(L) Shinrei Tantei Yakumo (Psychic Detective Yakumo)

[Kaoru Chujo]

This show dispenses with all attempts to fool us or develop false excitement. It is simple and straightforward and tension-free. Child-like or for children? What captivates me, however, is the ethereal mood and the strange personalities of the two leads: the gentle guy with a mask of hardness he refuses to remove, and the stubborn girl who will not be put off but keeps coming on with that soft smile.

Excellent OP: good singing by OnoD, good use of simple visual patterns, and the short length gives it a certain force.

[Sinn]

Originally Posted by LKK

My understanding is that red eyes are associated with demons. At least, that's how it seems to be portrayed in supernatural anime at any rate. I don't recall a supernatural anime where having red eyes is seen as a good thing. I could be wrong of course. There are many anime I haven't seen.

I guess that makes sense. But at these modern days I wonder if people would even bother.

[LKK]

Originally Posted by Sinn

I guess that makes sense. But at these modern days I wonder if people would even bother.

One convention panel I attended this summer about religion in Japan emphasized how much the Japanese culture believes in the supernatural. According to the speaker (who was working on his PhD in Japanese studies), an overwhelming majority of Japanese (like around 80% or so) believe in ghosts, etc. This isn't surprising for a culture that practises ancestor worship, if you think about it. Oni, demons, vengeful ancestor spirits, and the like are very real to most Japanese even today. Just because there's no scientific evidence for them doesn't mean they don't exist seems to be the cultural philosophy.

[Miraluka]

Ok, I heard good comments about the novels but it seems the anime isn't doing justice to them. Should I keep watching the series or keep watching?
I don't know, I don't know, I don't know, I don't know...

[shichi-chan]

I thought it was a godlike episode despite everyone's hate for the low "Mystery" involved. I can see where your all coming from, but I felt it was a happy touchy touchy fuzzy wuzzy episode Can't wait for episode 3!!

[Lugia_Tsuyu]

I love how this series is not really a mystery mystery, but more like...how do I put it...dealing with the relationships of the living and the dead (and of course Yakumo and people around him). I like how Yakumo kind of gives us a hint (or show us) that human is scarier than ghost/spirit.

[PreSage]

Originally Posted by Lugia_Tsuyu

I love how this series is not really a mystery mystery, but more like...how do I put it...dealing with the relationships of the living and the dead (and of course Yakumo and people around him). I like how Yakumo kind of gives us a hint (or show us) that human is scarier than ghost/spirit.

I agree. The supernatural (aka "ghosts") in this series are, so far, all benign. They're not scary or evil, just hurt and need help. All the villains seem to be those of the living, which is a refreshing spin to these types of stories. I just wish that the series could be longer so there's more time to develop the relationships among the characters and the personalities of the characters themselves. It feels like everything is being glossed over too quickly, which is unfortunate because I like this series.

I can't remember if anything has been said about Yakumo's parents? Are they still alive?

[Kafriel]

^ Dun think anything's been said about them...ep.2 was nice, but the half minute of plot ruined it for me, it would have been better to just end the episode after the case was solved, adding a secondary plot that seems to be supposedly the "main plot".

[Hooves]

I'm assuming that this anime will somewhat get better over time, its still developing the characters/plots/personalities etc, its a casual in animes... But that could just be my thought, from episode 1-2 the plot just seems a little weak at the moment... But I always give animes about up to 5-6 episodes before fully judging things.

[msg]

Feels like watching ghost whisperer starring JLH...urgh.This anime is more psychological than supernatural *runs away*

[Kakkou]

Originally Posted by msg

Feels like watching ghost whisperer starring JLH...urgh.This anime is more psychological than supernatural *runs away*

Psychological? This is hardly even psychological at all, nor is it particularly supernatural or mysterious, for that matter. Yes the supernatural elements are present, yet they feel they're there for the hell of it.

