[Categories: Anime Reviews]
Ghost Hound 2 and 3
This is a show that continues to stretch my poor brain into cramp-inducing contortions - it just ain’t natural! I’m beginning to seriously warm to the op theme now - partly because it reminds me of Ms Kanno’s jazz-tinged efforts, but also because it’s catchy enough in a Chandler-esque film noir kind of way to draw you in but tells you precious little about the show itself. Is it an action show? A thriller? A mystery piece? All or none of the above? The theme tune offers no clue but is a great piece on its own (Lain’s op theme had a similar effect on me, coincidentally).
This is definitely a series that offers up its secrets on its own terms though. Episode 2 recounts the events surrounding the kidnapping of Taro and his sister, albeit in a format that suggests that this was merely the version of events everyone was led to believe. Some aspects don’t add up…while others are so neatly explained that I suspect the truth to be stranger and less obvious. It’s all interspersed with those marvellous head trip sequences, which are to me the most convincing portrayals of a dreamlike state outside of Paprika. Actually, Ghost Hound shares another similarity with Kon’s work: it has a very David Lynch-esque feel, this time with the serene rural town setting, the creepy inhabitants and the protagonist’s habit of committing his thoughts to tape recorder being very reminiscent of the classic Twin Peaks.
Masayuki: one weird guy
Masayuki is one such oddball, having a way of going about things that is so tactless and offhand that it has to be intentional. Apparently not only Taro but he and Makoto have been traumatised in the past, but until ep 3 Taro seems to be the only one who shows any evidence of this. His therapist believes he shows no signs of PTSD but given the nature of those buried memories, I wouldn’t be surprised if the truth turns out to be otherwise. Nothing here is weird in the far-out, hallucinogenic sense; not in the real-life kind of scenes, anyway. Outside of Taro’s dreams (which are pretty goddamned spooky), it’s strange in a more ominous, unsettling kind of way with weirder goings-on influencing the mundane - it justabout stays within the realms of reality, until the apparitions start to turn up.
Creepy!~
The writers of Ghost Hound have, like Kon and Lynch before them, grasped the importance of using minimalistic, atmospheric music and scenes that are weird but realistic enough to be believable, in creating an effective feeling of tension and unease. There’s a lot of psychological jargon referenced, but also a definite Japanese folklore aspect - I’m interested to see how the scientific and spiritual sides of things work together and how they progress the story. Right now the three lads, who are as Masayuki rightly pointed out not friends but nevertheless sharing a special bond, are onto something which looks pretty significant. My only criticism at the moment is still that of some of the character designs, but it is only a minor one since the backgrounds and every other aspect are really quite solid in quality. The hype surrounding this series was pretty forceful too, but at this stage I believe that it can live up to its impressive pedigree - assuming it can mainain its own enviable standards as the episodes progress. My brain still hurts and I’m scared to turn out the light but I’m also anxious to see more…
Posted on November 22nd, 2007 @ 2:08 am
The show is definitely interesting. Those scenes in which the characters seems to be floating around an illusion are done well. It seems a bit like a novelty though alone the lines of why I’m watching ef - a tale of memories.
Posted on November 23rd, 2007 @ 12:10 am
Great series. I’m really enjoying it so far. I agree that I’m not too keen on the character designs. They don’t mesh well with the realistic way everything else is drawn.