Around 1995, Japanese animation (anime) began pouring into North America, Europe and across the globe in video form. Most of these titles were unknown outside of Japan and never covered by animation journals. Whether a title is highly popular or very obscure, a high quality theatrical feature or a cheap and unimaginative direct-to-video release, they all look the same on a store shelf. Therefore, Animation World Magazine will regularly review several new releases (including re-releases not previously covered) that have merit.

High-quality animation, action and suspense are highlights of Chrono Crusade, but its techno babble and Catholic doctrine/Celtic spiritualism mishmash confuse the viewer.

Chrono Crusade. V.1, A Plague of Demons. V.2, Holy War. V.3, The World, the Flesh and the Devil. V.4, The Devil to Pay. V.5, Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea. V.6, Devil’s Advocate. V.7, Hellfire.
TV series (24 episodes), 2003-2004. Director: Koh Yuh. V.1-3, four episodes/100 minutes; V.4-7, three episodes/75 minutes. Price & format: DVD bilingual $29.98. Distributor: A.D.V. Films.

Gonzo Digimation produces some of the best demonic anime TV series. Chrono Crusade, based on the manga by Daisuke Moriyama, ran for 24 episodes from November 25, 2003 through June 10, 2004. It has more humor and is lighter in mood (at least in early episodes) than Gonzo’s notorious Hellsing; an adolescent (age-rated 15+) thriller more than a horror shocker.

The setting is a fantasy version of Prohibition-era America where Black Magic works. The DVD extras include “history lessons” to give viewers a crash course on 1920s America; New York’s brand-new skyscrapers and Model T Fords, Grand Central Station and railroads rather than cars as the means of cross-country transportation, Prohibition and organized crime, Colt .45 revolvers and Thompson submachine guns. It is fascinating to see American history as summarized by Japanese animators using Japanese terminology (they refer to “the Golden Twenties” rather than “the Roaring Twenties”).

Real history is not separated from fake history. America between the end of World War I and the Great Depression was a period of prosperity. Easy wealth plus public disapproval of Prohibition led to giddy hedonism, which included thrill-seeking devil worship. Amateur Satanists were invariably sloppy with their summoning spells, and powerful demons got loose to wreak havoc. To counter this, the American churches formed the Order of Magdalene, a sort of pan-Christian Interpol to exorcise demons wherever they appeared. Visually, the Order of Magdalene is about 98% Roman Catholic, with uniforms based upon the Catholic Church’s most elaborate vestments plus additional frills. Commando squads of priests and nuns armed with guns loaded with silver bullets or hollow bullets filled with chrism (holy oil) race to sites under demonic assault.

Rosette Christopher is a 16-year-old Magdalene novitiate who is exceptionally trigger-happy and excitable. She always destroys the demons she is assigned to exorcise, but usually with considerable property damage. Her assistant, Chrono, looks like a meek, friendly 12-year-old boy but is admittedly a demon himself. Sister Kate, the superior at Magdalene’s New York office, considers Rosette and Chrono totally inappropriate to be members of the Order, but is not allowed to expel them. The reason why, and how Rosette has come to control such a powerful devil as Chrono, are blatant mysteries to hook viewers from the first episode.

In episode #3 the third main character appears — Asmaria Hendric, a child Apostle with Heavenly powers of healing. Demons want to kidnap her to milk her of God’s powers, so Rosette is assigned to escort her safely to the Order’s convent for protection. The bonding that develops leads to Asmaria’s becoming a permanent partner of Rosette and Chrono in the really serious adventure that runs from episode #5 to the end of the series.

Gonzo’s TV animation is always high quality. On an episode-by-episode basis, the first 3/4 of Chrono Crusade is action-packed and suspenseful. The scenario is original and imaginative, although the more technobabble that is added about the seven Virtues and the nine classes of Angels and lines of Astral Force, the more ridiculous it becomes. It is obvious that Gonzo’s writers have just superficially mashed Catholic doctrine and Celtic spiritualism together, with many “huh!?” developments such as the discovery of the tomb of Mary Magdalene in Michigan.

Viewers can reasonably expect character development and an exciting conclusion. Unfortunately, they don’t get it. Some questions are answered, but not all. Rosette remains carelessly impetuous, and devolves from a feisty fighter to a damsel who needs rescuing. The first two DVDs are recommended as high-quality and mostly stand-alone episodes. But do not get too involved in the story, and decide for yourself how much further to go into the series with this warning.