It's not the best action-thriller anime compared to Code Geass or Attack on Titan good but there's something there. - The hot and good looking guys - YES - is one thing but it's also the storyline.
Genre: Action, Supernatural, Fantasy, Thriller, Shounen-ai
English Name: The Betrayal Knows My Name
Total Episodes: 24 episodes (2010)
Total Volumes: 13 volumes (2005 - 2017)
For more information on Uraboku
For those of you that don't know 'Uragiri wa Boku no Namae wo Shitteiru' (aka Uraboku) is...
SUMMARY
The story follows the life of Sakurai Yuki as a teenage boy with mysterious powers that lets him reads people's minds and see their past through touch. He was abandoned since birth and have lived his entire life in an orphanage where he grew up with a childhood friend, Kanata Wakamiya, who he sees as a brother.
Yuki's strange ability isolates him from everyone as he's unable to control it and accidentally hurts them. He strives to be independent to avoid being a burden to others but at the same time fears being alone.
Yuki's strange ability isolates him from everyone as he's unable to control it and accidentally hurts them. He strives to be independent to avoid being a burden to others but at the same time fears being alone.
He meets a mysterious yet beautiful man named Luka Crosszeria (Zess) who saves his life - a man he's never met him before but seems familiar. From this fateful meeting, Yuki's life has been turned upside down as he learns there's more to his life than being abandoned at birth and more to the world as he knows it.
Before getting into the review, I would like to appreciate how much Hotaru Odagiri has put out to finish her life's work despite battling her illness over the years. She has taken a long period of hiatus from 2012 to 2016 (I'm not too sure about the dates because that's the time no volumes were published by her during this time) to focus on recovering.
While I was anxious to find out what happens to our characters, I was more than willing to wait for her recovery. I was happy to hear her coming out of her hiatus to close her series (and this is just my assumptions) so that her fans could get some sort of closure rather than wait for an indefinite period for her return.
While I was anxious to find out what happens to our characters, I was more than willing to wait for her recovery. I was happy to hear her coming out of her hiatus to close her series (and this is just my assumptions) so that her fans could get some sort of closure rather than wait for an indefinite period for her return.
There are some mangas that are left completely unfinished like Nana by Yazawa Ai who's been on hiatus since June 2009 (like 10 years already).
PLOTLINE
First of all, let me be clear about one thing; IT IS NOT A YAOI ANIME!
You might have misinterpretations here and there while watching it but it is definitely NOT yaoi (not that I would have any problems with the romantic BoyxBoy scenarios). Both the anime and manga portray the male characters to have a really, really close bond with each other because their past lives play a part in this.
And no, not all characters are male. There are some female characters as well.
And no, not all characters are male. There are some female characters as well.
I loved how they explore every character, every pairing and every time I see Yuki and Luka together I just squeal at the sight of them together. They are literally the icon of bromance.
The storyline tells the story about Yuki's strange ability to read people's emotions actually have more significance to it when he meets a strange man from the Giou Clan who claims to be his older brother, Giou Takashiro.
After coming close to a near-death experience, Yuki gets saved by Luka - a man who he's seen in his dreams but doesn't remember them when he wakes up. With the arrival of his brother and his saviour, Yuki's strange ability awakens and he finds himself dragged into a centuries-old war he is always meant to be a part of. A series of events leads him to leave his home at the orphanage and join the Giou clan.
The story that follows from here shows Yuki meeting members of the Giou clan called Zweilt Guardians who are ability bearers like him. Their sole duty is to protect him from a dangerous individual who seeks to destroy all of humanity. In the anime, we get introduced to three Zweilt pairings because they work in pairs. (I'll explain who the pairings are in the characters section later).
The Giou clan has been around for centuries (a thousand years to be precise). I'm not going to go into too much detail because that will just be a whole lot of spoilers. But basically, the clan has been around for centuries and have been involved in a long ensuring battle with Duras (the demon clan).
The element of reincarnation plays a big role in explaining the backstory to the characters and pairings. *Note: most Giou members are reborn, particularly the Zweilt Guardians and Yuki, and they reincarnate as the same person with the same pair when there's another battle coming.
I like how the characters are developed in a way that bonds them to each other on an interpersonal level and it clearly splits the difference from their past lives to their current life.
The story that follows from here shows Yuki meeting members of the Giou clan called Zweilt Guardians who are ability bearers like him. Their sole duty is to protect him from a dangerous individual who seeks to destroy all of humanity. In the anime, we get introduced to three Zweilt pairings because they work in pairs. (I'll explain who the pairings are in the characters section later).
