Both about people who strives to live in balance with nature. Though Agito takes more drastic ways to fight for nature than Arjuna.

Both teaches respect towards nature and more conscious ways of living. Though Mushishi relies more on mystery.

byneoaptt on2018-01-21 07:07

Seems like an ad for the japanese environmental protection agency. Really meta and environmentally conscious show.

bycikora on2015-10-16 19:08

Teaches, makes you remember great and simple aspects of life, importance of life in balance with nature. Shows how people "sleep" while awake. Makes you question your own ways of life and reflect on current society.
Though not all aspects are shown as a whole, still makes you to ponder.

bysabraen on2013-09-30 12:58

An interesting and catching show dealing with a question of the nature preservation through competing the lifestyle of modern humankind.

Although the concept itself is good and nice, the execution suffers from numerous flaws. Firstly, the story is nice (yet of little originality), but the pacing is too rushed paying insufficient attention to single parts of the show. Secondly, it's overly green mahou shoujo using extrema while describing the civilization and its problems resulting into the tunnel view.

Despite great OST, the visualization using conceptional art (or something very similar to it) and low quality 3D animations is questionable.

All in all, it's nice and interesting story which is unfolding too quickly to be fully enjoyed unfortunately; still, it presents enjoyable experience recommended to any fan of anime, as well as it captures a delicate topic of recent years.

bybastion1 on2012-12-11 16:44

very recommended for everyone!

byotshatan on2010-09-06 13:46

This anime is unlike anything known. There are some very good (and original) ideas, but unfortunately there are also some bad sequences.

Overall I recommend it, to see something that is different from the usual production.

bytov-kilometre on2010-07-29 18:48

This will shake your soul. Forget anything you've seen before, it's totally different philosophy and world out there. A must see.

bykrisjuna on2008-06-11 20:13

The most amazing anime ever

bymegafat on2019-08-15 19:57

The story follows Juna, who was just an ordinary high-school girl, right up until the day she died in a motorcycle accident. But in the twilight of death, she saw a vision of the future, of the barren earth destroyed by something call the Raaja, and was offered a second chance at life if she would help stop them. Now she must learn to cast aside her thoughtlessly destructive ways and face her destiny as the Avatar of Time, the one being who can decide the fate of the planet.If you can't tell by the description, you'll know it within the first couple of episodes of the show, but the series makes it blatantly obvious as to what the message is, to take care of nature and not carelessly intrude on it and pollute it with human made machines. It feels like a first year philosophy class, and the show shoves it down your throat by the end of it. You don't have to be subtle to get a message across, but it would have been nice if the whole thing had been a little less in your face.On top of that, the whole thing feels weirdly edited, like a lot of ideas had to be cut down to fit 13 episodes. The pacing is off and it does feel like it's rushing through some things. If it had some more space to breath, not only could everything had a much nicer pace, but characters could have had a proper chance to get fleshed out, but there was probably a rush to make it fit the 13 episode count instead of 26. Maybe the overtones wouldn't have been AS obnoxious.Everything does look pretty nice, especially the art style, but it does have the thing that a lot of anime has that sticks out like a sore thumb. CGI. While it does have some decent CGI for 2001, it's pretty obvious that it has aged like nearly every other anime that has CGI from the time. It hasn't aged as bad as some of the stuff that I've reviewed, such as Nazca, but the whole thing makes a pretty good example of why CGI shouldn't be a go to for cutting costs for anime. I guess CGI had to have some growing pains, but CGI from that time in anime just makes it look a lot worse.There is a decent idea here, but it's buried entirely under a mediocre execution. I guess it could do with a remake, make it the full 26 episodes. Sure, it would have had some filler if it had that many episodes, but I'd rather have series with filler if it meant a better overall experience than a series rushing through it's plot and character development.

byThatAnimeSnob on2010-12-18 21:13

Arjuna may seem to be yet another mahou shoujo, but it’s actually the Japanese counterpart of the American Captain Planet cartoon. Its prime directive is to teach the target audience how to respect nature and the basics of ecology. It’s also moralistic with long serious monologues which can easily pass as preachy. Learning stuff through anime can be fun but not when the characters are telling you to open your textbook on page 123.

