Rave Master User Reviews

Overview

Rave Master (written by Hiro Mashima and directed by Takashi Watanabe) is about Haru Glory's journey to find the Rave (basically a magical jewel, or maybe it's jewels because there's more than one) to save the world from Demon Card. Before he embarks on his journey, Haru has a fateful encounter with a dog named Plue and an old man named Shiba. When his home, Garage Island, was destroyed by Demon Card, he bids his sister, Cattleya, farewell, but he promises her that he will come back home.

On his journey, he meets a brunette, Elie, who is looking for her memories. He also promises to help her. Haru, Elie, and Plue meet several characters and befriend them after solving their conflicts. They fight with their lives at stake to save their family, friends, and the whole world from the evil organizations who use Dark Bring (counterpart magical jewel that is evil).

Main Characters (Brief)

Haru Glory - The Rave Master who is a teenage boy, and he is very optimistic and determined in keeping his promises.

Plue - A carrot-nosed dog, who leads Haru to the Rave, loves lollipops.

Elie - A girl, has a mysterious past, loves gambling.

Hamrio Musica - A thief, uses Silver Claiming, seeks the Silver Ray.

Griffon Kato - A lecherous, jelly-like, gourd-shaped, talking...animal? who creates maps and owns a bunny-like horse-driven cart.

(See more on the Anime's wiki page)

Review

Audience: Even though it's shounen style, I recommend this to both males and females age 10 and up. As the series progresses into tragic and tear jerking moments, the audience has to have thicker skin for it.

How it all started

If you read the manga or haven't yet, the first few episodes start very differently from the manga. I feel that the manga started the series better. In the anime, Haru and Plue meet Elie in episode 1 at the casino, and he encounters Shuda in the following episode. As a result, Haru's origin story is explained in a flashback. Compared to the manga, Haru's story begins in Garage Island where he meets Plue and his enemy Shuda afterwards. For the manga, there is no flashback.

Story Arcs and its Faithfulness to the Manga's Story Line

I strongly believe that the best story arc in the anime is the Tower of Din arc due to its tragic and tear jerking stories of how two friends lost their loved ones in an argument over what is right and what is wrong. Even though King has committed awful deeds such as murdering Gale's wife, I am sympathetic with him since the misery of losing his family causes him to do it. The worst story arc is the Musica arc because it is too long and drawn out due to Haru's battle with Lance. I just want the battle to end quickly since Haru swings his sword like a mad child endlessly and too many things were stalling.

Funny Moments

Memorable and Tearful Moments

As for its faithfulness, the anime has never diverted from the manga's story line. It's too bad that the anime was cancelled before the story is halfway to completion. The anime did a good job of wrapping up the end despite the ambiguities and cliffhangers about the two remaining Raves, Elie's past, the Silver Ray, and the future of the young heroes and heroine.

A Romantic Relationship

Flaws

Plue can't get enough

Ever since I viewed the anime cliches forum, I picked a lot from this series. It is a shounen series that emphasizes friendship, promises, and life (except dreams). Like Hiro Mashima's other works, Fairy Tail, it follows the same pattern. Anime Cliches are a mysterious girl who has amnesia, big swords, spiky hair characters, perverts, and more. No big eaters in this show unless you count Plue, who chomps down a warehouse of lollipops.

Censorship: A few episodes have been toned down (in the English version) to delete alcoholism, breasts shots and close-ups, and beatings of Elie by Julius.

• Episode 4 - Edit out close-up of guns, edit out people dying
• Episode 9 - Elie's breasts shot is deleted.
• Episode 34 - Edit out close-up of guns, edit some scenes of people dying
• Episode 49 - Abuse of Elie is replaced with flashbacks of Elie using Etherion

Note: These episode links will lead to detailed plot summaries that have plenty of evidence.

Music

The music is unforgettable and comes out at the right time for the right mood. Every time, when Haru takes a decisive action, the music becomes dramatic and spine tingling.

Animation

I am not an expert or a stickler on animations. The drawing of the characters' faces are good and better than its manga counterpart. The reasons are that the anime has the characters looking more mature than its childish-looking manga counterparts.

Lasting Appeal

I watched this series twice in total. During my middle school years, I watched in Toonami. Then I watched this series again due to wiki project (May 2011-July 2011) with a partner. I remembered loving the series when I was a teenager. When I watched the series for wiki work, I enjoyed it less and picked up censorship and differences between the Japanese and the English versions.

In truth, Rave Master can be enjoyed twice. (more if I decide to re-watch with my future offspring)

Why watch it?

• At least one character (In my case, Plue) has you captivated
• Adventures filled with action, comedy, and tragedies
• Awesome romance between the main protagonists
• A powerful display of determination and friendship.

Rave Master gets four stars out of five.