3x3 Eyes Review

the original episodes of this title are over a decade old (and starting to show some age in the character design style), the animation is still fluid and competent, with very gory and detailed fight scenes, and rather exceptional amounts of suspense and atmosphere. While Yakumo is immortal, he still has a human body. So he "dies" spectacularly, often, and in full bloody detail on the screen. I'm not sure how many times I squirmed at the thought of having to reabsorb my guts after being bloodily disemboweled by a demon, but it happens. The squeamish need not apply, obviously. (Now we know for sure where Detatoko Princess pillaged the idea for Kohaku, the Shield of Meat.)

Thankfully, the leads aren't just gimmicks, but well-developed and well-acted characters. Yakumo is persistent, spunky, and quite likable, and Pai's dual-natured character (a great role, or pair of them, for Hayashibara Megumi) is wonderfully rich, going from cutesy to creepy at the drop of a hat. The side characters are capable, though the villains (with one major exception) are pretty much there to get toasted. Extra points for Pai's "pet" beasties.


While not a bad series, 3x3 Eyes would probably have been better served as a television series. Perhaps with more time and context, the comedic bits wouldn't have seeming as jarring as they did alongside scenes of Yakumo getting literally ripped to pieces by bad guys. As it is, it's a good taster for the manga, and still enjoyable in its own right as an action fantasy anime. Just be sure to wipe the blood off your screen when you're done.