Rozen Maiden Geneon Box Set

Not many thought this series would ever see it's full release in Region 1. Funimation, thankfully, stepped up to the plate to distribute some of Geneon's releases and partially completed series in singles form. A great many otaku were pleased at this news. I was definitely one of them. I never rid myself of the velveteen box and was able to finish acquiring the singles when finally released. That's what I'm referring to with this review. Needless to say, this is one of the more unique series I have watched in some time.

The outstanding product design and execution is one of, if not, the finest points of Rozen Maiden. The initial release of a Velveteen Art Box definitely exudes elegance and beauty. It feels and looks amazing. The box itself screams to be displayed instead of just sitting in a cabinet or storage container. The good foil along the red fabric just pops so well. The cover art on the individual releases is reversible, thankfully, kept consistent with the remaining volumes. I actually found myself reversing all the covers because they accentuated the collection very well. That was my personal preference, yours may differ depending on which style and art you prefer. You do at the very least get a choice. The art on the discs is equally beautiful making this one of the best all around releases from Geneon. Special note, there are some dreaded Scanavo hubs sporadically used in various volumes.

The video quality in true Geneon fashion is flawless and vibrant. I found myself enjoying the sheer level of detail in the animation. The outfits the Maiden's wear suit each personality and are functional as regular attire. While the character designs aren't anything new or unique, everything else flows smoothly from the simple dialogue scenes to the always amazing fights. I'm not very familiar with the animation studio Nomad. I do feel they did a pretty good job and paid close attention to what fans of the manga and of quality animation want to see. Of course, I do love me some of that widescreen anime. It's the way I prefer my anime, if at all possible. It gives more freedom to use background and add subtlety to any atmosphere.

Unforuntately, there is a drawback in the audio department. It's mostly due to the series not being given 5.1 treatment in Japan. Geneon USA could have put some money into a 5.1 for Region 1 but it was probably not cost effective. Geneon does make excellent use of 2.0 with no dropouts or any issues to note. I do prefer the original Japanese audio track with the well done subtitle's on Rozen Maiden. Most of the English cast seemed to annoy me and take away from the series. I wouldn't call it bad, but honestly, it wasn't good either.

Rozen Maiden has an interesting premise to it. You've got the typical recluse otaku, somewhat harem of girls who are really dolls who fight in a game to become a living doll. It sounds like Pinnochio gone anime with a feminine twist, with less likeable characters. Seriously, I was more annoyed with the so-called hero and his little harem and rooting on the more dynamic vixens. It's not the typical premise and for most of the first half of the series it shows. The writing is mediocre at best, with few bright spots or twists along the way. I was feeling pretty indifferent about continuing on to Traumend. "Gah, this not going anywhere", I said to myself when taking out Volume 3. I went for it though and was pleasantly surprised. The difference between Traumend and the first half is night and day. Traumend was darker in tone, moved the story forward with excellent pacing and even better play on the relationships. I would recommend skipping the first season and getting right to Traumend, no I'm not joking.

In the end, Rozen Maiden is a decent show that received a tremendous effort by Geneon in its release. The sheer quality of the release is nothing short of amazing. If only Rozen Maiden as a whole could have lived up to that effort. The lack of a decent english dub, the mediocrity of the first half and unlikeable characters keep this series from being excellent. I give Rozen Maiden, 2 and 1/2 mystica's out of 5.