Review of Ghost Hunt
This show may not be flashy, nor looking like a gourmet anime for connoisseurs, nor does it has some bombastic title that catches attention or takes up the first lines of a grade 4 essay. What it does have is a delightful cast who mess around a series of arcs that vary from eh to actually creepy. It reaches low points yeah but when it hits high, boy does it hits high. Ghost Hunt is a fairly sizable anime about a group of medium, spiritualists, and normies who tackle various supernatural circumstances throughout its runtime. Not the most original concept but just like how Heinz revolutionizedketchup, it takes special ingredients to make it work.There are anime which, on paper, should have been the bee's knees: Grimgar, Kabineri, hell even frickin Angel Egg... Reading the synopsis and they just entice you with an interesting plot, striking character designs, even just hearing the studio whose done it braces one with anticipation. However, what do those three in common that Ghost Hunt has in spades? Awesome characters and dynamics.
Ghost Hunt has quite a big cast of main protagonists and most of them are introduced really well in the very first episode. We were given enough characteristics that we latch unto them immediately, dangling a bit of mystery about them that reveals organically throughout its runtime, and we anticipate how they would bounce off each other when shit hits the fan. We have an edgy but quite profound male lead, a teenage lady with all the quirks of the usual heroine, a petite medium superstar, a duo of not-so-effective monk and shrine maiden, an enigmatic butler, a catholic priest, and more. I cant really give justice to them without venturing to spoiler territory and they sound generic in my descriptions but watch the show you'll find just how endearing the cast is.
The plot begins ok, then meh, however the last three arcs were freaking fantastic. The second to the last one is genuinely unnerving and some horrific scenes even outdoes some of the scenes in Higurashi. For a non-adult anime, there are hardcore stuff in here whose concept was downright sickening. There are sad moments yes ofcourse, however the show is also sprinkled with humor which never interrupts its more dire moments. The show is fun and funny when it needs to be but also not afraid to put them in demented situations when necessary.
The OP is a forbodding, creeptastic instrumental which fits the horror aspects of the show. The sound design during its spooky moments were effective which was one of the selling points of horror in general. Its ED is likewise a melancholic symphony which was kinda overkill for what the show was.
Overall, some arcs are just typical and kinda ok but some were really great and makes use of its cast really well. Each character's abilities were clear and they work as a cohesive unit, warts and all. Sometimes they work well, sometimes they get in each other's throats, but in the end, they are just wonderfully realized even when the story beat can be uneven. Even with its weaker beginnings, keep with it as it just improves with every arc just how HxH does. The show did not have a ribbon-tied ending which leaves me wanting more.
Each arc is self-contained and recommended to be watch in batches. The aforementioned penultimate arc is NOT FOR KIDS. Some shit in there is messed up. If you are in the mood for an out-of-season horror watch, give this one a go. It can be a bit lighthearted in general but just like a good horror movie or show, this aint no corpse of a show it will not be forgotten in the grave.
Season 2 when??