I'm still wondering if this show will have anything that stands out. I normally give shows a lot of time to develop and draw me in but two episodes in and I'm already feeling so underwhelmed by how average it is. The hints of the main plot at the end seem somewhat interesting but mainly because the actual episodes themselves don't leave any impression.

[Hooves]

Originally Posted by Kakkou

Psychological? This is hardly even psychological at all, nor is it particularly supernatural or mysterious, for that matter. Yes the supernatural elements are present, yet they feel they're there for the hell of it.

I'm still wondering if this show will have anything that stands out. I normally give shows a lot of time to develop and draw me in but two episodes in and I'm already feeling so underwhelmed by how average it is. The hints of the main plot at the end seem somewhat interesting but mainly because the actual episodes themselves don't leave any impression.

Maybe the anime is psychologically messing with our heads making us think its just your average (mystery case) anime.. Till a sudden plot happens in whichever episode they choose

[Kafriel]

It's more like slice of life with a touch of supernatural (HOLIC style). You never know how it might turn out though, I mean look at occult gakuin

[Sinn]

Originally Posted by LKK

One convention panel I attended this summer about religion in Japan emphasized how much the Japanese culture believes in the supernatural. According to the speaker (who was working on his PhD in Japanese studies), an overwhelming majority of Japanese (like around 80% or so) believe in ghosts, etc. This isn't surprising for a culture that practises ancestor worship, if you think about it. Oni, demons, vengeful ancestor spirits, and the like are very real to most Japanese even today. Just because there's no scientific evidence for them doesn't mean they don't exist seems to be the cultural philosophy.

Interesting, I didn't know that :P Thanks for the info.

[shichi-chan]

xxxHOLiC style eh? would be awesome either way!

[felix]

Originally Posted by Kafriel

4) Crazy psycho teacher kills people who enter his self-annointed sacred grounds, but we didn't really get [...]

They cut the mystery, butchered the hints, changed the motives/pretext, cut out the dark and gritty moments, pretty much nulled the teachers entire backstory/background, simplified a lot of the character moments (in particular the eyes), simplified a lot of the scenes (there should have been more moving around), turned some theories to facts even though they skipped the "proof" scenes... and that goes with out saying the voicing and overall theme they chose to go with is really generic (this is not suppose to be some Case Closed/Scooby-Doo hybrid!).

Well, people wanted a adaptation badly and that's what happens when you're not "careful what you wish for".

[Hooves]

Originally Posted by felix

They cut the mystery, butchered the hints, changed the motives/pretext, cut out the dark and gritty moments, pretty much nulled the teachers entire backstory/background, simplified a lot of the character moments (in particular the eyes), simplified a lot of the scenes (there should have been more moving around), turned some theories to facts even though they skipped the "proof" scenes... and that goes with out saying the voicing and overall theme they chose to go with is really generic (this is not suppose to be some Case Closed/Scooby-Doo hybrid!).

Well, people wanted a adaptation badly and that's what happens when you're not "careful what you wish for".

So basically... The staff who created the anime cut out to much info about the show...

[LKK]

Dumb question time: Is Nao a boy or a girl? I thought Nao was a girl. But I just saw someone who thought Nao was a boy.

[shichi-chan]

I'm pretty sure she is a girl.

[Kafriel]

Originally Posted by felix

They cut the mystery, butchered the hints, changed the motives/pretext, cut out the dark and gritty moments, pretty much nulled the teachers entire backstory/background, simplified a lot of the character moments (in particular the eyes), simplified a lot of the scenes (there should have been more moving around), turned some theories to facts even though they skipped the "proof" scenes... and that goes with out saying the voicing and overall theme they chose to go with is really generic (this is not suppose to be some Case Closed/Scooby-Doo hybrid!).

Well, people wanted a adaptation badly and that's what happens when you're not "careful what you wish for".

Looks like I should read the manga...but if I do, my opinion of the anime will severely deteriorate! To wait or not to wait