Shinrei Tantei Yakumo 02-09
What would happen if Natsume Yuujinchou and Monster had a baby
Hello fangirls and fanboys of Metanorn! I’m Hime, domo! I’m new to blogging and anxious to get started so lets just jump right in~
For those late to the party the story centers around Saitou Yakumo, a surly tsundere college student who lives in an unused clubroom and who has the keen ability to see spirits with his left eye. There’s your awesome premise right there! He’s approached by Haruka Ozawa, a fellow student whose best friend has been possessed by a spirit.
So, picking up from where Kyokai and the Tag-Team left off, in episode 2 we’re introduced to some of Yakumo’s family, turns out he has an uncle who pretends to have the same red eye that he does….Mmkay? And his genderly undefinable cousin called Nao.
It’s revealed just how Detective Gotou met Yakumo, as it turns out he interrupted Yakumo’s own Mother trying to strangle him to death with her bare hands! Parenting 101: DON’T DO THAT. By the way, don’t you just love Gotou? I couldn’t stop laughing when he thought his new parter had a thing for him. He looked terrified. XD Turns out Ishii was just a little too enthusiastic. How dare you taunt me with the possibility of yaoi and then not deliver! *shakes fist* Yakumo and Haruka’s relationship got a nice boost though, when he told her his story and gave her his mother’s pendant. I smell an awkward romance on the horizon!
The suspicious looking pair in shades that showed up at the end of episode 1 are behind a string of serial murders involving school girls. Turns out they’re working for a doctor who lost his daughter and is trying to bring her back by getting her to possess the bodies of the girls they throw in the river to drown. Very nasty.
Haruka is targeted as a potential host for the doctor’s daughter but she’s not about to die, oh no, not on Yakumo and Gotou’s watch! The two of them rush to the scene in time to save her. The arc concludes with the doctor breaking down and realizing what he’s done is wrong and that the man that’s been stalking Yakumo from the shadows is in fact…his Father! -insert Star Wars quote here- Geeze this guy’s parents really hate him, huh?
The new arc begins with Gotou and Yakumo investigating a supposedly haunted mansion. While they’re investigating (seperately) the two of them are tasered by the mysterious woman in shades and disappear. Yum~Wait, I mean…that’s terrible! Ishii, who was with Gotou but to much of a pansy to actually go inside the mansion, shamefully returns to the police station alone.
DO NOT WANT
Turns out Yakumo and Haruka’ Mothers knew each other, Azusa (Yakumo’ mum) was kidnapped when she was younger and when she escaped Haruka’s Mother was the one to find her; at the time both were pregnant with their respective child. Haruka, having been told Yakumo is being held in Nagano by a mysterious spirit (I know, just go with it) calls her Mother and goes to find him.
After some impressive detective work and a little luck, Ishii and the Cheif of Police’s daughter find and free Gotou, who was being held in a secret room in the Nanase mansion, the sight of a family murder. The three of them head to the cabin in Nagano where Haruka’s freed Yakumo and they’re trying to escape.
Yakumo’s Dad’s female accomplice stops them and exposites about how she commited the murders in the mansion as a child and that she framed Takeda Shunnske, Azusa’s then boyfriend, with the help of Yakumo’s Father, for the crime. A struggling Azusa was then convinced by Yakumo’s Dad that Yakumo would also become a murderer and so she tried to kill him. He then killed Takeda in secret and it’s implied that he bricked up Azusa in the cabin where they were holding Yakumo as well. IT ALL MAKES SENSE.
Gotou and crew intervene before Yakumo and Haruka can get hurt. Yakumo gives a speech about love, friendship, the heart of the cards…all that good stuff, and the bad guys retreat into the shadows. The arc wraps up with Azusa and Takeda finding rest, Gotou and his wife (who we saw earlier having problems) reconciling and Yakumo going to Haruka’s school concert and being awesomely tsundere about it.
Pic Spam:
Please don’t touch the tsundere
Ishii has less regard for personal space than Itsuki Koizumi
No, it’s Keisuke from Togainu no Chi!
Unf. Chibi Yakumo is so cute~
It’s exactly what it looks like.
Tasty manservice~
End Thoughts: So, that’s Yakumo thus far. It’s a show that creeps up on you, I think. It takes a while to get into the detective and supernatural stuff, but when it does it grabs you and doesn’t let go. Yakumo never stops building atmosphere and I loved the way it would have a story on top of the main plot or inbetween arcs. No matter how slow it seems to be there’s always something going on to keep you from getting bored. It’s a show built on subtley and I didn’t have room to include even half of the really great little moments that help create the creepy and engrossing atmosphere.
That being said it is the characters that really draw you in. In the beginning Yakumo is so Coldy McBland Face you kinda go Pfft! this guy isn’t very likeable. But as the story progresses and you find out why he is the way he is you really start to care about him. I can’t really say the same for Haruka, I started out liking her but she seemed to get duller with each episode and fall into a typical shojo stencil. Gotou keeps things lively though, his interactions with Yakumo, Ishii and even his wife, who we barely saw, were always entertaining to watch.
