Rating: 
Summary: Shades of Darkness
Review: After watching trailers for Noir I decided to buy the first volume. My impression is that it is everything I thought it would be, only the first volume moves a little slowly. That is no problem because what I have seen so far indicate that it will get much better. Mireille Bouquet is an assassin for hire and is very good at what she does. One day she is contacted by Kirika Yumura, an amnesiac who has to recollection of her past or why she can kill like she does. The two form to join Noir. Mireille will help Kirika in order to uncover things about both of their pasts, and Mireille promises she will kill her once she has found the answers she is searching for. As the two take on a few targets for clients, it becomes evident that someone is after them but they dont know who it would be. That is volume 1 in a nutshell, and though it hasnt gotten really good yet, the gun fights are some of the best I have seen. Especially the first time when Mireille meets Kirika. Add to this a killer soundtrack and you have one stylish work of art. Chicks with guns, great animation and fittingly catchy music--what else needs to be said?
I bought the Vol 1 + series box because it looked cool. The box is of the best quality there is and features great artwork of Mirielle on one side with Kirika shadowed in the background, and Kirika on the other with Mireille in the back.You also get a t-shirt. I only wish the soundtrack had been packed in too.But I am really digging this series so far and I hope to get more volumes soon. It isnt my favorite anime so far, but the characters are great and they have a darker side that shows in their line of work. I definately recommend giving this series a shot.
Rating:
Summary: Great Anime
Review: This is a beautiful anime with absolutely gorgeous animation and beautiful music. The plot is rich and original that keeps you on the edge of your seat and keeps you wanting more. You just have to know who the Soldats are and the little twist of fantasy (the legend behind Noir) makes it even more interesting. My only complaint is way too many flashbacks! They flashback to scenes in the last episode or even the same episode. After awhile, the flashbacks begin to get on your nerves. Overall, this is a wonderful anime and I strongly recomend it.
Rating: 
Summary: Grows more interesting with time
Review: After a second full viewing, I'm forced to conclude that Noir may have a deep and meaningful embedded/interlaced/concealed plot. For example: Why is Mireille the only person in the Noir universe permitted to kill Kirika at any moment? If I'd had the right childhood training, I'd have immediately understood that Kirika possessed the true heart of a Samurai, and had completely embraced the life-role of a sworn retainer to Mireille from the moment they first met. This one twist...once made clear to me...affected my perception of all of Kirika's following actions.There are more than a few perception-changing twists lurking within this series. To me, these make Noir into an interesting and entertaining piece of work. That being said, I found the re-use of many brief non-action segments to be maddening. (How many times do we need to see someone picking grapes?) This series would be even more enjoyable if there were fewer repeated scenes. Overall: The artwork is wonderful. The music is superb. I like the restrained use of physical ability. None of the action sequences require much effort in order to suspend disbelief. The weapons are frighteningly realistic. I'd like to give it 4.5 stars, but the system demands either 4 or 5. Very well...I'll give it a 5.
Rating:
Summary: Almost perfect
Review: Noir is a classic in the making and this DVD deserves to be watched by every anime fan. There's a real style and substance feel in the episodes,the only thing keeping it from being perfect is the way information is told. The real revelations in the story dont start 'till Volume 5!!!
Be patient with the story and you'll be amazed
Highly recommended!!
The action scenes are not gory but are well directed
IN England its only rated PG ( otherwords 8 years and over)
Rating:
Summary: A God-sent series
Review: Noir is one of the best girls & guns series up to date. With such a mysterious connection between characters, it is a change from the dutiful protagonists who are pure and good. With an inspirational soundtrack that goes with it and scene after scene of eye opening action, I reccomend this DVD to anyone who likes action anime.
Rating:
Summary: A difficult start, but avoids the "Ship of Fools Syndrome"!
Review: First I couldn't say that this would be everybody's type of anime. If you like fan service, comedy, or romances look elsewhere immediately. Despite fan fiction sites, that would turn the affection between the two principals into Lesbian subtext. It's not about that kind of relationship either. Noir is more about style than plot, although it does have a plot. These early episodes take a while to draw your interest. I put the first DVD into my player, and watched most of the way though episode one a number of times. I kept getting distracted, and losing interest. I was hoping this was not one of "those" series, that I just can't stand watching. I call it the "Ship of Fools Syndrome", based on my experience with that highly rated, but overlong movie. I tried to watch the Ship of Fools no less than a dozen times, mainly because it's supposed to be a great movie. To this day, I still have never been able to sit through more than an hour, and cannot recall anything that happened in that overlong, black and white film. Fortunately, Noir escaped that fate. I finally watched beyond the first episode, and the series started to grow on me a little. The introduction is a little strange; a smallish, Japanese schoolgirl with amnesia, sends an E-mail, and musical message to a highly accomplished, female, professional assassin. Questions abound as to why she sought her out, how she knew to attract her attention, (somehow piquing the interest of something in her forgotten past). The little Japanese girl is an incredibly talented killer in her own right, and seems to have a lot of people trying to kill her for unknown reasons. The girls form an uneasy, temporary alliance, and start calling themselves Noir. Noir apparently refers to a legendary pair of assassins from French history. Mireille Bouquet, the contract killing professional, is from Corsica. She agrees to take on the little girl, who may or may not be named Kirika (from a school ID card in her possession). When she finds out some answers, she promises to kill her. Together they begin taking on some of Mireille's regular contract jobs. The second episode just demonstrates the incredible efficiency this pair has in their profession. Its action for the sake of action. On about the third episode, some of the series plot starts to unfold, the mission is compromised, and we learn how really good Kirika can be as a killer. The final two episodes in the first five, show more about someone else working in the background, to set up this new incarnation of Noir. I will repeat this anime is more about style than plot, and the action does become enjoyable. The music is excellent, it reminded me of the style music in .hack//sign, but somehow seems much better. Beware, the music often plays in the background, long after watching the series you'll find it playing repeatedly in your head. Art and animation are very good especially the action sequences. Some of the details were a little off. I found it interesting, that they both observed the Japanese custom of removing their shoes at the door, even though Mireille is a Corsican who lives in Paris. The good news here is, after a slow start, I leave the first five episodes wanting to see more.
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