Ghost Hunt (A review)

A strange series of events occurring around your place? Feel like the ones who've past on simply can't?You willing enough to put your spiritual safety in the hands of a seventeen year old genius?

Who you gonna call?

Not Ghost Busters! You call Shibuya Psychic Research!

That's the team of psychics that was eventually formed after an encounter with paranormal activities at the high school of Mai Taniyama, Ghosthunt's leading lady.

After a series of unexplainable accidents at her school, the administration was so shaken that they've enlisted the help of professional ghost hunter, 17-yr old Kazuya Shibuya, head of Shibuya Psychic Research, and his mysterious assistant, Lin. Mai becomes involved in the SPR's mission at the school when she accidentally breaks a several-thousand-dollar-HD-camera and gets Lin injured. These turn of events lead her to having to pay off her debt by working as an assistant at SPR.



At the same project at Mai's school, they also met several psychics that eventually became regulars at the SPR's operation. The powerful Monk Hosho Takigawa, Priestess Ayako Matsuzaki, Exorcist John Brown and the Spirit Medium Masako Ohara.

The things I like most about this anime (haven't read the manga yet) is that the plot details were all well researched, the authors trying their best not to overglamorize or oversimplify what they were up against or what they do. Like for example, Lin's abilities are based off of traditional Far Eastern Magick, which included elements of Taoism, esoteric Buddhism and Japanese shamanism. The and same thing goes for Hosho, who was usually call Monk-san. He was a fully initiated Monk in the Shingon Buddhist tradition, and they did their best to be as accurate in their portrayal of him while making sure his spirit-combat scenes were still die hard awesome.

Another thing I like most here is the synergy and collaboration between the characters. Of course there would be the occasional disagreement here and there, and the hilarious domo-face scenes where Ayako would pummel Monk-san with something big and heavy, but, despite it all, they are all very harmonious and their total lack of prejudice and discrimination between themselves is truly amazing. Because certainly in the past, especially from the history of where I came from, being with people outside your faith is a very big no-no. Here, the only thing that matters is not from which religion or tradition they came from, but whether or not their competent enough at what they do to contribute to the team. That's a modern mage's dream they got there, a brotherhood of faiths working together to accomplish the Work. It's totally refreshing, and almost a brand-new concept (to Filipino and Western eyes, at least. Japan's been off the creedism wagon a long time ago.)

And of course there's the story.

Early parts of the anime, they did the normal Fix-the-Freakiness routine in schools, houses, etc, to build up the characters and their dynamic. But it all gets serious by the second half of the anime's 25-episode run. They didn't fall into the hole of being predictable, and most of their later arcs revolved around much more sensitive topics, like Verbal abuse in schools (in Forbidden Pastime), Self Preservation (in Bloodstained Labyrinth), and Idolatry/Folk religion (in Cursed House)

All in all, this is a very good anime, visual wise with all the graphic representaions of the magickal/paranormal events, ,story wise with good character development and group dynamic, historical accuracy and underlying themes not sacrifced for glamour, and fun wise because it all ties down together in a very well executed anime.

Enjoy watching!! ^ _ ^
-TheBlackSquid