Audience reviews
20 · Sample from the first available page, separate from the total number of ratings.
AeroGunz
“Kite” is what happens when you have “Atomic Blonde” at home, with blackjack and hookers.
MAL categorizes this OVA as a “hentai” and I’m not disputing that. But this is a bit different type of hentai than that you see today and for the last 15-20 years (for the most part at least). The use of both violence and sex scenes is… I really don’t want to use the term "competent" because it has too many flaws for that, but I would call it at least thoughtful. They aren’t used randomly or excessively and, to a degree you wouldn’t expect from something with a “hentai” monocle, they serve the plot and story.
Before we start I would like to explain something. I will be talking about “plot” and “story”. Many people use these terms interchangeably. I’m not one of those people, so to make sure everyone…
Read at the sourceDanteDemonZ
Kite grabs you with its intensity but quickly exhausts by pushing boundaries and being one of the edgiest, most over-the-top films you’ll watch. Ultimately, the film aims to unsettle through its blend of striking visuals and a grim, character-driven story. Sawa, thrust into a corrupt, predatory world, is shaped by trauma and forced into a life she never chose, establishing the film’s uncompromising tone early on.
But the film doesn’t trust that groundwork and instead relies on shock to an excessive, unnecessary, and disturbing degree. The relentless sexual violence and degradation go far beyond the needs of its themes. It doesn’t explore; it insists and lingers, numbing rather than impacting. The message is clear early, but the film repeats it, louder and more explicit, as if afraid it wo…
Read at the sourcefh1478
Beautifully Animated Explosive Bullets
Kite Is an anime about stylish assassinations, where things go horribly wrong, if you're into prisonity.
The reason you watch this anime is, the stylish action scenes where things just go to hell, with destruction environments, and the dark atmosphere, where rape is just a routine.
It's a dark horrible world where human life is worth nothing, and every time assassination happens, There's be blood everywhere, but there's also such a dark humour to it.
The dark atmosphere is captivating with the dark but colorful choices, makes it one of the 90s beauties. with unique character design, that I have only seen from this director. the jazzy soundtrack gives it such a smooth energy tone.
The reason for the sex scenes is funny, when did the Director want…
Read at the sourcek-0da
I came into Kite with low expectations, but I was blown away by the art, animation, and Sawa’s agency within the story.
Kite, at least the uncensored version, is labeled as a hentai, and while there are certainly explicit sex scenes, it’s way more of a pulpy action flick than it is pornography. What stands out most about kite is the colors, character design, and overall animation-- the colors are gorgeous, saturated and vibrant; nothing is muddy or blends together, everything pops and shines. The character designs have a late 90s/early 2000s flair reminiscent of Persona 1/Persona 2 designs, which are just so satisfying to watch on screen. All four main characters have distinct, unique designs, and the background NPCs do too. Everyone looks very human (save Sawa, who is the designated ani…
Read at the sourceRogersss
This ended up being a lot better than i expected honestly, good animation, great fight scenes, good music and atmosphere, interesting themes even if the story was just OK and they handled them well given how short it was, interesting direction and Sawa was a very solid main character again considering it’s a short movie. It was fairly impactful which was surprising given I just expected some crazy adult 90s OVA with little substance.
When it comes to the sex scenes, I absolutely think they were necessary but the studio almost tried to have their cake and eat it too, they actually did a very good job of portraying how awful and disturbing rape/grooming is, with the direction and some of the cuts, and the dialogue (something anime/manga/hentai rarely do when it comes to rape, 95% of the ti…
Read at the sourceAchi88
Do you like your hardcore rape-scenes to be as sadistic as possible? Do you enjoy watching crying young women get railed by older men on the reg? Do you enjoy substandard animation and bad sound design? Then this is the anime for you!
All the flaws mentioned above are contained in a poorly told story about exploitation and revenge. My hopes were high after the initial elevator scene, that was quite well made. But the story quickly devolved into sadistic (and way too graphic) nonsense. Some scenes were enjoyable in a comedic way, a highlight is when a small war breaks out between the characters in a tiny public bathroom (lol). The main characters looked lifeless, like dolls, and sometimes it's like the artist had a stroke (hands that should be resting on a shoulder are just gripping thin…
Read at the sourceNo-LifeKing_26
I love the art work of 90s anime. They combined this with jazzy undertones and it gave this film more of a depressed dark and gloomy setting. Let's you enter into this harsh reality of all the characters shown. Kill or be killed.
