[ Episode 7: Forgiveness ]

Huge amounts of info was given in this episode and a lot of it was pretty eye-opening. I would’ve never thought that the heavens had such an ugly beginning. Pretty much everything is explained right down to how the lower world and heavens were separated. Even so, it is a rather amazing place. Also, I’m guessing that Yumemi is one of those special people who bred Akuto in the past? It is a likely conclusion given all that was shown.

[ Episode 8: Not giving up ]

So it seems Yumemi does have some pretty useful powers. After all, she appeared to save her friends just in time in some ethereal-like form. Though of course, she had to go through a trial before she could do such a thing it seems. Also, I found it pretty hilarious how those two subordinates of Munto were assuming Yumemi split herself into three separate persons. I had no other choice but to think of the concept of the Trinity when they kept on rambling about it. I have to admit though, Munto is really one tough nut to crack. Holding back that pillar must have been extremely taxing on him. Kind of like being crushed in a pipe that’s slowly closing. Ouch. Anyway, Gntarl is up to no good obviously and is going to cause trouble in the finale. Though really I can’t see him doing too much damage since he just doesn’t seem to have the abilities to do so.

[ Episode 9: Love ]

And so it ends. It was a wonderful ride. Though I imagine some would disagree with me, especially if they saw the OVAs already. Anyway, the finale was pretty well done given that the pacing of the last few episodes were slightly faster than usual. Can’t say I say “hax Yumemi” coming though. Sure she has a lot of power/Akuto but I never imagined she’d be able to use it as offense. Poor Gntarl, he should’ve realised he stood no chance. Yumemi also seemed to be almost a different person when she was dishing out her monologue and blew away Gntarl. The same can be said about Munto as well. He seemed a lot more at ease than usual. Though I guess anyone would be if they were about to save two worlds from being destroyed. Maybe. I thought the last few scenes were done really well, especially the depiction of the two Earths joining together as one. Symbolism for the win!

In the end, Munto was a well-told tale of two worlds on the verge of destruction with each possessing a savior. It might not be an original setup but it is well-done. KyoAni never ceases to amaze me with their animation and Munto was no exception. I’m not sure what was reused and what was new stuff but they both looked great to me. The musical score was lovely and enough to make me want to hunt it down (that is if it uses the same soundtrack from the OVA). The same goes for the OP and ED themes. Most of all though, I wish that the TV series was longer. Anywhere from 12-13 episodes would’ve been a good point to stop, I think. That would have also helped flesh out more of the characters such as Ryuely, Leica, Gass and Munto’s subordinates. Hopefully the movie fills in that “gap” a bit, especially since I can’t help but wonder where Munto is and how the world is going to react to the Heavens now being visible and within reach. There is also that space-time distortion that hasn’t disappeared yet which no doubt will play a role in the upcoming movie.

I’d recommend Munto to newcomers in a heartbeat. It’s not the best fantasy series out there but it is enjoyable with its epic battles and interesting cast of characters. Those who already watched the OVAs will have to decide on if they want to (apparently) watch the same stuff all over again depending on if they’re a fan or not. Not to mention the movie is right around the corner.

[ Episode 6: Trust ]

FIREBAAAALLLLL!

I’ve come to love these action-packed episodes of Munto. The directing of the battles is astounding, especially when Munto, Leica, or Gass are involved. At this point, everyone on Earth should know about the floating island since their city was pretty much messed up. Not to mention Ichiko, Suzume, and the others saw Yumemi ascend into the sky with Munto. Speaking of which, it seems as if Yumemi’s powers can be described as an amplifier. Unless I’m mistaken, she gave Munto a huge power boost when they were crashing through space-time. Either way, that’s some crazy stuff. Also, I must say Munto’s subordinates are pretty damn cool and capable.

One thing I keep scratching my head over is Gass. How many lives does this guy have? He’s still hanging on and I can’t imagine how much more he has to give. He looks like he can die at any moment but I suppose he’ll do something big before that happens. If it happens anyway. Munto is still battling that one guy whose name I can’t remember and Yumemi is being guided to the Magic Kingdom. Anything can happen with so much chaos all over the place. So much is going on at the moment and I find it hard to believe that it can all be wrapped up in three episodes but I’ll just have to wait and see.

[ Episode 5: Hesitating ]

Doesn’t Yumemi’s neck get sore from looking up all the time?

So Yumemi is still fixated on the floating island and Munto. No surprise there, especially since she pretty much has first-class seats to Munto’s memories. Still, it is all a strain on her at the moment. Well, not only her but also Ichiko since she cares for her such a great deal. Near the end of the episode it seems as if Yumemi has made up her mind and will try to get involved in the conflict along side Munto. I’m still unsure of exactly what she can do aside from provide Akuto but I suspect that will probably be showcased in the next episode.

