Noir English Sub & Dub

About Noir

If you are hunting for a new action series, Noir (ノワール) deserves a look (2001). The setup goes like this. The premise: Mireille Bouquet is a professional assassin, and a very good one at that. But when she follows up an e-mail from a young Japanese girl named Yumura Kirika, inviting her to take "a pilgrimage to the past", her life turns into even more dangerous than it already is.

From there, now, with a haunting melody invoking the memory of an event long past, Mireille and Kirika decide to work together to find the truth about a thousand year old organization that has controlled both of their lives since before they. The only clue in their search, the only thing Kirika remembers about herself, turns into their working codename: a name designating an ancient fate, of two maidens who reign over death--Noir.

As an action title, fight choreography, pacing and sound design carry much of the weight. Voice work is led by Houko Kuwashima as Kirika Yuumura and Kotono Mitsuishi as Mireille Bouquet. This one is best suited to viewers who like fast, high-impact fights. At 26 episodes in total, it is easy to plan a viewing schedule.

Production & Appeal

Production sits with Bee Train, which means the visual identity of Noir follows that studio's craft. The action focus matters here: fight choreography, pacing and sound design carry much of the weight. A 7.1/10 score points to a dependable, well-liked series. On the casting side, Houko Kuwashima voicing Kirika Yuumura gives the lead role a recognizable voice. Released in 2001, it competed with that season's other new series for attention.