Kaiba

  • Genres: ["Adventure","Avant Garde","Award Winning","Mystery","Romance","Sci-Fi"]
  • Type: TV
  • Status: Finished Airing
  • Year: 2008

Summary: In a world where memories exist in memory chips separate from the body, death of the body no longer means death of the soul. It is possible for memories to be viewed, altered, and transferred between bodies. These memory chips are used by the rich to obtain eternal lives in carefully selected bodies, while for the poor, selling their own bodies and conserving their souls in the chips often become the only way to earn a living. An electrolytic cloud in the sky serves as a barrier between the heavens of the fortunate and the underworld of the destitute, making this social division impregnable.

One day, a man named Kaiba wakes up in an empty room with no memories, a mysterious hole in his chest, and a locket holding the picture of an unknown woman. After escaping an attack and stumbling upon a decrepit village of underworld residents, he begins his adventure across the different planets of this strange universe to find out more about his own identity and the woman he once knew.

Through a journey of self-discovery and acceptance, Kaiba weaves together tales of souls and spirits and explores the importance of memories.

[Written by MAL Rewrite]


Description

In a world where memories exist in memory chips separate from the body, death of the body no longer means death of the soul. It is possible for memories to be viewed, altered, and transferred between bodies. These memory chips are used by the rich to obtain eternal lives in carefully selected bodies, while for the poor, selling their own bodies and conserving their souls in the chips often become the only way to earn a living. An electrolytic cloud in the sky serves as a barrier between the heavens of the fortunate and the underworld of the destitute, making this social division impregnable.

One day, a man named Kaiba wakes up in an empty room with no memories, a mysterious hole in his chest, and a locket holding the picture of an unknown woman. After escaping an attack and stumbling upon a decrepit village of underworld residents, he begins his adventure across the different planets of this strange universe to find out more about his own identity and the woman he once knew.

Through a journey of self-discovery and acceptance, Kaiba weaves together tales of souls and spirits and explores the importance of memories.

[Written by MAL Rewrite]


Available At


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Kaiba Trailers


Kaiba Pictures


Kaiba Review

Kaiba — In a world where memories exist in memory chips separate from the body, death of the body no longer means death of the soul. This overview is intentionally spoiler-free and focuses on tone and intent rather than plot specifics.

Thematically, It sits firmly within Adventure, Avant Garde, Award Winning, Mystery, Romance, Sci-Fi conventions as a TV work and has garnered attention (MAL score: 8.14). This work explores character dynamics, tonal shifts, and the interplay between narrative ambition and execution. The story's pacing and tonal choices are crafted to complement the central ideas, often emphasizing atmosphere and emotional truth over explicit exposition. The show's ability to evoke a consistent mood — whether melancholic, exuberant, or contemplative — is a recurring strength, and the scenes are constructed so viewers can infer stakes without needing explicit spoilers.

Characterization is a core pillar here. Protagonists and supporting figures are written with distinct motivations and narrative roles; even when archetypal, the series invests in small behavioral details that make choices feel earned. Character arcs are handled with an eye for gradualism: development often arrives through incremental beats rather than abrupt, expository shifts. The interactions between characters create texture, and relationships are used to illuminate both personal flaws and larger thematic concerns.

On the visual front, production values play a significant role. The animation quality varies by sequence but frequently showcases thoughtful direction and composition. Background art, framing, and color palettes are used deliberately to support tone — quieter scenes favor muted palettes while action or heightened emotional beats employ brighter, more kinetic visuals. Direction choices, such as camera movement and shot selection, often elevate scenes beyond their raw script, creating moments that linger in the viewer's mind.

The soundscape — score, incidental music, and sound design — complements the visual language. Music cues are placed to maximize emotional resonance without manipulating the audience with melodrama; this restraint often leads to more authentic emotional payoff. Sound design punctuates key moments, and when the series leans on silence, those quieter moments are given weight by measured audio choices.

Pacing and structure are handled with craft. Episodes are arranged to build tension and release methodically, and the narrative rarely rushes through important emotional beats. That said, the deliberate pacing may feel slow to viewers who prefer faster plot turnover; the reward is greater nuance and an accumulation of meaning across the series. Accessibility is generally good — one can appreciate surface-level pleasures, while repeat or attentive viewing reveals additional layers.

