punctual comment in each place, but not to interfere excessively in East. As for Kino's story, it is revealed in a couple of flashbacks, which, in addition to revealing that she is a girl (I don't even bother hiding it, everyone already knows), give us a glimpse of why she thinks the way he does it, why he has that characteristic androgynous look, and they show very interesting facets of the character. The journey is undertaken with his talking motorcycle, Hermes. Why can she talk? Well, because yes, period. It's part of the magical realism that the series seems to take place in. Kino no Tabi is a work that can boast of being extremely cunning and intriguing, but at the same time calming. A very mature and fresh work, with interesting concepts that will make you eat your mind for hours after finishing. And above all, it represents very well that feeling that, even with all our faults, human beings, our customs and our actions, are very interesting.
I will always love being preached to about banal philosophy, especially when an atmospheric, dreamlike OST embellishes it. A story for those who love stories, this anime surrounds the rambling plethora of ideas and questions brought up as Kino travels through various hypothetical countries that act as thought experiments. It feels a little like Star Trek in a way, except the only consistent characters are Kino and her motorcycle, Hermes, making for a more laid back and meditative tone—as loneliness can often do. The storybook vibe also brings a little mix of everything: action, scifi, drama, iyashikei, mystery, the whole works! (Reminds me of something like Yamibou or Durarara.) The theme of the anime draws me in, as I love to travel and also only stay a few days at most in any place when I do. I find that feeling of being afraid to slow down or something will break inside you as if your very identity is lost to be relatable as well although in other contexts. As with any good journey, the show displays that great feeling of discovery and appreciation for collecting little experiences with all sorts of different people. I love the quiet, reflective moments between locations as well, looking out over the scenery. If only the anime offered more diversity in its settings and character designs, then I could truly appreciate these aspects. More often than not, designs are cheaply pulled from a vaguely historical European setting and it feels like the same actors changing their dress for a new episode (which would arguably be appropriate I suppose). It kind of reminds me of visiting quant little towns in Professor Layton but just completely uninspired. Luckily the OST pulls its weight, drawing out enough beauty and mystery in these places that I didn’t mind so much. The thought experiments can come across as fairly heavy handed, lacking nuance and a more human element. Due to the disconnect between stories and the short length of each episode, the worldbuilding—if you can even call it that—falls flat. The stories shouldn't be taken literally anyway, but I rarely felt as immersed in the show as I would have liked. On the other hand, I love that it doesn’t mess around and always gets right to the point in each episode. This show understands my heart! Oftentimes the stories bring out the darkness of humanity, yet Kino understands that there's nothing she can do in many cases. She is willing to fight and take action when she sees fit, but her justice isn't necessarily good, as she can live with orchestrating the deaths of those who idly benefit from the suffering of others. There's certainly some hypocrisy in her character surrounding whether you have an obligation to use your power for good, but I enjoy that it’s left up in the air. While she may not find it her place to get involved, she does believe in the importance of experiencing these different ways of life and coming to understand how people think. Thinking or more specifically not thinking for yourself is a general theme across stories. Through technology, religion, war, and whatnot, people give up their autonomy or stop feeling the desire to be curious. The show doesn't necessarily take a position on moral issues, just letting the audience ponder over them and the greyness of everything. Kino herself pays attention to details and others around her and I can feel that she has empathy for them despite her realist attitude. I find Kino's cool analysis and badassery to be pretty outstanding, like everything is a bore even when her life is seemingly in danger or when something supposedly amazing presents itself. She can be somewhat of an enigma, but that’s precisely the kind of character that shines through introspection and short glimpses of her emotions underneath the surface. There’s always something more to places and people than meets the eye. "I don't know if the world is beautiful or not, but it sure is big"
