Noir

Another series I watched early on in my anime viewing is Noir.    Noir is a story about two women, Mireille Bouquet and Yuumura Kirika, who are raised separately but both raised as assassins.  At the story beginning Mireille is contacted cryptically by Kirika, who has lost her memory.  They meet and realize that they seem to be tied together in some manner by a mysterious pocket watch and a melody.  They decide to work together as an assassin duo until they unravel the mystery of their ties and discover Kirika’s past, at which point Mireille promises to kill Kirika. 

Thus the two operate as an assassin duo which goes by the name of Noir.  The bad news is that “Noir” turns out to be the name of an assassin duo that’s been in existence since the dawn of time and is controlled by a shadowy group called the Soldats.  Kirika and Mireille spend the series alternately running from the Soldats attempts to kill them and meeting with Soldat members to try to figure out the mystery of the Soldats and how it effects them personally.  Spoiler coming.

In the end it turns out that three girl children were born with the genetics and capabilities to become Noir assassins, Mireille, Kirika and a third girl named Chloe.  Kirika and Chloe were raised and trained to be assassins by Altena, a Soldat bigwig, at a secret vineyard Abbey hideaway.  Mireille on the other hand was born to parents who were high up in the Soldat hierarchy, but they loved Mireille and refused to give her up to the Soldats.  In return, the Soldats had them executed, leaving Mirielle to be raised by her uncle.  Mireille grows up to be a good assassin in her own right. 

What is also revealed as the story progresses is that the pocket watch belonged to Mirielle’s father.  Kirika has it because Kirika is the assassin the Soldat’s sent to kill Mireille’s parents.  It was probably her first assassination.  When Mirielle and Kirika realize this, Kirika begs Mirielle to be true to her word and kill Kirika.  Mirielle walks away, and Kirika returns to the Abbey with Chloe.  Kirika and Chloe begin preparations to become the “true” Noir.

Mireille decides she can’t leave it at that and goes to the Abbey to finish things.  In the end, she and Kirika save each other’s lives, and end up killing Altena, Chloe and a variety of minor players.  They both survive the series!

This series will always be one of my favorites, and part of that is because Mireille and Kirika end up alive and teamed up again.  Beyond that though, the music is beyond outstanding, the plot is fast-paced and twisty and the style is wonderful.  Overall, this is one you shouldn‘t skip if you haven’t seen it.