It’s fairly unorthodox as a mahou shojo, since the lead girl’s magic powers are not used on every episode, she has strange-looking clothes, and her prime weapon is a bow. Most of the show is a confusing mess because of how often it jumps from one theme to another. The ecology is its prime and most memorable aspect, but there are a dozen more and unfortunately none of them are presented in an interesting way. Nothing is exciting and everything feels like an excuse to monologue about nature.

Arjuna as a protagonist is actually the best part, since we are always given a look into her psychology and her worldview is tested numerous times. There is a part where she feels sick to even eat a burger because she sees it as toxins and chemicals instead of real food. She has discussions with a little girl that retains memories from her time in the womb. She studies under a hermit in the wilderness. Her development and growth easily outshines most anime characters out there.

Too bad the world of the series feels flat and distant. The rest of the cast has a one-track mindset and is defined by dry preachy monologues that boil down to a childish “nature is good, human civilization is evil” message. It even goes as far as saying “You are all idiots if you don’t accept what we tell you.” Even if you make good points, that’s not an attitude that will win many in an audience that mostly wants escapism and cool action.

As a whole Arjuna wins in being uncommon in themes but fails in presentation. It comes off as propaganda against technology and progress without being fun. It should have taken the road South Park walked on. Just mock everything and let the viewer take whatever he likes from all that.

byrealmayer on2007-05-09 01:27

Chic Girl Arjuna[/b][/i]


I had not read a synopsis of this anime before I watched it. Lucky that I didn't, seeing as most of our reviewers, here, have stated the overly misleading synopsis and crazy classification. I agree and highly recommend taking a gander at Windmage's review seeing as I will just be restating most of the same things.

~

Immediately I'm taken aback by the animation. The art style in combination with the animation was reminiscent of Noein, so my first impression of it was quite good (even though I think Arjuna looks a little TOO much like the protagonist from Noein). The series did not hint too much what direction it would take. So from the first two episodes, I wasn't quite sure how the title fit in. Lo and behold the plot is relatively unveiled to me, prepping me for a well paced and well managed storyline.

~

The sound was noticeably good. The music was appropriate, but the sound was in particular, something noticeable. Too many times do I hear similar sounds in movies, TV, and especially in anime. With Arjuna, luckily, I heard many effects that were new to me and even though the science-fiction side of it was prevalent, it seemed appropriate for the action. I was not privy to a swoosh when it should have been a boom and not a zap when it should have been a pow. The voice actors were fit just right for the characters and sounded proportionate to the various extreme circumstances in the story throughout.

~

As I mentioned, the story was well paced. It left me guessing until the right moment when it gave me more than enough to allude to a few things, and didn't have to sit me in a chair and explain it. This pacing was cemented due to various plot twists and climaxes throughout the story, b=much like any standard script is written for Hollywood movies- this formula solidified its content. As for the content itself, it's hard to argue with a noticeably preachy concept deeply ingrained in the dialog and story. I am not one to question the motives of a show when it is founded upon a concept that it progresses regardless of my own opinion on the matter. As long as the story puts forth factors I can understand and the factors are cohesive with themselves, than to undermine its integrity would be cheap-shotting the show. To say that it's point was a pathetic reestablishment of what Captain Planet was trying to get across, but it's irrelevant to the entirety of the plot. The focus was Earth awareness and conservation. The story gave the watcher those allusions fairly early on, so those who did not like the theme and disagreed with it, should not have continued watching (much like a kid watching DBZ just to have their grandma storm in and argue that the plot is ridiculous on the basis that real people can't do what the characters do rather than accept and slip into suspended disbelief just like every time a person would do something not pertaining top real life).

~

The characters were enjoyable to me. They were all introduced with systemic archetypes and developed throughout the course to the story- and even more so, proportionate to the story's development! I can't stress the rarity of this concept enough in anime. To find this is to find another rare jewel in the pile of rocks and justifies adequacy to anyone who enjoys a solid story. Integral to any plot, the characters were memorable and I found myself sitting right there with them due to their personableness.

