Ghost Sweeper Mikami · review
Ghost Sweeper Mikami is a series with likeable characters & great sense of humor. It is episodic but offers some good quality stories & creativity, especially if you like The Slayers & Hell Teacher Nube. The series is set in 90's Japan where ghosts & demons are quite common. To get rid of these phantasms "Ghost Sweepers" are hired to exorcise them. One of these Ghost Sweepers is the gold digger Mikami Reiko & her assistants the "thirsty" Yokoshima & the ghost Okinu. Much of the anime focuses on these characters daily life but they are filled with comedy & their encounters with various spirits, howeverit can get a bit dark at times.
Similar to Hell Teacher Nube, Ghost Sweeper Mikami tends to be episodic with some stories being 2-3 episodes long which can vary from facing ghosts, possessed artifacts, demons, vampires, yokai & even mythical creatures, but the highlight of this series are the characters & the comedy brought from them. As the series continues, more characters are introduced such as other sweepers like Emi, Meiko, Pete, Karasu, Dr. Chaos & the android Maria. There's several other characters but these are the most recurring.
Much of the comedy does come from Yokoshima as he is easily one of the most hilarious, perverted & miserable anime characters. Most of his conflicts often end in misery with Yokoshima getting the short end of the stick & often being "pussywhipped" by his boss Mikami whom he has a mad thirst for. (Who wouldn't?) Similar to Lina Inverse from The Slayers, Mikami is very self centered often choosing money over the safety of her friends, well specifically Yokoshima. Most of the anime's charm comes from these two characters as they often backstab each other for their own selfish gains but at times display some affection only to be shattered by a good gag. Mikami as character is selfish & quite formidable as a ghost sweeper which is a great trait for an independent woman character. If you like her then you should like the anime.
As much as i like the series, I would've preferred if got a bit serious, while there are some episodes which were dramatic & contained some good fight scenes, it would've benefited if more of those drama episodes were featured in the series. Although, what it lacks in story is made up by its heart as the series can get a bit cheerful at times, especially with its xmas & new years episodes.
Being made in the 90's, this is definitely one of Toei Animation's good looking show as its uses a wide assortment of colors due to each characters specific exorcism style & through the various types of ghosts. Along with good animation is the soundtrack as most of it ranges from chilling horror music to a jazz style, however some tracks are episode specific such as episode 26.
Ghost Sweeper Mikami is a great blend of horror & comedy which is made up by its funny cast of characters which offers the same quality as Hell Teacher Nube & The Slayers. While it may not have the most complex plot, it does display much variety & the series doesn't feel repetitive regardless of its episodic scenarios. By 16 episodes, you should know whether you love this series or not. Also, Mikami Reiko is a fine woman. XD