Kekkaishi ep.01

October 17, 2006 | 9 Comments

Opening Theme: 「Sha la la - アヤカシ NIGHT」 (Sha la la - Ayakashi NIGHT) by 宇浦冴香　 (Uura Saeka)
Download: AVI format (21MB) | Download PSP format (coming soon)

This turns out to be a nice surprise. I kind of like the manga but I never expected the anime to look this good. It's a bit hard to see with this particular episode since I got a rather lousy raw for it. But you should be able to see how good the quality with the screenshots from the second episode. Another thing that I didn't expect was for the TV channel to screen 2 episodes at once. While I have no problem with the first episode, I do have small issues with the second episode which I'll talk about in the relevant entry. Anyway, the OP theme is included on the first episode but I don't think this is the real OP theme since it mostly just shows scenes from the first 2 episodes. I am hoping that next week's episode will show the true OP. I will update the screenshots once I find a better quality one. In the meantime, however, I hope these are good enough.

A boy is seen trying to capture a strange creature in the middle of the night using a Kekkai (barrier). However, because his concentration and timing are bad, he could never capture the creature properly. The creature, which is known as 「多頭」- Tatou (Multiple heads) is an 「妖」- Ayakashi (spirit) which uses its sharp beak and legs as weapons. The creature is also quite foul-mouthed and called the boy 'brat'. The boy is annoyed about this and tells the creature that his name is Sumimura Yoshimori, a 「結界師」- Kekkaishi (Barrier master). Unfortunately for Yoshimori, the creature proceeds to use its many beaks to attack him so he has no choice but to run for his life. As they run together, Madarao, the dog spirit that accompanies the boy suggests that he use his kekkai to entrap the spirit. Yoshimori cleverly baits the spirit to hit a tree so he can entrap it in a Kekkai. However, before he can do this, a girl called Yukimura Tokine has completed the job.

Just like Yoshimori, Tokine is a Kekkaishi as well and her companion is a spirit dog called Hakubi. Yoshimori is frustrated that all of his hard work has gone to waste and proceeds to throw his staff, saying that it's not like he gets anything out of this job. He also dislikes the fact that a kid like him has to work late at night. Madarao is annoyed by Yoshimori's attitude and reminds him that Ayakashi is usually only out at night. In the midst of these arguments, the spirit that is captured inside Tokine's kekkai manages to break its tail out of it. It then proceeds to attack Yoshimori with it. In his shock, Yoshimori unleashes a powerful Kekkai using a command called "Ketsu". Tokine who sees this destroys the spirit immediately using a command called "Metsu" and sends its remaining through a portal on her staff using another command called "Tenketsu". Madarao thinks that although his accuracy could be better, Yoshimori certainly possesses a great power.

That afternoon inside the Sumimura's residence, Yoshimori is seen practicing his concentration skill by placing a bucket of water on top of the Kekkai that he creates. His concentration, however, is disturbed when his grandfather, Sumimura Shigemori, is taking a close look at his work. He praised Yoshimori for being able to capture an Ayakashi last night but also reminds him that was only the 2nd he captured this month. He then asks Yoshimori to recite the basic incantations for capturing Ayakashi. The first one is 「方囲」- Houi, which will lock the target. 「定礎」- Jouso is to freeze the target. The command 「結」- Ketsu produces the Kekkai and 「解」- Kai will destroy the barrier. 「滅」- Metsu is used to destroy the Ayakashi before sending the remains using a command called 「天穴」- Tenketsu. Yoshimori's grandpa is pleased to hear all of these. He, however, becomes unhappy when Yoshimori complains about having to be in Kekkaishi business.

In retaliation, grandpa shows Yoshimori a paper that fell of his bag. It's basically a survey that Yoshimori filled in. In it, he reveals that his favourite subject is art, his favourite drink is coffee milk. His favourite summer break memory is playing fireworks with his friend from the neighborhood. Yoshimori's grandpa points out that Yoshimori is not supposed to play at night. Moreover, he wants to know if this 'friend' is the daughter of the Yukimura family. Yoshimori immediately loses his concentration and as a result, he destroys his Kekkai and gets a water bucket on top of him. In addition to this, his grandpa is angry at him for playing with Tokine. Yoshimori tries to explain that Tokine had a fireworks with her. He thinks his grandson will never have what it takes to become legitimate successor of the family business. Yoshimori grumpily tells his grandpa that he wasn't the one who made a decision about this. Yoshimori gets a whack in the head for this.