~

To enjoy the anime, you'll need to stand firm in your ability to tolerate a storyline deeply connected to a theme that you may not agree with or tolerate. Suspended disbelief was key in this show, should you not agree with the finer points. What I'm writing is not that this story came off as a little Planeteer-ish, but that anyone who enjoys a good, solid, story about anything in particular (if you're not concerned about genres), then this one is for you. This one's a little lovely stroll in the park, if it weren't for all that toxic ooze and ninja turtles coming out of it.

bywindmage on2005-01-05 17:34

This is the sort of anime that takes a lot of heat, and judging from the opinions I've seen in reviews and other writings on Chikyuu Shoujo Arjuna, I get the impression this is one you'll either really love or really hate. I'm going to go out on a limb and make some people mad by saying this, but I'm quite convinced that strong dislike for Arjuna goes hand-in-hand with complete denial or misunderstanding of what it's about. This is a story about topics that are uncomfortable for most people, even those already acquainted with the natural world, ecological responsibility, and conservation. This is a story about the core of human ignorance, our obsession with taking the easy path, and what it really means to save or protect something, once human constructs are all stripped away.

I first read about Chikyuu Shoujo Arjuna on someone's recommendations list on Greencine, and it sounded really interesting. But then I looked it up on AniDB, and got a very different impression. Between the horrible synopsis and the ridiculous genre classifications (as of my writing: Magic, Romance, and Super Power), I got the feeling this would be a cheesy Captain Planet immitation made for young children. I couldn't have been more mistaken.

The only thing that convinced me to give Arjuna a try was reading the credits and seeing Yoko Kanno's name. I was a bit unsure what to think after the first two episodes, which seem more like they're made to get shallow action fans hooked than contribute to the story, but the beauty of the composition caught me right from the beginning: the unconventional opening, interweaving of future scenes, beautiful animation and 'camera work', and most notably the choreography and integration of music with the action.

In all technical and artistic aspects, Chikyuu Shoujo Arjuna is a gem. The music is Yoko Kanno and Maaya at their best, with songs ranging from catchy-yet-not-sappy (Mameshiba, Kakusei, Cloe, Baiku) to calm and soothing (Sanctuary, Aqua Aqua). Some of the songs have a little bit of an Indian feel to them, but not extremely so. Even if you have no interest in this series whatsoever, get both OST discs, because it's among the best anime music you'll ever hear.

The animation is also quite impressive. There's just a huge range of style, from a mostly-still sketch/watercolor type look during some of the previews to fluid full-motion sequences with breathtaking color and contrast, and even some live action clips. None of the animation is choppy, and I find myself remembering lots of big scenes where the backgrounds were highly non-static, and where the foregrounds also conveyed a lot more motion and fluidity than I'm used to seeing in anime.

I say it was the first two episodes I expect were made to hook viewers, but what got me hooked on Arjuna were the third and fourth episode where the pace and tone changed completely, from action to something serene and contemplative. Much of my appreciation for what happened at this point was very personal, and may not be received the same way by others; I found it reminding me of all the feelings, intentions, and self-promises I'd gone through as I discovered many of the same sorts of things Juna did growing up, reminding me of my commitments to do what I could not to harm the world and to make something better of myself. I can't expect others to feel the same sort of nostalgia, but perhaps if these ideas aren't something already close to you, Arjuna will make you think about things you've never considered before.

To me, Arjuna's greatest strength and the defining aspect that set it apart from all the other anime I've seen was the time it devoted to simple presence on the earth. This mostly takes the form of Juna's self-discovery of what living as a being on the earth entails, as she's forced to experience nature in a way reminiscent of Thoreau's Walden and to explore the question of how the world can possibly be saved, in a simlar sense to the notion of "saving the world" in Daniel Quinn's Ishmael. Sometimes the self-discovery element of Arjuna manifests as Socratic-style dialogues between various 'philosopher' personae and Juna and her boyfriend Tokio, while at other times it's silent and conveyed mostly through the visuals and music.

