Sol Bianca: The Legacy is like a roller coaster with a wimpy final hill; the trip was great, but it could have had a better ending. A simple set-up for the series could simply be that the all-female pirate crew of the Sol Bianca goes treasure hunting through the galaxy. However, this series is so much more than that.

The Sol Bianca is a pirate ship and it does have an all-female crew, what is left out of that summary is that the fascinating crew are some of the most developed female characters in anime. Their motivations and reactions are much more in-line with how one would expect real women to act and react; hence, they don’t make boob jokes and prance around trying to win the affection of certain men. On the other hand, they don’t ignore men and act like they are useless. Like most women, their relationships are very complex, holding both anger and love for one another simultaneously.

The crew is led by April (the whole crew is named after months of the year) and the series begins as they try to retrieve a personal artifact of hers that had been stolen. This particular item is one of the few items left from earth. The human race’s home planet has been set aside as a pristine preserve; everyone views the planet with reverence, and the current government keeps the location secret. However, the item, an ancient flintlock pistol, somehow holds a clue to the truth about earth, and, in that, the secret behind the Sol Bianca.

The Sol Bianca is a sentient and powerful ship, probably the most powerful ship in the galaxy. I’m not sure how difficult it is to be a pirate when you have the biggest guns, but the crew has no lack of personal and psychological angst. Jun is the somewhat introverted “goth” girl, basically because she’s been experimented on and enhanced - something anyone would have trouble with. Jani feels betrayed by her own body: she’s the warrior of the group with the body to match, and her melancholy over her perceived loss of femininity is palpable. And, so it is with all the characters. But, like all of us, they go on with their lives.

The Sol Bianca crew features some of the most well-developed female personalities seen in anime.	The visuals were totally created on computer - a visually impressive marriage of computer and traditional cel animation.

The first several episodes serve basically as character studies into each of the crew, and they are fascinating and riveting. The pacing at times may be slower than some anime fans may like, but, as a storytelling device, it’s masterful. The action, when it occurs, doesn’t disappoint. When the show calls for violence, the creators aren’t afraid to show it; the same can be said for sexuality, as well as all emotions. The final episodes pull together into a nice story arc about the Earth and the history of the Sol Bianca.

The problem is that the climax is far too sudden. The series could have used one or two more episodes, as the final battle was far too simple. Blue Submarine No. 6 was running headlong into its final episode, too, but the creators came to an acceptable conclusion. The fact that the last episode of No.6 was twice the regular length may have contributed to this. Basically, it’s like a Star Trek episode with phenomenal psychological growth for the crew, cool bad guys, amazing special effects, and in the last five minutes the Enterprise is totally surrounded by an overwhelming armada. The exit? Scotty/LaForge suddenly goes, “Wait! Maybe if I press this button, we’ll win!” And, they do. End of story.

However, the ride was worth the price of admission. The visuals were totally created on computer - a visually impressive marriage of computer and traditional cel animation. Two things stand out the most. First, the amazing colors the digital procedure allows for. Second, the odd computer controlled panning techniques. I became very accustomed to the panning and had no issues with it; however, some viewers may find it distracting. The character designs are fascinating and enjoyable to watch. The animation itself was near theatrical quality at points. The layout and design of certain scenes are still vivid in my mind long after those scenes have passed; a true testament to the quality of the show.

The sound was great, with multiple channels on the DVD allowing for your most optimum home setup. The opening song and animation serve as a truly fantastic music video, with images of the characters fading in and out amid ruins next to a dead sea. The background music was appropriate; however, I didn’t leave the series with any strong impressions, other than the excellent opening.

Of special mention is the intricate and fun DVD interface. Nightjar, the menu designers, have made an art out of creating these menus. They are very cool and rank up there with the Trigun menus, also created by them. There are also some nice extras on the DVDs, including galleries of character designs and cover art. Bear in mind that my reservations about the ending would never hold me back from recommending the series: the show’s mix of the psychological drama, excellent action sequences, and gorgeous animation is more than enough to warrant a viewing. It’s just that the ending feels especially sudden since the viewer has just come to know and care about the characters. On the positive side, it’s nice to leave something and enjoy it enough to want more. Hopefully, Pioneer will continue the adventures of the crew of the Sol Bianca using the same character driven model as they did in The Legacy.

Distributor: Pioneer
Creator: AIC
Released: 1999

Plot: B
Character Design: A
Animation Quality: A+
Music: B
Overall: A