"Noir... It is the name of an ancient fate... Two maidens who govern death..." The story begins with Mireille Bouquet, a trustworthy assassin for hire. She receives a mysterious e-mail message on her computer, which appears to be just a prank. However, a haunting melody follows the message and sends chills up Mireille's spine. The strange message leads her to a young girl who calls herself Kirika Yumura, although both Kirika and Miereille know it is not her real name. The amnesiac Kirika appears to have the face of an innocent schoolgirl, but behind that facade is a natural killer who doesn't even flinch at the sight of death. Unable to remember anything about her past or who she is, she pleas to Mireille to help unlock her past, "Make a pilgrimage for the past with me." Those words seem to echo in Mireille's mind, for she too has a mysterious past that continues to haunt her.

Kirika shows Mireille a small pocket watch that plays an eerie melody, which causes Miereille to have horrifying flashbacks of her childhood. Knowing that perhaps Kirika and the pocket watch are linked to her in some way, Mireille agrees to help Kirika on one condition: Kirika must die after they discover the truth. Mireille's true identity as an assassin must never be known, and anyone who uncovers the truth, has no other fate than to be eliminated. Kirika accepts the condition without hesitation, and the two begin their journey to uncover the past.

However, they realize that their pilgrimage is not an easy one and that an unknown force targets their lives. Once the hunters, they find themselves becoming the hunted and must use every killing skill they know to survive. Mierelle is stunned at Kirika's "vulgar" killing style and the tension still remains between them. However, each time Kirika kills, she replies with tears that she can never feel sad. Although Mireille does not know Kirika's true intentions nor emotions, as the both of them fall deeper into the past, she knows Kirika may be the only one who she can depend on.

Before I begin, I want to acknowledge ADV's creative marketing skills for Noir. The DVD press package arrived at the Akadot office in a mysterious brown package with a substance (looks like dried blood) splattered on the envelope. My co-workers and I were really suspicious of the package because of its strange appearance. When we opened the package we found an old telegram from France indicating a "new development Noir assassination." It wasn't until we opened the package that we realized it was a DVD press package. Usually ADV sends out their press packages via an ADV mailing box, but in Noir's release, they seem to be really promoting this DVD in a unique manner that no other company has done yet.

The first DVD of Noir contains five complete episodes. The animation work is very crisp and detailed nicely. The animators used a unique mixture of both pastel monochrome shades and vibrant colors depending on the situation in the storyline. But, the one aspect of Noir that really categorizes it above the rest is the musical score. The opening theme song is upbeat, yet sexy which really sets the tone for the series. Also, the soundtrack adds an extra element of suspense to the storyline that keeps viewers on the edge of their seats. The impact of the musical score brings this anime up to a whole new level and distinguishes this series above the rest.

Noir is an animated series that is best viewed in its original format. ADV put forth a good effort in the dubbed version; however, the voice changes seem to lack the impact that the original version has. In the original Japanese version, the intonation of the dialogue sets the mood to the storyline, and seems to be lost in the dubbed format. The dubbed version does what it is intended to do, to provide those fans that prefer not to read subtitles while viewing anime. But, to get the full effect of this series, it's best to view it as close to the original as possible.

The storyline is written in an episode-by-episode format. The first episode introduces the two main characters to the audience without revealing much. The characters' true personalities remain shadowed. The remaining episodes place the main characters in various assassination situations, which seem to reveal a little about the characters each time. From the opening credit sequence, it is hinted that more stable characters (that appear more than once) will later enter the storyline. But, the first DVD seems to focus on the two main characters, which what it should do.

Overall, Noir seems to have all the elements to bring it much success in the domestic market. With its release in the mainstream market in February, this is one of the anime titles that will start off the domestic anime market on a positive note. Noir is sure to gain a loyal fan circle and create waves throughout the anime communities. Therefore, it is recommended that you don't miss out on this title, because more great things are sure to come in this series.