Soul Eater: Part One

That’s when Soul transforms – literally – into a razor-sharp scythe, and every defeated wicked soul he sucks down makes him more deadly. That’s when Maka unleashes the merciless slayer within, wielding her partner and dropping monsters. Seriously. Monsters. Like the witches, werewolves, and zombies that lurk in the shadows and feed on the souls of the innocent. Every freakish ghoul Maka and Soul take out strengthens their bond, and fighting alongside their fellow Meister/Weapon classmates, Maka and Soul are the world’s last line of defense against evil.

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The comedy-fantasy Soul Eater (2008) takes place at the Death Weapon Meister Academy, a school run by the Grim Reaper to create pairs of fighters, one of whom transforms into a weapon wielded by a partner called a "Meister." Too-cool-for-school Soul turns into a scythe that fussy Maka uses; infinitely patient Tsubaki becomes a variety of weapons for motor-mouth assassin Black Star. The quartet must collect the souls of evil humans that could become the terrible demons called Kishin. They're joined by the Grim Reaper's powerful but addled son Death the Kid, who worships the principle of symmetry. The machinations of the evil witch Medusa balance the nuttiness with a serious threat. The mixture of freewheeling silliness, imaginative designs, and supernatural adventures may remind viewers of Gurren Lagann, but the artists push the visuals even further. The designs of Soul and Black Star are essentially collections of angles; the lumpy-looking sun and moon leer woozily from the sky as if they were just back from a prolonged binge. Not surprisingly, Professor Franken Stein looks like he was haphazardly sewn together from spare parts, but so do all his accessories, including his bento box. Otaku have eagerly awaited the American debut of Soul Eater, and the series has all the elements of a cross-Pacific hit. (Rated TV 14: violence, violence against women, risqué humor, nudity, alcohol and tobacco use) --Charles Solomon