Anime Reviews (2010-2019): Katana Maidens: Toji no Miko – Part One (a Neo-Tokyo 2099 Anime on Blu-ray review) (2018)

While the Blu-ray is a barebones release without any special features, “Katana Maidens: Toji no Miko – Part One” still worthy of a purchase for those who enjoy action-driven anime series.

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TITLE: Katana Maidens: Toji no Miko – Part One

TV SERIES: 2018

DURATION: 300 minutes

BLU-RAY INFORMATION: 1080p High Definition, English Dolby TrueHD 5.1, Japanese Dolby TrueHD 2.0, Subtitles: English

COMPANY: Funimation

RATED: TV 14

Release Date: March 26, 2018

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Director: Kakimoto Koudai

Series Composition: Takahashi Tatsuya

Original Character Design: Shizuma Yoshinori

Character Design by Yahiro Yuuko

Music by Hashimoto Yukari

Art Director: Sato Masaru

Produced by Genco

Anime Production: Studio Gokumi

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Featuring the following voice talent:

Waki Azumi/Bryn Apprill as Mai Yanase

Onishi Saori/Jeannie Tirado as Hiyori Juujou

Hondo Kaede/Sarah Wiedenheft as Kanami Etou

Suzuki Eri/Alexis Tipton as Eren Kohagura

Saito Chiwa/Amber Lee Connors as Princess Takiri

Yukino Satsuki/Anastasia Munoz as Iroha Gojou

Kino Hina/Apphia Yu as Sayaka Itomi

Park Romi/Caitlin Glass as Sana Maniwa

Itou Shizuka/Elisa Annette/as Minato Fujiwara

Fuchigami Mai/Felecia Angelle as Yomi Satsuki

Minase Inori/Jad Saxton as Yume Tsubakuro

Kitamura Eri/Jamie Marchi as Princess Ichikishima

Hidaka Rina/Janelle Lutz as Princess Tagitsu

Kawasumi Ayako/Jessica Cavanagh as Akane Origami

M.A.O./Jill Harris as Suzuka Konohana

Katelyn Barr as Yukari Origami

Izawa Kanomi/Kristi Kang as Rui Onda

Matsuda Risae/Lara Woodhull as Kaoru Mashiko

Taneda Risa/Madeleine Morris as Kagari Hiiragi

Hoshino Mitsuaki/Mark Stoddard as Richard Friedman

Ohwada Hitomi/Megan Shipman as Ayumu Uchizako

Nakahara Mai/Mikaela Krantz as Ema Hashima

Yukana/Trina Nishimura as Yukina Takatsu

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Protecting the world from supernatural beings has been the task of shrine maidens for centuries. Now, under special authorization of the government, these uniform-wearing, sword-wielding girls spend their days honing their skills at five special schools throughout the country. Among the many who attend, only the strongest can become champions at the annual tournament!

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“Toji no Miko” (Katana Maidens) is an anime series produced by Genco/Studio Gokumi and based on the manga by Saito Sakae, which was serialized originally on “Monthly Shonen Ace” back in 2017.

A 24-episode anime series was released from January through June 2018 and now the first 12 episodes will be released on Blu-ray courtesy of Funimation.

The anime series revolves around school students who are active in kenjutsu and compete.  These students are “Toji” (shrine maidens who wield swords) and they train to one-day serve in the police force that are called upon to exorcise creatures known as “aradama”.

Eto Kanami and Yanase Mai both attend Minoseki Academy and both are chosen to represent the school at a national tournament.

As the others meet several students from other schools, Kanami observes a stoic girl named Jujo Hiyori of the Heijou Institute.

As Kanami and Hiyori reach the finals, but while fighting, for some reason Hiyori is intent in assassinating the official observing the match, Origami Yukari.  While Origami’s bodyguards protect her, Hiyori is on the run and Kanami decides to help her.

This causes great concern to Origami Yukari, the current head of the Origami Family and the chief of the National Police Agency Special Sword Administration Bureau. Who wants them tracked down.

Meanwhile, Takatsu Yukina, the President of Renpu Girls School works outside of the rules and sends an assassin named Sayaka, a genius Toji to hunt them down.

Also, Kanami’s friend Mai wants to know why Kanami has joined Hiyori!

Can Kanami and Hiyori survive on the run and why did Hiyori try to assassinate the chief of the National Police Agency Special Sword Administration Bureau?

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VIDEO:

“Katana Maidens: Toji no Miko – Part One” is presented in 1080p High Definition and the anime series is is vibrant and characters are well-drawn and shaded, art backgrounds are also well-done. Action scenes are also well-done and for the most part, the TV series looks great in HD!

AUDIO & SUBTITLES:

“Katana Maidens: Toji no Miko – Part One” is presented in Japanese DolbyTrue HD 2.0 and English Dolby TrueHD 5.1. Both soundtracks are fantastic (but with the English soundtrack having an edge due to the 5.1 treatment) and are well-acted. Dialogue and music are both crystal clear through the center, front and surround channels.

Subtitles are in English.

SPECIAL FEATURES:

“Katana Maidens: Toji no Miko – Part One” comes with no special features:

EXTRAS:

Both the Blu-ray and DVD versions of the “Katana Maidens: Toji no Miko – Part One” are included on this Blu-ray release. Plus a Funimation Digital Code is included.

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While watching “Katana Maidens: Toji no Miko – Part One”, I have to admit that the first thing to mind was the “Divergent” film series.  About people on the run from corruption and their own friends or fellow soldiers hunting them down.

In the case of “Katana Maidens”, the series has its similarities to “Divergent” in which Kanami and Hiyori are “Toji” and they are on the run and other Toji, friends and antagonists trying to hunt them down or trying to learn why they are on the run and why Hiyori tried to assassinate the head of the National Police Agency Special Sword Administration Bureau.

And we start to watch with each encounter with other Toji, whether or not they will join or fight against them.

For the most part, the first seven episodes does a good job of character development, showing us who are friends and who will be foes until getting to the eighth episode which shows how the destinies of these young ladies are linked and what transpired long ago.

And which leads them into an even greater battle.

While this series is part one and more or less is a character establishing arc, I’m looking forward to seeing how the story progresses for the second half of the series.

While the Blu-ray is a barebones release without any special features, “Katana Maidens: Toji no Miko – Part One” still worthy of a purchase for those who enjoy action-driven anime series.

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