Chrono Crusade: A Plague of Demons, Vol. 1

I'll admit it: the whole "nuns with guns" idea works for me (blame it on my Catholic school upbringing). This series chronicles the 1920s exploits of Sister Rosette Christopher, exorcist of the Magdalene Order, who battles devil worshippers and demons with the help of her assistant Chrono (an amiable demon bound to her by contract). In this first of seven discs, Rosette and Chrono are sent to rescue Azmaria Hendric, a kidnapped young singer--with the mystic power of healing--who is one of the Apostles spoken of in the (fictional) third prophecy of Fatima. Things are not played entirely straight here: besides being a tough, skilled fighter, Rosette is also an accident-prone, unladylike buxom blonde all of 16 years old, who loves it when she gets to wear a sexy evening gown while undercover. But the silliness is balanced by solid drama and fine action scenes, the animation and music are quite good, and the disc has worthwhile bonus features (character backgrounds, production sketches, etc.). While the English dub can be annoyingly shrill, the disc also features the original Japanese track. Rated 15-up, due to some grotesque violence and sacrilegious references, this is recommended for more adventurous anime collections. [Note: Chrono Crusade, Vol. 2 is also available, with Vol. 3 slated for release on Jan. 11.] Aud: P. (S. Raiteri)