Theres a very distinct yet oddly vague aesthetic I remember seeing almost everywhere in the mid to late 2000s and very early 2010s. It was this sort of weird cartoony horror not quite steampunk but at the same time not quite straightup fantasy think of media like the movie 9 games like American McGees Alice series or Medievil Legos 2007 Castle sets music by various German industrial metal bands weird forgotten tabletop games like Malifaux that kinda thing. Back then it was just the coolest thing even though it was quite widespread there was a weird almost arcane charm to it which made you feel like youre enjoying much grittier and darker media than you actually were but without succumbing to bland edginess which coexisted as a weird sort of sister genre to this but based off my memories more often than not directly conflicted with it. Its something like...grimdark fantasy lite? The kinda thing that your parents might not have fully understood but wouldnt give you really weird looks over either. Silly cartoony skeletons and funny carved pumpkins that kinda thing. Murder Princess feels like not just a love letter to this weird ephemeral genre but a forgotten cornerstone thereof. See my first thought upon witnessing its first episode was that its like somebodys weird Soul Eater fanfic due to all the aesthetic similarities but trying to reduce it to a piece of media that simply reminded me of a bunch of things I like would be detrimental to my explanation of why its such a short and sweet ride into a seemingly forgotten aesthetic from nearly two decades ago. To give you a brief summary of the premise and hook of the show without going into too many spoilers lets just say this isnt one of those shows where the OP is nothing like the series itself or serves only to hype you up for a largely uneventful show. This anime is EXACTLY what youll expect upon seeing and hearing this gloriously 2000s OP by BACKON yes THOSE guys A coup is taking place in this relatively cliche fantasy kingdom. We have a princess named Alita whos forced to escape in order to ensure the survival of the royal bloodline and stuff. But thats where this distinct aesthetic first kicks in whos doing a coup exactly? Some evil king? Bandits? A cool dark wizard perhaps? Nope its a funnylooking mad scientist aided by his troop of funky mutants looking like Power Rangers Mystic Force villain of the week rejects. Oh and said mad doc has two silly smug robot dolls aiding him. And one of thems gunning people down with a gatling hidden in her arm. Things seem grim for the kingdom but thankfully Alita manages to escape however following an unfortunate string of events she ends up falling to her death off a cliff...and bumping into a bounty hunter Falis and her two cronies an incredibly cartoony Frankensteins monster looking guy and a snarky skeleton with the most 2000s shonen protag hair imaginable. Soon after the princess and the bounty hunter realize their bodies had been swapped in a phenomenon theyve briefly heard of in legends. Initially puzzled the two end up coming to terms with their predicament and forging an unlikely alliance in order to take the kingdom back while at the same time having to the strengths and weaknesses of each others body and status. What follows is a touching fairy talelike story of a deep bond between two women getting to know each other and learn more about the mysteries of the world surrounding them. As hijinks and mishaps ensue the show initially follows various misadventures the two have either on their own or together for example Ferris now adjusting to her role as Alita has to learn all sorts of courtly manners as befitting of a princess while Alita now in Ferriss body posing as her dead maid Milano has to adjust to a lifestyle far from royal. But at the same time the mad scientists army of freaks and wacky balljointed dolls isnt calling it quits and continues to pester the kingdom all while two unknown shadowy figures watch over the two sides numerous faceoffs said figures eventually become key figures and their scheme leads to the frankly awesome and unique yet simple reveals that follow in the latter half of the show. All of this manages to unravel over the course of just 6 episodes each about 24 minutes leading to some immensely satisfying pacing which doesnt waste its time on needlessly complex world building infodumps or brooding monologues. A lot of what were given can just be taken at face value and you know what? In a world where you have to like this dislike that analyse this analyse that in order to show you have taste or arent an elitist or whatever blah blah a series like this which you can just enjoy from start to finish on a whim and actually walk away from with this warm feeling is truly worthwhile. The relationship between the two main heroines is frankly both pretty adorable and just straightup cool due to the writers bothering to get it across that these are both complex adult women. People looking for some LGBT+ themes will get their fill and a very respectful one at that Id argue despite not being an expert on lesbian fiction myself none of it feels like it was written with only one hand by some failed young adult novel author even though we get a rather amusing scene of AlitaMilano well offering herself to the titular princess but at the same time I think the theme of Ferris and Alitas friendship transcends gender barriers and is more of an universal story about two people with seemingly different lives and standards yet so many things in common that just click. I dont want to go into spoilers about who the main villain is or what their deal is but theres something hauntingly relevant about their plan considering how much more nihilist and jaded people have become after the mid to late 2010s often resorting to all sorts of strange philosophies to cope. Mind you Im not cheering for their plan its moreso fascinating how transcendental the theme behind their misguided intentions seems to be and seeing the main heroines fight them is oddly cathartic at times. Shoutouts to the English VAs for doing an OUTSTANDING job also I especially loved Colleen Clinkenbeards performance. She just absolutely NAILS it I love this snarky badass voice so much Summarizing Im surprised this is just a largely forgotten OVA from 2007 and not a widely popular Tim Burton film from like 2009 or so. If you loved the aesthetic of any of the media I initially mentioned or are just looking for what feels like a lost fairytale you havent heard of this is sure to scratch that itch just as it did for me in that regard. I genuinely have zero major complaints about this show other than wishing it had at least five to ten more seasons its as close to perfect as it gets with deeply satisfying animation and music memorable and charismatic character designs plotlines and events that bring all sorts of nice memories of fairytale adaptations I watched on VHS as a kid and a huuuge dose of badassery all coated in that odd 2000s charm. https://files.catbox.moe/kw2za8.png Oh and I forgot to mention the main heroine has a goddamn katana. In a fantasy setting. Its not even really magical shes just THAT goddamn badass.