Finally, a post dedicated to my beloved Kaze no Stigma, after months. Since I wasn’t able to post a formal review of the series in its entirety, I think now is but the time to do so.

The “Tsun” Side

Kaze no Stigma started out as a potential epic. We have an antihero as the main lead, once regarded as a weakling by his very own family, but comes back with a vengeance, as a powerful Wind Contractor stronger than anyone ever imagined. Early on, we see hints of his tragic past, but we never saw him delight in angst (that is, until the last “arc”). He learned from all these experiences, evident in the very principles he imparted to both Ayano and Ren early on in the series. I remember Tj praising Kaze no Stigma when it first started, pointing out the GAR Kazuma as one of the biggest factors which makes this series enjoyable.

All was great at the beginning. In the Fuuga arc, we see the topic of elementals and principles of power being delved upon, how the weak wind can surpass the supposedly strongest elemental of flame, how the strong feeds on the weak. In the Misao arc, the appearance of Michael Harley proved to be a nifty foreshadowing to the tragedy that befell Kazuma’s lover Tsuoi Rin. But just when you thought everything was going all smooth… you suddenly see a humongous turtle make its appearance in the Tsuwabuki arc.

I have no complaints about the turtle, no matter how random that creature’s appearance was. What I disliked most about this part of the series is how it didn’t contribute to the plot development at all. There is not a single connection between the Tsuwabukis and the Almagest, or the death of Tsuoi Rin for that matter, which simply shows how this entire arc was solely intended for showing Ren’s character development. I don’t have anything against Ren, but I really think the anime could’ve done without the episodes focused on him.

After this, the animators decided to take a break from the main plot, and switched to short-stories filler mode, which proved to be enjoyable, albeit butchered. They could’ve spent their time wisely in the course of the episode fillers, like devising something ingenious to correct the flaws of the novel, but no they didn’t. They decided to stick to the original novel’s plot, with Wernhard and Tsuoi Rin, and never succeeded in gaining back the glory it had at the start. The topic of elementals was sort of forgotten as well, as we see the series focus on the world of the Pandemonium and real-life RPG.

A Deeper Look at the Novel

Having read the novels, I’d say Kaze no Stigma isn’t fit to become an anime, not unless major changes are done to the storyline, particularly the Tsuwabuki arc and onwards. From what I can see, the author himself had dilemmas in devising the entire plot, uncertain as to what direction it’s going to take the series, after the Misao arc. GONZO likewise suffered from the same dilemma, and even worse. It was confused right from the start, avoiding showing all the gore and the dark Kazuma, butchering them together with the exciting parts of the book, yet “sticked” to the novel’s overall plot up until the end. As such, it made the not-so-outstanding series, even more lackluster and crappier.

The “Dere” Side

After all this badmouthing, you’ll find it hard to believe that I still love Kaze no Stigma. I guess I owe that to reading the novels? The series has its flaws, made even worse by the anime which didn’t give it justice, but it also has its “moments”, which will forever be engraved in my mind. The entire ride with this series was pretty bumpy, yet despite how it turned out a mediocre series with an unresolved ending, that didn’t ruin my enjoyment for the series. This brings me back to what Owen also mentions at the start of his 12 Days of Christmas post, highlighting the difference between people who read or watch series for the “moment” rather than the “resolution”.

Despite its mediocrity, Kaze no Stigma is definitely not forgettable. I remember reading an article on the net mentioning how he/she found Kazuma x Ayano as a typical anime couple, and the show forgettable over all, which completely differs from my opinion (the site isn’t available anymore, the last time I checked =| ). They might seem like your stereotype couple, with the tsundere Ayano and the cool Kazuma, but as we’ve seen throughout the series, their antics prove to be one of the most refreshing and unforgettable aspects of the series.

The author might have failed in terms of delivering an epic story, but it certainly succeeds in bringing out the chemistry between these two. This couple has found its way to my “greatest couples of all time” list, whom I regard as the most kickass and powerful couple, ever since Fullmetal Panic’s Chidori x Sousuke, whose antics are something I look forward to every time (which is what I love about the Ignition short story novels, Kazuma x Ayano antics <33).

Aside from these two, the author also managed to bring life to the other characters in the show, that even the side characters Yukari and Nanase grew to become endearing characters.

I still am, and will forever be a Kaze no Stigma fan~ :3 Having read the novel immensely contributes to the overall enjoyment of the series, otherwise the anime is very much "incomplete" in itself.

If I were to rate the anime, I'd give it a 3.0. Deduct a 0.5 if you don't like Kazuma x Ayano or the emo-turned Kazuma, and perhaps another 0.5 if you didn't like the filler episodes.

For some KnS updates… the 5th Ignition novel has been released last December 20, with more interesting Kazuma x Ayano-centric chapters (like this chapter with a Black Kazuma vs White Kazuma). I have yet to get hold of this volume, but I have to go make a review / summary of Ignition volume 4 first… =[

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