Like the two before me, I have also watched the anime, and found the world completely mesmerizing. The characters were quite realistic, with ample character development. However, the only one that really had the most visible character development was Chagum, going from a weak boy to one who has the bearing of a prince. Though he started out quite like a spoiled prince who does not know the ways of the world, it is not hard to come to care for the boy.
The main character, Balsa, is quite a strong character. She knows exactly how to survive in the world, but also does not neglect the tenderness that most mangas do not portray in lone warriors. Her motherly side comes out whenever she is around Chagum, yet she still exudes that confident aura. Also, her voice is so sure of itself, making one immediately place their trust in her.
Character development is what really drives this anime/manga and what allows it to become so memorable. However, while Chagum had considerable development, Balsa does not have quite as much. She does soften up during the course of the anime, but it was nothing that was not going to happen anyways. Also, the other characters, such as Tanda and Tohya, remained static. While the anime was not negatively impacted by this, I felt that there could have been maybe something to tie these things up.
The only complaint that I have about the anime was that when the time came around to actually taking the egg out, it felt more like a deus ex machina than an actual well thought out ending. It seemed like the writers could find something to resolve the dilemma. Though some clues led up to the climax, such as the underground room, there was no mention of any spell, especially since the Shaman had said that such things were impossible. It just felt too sudden, like the appearance of Athena in some of the Greek tales and plays.
All in all, it's quite a find. I would have liked to have seen a different ending, but somehow this ending fit along with the mood and themes. The deus ex machina was slight enough that I could ignore it, but it made me take .1 points off the score.