~~~webm(https://v.animethemes.moe/KinoNoTabi-OP1-Lyrics.webm)~~~ #####~~~(Video includes audio. Be sure to unmute)~~~ During nearly every episode of *Kino’s Journey,* the young Kino travels to a new country with their motorrad Hermes and learns about the people there, as well as the rituals and customs of those people. Much like Kino, we are traveling along with them, likewise allowed to glimpse at another way of life. But the one immutable fact remains – whether in-universe as a traveler, or outside the bounds of the television screen as a viewer watching an anime, we are the outsider in the land. It is for that reason why even though the impression that we get of every country is a small fraction of their history, it often has such a resonance. After all, what better way to understand a country than see what the country offers freely to its visitors and what it decides to hide in the shadows, unseen by unfamiliar faces? Kino’s first taste of the traveler’s way of life came from, of all places, a traveler to their own country. With the traveler introducing himself as Kino, we see the two of them go about the town and talk, with the young Kino slowly absorbing what it is that the older Kino has to say. As words are exchanged, the young Kino begins to gain a new awareness of not only the country they live in, but also who they are as a person. In only a couple of days, the outsider has affected Kino irrevocably, and it has become clear that the young Kino cannot simply go back to the way of life that they once so comfortably knew. Through travel, even though they were not the one who did the traveling this time, they have changed. The outsider brings something that perhaps the native is not able to realize so easily – a new perspective. It is often only through the perspective of the outsider that we can accurately hold the mirror up to our own behaviors and tendencies, showing how odd, delightful, or cruel they can appear to everyone else who isn’t among us. When born and raised in a particular place, you are taught that place’s way of being. A product of their culture, you learn what it is that should be valued, what should be sacrificed, who the ally is, who the enemy is, and what it means to live, among other things. The unsung quality of such an upbringing is not only the specific customs that should be honored, but also the rigidity with which those customs are to be challenged or be self-reflected. This operates at both the larger societal level and the smaller, more self-contained levels. It not only determines what the laws of a country or city may be and whether the offender should be incarcerated, but also determines whether someone should be kicked out of their family for something as inconsequential as the gender of whom they love. It indoctrinates and inspires on so many layers of the person through the act of teaching it and the consequences that follow as a result. But the outsider challenges both a country or society’s tolerance and rigidity in a different manner. The introduction of a new person or a new idea carries with it both the exciting possibility of change, as well as the potential damage of what change may occur. The question then becomes to what extent should the outsider be welcomed, how much should their perception of the world be allowed to shape the foundation of the country’s individuals, the community, or the country as a whole? Because of the fickle nature of how society functions, and the inherent motivations of the outsider that may not be so readily obvious, there is no single, universal correct answer to that question. The outsider may indeed be sincere when they claim that they’re just visiting for a little while, or they may simply claim that while making sure you don’t notice their furious horde of raiders behind them. Some of history’s greatest monsters have been the outsider, while outsiders have also been instrumental in helping shape countries and societies into what they are. The only way to know what lies in store is to, if I may borrow a phrase, “allow things to take their course.” ~~~img550(https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BNDA5ZjBmMmUtZmNlMS00NzIyLWE5ZDItZmUzNjhhOWQ3N2Q4XkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTA0MTM0NTU5._V1_.jpg)~~~ When Kino adopts the traveler’s life for themselves, they inevitably carry that burden with them. By hitting the open road and allowing themselves to be at the mercies of not only the wilderness, but also the people they’ll encounter in and outside of countries, every encounter has the potential to be charitable or deadly. As such, every encounter requires Kino to take the time to evaluate to what extent the “outsider” should get involved, to be allowed to influence the events that may transpire. Kino’s moral compass is not so simple that one could easily say when it will or won’t kick in. Therefore, *Kino’s Journey* fascinatingly shows the numerous ways it guides Kino along the voyages. There are indeed times where Kino gets more-directly involved in the country’s goings-on. Given their policy to only stay in a country for three days, there is no reason why Kino should help Nimya with her flying machine, as it clearly reflects that she is at odds with the entire country itself. Why run the risk of helping a town outcast if it only succeeds in creating more problems in the end with its failure? But here, Kino is propelled by curiosity to see the flying machine work, and, perhaps spurned by being bored to tears by the town leader’s spiel about agricultural boosting, longs to see something of intrigue occur before their eyes. ~~~img550(https://64.