The guilt within him was eating him alive. He shouldn't feel this way; it just wasn't natural! He knew he was the cause of his parents' divorce. His mother hated him! She knew all along, and she despised him for his feelings. How could he look at Sara that way? How could he feel these things for her, his own sister?

This is the conflict that drives "Angel Sanctuary," an anime ostensibly about the war between angels and demons, yet just as preoccupied by the war within a young man's heart.

The film begins with Setsuno being menaced by a group of classmates. They pummel him, and he takes each and every blow. But there seems to be more to this than him simply being afraid to fight back or being powerless. His sister all but confirms this when she appears and yells at him for getting into trouble.

The interesting thing about this anime is that the plot isn't told all at once, but rather is inferred from different things the characters say along the way. Human (and non-human) interaction are what really drives the plot. When Setsuna discovers he has an angel's soul sleeping within him that other angels, and demons, want to release, it becomes almost too much for his mind to bear. Yet he'd known all along that there was something different about himself, and not just his unusual taste in ladies.

Angel Sanctuary succeeds on several different levels. The story telling, while hampered by its need to fit tons of information into a short amount of time, is crisp and vibrant and really does convey the action and lets the audience know exactly what's happening in the film. The artwork is beautiful and compliments the storyline. And the action sequences are all done well. Voice acting shines in this release as well, something many other animes can't boast. The great thing about this show is that there is a twist at every turn, and the viewer is never sure of what will happen next. It's definitely not the average anime, it doesn't follow any set pattern, nor does it try to be oblique or intentionally confusing.

The big problem is that Angel Sanctuary was never completed. Why were only a small handful of episodes produced? While the manga is also not complete, there's a lot more of the manga then there is of the anime. The story continues for several books, so it isn't a lack of material that has caused this anime to languish. It's a real shame, because this is one that definitely should have been continued. It's a fresh and exciting story. But having said that, the anime does have an ending of sorts, one which is satisfying enough on its own. It definitely leaves the viewer wanting more though.