Clearly this is anime for people who both think and feel and care with the depths of their hearts, but it will also inevitably annoy you if you're such a person. Despite her intimate connection with the earth, Juna is incredibly naive, and continually responds to some of the most basic truths about the world as if they were deep revelations, which at times can feel like it's mocking your intelligence. If you're the sort of person who wants a heroic protagonist who always knows what's going on and makes the right decisions, you won't like Juna. But what does make Juna likable is her complete rejection of apathy, and determination to do something to change things even if her naivete leads her to do the wrong thing and make the situation worse. And what's more, making you feel belittled and ignorant as you see things through Juna's eyes is part of the power of the message of the work.

In addition to Juna, thoughtful viewers who sympathize with Juna and with the planet will probably also be annoyed by Tokio, Juna's down-to-earth and oftentimes cynical boyfriend. He gets her down a lot with thinking along the lines of "There's nothing we can do to change it," and a complete failure to understand what she cares about and what she's experiencing. While frustrating to viewers like myself, and while it leads to disappointment again and again, this setup is what makes the treatment of romance in Arjuna really fitting to the message of the series. What develops is a story of the strain on relationships when one of the people involved begins to realize and focus everything upon an ideal that's dear to her, but that's ignored or scorned by society at large. Beyond romantic relationships, this sort of tension can and does extend to all human relationships, both in Arjuna and in the real world, and its treatment in the anime lends a huge deal of depth and credibility to the story that otherwise would be missing. I must also comment that the whole setup of starting Juna and Tokio out as a troubled couple provided a refreshing deviation from the typical "boy meets girl, they fall in love" pattern so often seen.

Want more that will annoy you? There's also the whole aspect of dogmatism and preaching, which you'll find in any review of Arjuna, and which will most likely get on your nerves whether you accept or reject the content of the message. All I can say about this is that if your ears and mind are closed, you'll end up thinking Arjuna tried to give you all the answers, and that those answers were (depending on whether you love or hate the earth) either incredibly shallow and insufficient or incredibly manipulative and full of political agendas. But either way you're mistaken, because if you actually watch the series and listen, you'll find that Arjuna leaves you with a lot more questions than it answers, and even the simplistic answers it does give at times are called into serious question before it's all over. There are lots of characters who think they have all the answers, but there is no all-knowing character, not even Chris. If you treat them all as human beings in search of their own truth, rather than as narrators bearing the word of god, you'll get a lot more out of this series.

At times there is a good bit of overplayed melodrama or mushy romantic scenes. What sets Arjuna apart and keeps it from being brought down by stuff like this is that it invariably interrupts these with comic relief and lightheartedness before they get pathetic. I'll avoid spoiling anything later in the series, but once you see the kiss scene at the beginning of the first episode you'll know what I mean.

As an activist and as a person who works hard to love and respect the planet, I really enjoyed and appreciated Chikyuu Shoujo Arjuna. I can't promise you'll feel the same about it, but what I feel I have done is given you a fair treatment of the aspects one might find positive or negative, and why I find them positive. I would not recommend this as a first series for introducing a random friend to anime, but on the other hand, if you know someone who already has a strong affinity towards nature and environmental conservation, it might make a really good introductory anime for such a person.

Although I rate Arjuna very highly, it's not quite among my all-time favorite anime. While it's technically very beautiful and inspires a lot of valuable thoughs while watching, the depth and complexity of the story and characters don't match up to the series I see as the very best of anime. Still, however, I find Arjuna one of the most enjoyable series to watch again and again; perhaps this is because it doesn't rely upon the story so much as the serenity and presence it conveys to make it compelling.

I also find it very commendable that Arjuna tackles the issues it does, while most anime brushes social and environmental justice issues aside and tries to hold onto a sort of moral neutrality, pretend like nothing's wrong, and sometimes even poke fun at environmentalism. In this sense Arjuna was very refreshing, and perhaps even gave me some new perspectives on Japan. It's a shame the series wasn't better-received by fans. Regardless of what you think from my review or others, this is really ground-breaking anime, and anyone serious about anime should at least see it once and give it a chance. I hope my review will have provided some perspectives through which to make it more enjoyable if you're not used to this sort of thing.