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lset1hvoPM1qmpg90o1_500.gif)~~~ But there are other times where Kino’s decides to get uninvolved or maintain the status quo rather than seek a more-proactive interference. As Kino and Hermes ride on a long railway, they come across three men who are all working on it in some fashion, and each new worker unveils a larger understanding and revelation of the rail and the way in which all three are connected. The news is such that Kino could very well travel between the three men and deliver the news, but when juxtaposed against the story Kino tells of a place where people choose to do meaningless work, they decide to let the three men go about their business, unaware that the work they are doing might be just as devoid of meaning too, even if they cannot perceive it as such themselves. And yet there are times where Kino doesn’t even have the agency to decide whether they get involved in a situation or not, or where their involvement leads to a consequence that couldn’t have been so clearly foreseen. On the immediate surface, it seems like Kino stopping to help some travelers on the road to warm up and eat so they don’t get hypothermia is perfectly noble. However, it’s only in helping them that Kino realizes that they were actually human traffickers, drawing their guns and looking to have Kino as their next prized commodity. Kino’s curiosity nearly led to their death. ~~~webm(https://www.sakugabooru.com/data/f992234b717223aba29af0a5335fcff1.mp4)~~~ But that might just be Kino’s ultimate binding thread, and the magnetism that steers their compass – curiosity. To be an outsider forever is to always be simply passing through, and to sustain that lifestyle for any length of time requires a curious appetite, to always be receptive—if not occasionally repulsed as well—by the things you see and the people you meet. With the entire world as their playground, Kino and Hermes are fortunate to be able to see so many places and explore so many ways in which the world can function or unveil itself. It comes with dangers to be sure, but the desire never goes away. That wanderlust feeds a curiosity too fundamentally unquenchable, hence why Kino would always choose to avoid settling down in any single place for too long. Why stay in one unmoving place when you can be the one who moves from place to place, bask in it all for a brief time, and then move on to the next place afterwards? Depending on how you want to interpret that, Kino’s fear of settling down means having to necessarily miss out on what makes the world work. And the best way to see the world work is to become the permanent outsider, to always see the various country’s cultures and lifestyles through a window. Sometimes, that window is wide open, sometimes it’s ajar, sometimes it’s translucent, and other times, it is shut tightly. But you’re never going to know unless you roll up to it and get a closer look for yourself. The world does not stop moving, but by being the outsider, one can catch the tiniest glimpses of what time may look like frozen for one crystalline moment. What does the country you visit have to show you? Or, to put it another way, what does the country you visit _choose_ to show you? And shown through its sepia-tone-esque visual styling and impeccably-masterful sound directing, every country visited presents itself like an exhibit in a museum. This adaptation, directed by Nakamura Ryuutarou, treats its material with the seriousness its ruminations demand. In presenting each country as is, and in the ensuing follow-ups as Kino leaves for their next adventure, the series does not cast overt judgment on each place. The viewer is encouraged to contemplate rather than be told overtly what is or what isn't, what should be or what not should be. As outsiders in the story, we glimpse what would easily be alternative versions of mankind, and to gauge the extent to which those versions find their way into our lives both individually and societally. And the final question as Kino speeds away is always thus: what will we find next? __________ *Kino’s Journey* allows us to take the role of the outsider and see outside-looking-in just how odd yet mesmerizing the world can be. Sometimes, that world is ugly, and at other times, it’s simply marvelous. While the central tenet and main interpretation of the show might be that it is precisely because the world is not beautiful, therefore it is beautiful, I’m actually going to offer something else instead – the world simply ____is____. I cannot say for certain whether that is for better or worse, but if *Kino’s Journey* has anything to teach, it’s that the world out there is indeed quite big, and whether you’re looking for something or not, go out there. Only by going out there can you see how the world itself is. Who knows what you’ll find? Just be mindful that when you do, you’ll be the outsider, so go with care. ~~~img550(https://i.imgur.com/mbFGHtO.png)~~~
This review may contain some light spoilers for the story of Kino's Journey. img220(https://assetsio.reedpopcdn.com/kino1.jpg?width=1600&height=900&fit=crop&quality=100&format=png&enable=upscale&auto=webp) Kino's Journey is a collection of tales with Kino, our main character, at the center of all of them. Kino with his buddy, motorcycle, Hermes travels the world, explores new countries, new traditions and customs. It's an anime that anyone can watch, no matter their age, the themes of Kino's Journey are presented so lightly that a child can watch it and understand stuff that's happening and have fun while someone older can watch it and understand the deeper meaning and questions behind each episode, in my opinion not many animes can do that. "If I was asked, 'Why do you go on journeys?' I would answer, 'I go on journeys because I'm a traveler'." img220(https://blog.alltheanime.