Sawa lacked personality and I could barely figure out what her motives were until the end of the film. While predictable to a degree the the graphic telling and showing of her submission to Akai and how graphic it was shows that it's intended for a more adult and mature audience. This other guy, Kanie, that is pronounced Kanye in the the dubbed format.I enjoyed how it went into the
I loved the intense violence and how graphic they attempted to make each scene. Holes in hands, heads exploding, vomit, crotch kicks, 6 shots to the chest, and bombs blowing up righ…
Read at the sourcejakk_runt
Calling this hentai would be a serious disservice to what is clearly a masterpiece. I find it frustrating when Western audiences dismiss animation or art simply because it portrays intimacy or nudity. Yes, there’s a sex scene early on and quite a bit of violence throughout—but those elements only scratch the surface of a much deeper story, brought to life through stunning animation and emotional depth.
The character development in this film is phenomenal. You see these individuals shaped by trauma, love, and loss, and the animation doesn't shy away from exploring their humanity in all its rawness. The violence is brutal, yes, but it's purposeful and it reflects the harsh reality of their world and underscores the emotional weight of their choices. Every scar, every moment of pain, adds to…
Read at the sourceEllieCats
This film might not hold up today because of its content, but the overall premise is good. That being said, I wouldn't necessarily consider this a hentai as the basis of the film doesn't revolve around sexual acts and its purpose is not for gratification.
Story: Quite good, there is a general plotline that the film follows with a few interesting surprises thrown in along the way. I do wish they'd have developed the relationship between the two protags, but it's not bad enough to put me off recommending it.
Characters: The characters have depth and the main two are likable, and many of the others are easy to form an opinion on. This is not an anime where you don't care about what is happening to the main cast.
Style: It has a gritty vibe peppered with a generic jazz soundtrack. The art i…
Read at the sourceRezwan1024
For anyone who's gonna watch this anime in 2025..
This anime is an intense ride—violent, stylish, and emotionally heavy. It doesn’t hold back on its themes of corruption, abuse, and revenge, making it a unique but disturbing experience.
Sawa, the protagonist, is a tragic character. Orphaned and manipulated into becoming an assassin, her story is unsettling yet compelling. The anime does a great job of making you feel her internal struggle, even though the runtime is short. The action sequences are one of the highlights—fluid, brutal, and well-animated, especially for a 1998 OVA. The gunfights have a stylish edge that reminds me of classic action films.
However, Kite isn’t an easy watch. The mature content and dark themes make it uncomfortable at times, and while the story is engaging, i…
Read at the sourcebeenielson
I liked this much more than I initially thought I would. On the surface, it does seem to be a sort of edge-lord "everything is terrible" kind of story, but there is more going on underneath all that than you might initially think. It can be graphic, but the violence is nearly comical, with how unrealistic it is. The most important thing to my viewing was the visuals: Sawa's red eyes, the red earrings, splashes of blood. The sex is unpleasant, and not eroticized like other similar works have fan service. Personally, I did not watch it, and it is easy to skip when it happens. The ambiguous ending could also be an issue for some viewers, but adds to layers for interpretation and potential rewatching. Mixed Feelings was selected because of the tone: Kite is not a pleasant work, and some people…
Read at the sourceMaxTheYukoner
#7
As much as MAL names this an X Rated Hentai, it really isn't. Sure, there is nudity and sex, but its much more than that. Probably 5 minutes out of the 50 minute run time has that aspect in it. A Kite has an aesthetic similar to Cowboy Bebop, but not in space and the future. It just has that vibe to it. The "plot" 😉 was actually kind of interesting, revolving around a hitgirl tasked to hunt down certain people. Would this be an easy recommendation? Absolutely not, since all the main characters have the utmost definition of Plot Armor. There is so much plot armor in this anime it is UNBELIEVABLE. However, that's what made it rather hilarious than annoying. A Kite is no easy recommendation, simply because it is an 18+ anime and more of a short than a series. Although it was entertaining…
Read at the sourcelorextreme
(if you are reading for a recommendation yes watch it the atmostphere is great, it just have some drawbacks but its very good)
Man, this could've been a masterpiece if it wasn’t so explicit. From the start, I loved the action, the atmosphere, and the background music — even the credits had me like, ‘omg.’ I usually check out ratings from my 'friends' on this site, and I was surprised that most people were giving it a 7, even those who tend to be super critical with low scores. So I thought that this was gonna be good cause from what i watched from a clip it had very good action, but reading here in MyAnimeList it was also hentai, that I dont mind if it's just well delved, but most the time it isnt.