His grandfather believes that the fact that Yoshimori has a 「方印」- Houin (seal) is a proof that he's the Kekkaishi successor although he's not sure why this is the case. Later on, Yoshimori is seen crying because he doesn't like his life. Tokine who sits on top of a tree makes fun of him for crying. She also asks Yoshimori why he doesn't quit if he doesn't like it. In exchange, Yoshimori asks Tokine if he doesn't hate having to train like this everyday. Much to his surprise, Tokine tells him that she actually has a pride in this job. She thinks unlike Yoshimori, Masamori (Yoshimori's brother) will not be complaining. Yoshimori is angry to hear this and orders Tokine not to talk about his brother. Their conversation, however, is interrupted when Tokine's grandma, Yukimura Tokiko, appears and asks Tokine why she's listening to Yoshimori's words. She argues that it's because of their founder that a family like Sumimura can become a student.

Yoshimori doesn't care one way or the other but this statement pisses off his grandpa. When Yukimura old hag makes fun of the fact that Yoshimori is fighting with his own grandpa, the old man argues that his family was the one chosen by their ancestor and the Houin is a proof of this. Not wanting to be outdone, Yukimura old hag exposes part of her breast, saying that her Houin is a proof that her family is the legitimate successor. The two old bags then begin to fight with each other over the roof much to Yoshimori's dismay. The fight eventually ends because Shuuji, Yoshimura's father, asks his family to come back for dinner. During dinner time, Shuuji reminds Yoshimori's younger brother, Toshimori, to eat his green pepper and asks Yoshimori himself to go to bed since he looks tired. He promises to wake Yoshimori up when the night comes. Upon hearing this, Grandpa thinks that Shuuji spoils Yoshimori but Shuuji argues that the boy is still a kid.

Grandpa tells Yoshimori that if he doesn't make any progress, he'll never defeat Tokine. Yoshimori, however, doesn't care since Tokine is older than him. Grandpa immediately accuses Yoshimori of not being dilligent enough but Yoshimori retaliates by telling him that the reason he's not making progress is because his grandpa is a bad teacher. The arguments between the two of them, however, cease to exist when they suddenly sense the presence of Ayakashi. Toshimori seems to be able to sense this as well, leaving Shuuji as the only person who wasn't aware of it. The story then shows a flashback to the time when the Kekkaishi founder was serving under the Karasumori clan, the ruler of this land. Because the clan possesses a lot of spiritual energy, Ayakashi begin to troubled them. In order to exterminate these spirits, the founder, Hazama Tokimori was called by the Karasumori. From that day forward, he started to serve the family as a Kekkaishi.

However, the power that Karasumori clan possesses grew by day, attracting Ayakashi and allowing them to evolve. It doesn't take long before men started to die everday. The Kekkaishi becomes sick due to overwork and has to rest for 3 days. On the fourth day, he realises that the Ayakashi had grown in size and strength. In addition to this, no one in the castle was left alive. The entire Karasumori clan was wiped out. However, their power still lingers in the area and attracts Ayakashi. If left alone, Ayakashi can evolved into a dangerous creatures. This is why Yoshimori's family still continue to work as Kekkaishi. In addition to this, the place where the palace used to be located is now the location of Karasumori high school. That night, Yoshimori and Madarao go out to hunt Ayakashi again. Unfortunately, Tokine and Hakubi are already there. Tokine is surprised that Yoshimori decides to come while Hakubi makes fun of the boy for being slow.