Also, if I’m not mistaken, it seems as if the OVA material is still ongoing and won’t be stopping until at least episode six or seven. That’s just a random guess on my part but either way I’m enjoying the hell out of this since it’s all new to me. There are only a few episodes left so I hope Munto is fleshed out more too since he’s shown fighting almost all the time.

[ Episode 4: Yearning ]

Did I mention that Ryuely is gorgeous incarnate? And also that Leica is one of the best supporting females of the year so far? Well, now I have.

WOW. Now that was an amazing episode. The majority of it took place in the Heavens while only briefly showing Yumemi and friends a year and a half later. Things seem to be alright in the Lower World but the Heavens are in total chaos even more than before. In fact, there is an all-out war going on that seemingly revolves around the abundance of Akuto that is now available. A lot more countries have been introduced, many that seemed to have been apart of the United Army before but abandoned it. Most of their Kings and Queens are shown going completely insane or just falling into ruin. Ender is one such country that has now formed an alliance with Munto thanks to Leica. From what I’ve seen of her so far she is quite the powerful woman and strong-willed, a type of female character that I feel isn’t in enough stories of today.

Old Gntarl is up to no good of course as his target has been confirmed to be Yumemi. He’s obviously trying to secure her ability to create Akuto so that he can reign supreme in the Heavens but his plans won’t go well at all thanks to Gass and Munto. Speaking of Gass, he’s a pretty damn cool guy. It’s a pity that he isn’t the Guardian of Space-Time anymore but he still seems to possess a ton of power. He didn’t look to be in good shape at the very end of the episode though but I hope he survives. Munto obviously needs to make up his mind as to what he wants to do if his kingdom is to survive and it looks like he’ll have no other choice but to do so in the next episode or two. He may not have wanted to summon Yumemi again but now that her safety is in jeopardy, he will have no other choice but to confront her and mention the ongoing war in the heavens.

Lastly, this episode’s animation was better than the previous three episodes. Characters seemed much sharper and the animation, partly during battles, was topnotch. Is this still OVA material or has the new material already begun? It’s hard to tell but I’m really enjoying this show and it has already become a top favorite of mine for the year. One thing I’m still wondering about though is whether this will be 13-episodes or more. Can the apparent epic scope of Munto really be squeezed into 13-episodes? I guess I’ll have to wait and see.

[ Episode 3: Confronting ]

Suzume looks so cute in that floating device!

That was a great episode! Kazuya and Suzume managed to complete their crossing of the riverbank with an audience. Munto and Yumemi also managed to come in contact with each other for a brief moment. Now, Kazuya and Suzume’s crossing of the riverbank still puzzles me somewhat. Is the fact that they managed to cross such a wide expanse of water a symbol of them overcoming a large ordeal? There didn’t seem to be anything special on the other side of the riverbank even though the teachers seemed to know something. Perhaps it was the exit of the town and they were assuming that Kazuya and Suzume were trying to run away? Though, if that was the case, they could have just used the bridge. For now I’ll just go with their trial representing their victory over an ordeal they had to complete together.

As for Munto and Yumemi, they were finally able to briefly connect both worlds! I’m rather surprised that that brief moment created enough Akuto to restore the Magical Kingdom’s pillars and Lady Ryuely’s sight. Still, I’m glad to see that their kingdom was saved and that the old guy got the shock of his life. For some reason though it seemed like this might have been the ending point for the previous OVAs, especially because of Yumemi’s monologue at the end of the episode. Even so, things still aren’t resolved since the opposition is still after the Magical Kingdom and now Yumemi. I can’t wait to see how that turns out. Though I wonder one thing, will either Yumemi or Munto ever cross into the other’s world?

[ Episode 2: Running Away ]

Yumemi must be getting pretty annoyed at getting blown off her feet every time Munto shows up.

Things are getting more interesting. Tons more interesting, to be exact. Kazuya is quite the guy from what we’ve seen and heard from him in this episode. Despite his appearance, he’s a pretty tough guy and for most of his life had to fend for himself. Fast-forward to now, and we find out that Suzume saved him from ending his life which pretty much led to them becoming a couple. I’m curious as to what this ‘future’ and ‘path’ he is talking about that he and Suzume are going to take. I’m not 100% sure exactly why they are crossing that river bank either, so I can’t wait to see what’s up with that in the next episode.

Yumemi is being quite resistant to Munto’s calls for help. Well, you can’t really blame the girl since some odd-looking red-haired guy is appearing out of nowhere and asking you to go with him to help save two worlds from destruction. It’s a bit difficult to swallow all at one time! I’m guessing that she may go with him in the next episode or two if this series really turns out to be 12/13 episodes in length. Furthermore, I’m really curious as to what Yumemi’s power consists of exactly. From what Munto said it seems like she can create Akuto but that’s a rough assumption I’m holding onto based on one line. I’m looking forward to seeing the battle between Munto and that ancient Akuto weapon as I have come to enjoy how battles are coordinated and animated in this show. I hope to see more of them as the series progresses.