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Information

Title (English) Hiou's Windup Dolls Military Commentaries

Title (Japanese) Karakuri Kiden Hiou Senki

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Fantasy Novel

Notes

Classification -

Synopsis A bunch of kids from an extended family who are craftsmen in the field of wooden-geared devices, led by Hiou, the hero of the story, enter a hidden cave in which they find what looks like a Chinese mobile war tower that can transform into a wooden geared fighting mecha. At the same time their village is pillaged by a band of ronin who are led by another ( bad ) kid who uses various steam-powered mecha animals. Hiou activates the war tower in order to save his older sister who has tried to distract the bad guys by flying overhead in a paper and wood, expandable hang glider, which results a "cliff hanger" in the very first episode.

Review I just had the chance to watch a new and surprisingly entertaining NHK anime called "Karakuri Kiden Hiou Senki", ( aka, "Hiou's Windup Dolls Military Commentaries" ). This show, which comes on Tuesday nights just after "Da!Da!Da!" is set in the second half of the 19th century in Japan and is sort of "Rouroni Kenshin" meets "Sakura Taisen" meets "Pinnochio".
Although this sounds like any other shounen mecha fantasy, the first show had a lot of wit and energy to it. For example, Hiou doesn't carry a sword or a knife - instead he carries a wrench! The villagers also use little wind-up wooden dolls, like the one in the opening to "Key", as miniature fighting mechas. Overall, the show also has a reasonable balance of humor and seriousness. The background animation is very good, but the character animation is very plain, almost "sparse". The music is also okay, with a strange, almost "Swing" like tom-tom beat opening theme. All-in-all, I find "Karakuri Kiden" to be one of the more interesting kids shows of the new season and I've already asked my friend to continue to tape it for me.
Dave Baranyi

Credits

Episodes 26

Release

TV Showing See the whole series for free? This series may be syndicated to regional cable, satellite or terrestial TV stations. For Europe click here.

Date 2000

Production Bones, NHK2

Broadcaster

Animation

References & Help Look up the latest data on this title at:
Richard Llewellyn's Animated Divots, or
Anime News Network (see Encyclopedia section) ,
or in "The Anime Encyclopedia" (Clements & McCarthy, Stone Bridge Press, 2001).
Help & further information.

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Information
Title (English)	Hiou's Windup Dolls Military Commentaries
Title (Japanese)	Karakuri Kiden Hiou Senki
Advertising Fantasy Novel
Notes
Classification	-
Synopsis	A bunch of kids from an extended family who are craftsmen in the field of wooden-geared devices, led by Hiou, the hero of the story, enter a hidden cave in which they find what looks like a Chinese mobile war tower that can transform into a wooden geared fighting mecha. At the same time their village is pillaged by a band of ronin who are led by another ( bad ) kid who uses various steam-powered mecha animals. Hiou activates the war tower in order to save his older sister who has tried to distract the bad guys by flying overhead in a paper and wood, expandable hang glider, which results a "cliff hanger" in the very first episode.
Review	I just had the chance to watch a new and surprisingly entertaining NHK anime called "Karakuri Kiden Hiou Senki", ( aka, "Hiou's Windup Dolls Military Commentaries" ). This show, which comes on Tuesday nights just after "Da!Da!Da!" is set in the second half of the 19th century in Japan and is sort of "Rouroni Kenshin" meets "Sakura Taisen" meets "Pinnochio". Although this sounds like any other shounen mecha fantasy, the first show had a lot of wit and energy to it. For example, Hiou doesn't carry a sword or a knife - instead he carries a wrench! The villagers also use little wind-up wooden dolls, like the one in the opening to "Key", as miniature fighting mechas. Overall, the show also has a reasonable balance of humor and seriousness. The background animation is very good, but the character animation is very plain, almost "sparse". The music is also okay, with a strange, almost "Swing" like tom-tom beat opening theme. All-in-all, I find "Karakuri Kiden" to be one of the more interesting kids shows of the new season and I've already asked my friend to continue to tape it for me. Dave Baranyi
Credits
Episodes	26
Release
TV Showing	See the whole series for free? This series may be syndicated to regional cable, satellite or terrestial TV stations. For Europe click here.
Date	2000
Production	Bones, NHK2
Broadcaster
Animation
References & Help	Look up the latest data on this title at: Richard Llewellyn's Animated Divots, or Anime News Network (see Encyclopedia section) , or in "The Anime Encyclopedia" (Clements & McCarthy, Stone Bridge Press, 2001). Help & further information.