Unfortunately, that same barrier is slowly breaking down. Hamel is just a normal villager, until one morning, when he finds a small horn that has grown atop his head. He asks his friend Oboe, a raven, what he thinks about it, when his other friend, Flute, suddenly bursts into his house. She's excited about the village festival that evening, and drags Hamel out of his house into the bright sunshine.

They continue through the village until they suddenly meet a man who is mortally wounded. Flute stands shocked at the sight, and insists that they take him back to her house for medical attention. They do so, even though it is forbidden to take strangers into the village.

Later that evening, all is going well at the festival. Everyone is happy and song fills the air. All of a sudden, the merriment stops when a demon crashes their party. Hamel starts to play some magic music on his violin, and the demon is destroyed.

At the bloody site, the villagers reveal that Flute is the heir of the throne of Sfornzendo, and Hamel is to escort her to her rightful home. However, Flute just wants to be a normal girl.

And so they set off, questions abound. Why has Hamel grown a horn? Why can he play magic music? How is Flute a princess? Along the way, they'll meet friends old and new, as well as deadly enemies. Secrets will be uncovered, and truths best no...    - J-chan

artistry was the lowest score because... it doesn't have the best art in the world. the first time i saw it, the art didn't impress me, so i moved on to another tape. the cel rate especially makes you think the animators were on a tight budget. the anime is littered with millions of still shots. admittedly, at points, they do help influence the story, but sometimes it is vastly overdone.

i gave character development very high marks. the characters were so fleshed out! you knew their pasts, and was given insight into *why* they acted the ways they did. also, practically every character (ninety percent, at least!) had a sob story! i started out hating one person... and then i pitied them! pity soon turned to liking, and liking in loving. yes, i love the characters of this series, sans a minor few.

the story is clear, but sometimes a plot twist can throw you off. however, this *can* be a pleasant annoyance.

speaking of plot... violinist of hameln has such a good plot! better than your average anime, at least. hamel's little secret about his past is pretty obvious from the beginning, but it is quite interesting to see how it influences the plot. flute turns out to be a princess, and that too has part in the wh...