El Cazador De La Bruja is a mysterious western tale; Nadie, a young female bounty hunter is assigned to protect Ellis, a young girl with amnesia. In Part 1, some of her secret past came to light. Ellis is an artificial lifeform, created by the mysterious project Leviathan to harness the power of the legendary witches. Dr. Rosenberg, the man who ressurected the project has some secret goal..but what? All Ellis and Nadie know is that the answers.. or more questions lie somwhere to the south. Drama, action and even some comedy result as bounty hunters, mysterious organizations and even the agents of the government itself chase after her.
In El Cazador De La Bruja Part 2, Nadie and Ellis run into their sometime friends Ricardo and Lirio more, the manic lifeform LA becomes even more obsessed with his "Ellis" and the hunt for the young witch intensifies. The series is often episodic, with the conspiracy growing in the background.. A western set in modern times (bounty hunters, showdowns and desrted towns meet automatic weapons, cell phones and highways), the El Cazador is often more about the characters and the journey than the gunfights, but there are quite a few dramatic ones nontheless. In the second part, family, love and friendship are explored as the bonds between the girls and the people they meet are tested..and possibly torn. Their journey comes to an end in this set, but some questions have dangerous answers…and some answers may change the way you view El Cazador.
Highlights
El Cazador De LaBruja Part 2 is often episodic, but in this set the story threads all weave together. The destinies of all the travelers, their desires and dreams; It's not an understatement to say some pople make surprising choices. One of the best parts of anime is that, unlike certain tv series (coughXfilescough) the mysteries brought up all develop into a satisfying, dramatic conclusion. Obstalces must be overcome and fears must be faced, if a happy ending can possibly be had..
The first episode in this set is a flashback to the time Ellis spent at Project Leviathan, and we learn a great deal about the mysterious Dr. Schneider as well as how Rosenberg does business. The pathos in the episode as the doctor and Ellis interact is palbable; we know this is going to end in tragedy. This episode is stunningly dramatic; a huge payoff for having watched the first set and gotten to this point. From here on out, all the secrets will be revealed..who killed the Doctor? Somewhere in this season the answer lies.
Nadie is forced to make a decision this season; when "Blue-eyes" Heyward revokes her contract because the council she works for wants to take Ellis into custody, her refusal to leave sets yet another force on their trail. This is but the first of the more emotionally charged moments this season; in one episode, to make money they are forced to do some old-fashioned bounty hunting (with a little help from Ricardo and Lirio) and Ellis learns what kind of life Nadie used to lead. On a lighter note, they do get to meet the man who wrote the novel about the "Incandescent flames of love".. I love how El Cazador brings up the running gags. Stay tuned to see a lot of people eating Amigo Tacos, including Rosenberg himself.
When the girls finally learn where they need to go, all forces converge on a small town that used to house a clan of witches.. when the cards fianlly land and Ellis's true powers are released, who will live and who will die? Who will stay together and who will be torn from one another? The finale is emotionally charged and I have to admit, I was on the edge of my seat. The final episode is an epilogue, which I found a particularly nice touch from shows like Trigun, which unfortunately ended rather abruptly.
Overall
El Cazador Part 2 has a lot of funny moments, but by the second disc the drama is revved up to 11. The musical score works well to set the mood in some of the more intense scenes (particularly the one with the choir) as all the tightly wound people we've been following around begin to snap. The powers of the Inca Rose are revealed, Rosenburg's intentions, and some of the characters make some surprising decisions. It's amazing how much you can really feel the bonds between Ellis and Nadie; some series tell you the characters care for one another. El Cazadorshows it to you, and the difference is amazing. I was shouting at the set a couple times "No, run away! It's a trap!" etc; the series explores ethics and what it means to be human more than I ever anticipated; the heavily increased amount of action scenes in part 2 really helps underscore how dire things have become. I found myself jumping a few times at the halfway point; it's punctuated by an abrupt gunshot. Also, the naming scheme of the episodes is interesting. it's always "A woman who" or "A man who", but the one flashback episode was just "Maple Leaf". It's a subtle way to indicate a change in mood and a good example of how skillfully El Cazador can make you laugh, then cry.
In fact, there's always room to develop the characters and have comic relief; I love when Ellis and Nadie actually end up doing part time work at Taco Amigo.and then there's the time when Lirio convinces Ricardo to let them split a bounty 50-50..well, you had to be there. I love the growing sense of camraderie between many of the characters, and the little gang that emerges. The theme of finding one's place in the world through bonds of love and family solidifies in this part; we see it honestly, and we see it twisted by their foes. Together they may learn the true meaning of 'sacrifice'..
Overall, the western theme, sense of discovery and the way the plot threads all tie together skillfully to keep the tension rising underscores the best of anime. A start, a middle and a heck of an ending. Put this one in your collection and keep it there, it's an engaging, heartfelt time.
ComicsOnline gives El Cazador De La Bruja Part 2 5 out of 5 bullets removed from a six-shooter.
