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Anime Review: Snow White With the Red Hair

Summary (Funimation):  In the kingdom of Tanbarun lives Shirayuki, an independent and strong-willed young woman. Her resourceful intelligence has led her become a skilled pharmacist, but her most defining trait is her shock of beautiful apple-red hair. Her dazzling mane gets her noticed by the prince of the kingdom, but instead of romancing her, he demands she be his concubine. Shirayuki refuses, chops off her lovely locks, and runs away to the neighboring kingdom of Clarines. There, she befriends a young man named Zen, who, SURPRISE, is also a prince, although with a much better temperament than the previous one. Watch as Shirayuki finds her place in the new kingdom, and in Zen’s heart.

Current episodes: 6 (total episodes: 12)

Genre: Adventure, Fantasy

Rating: TV-14

Simulcasts every Monday at noon EST on Funimation

Shirayuki after running into Zen and his guards.

Shirayuki after running into Zen and his guards.

Review: Snow White With the Red Hair is a shoujo romance anime that deviates from the usual damsel-in-distress heroine. I don’t mind heroines that need a little help to find their voice (such as Yona from Yona of the Dawn), but Shirayuki is refreshing for her independence and ambition. She and Yona have only one thing in common: red hair. Both leading ladies end up cutting off their hair albeit for different reasons. For Yona, it was the beginning of growth for her. But for Shirayuki, it was something that would hold her back. I really can’t help comparing Snow White With the Red Hair with Yona of the Dawn. They have different plots, generally, but they also have a lot in common such as the heroine and the setting.

Shirayuki's face as she cuts her hair

Shirayuki’s face as she cuts her hair

Prince Raj, a spoiled brat, wanted her to be his concubine because of her unique hair color. Instead of going with his wishes, she cuts her hair and leaves it behind for a new adventure. On her journey, she runs in Zen, who is also a prince. I like Zen. He wants to be Shirayuki’s knight in shining armor, but respects her wishes to do things on her own. It’s clear these two were meant for each other and it’s another break from the usual torture of will they or won’t they end up together.

Prince Zen

Prince Zen

So far, the plot is light and I’m wondering if there will be a twist of some sort given we are half way through twelve episodes. I haven’t read the manga to know if something larger is coming. As it stands, it feels like a “problem of the week” type deal and although I enjoy the growing relationship between Shirayuki and Zen, the show seems to lack the depth of Yona of the Dawn. Maybe with the arrival of Zen’s older brother, there will be more tension. Nevertheless, Snow White With the Red Hair is enjoyable if you are looking for something light-hearted. We’ll see where Shirayuki and Zen’s paths take us as we watch it to its conclusion.

Art style: Pretty good but not as beautiful as Yona of the Dawn. It does a good job of bringing the characters to life, but the character’s eyes feel a little flat.

Music: The opening theme is “Yasashii Kibou (やさしい希望)” by Saori Hayami, and the ending theme is “Kizuna ni Nosete (絆にのせて)” by eyelis. The music matches the whimsical nature of the show, as well as Shirayuki’s warm and independent personality. It reminds me of spring.

Heart of Manga Rating: ♥♥♥♥

 

Adrienne
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