3x3 EYES
3x3 Eyes is one of those classics that almost every older anime buff has heard of; however, not many people have sat down and watched it. The manga was so popular that Dark Horse adapted it with the help of rock and roll legend Rob Zombie.
It didn’t sell much, though, and ended up getting canceled. However, it was highly popular in Japan and was one of the pioneering series that started many tropes. So, a viral and successful manga run means that expectations were skyrocketing for the anime. Unfortunately, Toei Animation’s anime adaptation of 3x3 Eyes ended up being mediocre at best.
3X3 Eyes follow the story of young dude Yakumo Fujii, who inadvertently, through no fault of his own, ends up becoming the immortal slave of the last “3 eyed demon”. The demon absorbs his soul entirely to save his life, enslaving him. Here begins Yaukmo’s journey under the command of this female demon and his quest to become human once again.
There’s a ton of complications on the way, such as the demon he is enslaved to being a woman with a split personality disorder. One of her personalities is an adorable young woman, while the other is a powerful demon goddess hell-bent on destruction. The romances that develop amidst them are what take a considerable chunk of this series.
The weakest part of this anime is its overall run time. The manga had 40 whole volumes, while the OVA just had four episodes… There is also a sequel with three more episodes, but that is still nowhere near the time it requires to develop the world and characters. The OVA was made long before the manga’s run was complete, which leaves this anime with a very dull and subliminal conclusion. The end is just anti-climactic and downright bland, honestly.
Talking about the characters, aside from Pai the Demon, all of them are extremely rushed. None of the characters’ motivations are spoken of, nor are they highlighted. For example, Pai walks into a drag bar and sees Yakumo; he says he’s not transgender or even a drag queen; he just does it for money. First of all, how is he so in need of cash? Second, how did he get this job without being an actual drag queen?
Did he even have the appropriate qualifications? Being a drag queen is glamorous, but it is not an easy job. The manga takes its time to explain every plotline regarding this stuff; however, the anime literally cannot with such a short runtime. Instead, it focuses on covering as much plot as possible; however, it can’t even do that because of the 4 episode format. Reading the manga is compulsory if you’re watching 3x3 Eyes anime.
Now, Pai, on the other hand, is a highly original and entertaining character. She’s a three-eyed demon with a split personality disorder, so you can already tell that there is a ton of complication there for Yakumo to bond with her. Her personalities have their own identities and behaviors, which are varied yet still resemble the same person. The best part is that neither of these personalities is annoying; even the stoic demon bent on destruction becomes loveable by the end.
Now, while the story and the structure are nowhere near good, credit where credit is due, and that is the art design. The art is absolutely atmospheric and moody, which is not usually the case with many anime back in the 90s. In 1991, the design choices moved away for more contemporary and same-looking designs instead of incredible artistic decisions.
3x3 is a different beast; it uses a dark color palette and creates a gothic atmosphere for the viewers. Characters look distinct individually and have their personalities reflected through their designs. Though I must say, it was weird that every single shot of the characters speaking or talking had their teeth visible. It’s not just anime teeth, either; they have very prominent incisors.
The animation, on the other hand, is a VERY 80s design instead of pure originality. The art holds it well together. Still, the lack of fluidity in the animation is evident. That’s not to say that it’s a bad thing by any means; it just makes this a very retro series, and that even helps in some cases for some viewers, honestly.
Music, on the other hand, is very stale. Kaoru Wada does the same thing he has done in a plethora of different series. If you’ve seen Inayusha or Ninja Scroll, you have heard this soundtrack pretty much in its entirety. There’s no specific song that I remember from it, despite watching it quite recently. This aspect might’ve made it even more atmospheric, but that’s off the table now.
In retrospect, I think 3x3 Eyes is a subpar series. It lacks the development of characters that the manga extensively provided. The four episodes cover the entire manga plot; they were released when the manga was nowhere near finished. This is a reason why the characters feel underdeveloped, and the story feels inconclusive. Some outstanding art design does help to elevate the style of the series, making it a gothic atmospheric viewing.
The animation gives it a retro aesthetic unlike anything out there. It feels like an amalgamation of the best of eighties animation with very original 90s art design. However, a repetitive and unoriginal soundtrack holds it back from touching its full potential visually and sonically. It’s a below-average series at best, but it’s watchable, and if you’re in the mood for some fun, mindless content, then 3x3 Eyes will do.
