Fall 2020 Anime: Noblesse

Synopsis

Raizel awakens from his 820-year slumber. He holds the special title of Noblesse, a pure-blooded Noble and protector of all other Nobles. In an attempt to protect Raizel, his servant Frankenstein enrolls him at Ye Ran High School, where Raizel learns the simple and quotidian routines of the human world through his classmates. However, the Union, a secret society plotting to take over the world, dispatches modified humans and gradually encroaches on Raizel’s life, causing him to wield his mighty power to protect those around him… (Source: Crunchyroll)

Comments

Before watching Noblesse, it is highly advised to watch its ONA Noblesse: Awakening first. It’s because the first episode of Noblesse is the continuation of the ONA. The characters and the basic story are mostly introduced in the ONA, while the first episode of Noblesse is about the daily life of Raizel. As a supernatural being who had woken up from his 820-years sleep, Raizel tries to learn about the world and blend with the current society.

The episode focuses on the aftermath of Raizel’s fight against the Union in the ONA. Watching this episode without watching the ONA could make the overall narrative feels unclear. Raizel doesn’t feel like the main character at all. He is more like a passive bystander who observes what happens around him rather than a character with a sense of urgency. There is some foreshadowing about what will happen next but it could feel dull without context from the ONA.

Fortunately, the episode still has action scenes. They aren’t as bombastic as the ONA but it executed quite well enough. The key staff from the ONA are still working in this anime so viewers can expect great action scenes to come in the later episode.

Overall as the supposedly “first episode”, Noblesse’s first episode is not really doing a good job for introducing the character and conflicts. The ONA Noblesse: Awakening is actually where the story begins. So if you’re interested in this anime, watching the ONA is almost necessary. That’s where we can see the full potential of the anime,

Facts and Figures

Screenshots and Trailer

The Indonesian Anime Times