Ghost Hunt

Taniyama Mai likes ghost stories. What she did not know was she was about to embark on an adventure filled with more than just stories. She was forced to work as assistant to Kazuya Shibuya, whom she calls Naru (narcissist), manager of the Shibuya Psychic Research (SPR) when she broke a video camera during SPR's investigation of a haunted building in Mai's school. She also injured Naru's assistant, Lin Kojo, in the process.

During the various investigations they conducted she discovers that ghost hunting after all was serious business. She also unlocked her hidden psychic abilities.

From left: Mai, Masako, John, Takigawa and Ayako.

The anime focused on eight different cases spanning 25 episodes. Although it was a short series, the story was captivating because it has explored the different abilities of the characters. Hosho Takigawa is a Buddhist monk; Ayako Matsuzaki is a Shinto miko or priestess berated for her inability to exorcise; John Brown is a Catholic priest; and Masako Hara is a spirit medium. Lin also had special abilities. He's an onmyoji. Two other characters, Osamu Yasuhara and Madoka Mori, although they did not have psychic abilities, were involved in the later investigations.

I liked the series because it has explored the paranormal theme and sprinkled it with a little bit of Japanese and Chinese culture. I commend them for including a Catholic priest in the lineup. When I saw the array of characters who were about to help exorcise the building in the first episode, I thought, 'wow, they covered almost everything'. It was a chance for me to learn the difference between the Buddhist and Shinto rituals or exorcisms, which in some anime get mixed up together. It wasn't all just superstition too. Naru's ways of investigation involved science. It also had a bit of romance but it did not focus entirely on that theme.

The Doll House file was creepy and was my favorite part of the series. But it wasn't just a collection of stories involving hauntings. The creepiest though was the Bloodstained Labyrinth file, which explored the Dracula-theme. Not the sparkly-type of vampire but it involved a man who literally killed hundreds just so he could have immortality. This has shown that even flesh and blood can create horrors that surpass ghost stories.

The following is a list of the eight stories in the series:
1. Evil Spirits All Over!? (3 episodes)
2. The Doll House (3 episodes)
3. The After School Hexer (4 episodes)
4. Ghost Story in the Park!? (1 episode)
5. Silent Christmas (2 episodes)
6. Forbidden Pastime (4 episodes)
7. The Bloodstained Labyrinth (4 episodes)
8. The Cursed House (4 episodes)

The series did not hold back on violence and death if needed. There were times I was sad  and angry. Sometimes I feel sorry for the victims or the spirits that haunt the places SPR has investigated.

The main female protagonist was alright. Mai could be annoying sometimes when she's nagging but she isn't useless like most characters of her type. Her dreams had the power to foresee danger or even solve mysteries.

Naru and Mai

It was a short series however. There isn't much to glean from the character of Naru or even his past until the final episode. I really like this series and I'll recommend this to anyone, especially those who love mystery, suspense and the paranormal. I wish it has more than 25 episodes. I was actually sad when it ended and it's definitely something I could watch again.