The Three Musketeers

ThatAnimeSnob Mar 29, 2012

3.5

One of those classic series many of us older fans watched several years ago. Anime back then were not known much and even the most childish Japanese series was more interesting than the average cartoon. Although based on the famous story of the Three Musketeers, the events are very loosely based on the original book. It is a pretty silly version of the original masterpiece and I doubt it will even flick an eyebrow of the average Naruto or Bleach fan. If I could make a comparison, I’d say that the story drags a lot, takes out all the violent and the erotic parts and adds a lot of humor and some weird aspects to the characters that almost make them different people than in the book. The story feels original even if you are familiar of the sourse material but it is in no way as well planned or goes into social matters as the classic did. The cast is pretty much forgettable and it is only the nasty secret of Aramis that stands out to remember. Well, even that is nothing much if you have watched Urusei Yatsura or Ranma ½. But at least, as it usually goes with anime, even childish series have more story and “nasty” ideas that cartoons never dare to come close to. I tell you, the way Japs keep altering historical stories is almost scary. It took me a lot of time to get used to the silly anime look of the characters. A lot more for the other anime of the same story, where the Musketeers were dogs. What can I say, compared to the Victorian image you may have in your minds about the way things looked and heard back then, this is total crap. I understand it is just a kid’s series that wasn’t even originally aimed at European audience; but come on, how can you stand this run down version; Everything looks simple and cheap, characters move and behave in a Japanese manner, the epic swordfights suck and the political intrigue isn’t even there. Far less realism or even planning than what a simple series of today can offer.I do have fond childhood memories of this show but I’m afraid that objectively, this and all similar titles of its generation are now obsolete. I give them some credit for keeping us a good company back in those dry times, when the Internet and console games were still crude or too expensive to bother with. Beyond the sentimental value I can personally give, it is otherwise totally uninteresting by today’s standards. Many users keep telling me to rate old series based on the time they were aired and not by today’s point of view. Ok, even if I do that the show is still not going to be enjoyable or get higher than the base in any category. Sadly, I will never bother watching it ever again, nor recommending it to others. It is boring and simple, and there are far bolder and interesting versions of it around; nuff said.SUGGESTION LIST Dogtanian and the Three MuskethoundsThe Rose of Versailles