The Giou clan has been around for centuries (a thousand years to be precise). I'm not going to go into too much detail because that will just be a whole lot of spoilers. But basically, the clan has been around for centuries and have been involved in a long ensuring battle with Duras (the demon clan).
The element of reincarnation plays a big role in explaining the backstory to the characters and pairings. *Note: most Giou members are reborn, particularly the Zweilt Guardians and Yuki, and they reincarnate as the same person with the same pair when there's another battle coming.
I like how the characters are developed in a way that bonds them to each other on an interpersonal level and it clearly splits the difference from their past lives to their current life.
In the anime, we are introduced to a lot of male pairings and you'd think they are lovers but no, they are just really, really close to each other because of a special bond they share. I love how even in their pairings, we see the characters develop a form of love and desire to protect Yuki in a way that doesn't make it a harem but it's because of their bond.
The anime did a decent job showing the characters' platonic relationships with each other and develop the story behind the century-old war between the two clans. The manga explores more of that and it's actually a lot more complicated than the anime because more and more mysteries are uncovered. (Not going to talk about it because it's a spoiler). Almost all the characters face a lot of insecurities because of their own backstory and they often rely on their partners. As the series progress, they learn to overcome it and Yuki is the one who helps them through it despite facing some insecurities of his own.
The anime did a decent job showing the characters' platonic relationships with each other and develop the story behind the century-old war between the two clans. The manga explores more of that and it's actually a lot more complicated than the anime because more and more mysteries are uncovered. (Not going to talk about it because it's a spoiler). Almost all the characters face a lot of insecurities because of their own backstory and they often rely on their partners. As the series progress, they learn to overcome it and Yuki is the one who helps them through it despite facing some insecurities of his own.
The ending of this anime may rub people in the wrong way because it kinda gives you the impression that there's going to be another season. However, there has been no word of it since it's final air in 2010. It was a decent ending but not satisfying because of how quickly it ended when it was just getting interesting. (Again, this probably due to the author's hiatus).
Despite the drawback in the ending, I love Uraboku because it shows you that love doesn't only come in the form of the romantic love between two individuals but it can come in all kinds of love. This series shows you that people can have a platonic relationship with someone you consider to be really close with. Someone who understands you and can also be your solace in times of dark hours. I think everyone has or needs that one person to be their solace.
Some of the characters were very entertaining and most of the time I just find myself squealing because of the bromance. MOE!! It's just so hard to ignore it because you just love them all.
Despite the drawback in the ending, I love Uraboku because it shows you that love doesn't only come in the form of the romantic love between two individuals but it can come in all kinds of love. This series shows you that people can have a platonic relationship with someone you consider to be really close with. Someone who understands you and can also be your solace in times of dark hours. I think everyone has or needs that one person to be their solace.
Some of the characters were very entertaining and most of the time I just find myself squealing because of the bromance. MOE!! It's just so hard to ignore it because you just love them all.
CHARACTERS
Yuki & Luka
Yuki and Luka is the first pair to be introduced and you already ship them from the very first episode. You can just tell they are drawn to each other because - if you must know - Yuki was a girl in his past life and they were lovers. He has no memories of his past life so he has no idea that they were lovers but he still feels a closeness with Luka and trusts him unconditionally.
As the bearer of Kami no Hikari (God's Light), Yuki can not only read people's emotions but also has the ability to heal others. At first, he gives you the impression that he's weak and can't fight at all (probably why he's given the role of the clan's healer) - but no. Yuki can actually hold off on his own because he's been trained in martial arts. He may seem weak but he will step in to fight if he sees his loved ones gets hurt. Luka is actually a Duras and his age is unknown but I think he's been around for centuries. He's obviously been around the time when female Yuki was born and fell in love with her. He's a high-class demon and a powerful one fighting with his big black sword and his little sidekick, a Salamander dragon (who can transform into a big wolf).
I love the development of their relationship because - like I said - they are the icon of bromance. The series loosely explains Luka's devotion towards Yuki because of his remaining feelings to the female Yuki. You can see how really protective and devoted he is of Yuki and would do anything to make sure he's happy and safe. I love even how Luka is always so quiet and reserved most of the time, his expressions changes when it comes to Yuki.
Luka is Yuki's solace in times where he feels insecure because of his abandonment issues and starts to doubt his own existence, and Luka always tells him "I will never betray you". It's his way of saying he will always be there for Yuki no matter what and would never leave him alone. God, he's like the perfect boyfriend. Yuki has unconditional trust in Luka and Luka unconditional devotion towards Yuki. Their bond makes them inseparable. It's also funny to see how jealous Luka gets when he sees other characters get too close to Yuki.
