Funimation snags Kaze no Stigma

Via ANN.

Kaze no Stigma is a Gonzo production from last year's anime line up (spring 2007). It was pretty decent. I enjoyed it well enough, though it's nothing particularly spectacular. When I describe something that way, what I mean is that it's entertaining, but not really stimulating in any way.

The show centers around Kazuma, a young man from the Kannagi family of fire magic users, who lost a battle against Ayano and was banished from the family. Basically, his powers as a fire user were far too weak to weild the family's sword, Enraiha. He and Ayano battled it out to see who would be the heir, and Ayano beat him easily. Four years later Kazuma reappears as a powerful wind user, having made a contract with a wind spirit lord, and now works as a freelance magic user. He has returned to get revenge against his father, who ejected him from the family. But his quest for revenge brings him back to Ayano and his little brother Ren. While Kazuma has been gone, mysterious wind users have been attacking Kannagi family members. At first the family blames Kazuma, but they soon learn that a wind clan is the cause. Kazuma, who wishes to destroy the Kannagi, instead ends up working with them (or Ayano at least) to protect his brother Ren. Throughout the series Kazuma keeps a cold distance from the Kannagi family, with the exception of his brother, but somehow Ayano keeps getting thrown in to work with him (or sometimes against him) on his jobs.

There's a cute little romance in there, and it plays out fairly well. The viewers learn about Kazuma's feelings long before Ayano, but there's still a decent amount of ambiguousness for a while. Ayano is a hot tempered, rash, occassionally arrogant and sometimes clumsy girl who Kazuma trains (in his own strange ways) to become a more adept wielder of fire magic and the Enraiha.

The animation and music work well. It's Gonzo, and it looks like a Gonzo show. I'd watch it at least once, if you're into the whole spirit elementals and girls with swords kind of shows.

Also, ANN now has a list of the upcoming fall shows. There are some promising titles (like Clannad After Story), and the list there is not complete (as of this posting).