Ah, the evergreen question: how will a piece of anime, in this case an OVA, stand up on its own merits if someone has no familiarity with the manga or light novel on which it's based? Will it be sufficiently self-contained, or will something be missing from the viewing experience? Truthfully, I've no doubt that the source material is richer, and more fleshed out, and I would surely love to check it out if I had the opportunity. It's also true, however, that in its fantastical blend of violent action and definite touches of horror in a period setting, 'Puppet princess' is low-key spellbinding, and a great deal of fun in no time at all. It's a fairly simple story, really, of a lone princess, the ninja she hires for aid, the tyrannical lord against whom she seeks vengeance - and her very special talents. That's all it needs to be, however, and the result is that these forty-two minutes are unexpectedly strong and worthwhile.
It's small but delightful (and gnarly), boasting all the qualities we routinely anticipate of anime. Only recently have I begun to dip my toes into Japanese animation, yet in so doing I'm firmly of the mind that artists from the Land of the Rising Sun far outpace their counterparts elsewhere, and if anything even more so in subsequent years. With a predominant 2D style no less, it should be said. This little flick from 2000 is no exception, as TMS Entertainment treats us to all the splendor we suppose. With tinges of stylization for flair, we get eyefuls of outstanding detail and texture in every background and environment, terrific character designs, fluid and exciting action, sharp consideration for lighting, shading, and color, and more. The minutiae that round out Miyashita Junichi's screenplay are as imaginative as they are often horrifying, and seeing these brought to life in the visual experience is a real pleasure as a viewer.
Those minutiae include a very complicated parent-child relationship, a level of cruelty and despotism that extends beyond the narrative's decided villain, and whimsical creations that in and of themselves are rather fascinating. I can't help but wonder how much more grand this flick could have been if it were expanded into a full-length feature of even 80-90 minutes, but even when thusly truncated 'Puppet princess' is quite dazzling. As Wada Kaoru's flavorful music enhances the dark entertainment of the major violence, there's more to this than first meets the eye, even including tiny touches of humor. It's short, yes, and hardly a must-see, and in addition to the blood and gore I suppose there's a content warning due for a questionable scene of nudity. But him and haw as we may, 'Puppet princess' is highly enjoyable, and if one is receptive to fare of this nature then I'm pleased to give it my solid recommendation.
