Kaiba (カイバ) is a Japanese science fiction anime television series produced by Madhouse. The series is created, written, and directed by Masaaki Yuasa, it was broadcast for 12 episodes on WOWOW from April to July 2008. In North America, the series is licensed by Discotek Media. The story revolves around an enigmatic character named Warp, and takes place in a strange world mixed with a universe where changing bodies and trafficking memories are possible. In 2008, Kaiba won the Excellence Award at the 12th Japan Media Arts Festival.

Synopsis

Setting

In Kaiba's universe, memories can be stored as information via a memory chip; when individuals die, their minds live on. This digitization of mental information allows for the transfer of one's mind to someone else's body, and the theft and manipulation of other people's memories has become the norm. Society is largely divided into two classes. In the skies are electrical storms, which cannot be passed through without losing one's memories. Above them lies the realm of the wealthy and powerful, who barter others' bodies and memories for their own enjoyment and longevity. Below the clouds is a troubled and dangerous world where good bodies are hard to come by and real money is scarce.

Plot

The series begins with a man named Kaiba (Warp) as he awakens in a ruined room. He has no memories, but he has a hole in his chest, a triangular mark on his stomach, and a pendant with a picture of an unknown girl inside. After being attacked, Kaiba escapes with the help of an unknown ally and, through his travels, slowly regains his memories. Meanwhile, the woman from the pendant struggles with her own convictions and her past, which may be intertwined with Kaiba's origins.

Characters

Release

Kaiba was produced by Madhouse and directed by Masaaki Yuasa. Yuasa also wrote the screenplay, while the character design was made by Nobutaka Ito. The series was broadcast from April 10 to July 24, 2008, in WOWOW. The title "Kaiba" refers to the brain's memory-related organ hippocampus. The anime series was licensed in Australia by Siren Visual in 2011. In September 2017, Discotek Media announced they would be licensing the show for physical distribution in North America. In 2022, Anime Limited licensed it in the United Kingdom. It was made available for streaming on Crunchyroll in May 2019.

Theme songs

Opening theme Ending theme Insert songs

List of episodes

Reception

Kaiba was awarded the Excellence Award in the Animation Division at the 12th Japan Media Arts Festival in 2008. THEM Anime Reviews gave the series 4 out of 5 stars, and praised the anime for its outstanding animation, story and visuals, saying, "Visually, Kaiba excites. It is certainly soft on the eye and the art style leaves the animators open to draw some incredibly evocative backdrops for the worlds that our lead visits and sees. The grace of its aesthetics, its power and emotionality when it does get it right make it an instant recommendation". Anime News Network highlighted the animation and the story of the series, lauding multiple aspects of the show, calling it a "Well-thought-out setting, fascinating visuals and the plot builds up as series progresses".