As the bearer of Kami no Hikari (God's Light), Yuki can not only read people's emotions but also has the ability to heal others. At first, he gives you the impression that he's weak and can't fight at all (probably why he's given the role of the clan's healer) - but no. Yuki can actually hold off on his own because he's been trained in martial arts. He may seem weak but he will step in to fight if he sees his loved ones gets hurt. Luka is actually a Duras and his age is unknown but I think he's been around for centuries. He's obviously been around the time when female Yuki was born and fell in love with her. He's a high-class demon and a powerful one fighting with his big black sword and his little sidekick, a Salamander dragon (who can transform into a big wolf).
I love the development of their relationship because - like I said - they are the icon of bromance. The series loosely explains Luka's devotion towards Yuki because of his remaining feelings to the female Yuki. You can see how really protective and devoted he is of Yuki and would do anything to make sure he's happy and safe. I love even how Luka is always so quiet and reserved most of the time, his expressions changes when it comes to Yuki.
Luka is Yuki's solace in times where he feels insecure because of his abandonment issues and starts to doubt his own existence, and Luka always tells him "I will never betray you". It's his way of saying he will always be there for Yuki no matter what and would never leave him alone. God, he's like the perfect boyfriend. Yuki has unconditional trust in Luka and Luka unconditional devotion towards Yuki. Their bond makes them inseparable. It's also funny to see how jealous Luka gets when he sees other characters get too close to Yuki.
Tsukumo & Toko
Tsukumo and Toko are siblings and are said to be Yuki's cousins or distant relatives. They are the first of the Zweilts to welcome Yuki with open arms. They are the easy-going pair compared to the other Zweilt members and often care about Yuki's wellbeing. Tsukumo is the bearer of Kami no Mimi (God's Ears). His ability is that he can sense people and "hear" their thoughts and he wields a gun (kinda like Kiryu Zero from Vampire Knight). Toko has no special abilities but she makes up for that through fighting simultaneously with her brother.
Because of their special bond as Zweilt pairs, people mistake their relationship as incest and it's funny when other characters poke at the idea.
Because of their special bond as Zweilt pairs, people mistake their relationship as incest and it's funny when other characters poke at the idea.
Hotsuma & Shusei
Hotsuma is the bearer of Kami no Koe (God's Voice) and he's known for his short-temper and impulsive behaviour. He doesn't usually have anything nice to say to anyone, particularly towards Yuki when they first met. Shusei is the bearer of Kami no Me (God's Eyes) - a sixth sense kind of thing and he is more calm and quiet in nature compared to Hotsuma. They are total opposites but complement each other well on an interpersonal level.
Hotsuma and Shusei is another bromance pairing that makes me squeal every moment they are together. They have the same kind of relationship with Yuki and Luka only their relationship is different. Shusei is Hotsuma's solace and the only person he is actually kind to because they are childhood friends. Shuesei is the only person Hotsuma trusts and devoted to because of the guilt he bears to him.
In my opinion, they are the second strongest pairing out of all the characters after Yuki and Luka. They have complete devotion and trust in each other and are literally the definition of "lovers" where they would actually die for each other. And no they are not actually lovers. They just have a really strong bond. A lot stronger than Tsukumo and Toko.
Kuroto & Senshiro
They are childhood friends, and like Toko, they don't have any special abilities. Kuroto is a professional shogi prodigy and is quiet and serious by nature because of his past. Senshirou is a Zweilt-in-training (so not an original member from the Giou clan and reborn like everyone else) and is a bit clumsy. He became a Zweilt and chose to be partners with Kuroto because of a past he shares with him.
They are the third pairing introduced to us (and last pairing in the anime). I would say their pairing is the weakest compared to the other Zweilt Guardians only because they just got paired together recently so they still have a lot of things to work out. It's not because they can't work together, it's more about Kuroto's insecurities that about to this past life and because he's worried about what his friend is giving up for him.
The anime didn't allow much development on these two because their appearance was only limited to the second half of the season. The manga does explore more of their relationship and you can see their bond as a pair make them trust each other more and stake their lives for each other. Senshirou is definitely the motherly-type to all Zweilt members and he often likes to spoil Kuroto, who is easily embarrassed when it comes to his pair.
