If you missed the first release from Funimation for The Sacred Blacksmith your in luck because it’s being re-released on DVD. Well, the standard version is anyway. If you want to get yourself a copy of the Limited Edition version you’ll have to hit up Amazon and shop the third party sellers. Included in that edition was a full color booklet with steamy pictures of the cast and a hardcover artwork box. Keep that in mind. This re-release features the complete series (12 episodes) on 2 discs in a standard two disc DVD case with a slip cover that features new artwork that shines just a little bit less. Bonus features haven’t changed from the original standard version. Included are Textless opening and closing songs, Japanese episode previews, and finally trailers.

Set in Housman, one of the cities of the Independent Trade Cities, a young female knight named Cecily Campbell has vowed to protect her beloved city and its people and make her ancestors proud. While in a battle she is saved by Luke Ainsworth, the cities blacksmith. His katana cuts clean through her attackers sword, but unfortunately during the battle her own sword, the family sword, is badly damaged. While it cannot be fixed Cecily decides she would much rather have a Katana from Luke, but Luke is reluctant to make her one. In any case the two become somewhat friends. The more they get to know one another the more Luke’s dark past comes to light and Cecily becomes more and more involved with the up coming trials that face them both and their city.

When this intriguing anime series came to an end I was a little disappointed until I took in the title of the series, The Sacred Blacksmith. See, the anime follows Cecily and Luke as dark forces begin to converge on their city, the city which is waiting for Luke to forge them a sacred sword that will defeat the God Valbanill when he returns. Before his resurrection from a nearby mountain where he has been locked away men who have paid a price for their souls with demon contracts relentlessly attack the city, attempting to get their hands on a scattered variety of weapons titled Demon Swords which coincidentally have a tie with bringing down Valbanill. It's here where I got lost, and a few of you will as well. Your going to expect some sort of fruition within this plot in the series which will, unfortunately, never become realized. Let’s go back to the title, The Sacred Blacksmith. This is Luke Ainsworth, so what I missed is that the story is about him and his troubles and they don’t necessarily include the on coming battle. While it would have been nice to see that play out you do get a completion of Luke’s character.

The show is all about the swords and magic and is beautifully drawn. There is your fair amount of action and drama, as in any anime, and the show is a bit risqué at times showing a lot of full on cleavage and plenty of jokes being made about cleavage. Think Slayers, how their always making fun of Lina Inverse’s small bust. Well reverse that here. The characters make sometimes subtle notice of Cecily’s breasts, with one episode devoted entirely to them. Usually I find anime shows that focus on the female body lame because they tend to do it a lot more then is funny and for no reason, but here it's all funny. There are embarrassing moments, moments that really clarify the character of some of the characters in the show when it comes to how they see themselves, but never in a pointless way. The story is really coherent and the characters with depth. I really enjoyed this series, other then not being able to see a final battle happen. Well worth checking out for a laugh.