4 Star

Angel’s Versus the World

(Kazuya Aiura, Long Riders!, Super Cub) directs this exciting delve into the lives of Mana users, adapted from the light novel series, written by Kei Amagi and illustrated by Nino Ninomoto. These Mana users are all from high-born families of the last human city of Flandore. This is a tale of where a young girl’s heritage is put into question, and the consequences could be deadly.

Melida Angel (Brittney Karbowski, Fairy Tail, Summer Wars) is thirteen, and she is different from all the other high-born girls of her school St. Friedswiede. All the others began to show their skills at wielding their Mana at seven years old, now Melida is the butt of all the jokes as her alleged friend Nerva (Alyssa Marek, Shirobako, Secret Lies of the Gossip Teen) likes to point out all the time. This discrepancy in Melida being able to manifest her abilities, has caused much debate in the upper echelons about Melida’s parenting, the rumour is that her mother had an affair, and Melida is the product of that union. If this is the truth, then Melida must die.

This is where Kufa Vampir (Gabriel Regojo, Made in Abyss, Devils Line) comes in. A young gentleman with incredible skill, he is brought in to be Melida’s tutor and find out the truth of Melida’s lack of Mana skills. His demeanour allows Melida to instantly take to him as her new tutor. Although Melida has no Mana powers she trains harder than all the other students, even to going out at night independently slaughtering evil lycanthropes, all orchestrated by her grandfather Lord Mordrewd, hoping to kickstart her powers. It is on one of these night patrols when Melida confronts the Lycanthropes that she gets into trouble. All this is seen by Kufa, who concludes that she is the illegitimate daughter and thus by his guild he must kill her, but he struggles because this young girl is a true fighter and he cannot bring himself to carry through his orders. Instead, he comes up with his own risky plan, whilst she is unconscious he passes her a potion, in the way of a kiss. The next morning, Melida awakes in her bed, and her Mana has awakened.

But Melida and Kufa are now aligned, and this is still a dangerous situation, as people are now curious about Melida’s new powers, as they are not the Paladin powers expected. Can the truth be found? Can Melida’s lineage be certified? And can they fend off the Guild Grimfice, who are out to wreak havoc wherever there is discourse?

Assassins Pride is a cracking anime, OK it’s about young love, and a coming-of-age story, but with great animation and the storyline is solid, well worth the money for this Collector’s Edition. A great way to get into the anime scene.

Assassins Pride Collector’s Edition is available on [Blu-ray]