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R2 DVD Reviews
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Written by maehara
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Tuesday, 30 October 2007 17:00 |
 Two years after the US version, Chrono Crusade finally gets its UK complete collection - although there's something not quite right with the pricing: the UK edition is twice the price of the US release. Even after you factor in shipping and possible customs charges, I can't help but feel we're getting a little stitched up there. On the plus side, this is one series where you may not mind paying the difference...
Chrono Crusade follows the adventures of a nun of the Magdalene Order, Rosette Christopher, and her rather unusual sidekick, Chrono. The setting is an alternate version of 1920's America, where the idle rich have gone one step beyond bootleg liquor and are now dabbling in demon summoning and worship. Where does the Magdalene Order come into this? With the approval of the authorities, they're the ones responsible for banishing or exorcising any demons who manage to break free of the control of their summoners - and we're not talking prayer circles here, we're talking heavy weaponry. Yes, it's nuns with guns - and with a demon for a sidekick, in the form of "fallen" demon Chrono.
Chrono Crusade is very much a show of two parts. The earlier portion of the series is an action-comedy, with mostly standalone episodes as Rosette and Chrono deal with demons large and small, leaving a trail of destruction in their wake. One of the basic pillars of the story - Rosette's search for her missing brother, Joshua - is also introduced here, but isn't initially paid a great deal of attention. It's all pretty light-hearted, and just the thing to draw you into the series in an unthreatening way, while making sure that all the major characters get a decent introduction. So far, so good.
The first appearance of demon-amongst-demons Aion, however, marks the beginning of a change into something altogether darker and more emotional. Aion's the demon behind Joshua's disappearance, and he's got grand plans to unleash hell upon Earth - or at least, that's what we're led to believe. With an army of willing minions he's got no real need to get involved in dealing with Rosette himself initially, but as the story progresses he begins to play more and more of a part in events, and the more you see of him the more death and destruction our good guys have to deal with. As an added complication, Chrono used to be Aion's partner-in-crime, and would have a score to settle with him even if it weren't for his burning desire to protect Rosette.
By the final third of the series, the show has completed its transition into what's almost a love story - especially as far as Rosette's concerned, but also for some of the other characters who each have their own special someone to be fighting for. The comedy almost disappears, and by the final episodes even Aion's presence is less of a direct threat and more something to facilitate what Rosette and Chrono are going through. It's certainly not what I expected to see when starting the series off, but the change is done so well that you barely notice it until you've watched the episodes and think back to what you've seen.
The end result is a series that really is a must-see, despite its fairly low-brow beginnings. It just gets better and better as it goes on, with plenty of background material given for each of the characters making sure you get a good feel for them and can develop some sort of attachment to them. It's very well-presented as well - no surprise, given it's a GONZO series - with some great action scenes and a decent soundtrack. The only thing that holds me back from giving the UK release a whole-hearted recommendation in that price - with other companies (well, Revelation mainly) trying to reign in the price disparity between the UK and US, it's really disappointing to see ADV UK stick the arm in like this - there's no excuse in this day and age for and release to be fully twice the price of the US version. If you can play R1 releases, import the US version - it's fully worth the price paid. Online discounts will get you the UK version for around £52 - that's still steep in my eyes, but Chrono Crusade is so good that if you've got no other way, it's worth the outlay. But only just.
If you want the full episode summaries & screenshots, check the reviews of the individual discs. The complete collection comes on five discs as opposed to the original release's seven, but there are no other changes to the show itself.
» Volume 1: A Plague of Demons
» Volume 2: Holy War
» Volume 3: The World, the Flesh and the Devil
» Volume 4: The Devil to Pay
» Volume 5: Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea
» Volume 6: Devil's Advocate
» Volume 7: Hellfire
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