Witch Hunter Robin

When Robin Sena was sent to replace a member in STN-J she had no idea that her job to capture witches whose powers have awakened will not only affect her later but endanger her as well. STN-J is the Japanese branch of an organization known as Solomon which captures witches identified through its database. Robin herself is a craft user, the significance of which did not matter to her until the organization decided she needs to be hunted. 

Members of STN-J. From left: Dojima Yurika, Amon, Robin Sena, Sakaki Haruto, Karasuma Miho, and Michael Lee

This 26-episode supernatural/detective series started slow but becomes interesting as Robin starts to notice and question the things done by the organization. The atmosphere has a more supernatural feel than a faster-paced detective story so it takes a while to grasp what the series is all about. Those who are used to fast-paced action series will find this series too dark and slow to appreciate but supernatural fans will find the pacing just right for this genre (at least I do). 

Certainly, witchcraft is often referred to here but the story does not delve further into details about it. Viewers who are not familiar with names and events (Solomon, Salem, and others) referred to will fail to appreciate the conversations and the symbolism. The main character, although not the usual disturbed/depressed heroine, has a dark past typical of supernatural heroines. However her curiosity, which is important for a main character in a supernatural series, did not stir until she met Methuselah. Robin began to question the methods of the organization earlier (in one of the earlier episodes when she asked what was done to the witches who were taken to the factory) but did not pursue further when told to stop inquiring. She's not the type you'd dislike easily but she can be too stoic and distant  that sometimes it's difficult to empathize with her.

The series requires patience but is rewarding to see Robin grow because of her experiences and to finally see her do something with a clear purpose in mind.

Rating: 6 out of 10