For me it's good if it mix well and serves the story. Like in Catherine (ATLUS) that I pla…
Read at the sourceJiaLia
Directed by Yasuomi Umetsu, "A Kite" is a masterful action-packed anime that brings to mind the intense, stylized violence of old-school Hong Kong films by John Woo. The story follows Sawa, a young assassin caught in a brutal cycle of violence and manipulation, and the action scenes are nothing short of spectacular. Umetsu's direction excels in crafting high-octane sequences that are both visually gripping and deeply emotional. The pacing, choreography, and raw energy of the film are reminiscent of the best action flicks from the '90s.
While the film's controversial adult themes are integral to the story, giving depth to the characters and their motivations, the explicit scenes themselves can feel unnecessary and detract from the overall experience. For this reason, I recommend watching t…
Read at the sourceSagaiko
I like how the story explores themes of revenge, corruption, and the consequences of a broken society.
As Sawa carries out her assignments, she becomes entangled in a web of deceit and betrayal, uncovering secrets about the people she once trusted.
I enjoy its blend of dark storytelling, action and "mature" themes/scenes :)
The plot development might be foreseeable, especially if you are familiar with similar themes. However, you may appreciate the story for its atmosphere, style, and the exploration of morally complex situations.
The characters, including the protagonist Sawa, are not extensively developed in terms of depth. They serve more as conduits for the intense and violent narrative rather than being deeply explored individuals :/
Overall, it was entertaining, specially if you fin…
Read at the sourcesund0wner
Solid exploitation riff that's unfortunately pretty tone deaf and tries to mask its blatantly misogynistic "guardian" angle by allowing Sawa to flaunt her sense of badass female agency through contract killings, even though said killings are in service of her bullshit obligation to this literal child molester that uses her for sex in between the action bits. Oburi's kinda rendered an afterthought, mostly because he exists merely to bond with Sawa in a freeing/escapist sense as she's only known tragedy and the company of the patriarchal scourge that holds her captive, and the way they do him in during the final moments is pretty fucking thankless. Animation's definitely of a particular '90s ilk as is the admittedly stellar violence, and even though the aforementioned gender politics are kin…
Read at the sourcestmwg01
There's nothing wrong with A Kite, I just didn't get a ton of enjoyment out of it. Would recommend to pass an hour if you have nothing better to do.
Story line is pretty interesting, but doesn't really create any "twists" that would put it over the top. Had they done a little better hiding who Kanie and Akai really were until the end, I think it would've pushed the story line into much better territory.
Art was average as was sound. I personally wasn't a fan of the nudity, but understand why it's in here. Even in the edited version, it seems a bit too much for my liking, but whatever.
Characters really aren't that good. They're surface characters - what you see is what you get. Nothing more, nothing less.
Did I enjoy A Kite? I wouldn't say it was bad by any means, but I also wouldn't s…
Read at the sourceTheAceAttorney
Guys, Kite is not that great c'mon now. I know it's easy to dismiss it as an "intellectually-charged hentai" due to the loss of more sex scenes, but this couldn't be further from the truth.
[SPOILERS]
For one, I outright laughed while watching this several times. Apparently reaction time is non-existent. Obori has an explosion happen right in front of him, and notices 10 seconds later. This moment is worth pointing out as well 21:18 (Man really took 5 minutes to identify that Sawa was INDEED a female). The tv guy gets shot in the head and is still alive for a few seconds, as well. And don't even get me started on the pacing. There's a scene around the 15 minute mark, where Sawa and Obori are talking to each other and Sawa flat out asks Obori a question, he leaves for 2 minutes, returns a…
Read at the sourceCFKaligula
Kite looks beautiful. It has the same bright colours and style as anime like Cowboy Bebop and Neon Genesis Evangelion. However, as opposed to those anime, Kite does not deliver on the story front. I would say the story is just a mess, the relationships between all the characters are super underdeveloped. There are also a bunch of sex scenes, which this show would be much better without. They show up out of nowhere and make almost no sense in the story.
Maybe I am too dumb and I missed it, but I do not see how the title is at all relevant to the plot. I assume the protagonist is supposed to be the titular kite, but I do not really see how that would fit. A kite makes you think of being adrift and apart from the world. But this is not the case at all, our protagonist still goes to school e…
Read at the sourceArtxmiz0
Im a sucker for old timey animes so my review might be biased about it but I honestly think it was a really good movie for only being 40 something minutes and made in 1998. I believe that the anime is exactly hentai. It featured some skin but like any good anime didn't exploit it. Overall it was a great story and had major gore at least to me but the story and plot was used to balance it out which was great. I was honestly just weirded out by some of the plot the entirety of watching but I mean times were different back then, and so were acceptable social norms. Sawa's backstory and flashbacks were also well incorporated and gave me a well amount of info to feel for her on a sensative level. I loved it.
Read at the source