Yoshimori points out that he has no choice in the matter which Tokine agrees. Having said that, she points out that Yoshimori always has this 'bored' look on his face. She asks the boy if he knew that Ayakashi are attracted to gloomy attitudes. Tokine also thinks that Yoshimori is better off not coming if he's half-hearted about this since he'll just get in the way. Yoshimori becomes sad upon hearing this and thinks that Tokine always sees him as a fool. He wonders how did it started since Tokine wasn't like this before they started their training. A flashback reveals that Yoshimori once fell into a river when Tokine tried to help him to jump between two rocks. It was at this point that Tokine told him that they better pretend that they play near the pool on their own since their family don't get along. In the present time, Yoshimori wonders if they can no longer be friends like they used to. He, however, gets over his sadness when he senses an Ayakashi nearby.

As they cross a bridge on a pond, Madarao senses that the Ayakashi is nearby. However, neither of them can see it since it is hiding underneath the bridge. When Yoshimori messing with the water, however, the spirit slithers out of the bridge and runs away from them. Madarao, however, spots it and thinks that the Ayakashi is hiding behind the tree on the right and asks Yoshimori to enclose the entire tree with his Kekkai. Upon doing this, an Ayakashi in the form of a small girl jumps down from the tree looking terrified. Yoshimori is shocked to see this but Madarao urges him to terminate it. The Ayakashi, however, tries to appeal to Yoshimori by telling him that she came because she thought her wounds will heal quickly here. Yoshimori apologises but this it's his job to terminate Ayakashi. Upon hearing this the girl resigns to her fate but tells Yoshimori that it's going to be okay since she's just going to be eaten by other Ayakashi when she goes back.

Yoshimori feels sorry for the girl and is caught unaware when the girl suddenly breaks apart, revealing the huge spirit within. This Ayakashi is known as「弓鉄」- Yumigane, an Ayakashi which is capable of changing its body to battle form once it reaches adulthood. The Ayakashi then breaks Yoshimori's Kekkai and tells him that he's glad Yoshimori is inexperienced since all it needed was a little time. Before the spirit can harm Yoshimori, however, Tokine steps in to protect him and immediately traps the spirit in a Kekkai. She then destroys the creature and sends it away through the portal in her staff. The incident, however, causes Tokine to lose a lot of blood. Because of this, a devastated Yoshimori carries her back to her family. Tokine's grandma takes Tokine over and asks Yoshimori to go home since they don't talk to a Sumimura. Eventually Shuuji finds out from Tokine's mother that although Tokine is not in any danger, she's still suffering from fever.

Yoshimori's grandpa believes that the family are probably still trying to remove the Ayakashi's poison. Much to Yoshimori's surprise, the old man only lightly hit him on the head while his father assures him that it's not his mistake. Yoshimori, however, thinks that it was his fault. 5 years later, Yoshimori seems to have better control of his Kekkai. He, however, is still careless and trips over when Tokine creates a small Kekkai to block his way. Tokine points out that it's a waste of power to create a big Kekkai for a small Ayakashi. Yoshimori doesn't care since he'll defeat them regardless. Tokine gives up advising Yoshimori and decides to go hunting with Hakubi. As she bids goodbye, Yoshimori notices the scar on her hand. Yoshimori reminds himself that he's serious about this. He wants to ensure that crying is not the only thing that he do when someone else gets hurt. As he destroys the Ayakashi, he tells himself that he will become stronger.

Impression:

That was a solid first episode. I admit that I was mostly interested in the series because I think the two spirit dogs, Madarao and Hakubi, are cute. But in the end, I end up liking Yoshimori as a lead character. I am still reserved about Tokine though. There is something about her that really annoys me. It's probably her know-it-all attitude or that she looks snotty most of the time. Style-wise, the show uses a very rich colour pallete to illustrate the series. However, I am glad that it never hesitates to go dark and violent when necessary. That creature that comes out of the girl Ayakashi, for example, looks quite disgusting. It also makes me wonder if all Ayakashi have insect-like form. I hope Yoshimori will encounter one that is human-like in the future. Comedy-wise, there is one line from the episode which amuses me and that's the one where Tokine tells Yoshimori that Ayakashi is attracted to gloomy people. That'd explains why Watanuki (of xxxHOLiC) is haunted by many of them.

© memento 2003