The anime didn't allow much development on these two because their appearance was only limited to the second half of the season. The manga does explore more of their relationship and you can see their bond as a pair make them trust each other more and stake their lives for each other. Senshirou is definitely the motherly-type to all Zweilt members and he often likes to spoil Kuroto, who is easily embarrassed when it comes to his pair.
Takashiro and Kanata
Now, this is a more complicated pairing than anyone other characters because they go way back. I won't go into too much detail because it will spoil a lot but basically, they have a lot of history together.
Takashiro is the head of the Giou Clan (in the manga there's actually someone else who has more control over the clan but it's not important). He possesses a grimoire called the Book of Solomon. He claims to be Yuki's older brother which I can see how they look so much alike.
But reading from the manga, I have other theories (Not going to go into that).
Kanata is Yuki's childhood friend who he grew up with in the orphanage and acts like an older brother to him. It turns out Kanata is the antagonist of the series and was actually an original member of the Giou clan. He possesses the other grimoire, the Book of Raziel. He's a very controversial character because, despite being on opposite sides, Kanata still cares deeply about Yuki. He's conflicted with his relationship with Yuki and his main goal to destroy all of humanity because of some ancient revenge. The manga goes into more depth about the centuries-old war and it's a lot more complicated than what the anime showed because it left out a lot.
Each of the characters in the anime has their own unique attribute that make them stand out in their own way. Even the villains and supporting characters have their own uniqueness that keeps you interested.
Each of the characters in the anime has their own unique attribute that make them stand out in their own way. Even the villains and supporting characters have their own uniqueness that keeps you interested.
MANGA
What you don't get to see in the anime is that is another Zweilt pairing and they are the last pairing in the entire clan - Sairi & Ria. They are another male and female pairing besides Tsukumo and Toko. They are not siblings and they are lovers either. They are original Giou clan members who each lost their original partners in the last battle and are got paired together.
When the anime finished, I went straight to reading the manga but nowhere could I read the full chapters online so I had to buy the entire set. But at that time, the series didn't finish so I didn't get to find out how the series ended until Hotaru Odagiri came out of her hiatus a few years ago.
Now that it's finished and I've read them all, this is my opinion of the entire series...
I am disappointed that the manga ended earlier than it should have. I felt that the manga could have continued for like 5 more volumes. But it can't be helped when working on such a great manga with a lot of potential takes a lot out of the author. She took a long hiatus to focus on her recovery but decided to make a comeback in spite of her illness to finish this manga the best she can to avoid leaving it incomplete indefinitely.
I appreciate the author's effort but I am disappointed with the way the manga ended. The character's arc and the plotline behind the war were getting interesting and it was unexpected however, it wasn't allowed the chance to be developed any further because of the abrupt ending. Again, I'm not going to blame the poor author who had to battle her illness while trying to finish this manga.
The ending was left ambiguous with more questions than answers. I was really disappointed that we never got the chance to know more about Luka's backstory other than the time he fell in love with female Yuki. I was actually hoping there'd be a backstory or flashback about his past with his former master and I actually thought the Demon King was going to make an appearance.
There was actually a lot of backstory behind the Giou clan, Takashiro, the new character Sairi and Katana. It's really disappointing that none of it got explored further than just a brief explanation. This is only possible if the author had the capability to continue further than the ending we got.
I'm more sad than disappointed about the ending but I also respect the author's decision to bring it to an end. She's been very ill for a long time and tried to battle it while working on the manga at the same time but it just got worse for her. She went on a really long hiatus and probably thought she can't do this to her readers any longer and thought it was best to bring it to an end.
It may not be the best ending or closure we all hoped for - but it's better than leaving it incomplete forever.
TOTAL SCORE
Storyline: ★★★★☆
Characters: ★★★★☆
Comedy: ★★☆☆☆
Action: ★★★☆☆
Thriller: ★★★☆☆
Is it Enjoyable?: ★★★★☆
Overall score:★★★★☆
Overall, I still love the anime and the manga despite the drawback in the endings. I'm going to ignore that because I love the characters so much. The storyline was great and compelling, it leaves you on edge and it sparks a lot of theories. It had a lot of potential but sadly it wasn't given the chance to delve further than what we got. And like I said, there is no romance in this but the depth of how these characters are explored and their relationship just compels you to be invested with them.
Comedy doesn't have a big presence in the anime or manga because of the seriousness of the plotline but there a few light comedy in here. It's more cute than funny really and it makes you laugh sometimes. There is a lot of action but because of the ending, I couldn't giving it a full five star or even four because I was expecting a full-on battle between the clans.
It is a great anime and it's enjoyable if you can get over the undeveloped ending.
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