Kaze No Stigma – TV Anime Romantic Comedy Series
This series shows the familiar scenario of two totally different people facing denial, wrapped up in a number of different genres that aren’t really required for what Kaze no Stigma really seems to need to present. A lot of time is spent showing the fiery woman bristling at the very spot of the coldly distant guy, who is indeed drawn to the brave nature of women, even when he has anger management issues.
Each jam that they get into at the same time unites and separates them. Will they or won’t they? Waiting for them to answer that question and watching them try to work out their differences will get a bit tedious. The sequence flutters, jumping from genre to genre, but never stays in one type of story long enough to provide much satisfaction. Kaze no Stigma is entertaining enough, and it’s sweet to kill a slow afternoon, yet once it’s all done, you’re left with the feeling of eating something sweet and fluffy, the kind of snack that, shortly after to consume, leaves the body wanting something a little more substantial.
Kazuma Yagami returns home years later with painful secrets and a powerful power of his own. After serving to solve a series of mysteries, Kazuma proves that his wind magic is an invaluable asset to the Kannagi family, earning himself a consultant position. It’s not exactly family acceptance, however, Kazuma wouldn’t always think about getting paid. However, he routinely pairs him with the youngest and most ardent heir to the house, Ayano. Sure, it’s the Kannagi family’s duty to protect Japan from the misuse of magic, and it’s smart to pair up the two most powerful members, however, Ayano’s father has … plans for the potential young couple. Ayano might be reluctant to admit it, but she has noticed an incredible deal since her time with Kazuma.
Kaze no Stigma doesn’t seem to know where he wants to go. In the beginning, there was a supernatural thriller and it wasn’t bad at all. Ghosts and power-hungry magical homes made the Kannagi run for their money. Then the series reaches its midpoint and the second half of the sequence delves into the land of romantic comedy. All these problems that arose overnight slipped away to hang out in another series, while the audience is subjected to filler episodes that characterize the failed attempts by friends and family to bring Kazuma and Ayano together.
However, the amount of humor falls flat, particularly when run in the opposite direction to fan service, sending a strangely mixed message. It is effective for viewers to catch a glimpse of Ayano’s skivvies, but heaven helps a personality within the sequence that she considers a pervert. In any other case, the dynamic between the characters is quite entertaining, and when the humor works, it really works well. The action is equally erratic. Usually a collection is priced in the face of fights. Not so much for Kaze no Stigma, except it’s for women’s fights with a lot of fan service.
Family drama and romantic comedy are wrapped in a thin, crunchy layer of action in a series that is entertaining enough, but suffers an identification crisis. Is it a supernatural mystery? More or less. A romantic comedy? Definitely. A story of revenge? A bit. Look at it one way, and Kaze no Stigma has something for almost every taste.
