Mermaid Forest: Quest for Death, Vol. 1

Legend has it that eating mermaid flesh conveys immortality. Yuta, a young fisherman, unwittingly ate mermaid flesh over 500 years ago and watched as his fellow diners perished horribly or turned into mutated monsters while he inexplicably remained untouched. Now, Yuta just wants to grow old and die like the rest of humanity, so he wanders the world tracking rumors of mermaids, hoping it's true that only a mermaid can restore mortality. Unfortunately, as Yuta discovers, there are gaps in the legend, and the mermaids--who are more monster than human--cannot or will not help him. But Yuta finds new purpose after rescuing an imprisoned immortal woman named Mana from the mermaids' own cruel traditions of harvesting flesh, and the pair search together for a means to return to normal life, following gossip and stories. Based on one of Rumiko Takahashi's earlier manga series, this richly animated adaptation is decidedly darker and more gruesome than her customary comedies, making the 16-up rating apt. While Yuta and Mana's plight in this first of four dual-language discs seems more sketched in than deeply explored, the occasionally compelling stories offer variety from the customary subgenres within anime. Recommended. [Note: Mermaid Forest, Vol. 2 is slated for release on Sept. 20, with Vol. 3 debuting on Nov. 15.] Aud: P. (R. Brenner)