Arrangement

The broadcast series Melody of Oblivion (2004) is set decades after humanity lost a war to powerful, carnivorous monsters. People go about their daily lives, unaware that monsters control the world and demand frequent sacrifices of human children. High school student Bocca wants to become one of the Warriors of Melos who fought the monsters. Encounters with Sayoko, a runaway girl, and the warrior Kurofune lead to the discovery of his hidden abilities: A tatoo appears on his arm, from which he draws magical arrows to use against the monsters. Director Hiroshi Nishikori and his artists use color, cutting and visual imagination to infuse some excitement into the familiar plot elements. But the creative touches have to be balanced against the gratuitous "fan service" cleavage shots, and the resulting series is both interesting and frustrating. (Rated 16 and older: violence, violence against women, risqué humor, brief nudity, grotesque imagery) --Charles Solomon