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/kinos-journey.jpg) Kino is a free person, someone who doesn't have any attachments to the people or things and doesn't get involved in traditions or customs of other countries, just simply watches them. In 4th episode of the show Kino leaves her own country after finding out that everyone in their country was supposed to have a surgery when they turn 12. That surgery would make them do whatever job they want without complaining even if they feel unhappy doing it. One could argue that Kino doesn't offer her opinion because she saw what happened to the man who opposed to the tradition in her own country, or rather she just wants to find what the good answer is for herself, however the true reason isn't given to us in the show. "Whenever people see birds flying through the sky, it's said that they get the urge to go on a journey." img220(https://vraikaiser.files.wordpress.com/2018/03/kino3.jpg?w=1300) While watching the anime I somehow got the feeling that Kino doesn't believe in concepts of good and evil, even if Kino does see bad or good things happening she won't get involved with it because she is only there to see things and not change them. Most people would like to see Kino get involved and do good things but not me. I love how Kino doesn't believe in traditional concepts of what's good and what's evil because Kino doesn't tell viewer what is good and what is evil, all of us have different concepts of good and evil and that's why we have arguments. "It's probably a lie. The reason why I only stay for three days in any country. I'm afraid I'll settle down, if I stay too long. Because if I settled down, I would cease to be a traveler." img220(https://i0.wp.com/scoopsanimationcorner.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/images-187.jpeg?resize=299%2C168&ssl=1) I mentioned a quote from Kino's Journey about how Kino doesn't want to stay in a certain country for longer than 3 days because she would settle down and cease being a traveler. I find it interesting because there is also another quote I mentioned where Kino said that she goes on a journey because she is a traveler so if she stopped going on journeys her life would basically lose its purpose. "You know, Hermes, sometimes a traveler also explores their mind." img220(https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nkztyyrLpa8/WyOGBRjCg6I/AAAAAAAAAhA/nPxhZl5WVp8zZRJT2JfCZZL5_sItliEYgCEwYBhgL/w1200-h630-p-k-no-nu/kinounderthestars.jpg) As I said already, Kino shuns the basic concepts and goes beyond them. If you asked someone if they'd like to never work in their life again and still be able to live normally I'm sure everyone would say yes but it isn't a universal truth because Kino shows us that universal truths don't exist. In episode 5 of Kino's Journey there is a country where the machines do all the work and humans don't have to do anything but soon Kino finds out that humans are going to a certain job where the humans have to do calculations that have already been done by machines. Yeah, that job is pointless because machines are never wrong but when Kino asked one of the workers why is he doing it he answered that he's doing it so he wouldn't be bored. This country sounds fun to us because we hate work but those who have never experienced it would be eager to see what's it like. "The world is constantly changing. And you can't expect it to stay the same, even for a second. If that's true, there's no need for you to go on a journey, Kino. Even if you stay in one place, you'll be able to keep experiencing the world!" img220(https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/54fc8146e4b02a22841f4df7/1605887612926-Z6ZJWMQQNZPBQZLH4TFF/download+%281%29.jpeg?format=1000w) Usually at the end of my reviews I give out a few animes that you can watch if you liked the anime I reviewed which is in this case Kino's Journey but honestly I don't think I can find anime similar to this one. If you really want to watch something that is kind of similar to Kino I'd suggest episodic shows such as Cowboy Bebop, Trigun, Samurai Champloo or Barakamon. img220(https://nefariousreviews.files.wordpress.com/2018/02/kinos-journey-featured.jpg) Thank you for reading. img220(https://i.pinimg.com/236x/7e/c2/71/7ec271e545e8e18708e74335b849530c--illustration-manga-art-illustrations.jpg) 10/10
_Say, are you a traveler?_ _Do you drift between little worlds, are you a creature set in open motion? Are you an outsider, a mere observer unfettered by the obligatory laws of attachment? How must it feel to be unbound and dictating your own freedom grounded by a sturdy principle of self-preservation? Please, tell me your stories._ _I am like a citizen of some country at some corner susceptible to intake the chronicles of every outsider as indelible imprints to my meager life. Perhaps you feel the same instead; our kind who shoulders the sanctity of community through settlement make up the brunt of the population. Thankfully we can be like travelers now, within the world of fiction._ _Included in the package is the right to insert ourselves as the main character themselves. Intriguing, however, that pomposity does not hold the greatest sway. But we are backdrops with a telescope and withheld visitors with the same capacity of change, and by consequence victims to philosophical musings, by choice to the beauty of the world._ img(https://i.imgur.com/d7vKHFc.png)