Hammer and Bolter – Death’s Hand

I’ve recently subscribed to Warhammer TV – after many moons of deliberation – and as a result, have started watching the Hammer and Bolter series. So, thought I’d write a bit about my thoughts on the episodes as I go through them. This isn’t going to be a critique of Warhammer TV/Warhammer+ as a whole, but something that (I hope) will keep my interest in Warhammer Fiction/Hobby.

The first episode of Hammer and Bolter, as expected, starts with members of the Imperium of Mankind. Rather than relying on the Good Olde Space Marine, however, it tells the story of Inquisitor Kiamoro; who has foreseen his own death through the mysterious Emperor’s Tarot and is desperately seeking an alternative opinion.

He has been requested to return to Terra, an invitation which is overdue that sees him reuniting with an ‘old friend’ in the Inquisition; Inquisitor Arturo. But, seeing as no one really likes one another in the Warhammer 40k setting and even friends are your foes, things go horribly wrong, pulling Kiamoro closer to the truth of the tarot he has become obsessed with.

As an introductory animation to the Hammer and Bolter series, Death’s Hand is pretty darned good. It tells a good, quick story that sucks the viewer in. Starting with humans is always a good draw, as they’re what we can relate to as viewers and, regardless of how we feel about certain Warhammer Factions, we root for them. Also, they are the normal that everything else is measured by.

Storywise, there are a fair few questions left unanswered. Why had Kiamoro become so obsessed with what the Tarot foretold? How did he find out about it in the first place? Why were assassins interested in his fate? But, I figure at this point, open-ended stories are part and parcel of Warhammer; afterall how can they revisit characters/stories that do well if everything is tucked in nicely?

In terms of animation style, this one draws heavily on Anime/Manga, but with a Western flair. So, there’s all the trimmings that made anime enjoyable back in the day; over-the-top graphic violence that sees people being torn to shreds with relative ease! The animation itself could have been a bit smoother and flow easier, but this didn’t detract to much from enjoyment of the story/what’s being presented.

Overall, a good first impression of the series and I look forward to watching more episodes.