Noir English Sub & Dub

About Noir

Noir (ノワール) arrives as an action anime by Bee Train (2001), and the premise is easy to summarize. 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 perilous 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, grows 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. The run is 26 episodes in total, so you know what you are signing up for.

Production & Appeal

Production sits with Bee Train, which means the visual identity of Noir follows that studio's craft. Because it leans on action, fight choreography, pacing and sound design carry much of the weight. At 7.1/10 it earns a solid reception, a safe pick for fans of the genre. On the casting side, Houko Kuwashima voicing Kirika Yuumura gives the lead role a recognizable voice. It aired in 2001, which makes it easy to place in the wider anime calendar.