No title is without flaws. Occasional unevenness in subplots or variable animation across episodes can be distracting. Some tonal shifts might feel abrupt if you expect uniformity; others will argue that those shifts are purposeful. These are worth noting, but they seldom undercut the larger achievements of the work.

In sum, Kaiba offers a rich experience for viewers who value character-driven storytelling, considered visual design, and a soundtrack that supports rather than overwhelms. For fans of Adventure, Avant Garde, Award Winning, Mystery, Romance, Sci-Fi, this is an especially rewarding watch. It's recommended for those who appreciate layered narratives and artistry in animation, and best approached with patience and attention to nuance.


Characters & Voice Actors

Kaiba

Kaiba

Main

Kuwashima, Houko
Kuwashima, Houko
Japanese
Neiro

Neiro

Main

Noto, Mamiko
Noto, Mamiko
Japanese
Popo

Popo

Main

Park, Romi
Park, Romi
Japanese
Baby

Baby

Supporting

Ishizuka, Unshou
Ishizuka, Unshou
Japanese
Butter

Butter

Supporting

Nishiwaki, Tamotsu
Nishiwaki, Tamotsu
Japanese
Cheki

Cheki

Supporting

Fujimura, Ayumi
Fujimura, Ayumi
Japanese
Chroniko

Chroniko

Supporting

Saitou, Chiwa
Saitou, Chiwa
Japanese
Grandma

Grandma

Supporting

Suzuki, Reiko
Suzuki, Reiko
Japanese
Hyo-hyo

Hyo-hyo

Supporting

Mizuta, Wasabi
Mizuta, Wasabi
Japanese
Kichi

Kichi

Supporting

Iwanaga, Tetsuya
Iwanaga, Tetsuya
Japanese
Kochu

Kochu

Supporting

Hibi, Aiko
Hibi, Aiko
Japanese
Narrator

Narrator

Supporting

Genda, Tesshou
Genda, Tesshou
Japanese
Nisemono Warp

Nisemono Warp

Supporting

Sanpei, Yuuko
Sanpei, Yuuko
Japanese
Patch

Patch

Supporting

Cho
Cho
Japanese
Quilt

Quilt

Supporting

Sate

Sate

Supporting

Kaida, Yuuko
Kaida, Yuuko
Japanese
Vanilla

Vanilla

Supporting

Egawa, Hisao
Egawa, Hisao
Japanese

Staff

Fujio, Tsutomu

Fujio, Tsutomu

Producer

Kitaura, Hiroyuki

Kitaura, Hiroyuki

Producer

Koike, Yukiko

Koike, Yukiko

Producer

Tamura, Manabu

Tamura, Manabu

Producer

Yuasa, Masaaki

Yuasa, Masaaki

Director, Episode Director, Script, Storyboard, Original Creator, Series Composition

Momose, Keiichi

Momose, Keiichi

Sound Director

Choi, Eun-Young

Choi, Eun-Young

Episode Director, Script, Storyboard, Animation Director, 2nd Key Animation, Key Animation

Mihara, Michio

Mihara, Michio

Episode Director, Storyboard, Key Animation, In-Between Animation, Animation Director

Takahashi, Tomoya

Takahashi, Tomoya

Episode Director, Script, Storyboard

Yokoyama, Akitoshi

Yokoyama, Akitoshi

Episode Director, Storyboard, Key Animation, Screenplay

Vickers, Jamie

Vickers, Jamie

Storyboard, Animation Director, Key Animation

Kagami, Seira

Kagami, Seira

Theme Song Lyrics, Theme Song Performance

Nishihira, Akira

Nishihira, Akira

Theme Song Arrangement

Abe, Junko

Abe, Junko

Key Animation

Amemiya, Akira

Amemiya, Akira

Key Animation

Arai, Kouichi

Arai, Kouichi

Key Animation

Asano, Naoyuki

Asano, Naoyuki

Key Animation

Endou, Yutaka

Endou, Yutaka

Publicity

Furumiya, Youko

Furumiya, Youko

Background Art

Hamada, Takayuki

Hamada, Takayuki

Key Animation