The Legend of Himiko - Sacred Fire
Based on a PlayStation game, this 1999 TV series feels like a mixture ofEscaflowne,El Hazard, andFushigi Yugi, with a cutesy, Pokémon-like sprite thrown in. Himiko, the infant heiress to the throne of ancient Yamatai, is thrown into the future when General Shikara, who looks like a cross between a Peking Opera villain and a shower curtain, attacks the temple of the Bokka. At the ruins of Yamatai, Himiko, who has grown up to be a normal teenager, is hurled back into the past with her friend Kutani. These modern kids must deal not only with Shikara and his king, but ghouls, animated cadavers, demons, rebels, and six "Queen Candidates." The leaden dialogue and endless references to "the power of the Bokka" will quickly weary viewers who aren't already fans of the role-playing sword-and-sorcery game. Unrated; suitable for children 12 and older; contains violence, profanity.--Charles Solomon