Kino's Journey

"My choice was made many years ago, when I first embarked on this journey. I cannot turn back. I am at a crossroads, but for me there is only one path." - Brian Westhouse, Dreamfall: The Longest Journey

Kino's Journey is the story of a young traveler known by the name Kino, who wanders the world with her sentient motorcycle, Hermes. She makes it a personal policy to stay in any place no longer than three days, ensuring she will never stay put for too long.

Status

Anime: complete. (13 episodes, subbed.)

Thoughts

"The world is not beautiful; therefore it is."

Although superficially appearing to be some slice-of-life, the story takes the viewer in all directions, running the entire idealistic-to-cynical gamut and refusing to shy away one iota from many deep and dark themes. However, in a remarkable fashion, the story deftly sidesteps heavy-handed morality lectures; Kino remains calm and rational even when confronted with crimes as terrible as genocide. If the story does preach anything, it is existentialism: no matter what terrible things happen, the world is ultimately seen as beautiful, and life is seen as worth living for any particular sake.

Kino's Journey is beautiful; there is no better word possible to describe it.