Ghost Hound: Complete Collection Blu-ray delivers stunning video and reference-quality audio in this enjoyable Blu-ray release
When he was three, Taro Komori and his sister were kidnapped, but the kidnapper was run over and killed before the ransom could be delivered. The police eventually found Taro, but not before his sister died. Eleven years later, Taro still has nightmares of the events surrounding the kidnapping and is haunted by a tall, featureless specter. Now, Taro searches for answers in the Hidden Realm, but something sinister is brewing there. The spirits are restless and a malevolent ghost is appearing with increasing frequency. In the "real" world, an out of favor religious cult is finding dozens of new converts, especially among high ranking politicians. And just what the scientists at Dai Nippon Bio are up to is a question in need of an answer. Can Taro and his friends find the answers they need in time to save their friends and families? Unseen spirits, ghosts and out-of-body experiences all combine in an intriguing exploration into the workings of memory and our perception of the world. Don't miss the latest masterpiece from Masamune Shirow and Production I.G: Ghost Hound!
Produced to coincide with the 20th anniversary of the Production I.G anime studio, Ghost Hound is a 22 episode series from the mind of famed anime mastermind Shirow Masamune (Ghost in the Shell). Though far from being the first of its kind, the series blends elements of youthful innocence and supernatural phenomena to create a gripping mystery full of twists and turns. Those with an appreciation for Serial Experiments Lain or the work of the late Satoshi Kon should be intimately familiar with the category this production falls within, and have likely eyed this release with great anticipation. Provided that's the case, you're probably also aware that Production I.G is quickly becoming the top producer of big budget television productions (in the anime market), so the fact that this series marks a profound point in their history should tell you something about the level of respect it garnered.
A perfect example of the haunting visuals scattered throughout the opening portion of the series.
It's been eleven years since Taro Komori and his sister were kidnapped while on their way home from school. Every night he's plagued by nightmares and visions of his dying sister's face as she slowly withered away prior to their rescue. Several days after the discovery of young Taro and his deceased sister, the leader of a local religious sect known as the Komori was found dead in his home, the apparent result of suicide. His son Makoto was the unfortunate individual who discovered the bloody scene, leaving him emotionally scarred and socially distant to this day. Beyond simply coping with the memory of his father's death, Makoto family has endured speculation on the part of the townsfolk regarding a possible link to the kidnappings, despite police insistence that the true kidnapper was accidentally killed while fleeing. Now, after eleven years have passed since the tragic events plagued both boys, a new student arrives at their local high school with intentions of digging up the past. Initially frustrated by such blatant insensitivity, the boys soon discover their classmate carries his own traumatic demons from the past, and merely asks to face such struggles together. What follows is a journey into the supernatural world beyond our own--where ghosts, demons, and gods hold the key to self discovery.
Perhaps I'm a victim if my own expectations, but Ghost Hound just didn't live up to the hype. Beginning with a fantastic premise that gradually builds intensity through the first 10+ episodes, the series eventually implodes into a nonsensical mess that struggles to regain traction. To be clear, I've always been a fan of the storytelling by Shirow Masamune, but he's often so cerebral in his method of delivery that you need a cheatsheet to understand the direction he's taking us in. This can be either good or bad, since it increases the replayability of his masterpieces, while relegating the more abstract titles to obscurity. Some will certainly disagree with me here, but Ghost Hound falls much closure to the latter, routinely reminding us of the potential for greatness, but never quite reaching far enough.
Digging under the surface, we begin the story learning many of the details I included in my opening synopsis. One of the more intriguing discoveries arrives as we learn of the various ghost stories surrounding the old abandoned hospital where Taro and his sister were found. In the interest of facing their fears, the boys return to the hospital in search of a secret basement from the local legends. Instead of finding ghosts or setting off a chain of tragic events, they find themselves collectively engaged in an out-of-body experience into the "Unseen World". Finding the experience thrilling despite encounters with scary creatures on the other side, the boys take advantage of their newfound soul-travelling skills to further investigate the events of eleven years prior, and eventually discover odd genetic experiments being performed at a local high-tech laboratory. Unfortunately, these revelations regarding the activities of the facility are what eventually bring the series back to earth, effectively destroying the majority of the suspense created up to that point. Moving forward from there, the series abandons the barrage of thrills and chills found in the first half of the storyline, winding down to a conclusion that lands with a collective thud. I wish I could say more regarding my disappointment in the final two episodes of the series, but in the interest of not spoiling the experience for others, it's best that I simply leave it at that.
