“Very few adolescent boys and girls have an onset of special abilities. Yu Otosaka is one such man who uses his ability unbeknownst to others in order to lead a satisfying school life. Then one day, a girl named Nao Tomori suddenly appears before him. Their encounter reveals the destiny for wielders of special abilities.”
シャーロット (Shārotto), or “Charlotte,” is a thirteen episode anime series produced by P.A.Works and Aniplex and is directed by Yoshiyuki Asai. This series ran from July 5, 2015 – September 27, 2015. The plot of Charlotte is based in an alternate universe where every seventy-five years, a comet named Charlotte passes by the Earth. Once the comet is near, it spreads dust which causes a number of preadolescent children (who inhale the dust), to gain super human powers until they reach puberty. Now that the basis for the plot of this series has been cast, the main characters are introduced to the audience.
Yuu Otosaka is the main character for this series. At first glance, viewers see that he’s not a very nice guy, he’s extremely full of himself, and he has the super power of entering another person’s body for five seconds. While he’s in another person’s body, his own body is in a state of paralysis. He has an older brother Shunsuke and a younger sister, Ayumi. Later in the series, viewers will see Otosaka’s true potential with his powers, but having such power will come at a cost that will change his life forever.
Nao Tomori is the student council president at Hoshinoumi Academy. She’s very smart, has a short fuse, and just like Otosaka, she can be full of herself as well. Her super powers can make her invisible, but to only one person. She has an older brother, Kazuki, who had the super powers to control vibrations and air movements.
Jōjirō Takajō’s super powers permit him to run at fast speeds. The problem is, he has difficulty stopping, so he’s always getting injured during the process.
Yusa Nishimori (aka Yusa Kurobane) is an interesting character. Her super powers enable her to become possessed by her deceased older sister, Misa Kurobane. Yusa is a pop star, and therefore her stage name has been changed to Nishimori. When Yusa is possessed by her sister, Misa, she has no recollection of it, and thinks she’s somnambulistic. When Yusa’s possessed by Misa, her eyes and hair change color, she’s mean, and she has pyrokinetic powers. She’s a girl you don’t want to make angry!
The concept of this series is definitely unique…and interesting. The only episode that stood out to me is Episode 7: “The End of the Exodus.” It doesn’t “fit” in with the other episodes. Otosaka goes into exile, and this story is dark, violent, and viewers see Otosaka lose it. Literally. But thankfully, Tomori shows up near the end of the episode to shine some light into Otosaka. After feeding him, things turn around for Otosaka and Tomori.
The conclusion of this series is heartfelt, dramatic, touching…Charlotte has a nice closure to this short anime series. The animation is beautiful in this series, the music is prominent, and the characters are memorable. Overall, I rate this series 4.5 Geek-Heads out of 5.
This is an anime series that I highly recommend, and being that it’s a short one with thirteen episodes, it won’t take long to finish this series. Charlotte can be streamed on:
Hulu, Crunchyroll, and Viewster
Studio-P.A.Works and Aniplex. Licensed by Madman Entertainment and Aniplex of America.
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