Mintyfresh Anime Blog

Despite my better judgment, I decided to start another new series today. Putting aside the fact that im currently involved with about 10 other shows at the moment, I’d have to say that I made the correct choice in viewing the first episode of “Kaze no Stigma”. Oh and by the way, I have to say I absolutely hate the opening song, its much to feminine for a shounen anime.

In essence, this show is about a family of fire manipulators. The main character (who changed his name to Kazuma) fled from Japan 4 years prior to this episode. He was one of the heirs to the family of fire users, but lacked any sort of ability in fire magic and therefore left the country. Evidently, Kazuma used the 4 years in a very efficient fashion, as he is now a master at wind magic (much to his old families disgrace I might add).

As it so happens, or perhaps as a consequence of, at the precise moment of Kazuma’s return to Japan a wind magic user is going about murdering members of the fire using family. Obviously the family assumes it is their disgraced former member, Kazuma, doing the killings due to the fact that have all been slaughtered with the wind. In reality it’s not him killing them at all, but seemingly somebody stalking him that is trying to make it appear as if it is him doing the killings. Why would a demon thing want to frame him though?

I absolutely love the blunt foreshadowing of this series. It has a certain naïve elegance to it I suppose. Within the first minute of the show Ayano’s (the female lead and a fire user) dress is blown up by the wind exposing her panties and she claims “I hate the wind.” I’m sure it will be much to her dismay when she discovers that her problems with the wind are only beginning. The monster hunting deal is okay I suppose. It’s been done completely to death, yet it gives a reason for all the magic of the “Kaze no Stigma” universe to exist in the first place (which is probably a very good reason to include the demon/spirit hunting stuff). I feel like I’ve seen much of the plot before judging from the first episode, but then again I’m just jaded as far as anime goes by this point. The battle sequence between Kazuma and Ayano was pretty impressive considering how short it was. It’s more than satisfying to see Kazuma’s wind magic completely obliterate the fire stuff which caused him much distress in his past.

Despite the negatives I’ve stated, I’m rather hopeful for this series and I foresee good things coming out of it. Thus far I’d say it had one of the stronger opening episodes of the season (and that’s never a bad thing.)