Director: Shinji Ishihira,
Starring: Aye Hirano, Cherami Leigh, Tetsuya Kakihara, Todd Haberkorn,
Running Time: 300 minutes
Certificate: PG
Whereas the last collection signalled the beginning of Season 2, and thus contained many moments of character development by way of episodic tales of little consequence, this sixth set sees one continuous story unfold. This has always been a strong draw for anime, in that you can have long stretches where you get to know the individuals, and then epic arcs can unfold without having to worry too much about elaborating on individual pasts and preferences.
FAIRY TAIL does manage to do both fairly well though, especially since the vast confrontation of this set sees the Oracion Seis, a group of six powerful mages, come ever closer to unleashing the ultimate weapon of Nirvana. This fills the show with many battles, in which the different spells summoned lend themselves to a wide variety of interesting visuals.
The story is simple, but there is a distinct and unsettling sense of danger and immediacy. Characters change allegiances, but their motives are well discussed, adding more than simple shock value and needless twists. The writing also knows to put the majority of the humour on hold, as well as reducing the amount of childish interactions between characters. This elevates the seriousness of the events, as well as presenting us with a range of characters who know when to have fun and when to kick-ass.
Those invested in the series are going to enjoy the action and progression, whereas those who are yet to connect to the heroes and their plights may find the constant battling a bit cumbersome. FAIRY TAIL never rests on its laurels though, and there are a number of fairly emotional side-stories which provide a more concentrated emotional anchor.
[usr=3]FAIRY TAIL Part 6 is released on Blu-ray on 24th February via Manga Entertainment.
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