It also has a phenomenal soundtrack. A lot of the time music might be so muted in the background you won’t even notice it, not in Yakumo. The music is always there to help draw shivers from your spine or pull at your heartstrings when there’s an emotional moment. The OP is sung by the voice of Yakumo himself, the very lovely Ono Daisuke. You can get the music of it here if you want.
Preview: Episode 10 and the start of a new arc, next time it looks like we’ll be getting to see Japan’s take on the Exorcist. Until next time, stay funky~
About Hime
Metanorn's resident perverted princess and porn critic; she covers the overlooked, the underrated and the down right stupid. No anime is safe from her critical eye, but throw something Jun Fukuyama related in her direction and she'll turn into a useless puddle of fangirl goo.
POWUH: Meta Team and Ringleader Extraordinaire~ with 6433 comments
Oh Yakumo, how I missed you. I will catch up with you soon. Till then don’t get cold with our falling snow.
– Much love, Kyo <333
Cool first post, Hime. Welcome to the team~
POWUH: 1000-1099 and Critique with 1024 comments
Cheers 😀
POWUH: Meta Team and The Mad Scientist with 5525 comments
I dropped this completely, so I’m just going to spoil everything by reading your posts XD I’m curious how it will end.
Keep it up, Hime~
POWUH: 1000-1099 and Critique with 1024 comments
D’aww but it’s a great show! I haven’t read the manga so I’m interested how it’ll end as well. Only 3 episodes to go!
POWUH: 800-899 and Self-proclaimed Manga Queen with 874 comments
~First off, welcome to the team!<3 I haven't gotten the chance to talk to you so, I guess I'll say it here ^^
I'll be honest, I really thought it was going to be a very boring, very typical mystery/supernatural show on the First Impression, but after reading your awesome post...I kinda want to give it a second chance |'D It looks really cool actually, and when I watched the first episode, I was curious about those two people in shades.
Girl, I really LOVEDDDD your re-cap on this! Very well done~ ^^
And btw, "...and fall into a typical shojo stencil." LOVE THAT 8D
POWUH: 1000-1099 and Critique with 1024 comments
Hey there Hoshi, thanks for the welcome 🙂
I think it does come across very average in the first few episodes, I won’t lie, but once it knows what it’s trying to do I found it really engaging. You should definately give it another go if you’re interested!
POWUH: Metanorn Regular with 126 comments
Yakumo doesn’t seem like a popular show but I’m lovin it so far. I just finish catching up, the thing that got me hooked on is all the ghosts and stuff, it’s so freaking scary especially when I watch at night ><
Btw welcome to blogging 😀 your doing a awesome job ^^
POWUH: 1000-1099 and Critique with 1024 comments
It is genuinely creepy, they way they do the ghosts in all red is really cool. But I keep my cat near me if I’m watching it at night ><
POWUH: and Yaoi Fangirl~ with 2320 comments
YAKUMO? IN METANORN?? YYYYYYEEEEEESSS!! He needs more love, seriously :'(
btw, that girl when she touched yakumo’s chest sexually, yeah…DO NOT WANT. thank god she’s 2D, or else i would scratch her face off D:<
POWUH: Meta Team and Ringleader Extraordinaire~ with 6433 comments
OF COURSE. I love him~ xD
If only I had more time, I would be blogging this but as you see Hime is doing a brilliant job so enjoy the bishieness with a dash of mystery. ^^
POWUH: 1000-1099 and Critique with 1024 comments
I know how you feel! What’s with her? XD I dunno why she’s so in love with Yakumo either, I don’t think she’d even met him until then. But you’re right, he does need more love! So I’ll continue to talk it up as much as possible.
POWUH: and Yaoi Fangirl~ with 2320 comments
i wouldn’t be so surprised if she likes yakumo. his father is good-looking, so ofc the son will be good-looking 8D
POWUH: Meta Team and PreCure Mastah with 9203 comments
Red eyes are always magic eyes it seems in anime xD another show I didn’t really get into hmm got some things to watch >.>;
POWUH: 1000-1099 and Critique with 1024 comments
It’s always just the one eye as well, I feel sorry for their lack of depth perception.
POWUH: Metanorn Regular with 93 comments
Yes! Finally Yakumo is on Metanorn!Welcome to
blogging Hime!
That girl who touched Yakumo’s chest was creepy I agree DO NOT WANT AT ALL , but you have to admit, she can be bad ass at times XD
POWUH: 1000-1099 and Critique with 1024 comments
Thanks very much!
Haha I know! When she brought out the crossbow I was like O.O dayum, that is pretty cool xD Not that I wanted her to break Haruka’s knees, oh no. >:)
POWUH: 400-499 and Manly Russians lover with 401 comments
Great catch up, I might have to pick this series up again. The first episode was good, didn’t watch past there >///<
POWUH: 500-599 and The Trapolicious Treasurer with 599 comments
Welcome fellow new blood, Hime~ haha :3 Ooo Yakumo, I stopped at ep5 temporarily so thanks for the catch up. Chibi Yakumo is cute! haha
POWUH: 1000-1099 and Critique with 1024 comments
He just is, isn’t he xD I want one!
POWUH: iLurker with 17 comments
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