"Witch Hunter Robin" Not Exactly Be-Witching Me!

After finally catching up on what I own of "Fairy Tail," I decided to check out a classic.  I spent most of today watching "Witch Hunter Robin," which Hubby Christopher Wanamaker purchased for me at Katsucon 2012.  "Witch Hunter Robin" is a Japanese anime series created by Sunrise. It follows the STN-J, the Japanese branch of a secret global organization called "SOLOMON" or the "Solomon Toukatsu Nin'idantai" (roughly "Solomon Executive Organization"), abbreviated as "STN".  Solomon  fights the harmful use of witchcraft using a database of witches, which includes those who have obtained the power of witchcraft through genetics and others who carry the gene (called "seeds") in order to arrest or eliminate them should their powers "awaken". The series focuses on one STN-J member, Robin Sena. 
Robin Sena is a "craft user", born in Japan and raised by the Roman Catholic Church in Italy. She is trained to use her craft of fire to hunt down witches. Witchcraft is a genetic trait, dormant within a number of individuals within the human population. Powers can be "awakened" in these dormant human "seeds" at any time, which seems to also drive the awakened witch into various forms of homicidal madness or sociopathy. Trained hunters, craft-users or "seeds" themselves that have not become full witches, are needed to keep watch over "seeds" and hunt those whose abilities become active, serving in secret organizations, such as the parent branch "Solomon" and the "STN-J" branch in Japan, as self-appointed witch police to curtail the use of witchcraft in society, and to keep the witch kind a secret from the public. Even the police, who cooperate with STN-J in abnormal criminal cases, do not know what STN-J does.
The series begins when Robin arrives in Japan to gain information for Solomon headquarters about a fabled item that holds the "secrets of the craft", while acting undercover as a new hunter to the STN-J in their efforts to capture witches. It is hinted that she subconsciously understands something of the STN-J's use of Orbo.
Orbo is a green liquid that negates witch abilities. STN-J's hunters carry small vials of it on necklaces in the shape of a cross as a form of protection against their targets' craft. Hunters also carry air pistols which fire darts or pellets of Orbo that dampen witch powers when it enters the bloodstream of the target witch. Hunters who are craft-users or seeds can use Orbo with little ill effects, although their own powers are reportedly diminished while using it. Robin, a craft-user herself, says that she will not keep Orbo on her because she says it is "disgusting" ("気持ち悪い" or "bad feeling" in japanese).
As the series goes on, Robin grows increasingly uncomfortable with her role in hunting and capturing other witches. She begins to question the treatment they receive while incarcerated in the mysterious "Factory". After the discovery of "secrets of the craft," she is entrapped and attacked twice by "witch bullets". Subsequently, the STN-J is attacked, presumably for "secrets of the craft," although the Solomon attack was carried out to find what Zaizen, the director of the STN-J, was planning.
Robin begins to worry that she will become a target and grows to suspect that her partner Amon will hunt her. Eventually, Robin does become a target of Solomon and labeled a witch, becoming "hunted". In the end, Robin finds out more about her craft and that of witches than she knew at the beginning.
Initially, the series appears to take a "monster of the week" approach. About halfway through the 26-episode season, the characters and the relationships between them are established and the main plot gets underway.
I'm not sure how to express my thoughts and feelings about this anime. I can't say I actually hated any of the characters, except for the old man (I think his name was Zaizen) who showed up in the last few episodes. I also cannot offer any protest with regard to the storyline progression.  I guess this is another one of those anime that falls under the "darker than normal" category, which I normally do not veer toward. (In spite of my love of "Black Butler").   Whether or not I will re-watch this in the future is something I have yet to sit down and consider.  In the meantime, I think I will finish today's anime marathon with "Kiki's Delivery Service, a "be-witching" anime movie I love! (And have previously blogged about!)

"Fairy Tail' Is A Dream Come True....So Far!

I spent most of yesterday watching Funimation's "Fairy Tail."  I only own the first 2 discs of the series, but at least 2 more volumes have already been released or slated for release.  I first learned of this show via the Funimation Channel (which was recently removed from the Verizon FiOS channel lineup! Damn!), and it piqued my interest enough for me to add it to my Wish List!  Hubby Christopher Wanamaker found the DVD/Blu Ray combo sets at Katsucon 2012!  (Thanks, Boo!)
"Fairy Tail"  follows the adventures of the celestial wizard Lucy Heartfilia after she joins Fairy Tail: "a certain guild in a certain town that soars high above the rest. One from which countless legends have been born; a guild that will no doubt continue to create legends well into the future" and partners with Natsu Dragneel, who is searching for the dragon Igneel.  Natsu aka "Salamander," is a Fairy Tail wizard and easily recognizable by his pink hair.  Natsu is the main male protagonist of the series.
Though to date, I've only watched 24 out of 124 episodes, I already find it to be highly interesting and entertaining.  I will admit, however, that it does focus quite a bit on fighting.  I have no problem with that, as it develops the storyline.  I did find one slightly annoying character--Happy, Natsu's blue feline partner. However, Happy also provided some comic relief, so that provided a balance to the annoying side of his personality.  Another character worthy of notice was Erza Scarlet, a  19-year-old S-Class wizard, who is usually tasked with performing extremely dangerous missions, and considered by many to be the most powerful female member of the guildcommon sense.  Scarlet was a little bossy, but still not a character to be hated.
I know that at least one more DVD of the series has been released, and I plan to get it when I attend Otakon this summer.  In the meantime, I can keep myself occupied by watching "Witch Hunter Robin," another title that was purchased for me at Katsucon!!!!!!!!!!!!