Given my opinion thus far, some of you may be wondering why my content rating on the series is so generous. The best way to explain that discrepancy is an acknowledgement of the effort involved in the entire production. Looking at the number of creative anime minds involved in Ghost Hound, I have to ask myself whether my impressions are really the result of subpar story design, or simply a product of anticipation. I expected Ghost Hound to be one of the greatest television productions of the past decade, so any misdirection along the way put a damper on my perception of the show. The other primary reason for my forgiving score is the necessity of a second viewing on a story of this sort. Whenever you view cerebral entertainment, it's easy to miss the intricacies woven into the complex narrative, especially considering the lengthy discussions on brain chemistry and psychological disorders throughout Ghost Hound. I'll need some time before stepping in for round two, but I suspect I'll feel either growing dissatisfaction or newfound appreciation on subsequent viewings.
Despite a printing error on the packaging that describes a 1080p presentation, this is actually an interlaced transfer (otherwise known as 1080i). As a result, there's a tendency for scan lines to show up in the screenshots of the review, though I've attempted to remove and replace any shots that don't offer an accurate representation of the pristine visual quality.
As mentioned earlier in the review, Production I.G is rapidly becoming the premiere studio among anime big shots, so the fact that Ghost Hound was created in native high definition should come as little surprise. What did catch me off guard is the somewhat underwhelming quality of the animation itself, which delivers a realistic world by downplaying texturing and details in the animation. After recently completing a review of their spectacular 2009 production Eden of the East, I assumed Production I.G would pull out all the stops for their 20th anniversary celebration. I'm well aware this was released during 2007 and 2008, but advancements in the world of animation shouldn't generate such drastic leaps during the span of 2 years. Instead of assuming this was a budgetary choice or other easily defendable limitation, I'll speculate this was an intentional decision on the part of the series creators, who probably felt the simplistic animation was fitting for the somber tone of the series. As a result, it's difficult to knock the artistic design of the show, though I'll stand on my opinion that this is not the greatest visual release from Production I.G.
Animation nuances aside, there's plenty to appreciate about this breakout release from Sentai Filmworks. Combining a rich color palette, deep blacks, and razor sharp precision, Ghost Hound demonstrates yet again how amazing anime can look when given a proper Blu-ray presentation. Throughout the 22 episode run, I strained to find even a hint of aliasing, banding, or villainous edge enhancement, but all my efforts produced little return. Furthermore, the pesky scan lines found in weak 1080i presentations were non-existent here, making it easier to forgive the incorrect information on the back cover of the case. In summary, I wouldn't call this demo caliber material (thanks to the nature of the animation), but the proficiency of the transfer is first rate.
Prepare to be blown away. Production I.G has turned out some truly amazing mixes over the years, but Ghost Hound is the deserving recipient of the top spot. Sitting in my theater as episode one kicked off, I was caught off guard by the intricate surround separation during a sequence showing a little fly buzzing around a gruesome scene. The critter darted around my room in distinct correlation with the movement on the screen, creating an effective sense of unease that defines the tone of the series. Unfortunately, these moments of highly creative sound design are used sparingly throughout the 22 episode run, often stepping aside for the dominating presence of dialog in the track. This isn't always a bad thing when it comes to psychological thrillers, since long stretches of discourse leave us with a false sense of comfort or safety, allowing horrific elements to catch us off guard. Moving along to the technical quality of the dual lossless tracks (native Japanese and newly created English dub), I couldn't be happier with either option. Every element in the track is crisp and robust, with zero hiss or dropout, and a perfect blend of highs and lows. Volume balance is equally proficient, combining dialog, effects and music that interact with one another to create an immersive presentation, without overwhelming a particular element. Without a doubt, this is an audio experience that should be heard by every anime fan, and serves as a tremendous value-added component of the overall Blu-ray presentation.
Ghost Hound isn't the game-changing production many anime fans suspected it would be, but it still deserves a place among notably cerebral anime of the past few years. Having said that, if you lack the patience for long discourse on the inner workings of the human brain, or roll your eyes at the concept of out-of-body experiences, there's a good chance you'll eventually grow tired of the path chosen for the latter stages of the show (though the initial journey is still thrilling). Personally, I loved the thought-provoking aspects of the overall story, but felt there were too many missed opportunities along the way. In addition, I struggled to accept the dramatic change in direction around the midpoint of the series, and the decision to abandon most of the suspense built during the early episodes. There's still plenty to enjoy if you consider this genre your cup of tea, but hold your expectations in check and prepare for some drastic tonal shifts along the way.
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