Chagumu and Barsa’s journey has just started for a life of escaping from the many attempts to kill them.

The first episode of Seirei no Moribito is released for a special preview release a few days ago, and I only caught wind of its appearance today, thanks to a post by Cinnamon Ass.

How do I find the first episode? It’s a must watch.

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Episode summary

Barsa is a wandering bodyguard that arrived in the town of Yogo after two years of absence. She had came into the town to have maintainable on her spear and she laughed with a villager that money would be able to solve anything in this town of Yogo compared to Kanba. However, without money, Barsa said she had to make do as the villager was surprised at her outlook on life for such a young girl. She was already thirty, she remarked. It was a procession as the royal family passed by, with everyone bowed down. Barsa did not care for such ceremonies since she was an outsider.

Suddenly, the ox carrying the carriage started to lose its temper as a person fell out from the carriage and went into the fast flowing river. Barsa immediately unleashed a retractable rope and dived in. She got the boy in her hands, only to be confronted by the falling ox and ruined carriage that was swept along by the fast waves. Just when she thought she had drowned, a glowing barrier of water surrounded her and the boy as she was surprised how she was still miraculously alive as she made her way up the shore. The royal guards then arrived, as they blocked off access and chased off the commoners as commoners were not allowed to see royal members in the flesh.

In another town, a guy named Tanda mentioned about Barsa and whether she would arrive ever since she left two years ago. Barsa was having her meal when she saw some royal guards as she tried to escape, only to be stopped by them. They said that they were part of the guards belonging to the second wife of the royal family, and asked Barsa whether she knew of the person who saved the young prince. She said she did not, but since the news of it cannot be revealed, they tried to exterminate her, only to be defeated easily. The oldest guard then bowed down on his knees to beg Barsa to return, as the second wife had asked them to bring Barsa back. With everyone on their knees, Barsa relented and left for the imperial palace.

Barsa was enjoying herself with a good luxurious bath and a great meal after thinking that it made no sense to poison her. Another elderly guard came in and told Barsa that he felt embarrassed to provide such a paltry fare for her. Barsa said she knew that people of non royal blood were not allowed to see the royals because their eyes would be blinded merely from the look. The guard then passed her a bag of coins, saying that it was perhaps way too little for the price of the young prince and asked her to stay, after emphasizing she needed to.

She was sleeping when she felt the presence of the second wife. The second wife remarked that Barsa was a special woman simply because her eyes did not fall out from looking at royals. The second wife said how Barsa was as rumored, a very powerful bodyguard that was able to protect any person that asked her for help. Barsa said she was just someone who protected anyone as long as they paid the money. The second wife then asked why Barsa chose all these dangerous missions if it was only for the money. She then added as she asked Barsa to bring the child, Chagumu away. Chagumu had already survived two strange assassination attempts, one being the ox and the other being a geyser sprouting out from a hot spring half a month ago.

Two months ago, the child started to speak funny things in his sleep and was said to be possessed by something by the astrologist after examining his sleep state. The astrologist kept it a secret but told the exorcist and priest (a keen aide of the family). When the priest informed the rest of the royal family, they aimed to kill Chagumu as such a child would disgrace the royal family when the family was supposed to be respected and be of pure body. The second wife brought a whole box of expensive jewelery and told Barsa that she would receive all that for protecting the child. Barsa said it was despicable as the wife had given her a path of death for saving Chagumu. As the second wife had asked personally, Barsa could not refuse (it was death as punishment) but by bringing all the jewelery endorsed with her name, Barsa would be easily hunted down too.

The second wife said that was everything she could give. Barsa said calmly how the royals were guarded so weakly with only seven in the whole house as she swiftly pointed her spear at the second wife. Barsa said she promised to protect the child and explained that in a certain incident, eight people that were precious to her died. Hence, she had been entrusted with the burden of the eight souls to go around protecting everyone that required her help. She accepted the job as the second wife passed Chagumu her earrings and they ran away, leaving the town.

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Thoughts

Ok, first time very importantly, the background of this episode one is just so jaw dropping gorgeous. I think that they can technically give me twenty minutes of flowing background and I will probably be awed by the whole series. Well, that will be stretching it but the first episode clearly shows a very strong graphical excellence that I hope can be maintained for the whole series. Since it will be funded pretty decently, I think that I am allowed to hold my hopes up just a little.

Barsa’s character is a very intriguing one. For one, I want to know the exact sad incident in the past that caused her to start off this journey. It has to do with death, which is a cliche by all means. Nevertheless, it is still a good pull to show some depth in the character almost in the first episode, which I thought to be a good idea. Barsa shows to be a master of spears, and I do like the fact that she is not omnipotent as shown by the incident that she should have died saving the prince if not for the sudden glowing sphere that surrounded them and protected them. I enjoyed that part.

I personally felt that the first episode on the whole lacked a bit of oomph, which would be the best description that I can give to the feeling I have. Other than the graphics that is excellent, the driving force of the story, the part where Chagumu was inflicted with a possession of something was a bit flimsy. I do wonder what is the exact thing that possessed him, but I guess a bit more time could have been devoted toward this, and perhaps a better background knowledge of the whole environment of the place might have helped.

However, I can probably understand the reason why it feels a bit fast paced, which is to start the story proper. I guess the answers will be answered and revealed slowly in the coming episodes. I also thought that the ending part about the despicable move was wonderfully done. Despite the good efforts of the second wife to reward Barsa, the ignorance of the outside world meant that if Barsa was to sell any of the jewelery that had the insignia of the royal family, their location would be discovered immediately. I thought that Barsa was really cool when she said that she had absolutely no choice.

Chagumu is also pretty cute, with the fact that he tried to command Barsa after his mother was crying from the very fact that she had to leave him to Barsa. He just seems a bit adorable and lost, but I do wonder what the powers of manifestation within him would be. I mean, the power conjured out by the boy when they were drowning was in a state where Chagumu was completely unconscious. Hence, I do wonder what things or powers would be emitted from him.

The OP was done by L Arc En Ciel but to be honest, I was not too fond of it. I felt nothing for it but I think it might be the kind of song that will grow on me when I listen to it more. For now, the first listen gave me nothing. I do need to listen to the ED again since I skipped it to write this entry out.

Anyway, I will follow this series at least for a few episodes as it fit my expectations, albeit with the first episode telling very little of everything. It’s a good starting point though.

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