Finally, I must just say again that I found Chikyuu Shoujo Arjuna both very enjoyable and personally moving. It prompted me to dig back up thoughts and ideals I'd held precious a long time ago and ask myself where they went, and that in itself was worth more than most anime I've seen.

bypantha on2004-12-30 18:13

When my brother told me about this title, I got excited and immediately asked to borrow it. I mistakenly believed that it would have some connection with the Mahabharata, but I was quickly informed otherwise. In any case, being my brother’s opinion of the show, I expected a real gem. Although the first three episodes met my expectations, the show quickly went downhill from there.

The first few initial episodes have very little to do with the overall story. In the beginning, it’s suggested that this is going to be just a light magical girl show about a girl who needs to save the planet from Raaja, demons that pollute the earth. Simple enough, but thankfully, it’s not about that. It’s worse. For some odd reason, the series takes a wild turn, and turns into an environmentalist program. It’s not that this show is particularly bad; it just goes overboard with its messages. Episodes four through seven had to be some of the most torturously boring I’ve ever had to sit through. One of the first things I noticed about the anime is that there is no OP. Instead of opening music, there are brief recaps and mini documentaries (done in live-action) about bugs, soil, and grass. I want to watch anime, not the Discovery Channel. Not to mention that those live-action scenes were dreadfully out of place and insufferable boring. And for crying out loud, at one point in episode seven, a freakin’ orange juice commercial interrupts everything. Give me a break. Those scenes were just ugly.

And Juna, the protagonist, certainly didn’t make it better. As Tokio himself has stated, “all she talks about is the earth.” I found her to be a terribly unnatural character, especially when she suggests that she wants to live like the old man in the mountains….with no electricity and eating only vegetables. My opinion on this matter was reflected through Tokio. Sure, all that sounds good on paper, but I “like to play video games and eat burgers.” As Juna becomes more ‘aware’ of nature, she makes the most obvious observations and asks questions that anyone with half a brain should be able to answer: “I don’t even know what I can eat. Why do animals know what to eat?” Oh, you don’t have to be Einstein to know the answer to this question. “Why do we kill animals?” Gee, I haven’t the slightest idea. “What are words? Ask Webster. The series tries to take itself too seriously and falls flat on its face.

In fact, very little actually goes on, and I could sum up this entire thirteen-episode series in three short sentences. Not only does Juna have very few encounters with the Raaja, but sometimes the plot is shoved aside altogether in favor of a possible bland love triangle, uninteresting family problems, and a tidbit about a hermaphrodite whose name I didn’t even know. All these things should have been left out for they did nothing but slow the already drawn-out story.

Not only is the plot inconsistent, but the characters are, as well. I was under the impression that Tokia was a minor character, and well, frankly I was right. However, he has quite a lot of screen time (in fact, he’s the last person we see)….but yet….he has very little role to the overall story save for being Juna’s love interest. I was disappointed in Chris’s character. Although he’s the one that summons Juna in the first place, and he’s supposed to be the big player behind all this, he has very little screen time. In fact, viewers hardly see him and know very little about him. The little information that is given comes from Cindy’s mouth and not his own. Add all that to the fact that Juna is annoying and merely two-dimensional, and you have a pretty shoddy cast of characters.

The anime decides to use the annoying technique of squeezing what little story it has in its last few episodes…..in its last two, to be exact. There was absolutely no build-up for the ending, and as a result, it was nothing but rushed and bland. In any case, given the choice between a simplistic magical girl show and vapid spiritual realizations, I’d choose the former any day.

- Animation
The animation is surprisingly good, especially for a TV series. I would have scored an eight; however, I took a point off for the annoying overuse of ugly live action scenes. Furthermore, I thought the character designs were a bit bland. Juna could have been drawn better.

- Sound
The music is easily the best part of the anime. There are some real gems in the BGM…it kind of reminds me of the music in The Lion King. I already stated that there is no OP, but there are two endings that are used interchangeably. I didn’t like the first one (the mid-tempo one), but the second one is a slower one that I like. I found Juna’s voice to be slightly on the annoying side. So was Cindy’s. Other than those two, voice acting is fine.

- Value
Unless you're a nature lover or a science teacher, stay away. There's nothing here for you.

byrequiem on2004-08-10 05:45

Because ofChikyuu Shoujo Arjuna's indefinitely vast message about human greed and negligence of nature, I had to take some time to absorb this anime. Before I go on, I should probably express that many of my views before were extremely anti-ecological, mostly because of the countryside that I have lived in all my life.

Arjuna. Die, or fight for Earth.

Juna died. In her passage from life to death, she is visited by a young boy. This boy gives her a stone of power, which rests in her forehead awaiting for her call. Rajas, the embodiment of all the decay and poisoning that the world has encountered, begin to destroy the world - and only Juna can see them? What will she do?

At first I expected aCaptain fucking Planet, wherein she combines her powers and brings the evildoing, demonic creatures to their impending doom by some magical move. Well, only half of that was true from the start, and towards the end, almost none of it is true at all. The story focuses on two of the most important things that man needs to remember: the meaning of true survival, and man's unbroken sin of choosing luxury over safety of his surroundings.

One: True survival. I refer to the side here that involves instinctual survival, which has evolved completely for mankind since the time he developed tools.Chikyuu Shoujo Arjuna demonstrates Juna's ignorance of real, animal-like instinct, through many trials and tribulations she faces, and the difference between Chris and her at the end of the series.Outstanding characterization. Probably the most irritating thing to hear in this series is how ignorant humans are nowadays. Without any shame, this anime pumps into the watcher's head how ignorant he/she really is of nature, and how their attempts to help nature are futile without living close to nature itself. This is a righteous claim though, and I commend this title for its accusations.

Two: Luxury over safety. ComparingChikyuu Shoujo Arjuna's beautifully animated nature scenes, to the bustly, complicated cities, there is such a contrast done intentionally to stir questions. Why is the city that great after all? Why can't nature take care of little problems, such as pests munching on all of the crops? Why should I care about this place? Why not let others do it? These questions prove that mankind is willing to give up his own protection in tiny pieces to afford a more luxurious lifestyle. These pieces add up, and in the end, his own luxury overwhelms him with destruction.
Good level of philosophy. As with my claims above, there are many things which can argued due to the attempt of this anime to prove sociological negative tendencies. Without this,Chikuu Shoujo Arjuna loses too much story to really be worth watching.

What about the relationships? What about drama?

Well, being that the focus isn't really here, there is much weakness in the relationship between Juna and Chris. However, the strength of their relationship develops and displays itself later in the series, when the focus shifts on them coexisting with two different outlookes on life. As for other characters, I can't really say that are particularly deep, as many of them are only around for 1-3 episodes, depending on the situation.
There is a little bit of comedy and drama, though. The comedy is somewhat light, and the drama tends to wrap itself deeply into Juna's heartfeel for the Earth. Other than that, there isn't much left.

Seiyuu were fairly average. I couldn't find anything particularly special about Juna or Chris's actors, but they aren't bad at all. However, there is no specific opening theme, nor is there anything particularly interesting about the BGM music. I feel this is what killed the anime the most, since there are a multitude of times when a gentle ambience, or good beat could get going.

The animation is above satisfactory. Many of the action scenes are memorable, especially the fights with the Rajas that appear towards the end of the show. I think more could have been done to improve it, but after watching how beautifully they had actually drawn Juna, keeping conserved her features; and drawing more attention to her sensual eyes; it seems as though the producers intended to rely on her for "quality" in their animation. Also, there is no choppiness, nor does the animation get wacky or zany, although it does get a little freaky from time to time.

Who should watch this: people who don't want to see a Captain Planet clone.

At first I intended to bash this anime to hell for provoking such thoughts from me. Sometime later I came to love this anime for it's story, as well as its endeavor in pressuring everyone to at least "give a damn" about our planet. I think every otaku must see this, but newbies should avoid a title this controversial until they have experienced a fair amount of anime.

In conclusion, don't skip over this title that quickly, but don't chase after it unless you're ready to be humiliated mentally.