Otome Youkai Zakuro

[corocoro]

There's romance, comedy and action - good enough. :P
The basic setup is that (half-)demon girls and (human) boy soldiers have to work together to reduce the friction between humans and demons. So far most episodes concentrated on one such case, with the solution being sometimes peaceful and sometimes - not so much.

The backstory really started to develop in the fourth episode and is now moving happily along, making it an even better watch. ^^

The series also has awesome music in it. :D

 

[ShadowlockIV]

Awesome music? Demons? Interesting genres? Insta-add to MyAnimeList.

 

[Terumi]

didnt pick up this show.
any good? animation? and voice actors?

 

[corocoro]

I watch it, so obviously it's good. ;)
Animations are good and voice actors fit the characters - no one I particular love or hate, but that's the case with nearly all anime anyway.

 

[Terumi]

sure, will take a look soon.

 

[corocoro]

Spoiler: 6th & 7th

The 6th episode focused on the relations of the group and revealed the sad backstory of the twins. Since they are the best characters in the anime that's quite appreciated. ;) There was a bit more background on Zakuro and the girls growing up as well as Zakuro warming up again to blondie (her feeling change fast!) - all in all an intermission episode.
We get to meet blondies father in an awesomely funny episode - including Zakuro demanding candy whenever she is insulted. I also noticed that they seem to have cranked up the visuals a bit, with more snapshot-worthy scenes, which is just another thing to like.

 

[corocoro]

Spoiler: 8th

I seem to be the only person here watching this, but that is not keeping me from updating - especially since I like this anime and it got one of the best OSTs of the season. :P
Anyway, the Black Widow is back and we get some background information sprinkled in. The episode itself is quite action oriented, so be careful not to miss it. ;) They also added some fanservice in, so I guess ratings aren't as good as they hoped. :(

 

[Terumi]

no probs coro, i have picked the show up~

 

[Kou]

Heh i guess because only me and coro post proper impressions on episodes of anime. Anyway, leaving this for marathon during winter season. Winter season looks very weak frm 1st impressions.

 

[corocoro]

They're all so cute. ^^

Spoiler: 9th

Lots of rabu-rabu situations with the characters advancing in their relationships baby-step by baby-step. :P
Apart from all the moeness in this episode there is little going on - Hanadate is revealed to be on the evil side and that's it.

Also a very creepy preview. :P

 

[corocoro]

Spoiler: 10th

It begins with the age-old question: Why do women need forever to get ready?
After that it's another standard for anime - a festival! Perfect for Zakura and Agemaki to get closer. ^^ She of course is too much of a tsundere and bails out.
Once alone she is kidnapped and taken to the villains base, Village of Oracles. We then get to see a bit more of the inner workings of the village and of Zakuro's mother.
Hanadate reveals himself to Zakuro, before going in for a kiss. He hints that he's also a half-spirit, but that doesn't save him from rejection. Just lucky that Zakuro fell for Agemaki not that long ago. :P
Meanwhile everyone is worried and Mamezo, Zakuro's artefact spirit collapses.
Back in the village Byakuroku is befriended by her charge, Zakuro. Zakuro accomplishes that by revealing a new ability - she can share her powers with others, to "recharge" them. Anyway, Hanadate wants Zakuro to bear his child, much to the chagrin of the Black Widow, who then tries to kill the half spirit. This of course fails and Zakuro escapes to see (and intervene in) the mistreatment of another half spirit.
We also get more background information: Female half spirits are born in the image of a powerful half-blood of the past; male half spirits looks like the animated black blob thingies we've seen in Zakuro's flashbacks to her time climbing that tree. The place of birth is called Village of Oracles and is outside our own dimension. A bit confusing due to my muddled presentation, but very interesting.
Too bad Zakuro only has 13 episodes and will not even get a Bluray. :(

 

[corocoro]

Spoiler: 11

Zakuro continues running and meets her mother during her flight! She touches her mother, Tsukuhane and then is flooded by her memories.
Meanwhile Kushimatsu tells the same story to the others: She served Zakuro's mother in Village of Oracles. Tsukuhane being the most powerful maiden in the village was given the its leader and bore him a son, Omodaka. She was separated by her husband from her child and lived in solitude until she met Enaga, Zakuro's father. He showed her the life of humans and opened a new world to her. They enjoy their time together, but soon tragedy befalls them: Village of Oracle is executing a ritual to demonstrate its power and to that reason a pregnant woman is abducted. This is the true source of half-spirits. Tsukuhane sees the suffering of the husband and friends and tries to plead with her husband in turn - only to fail. Shortly thereafter Enaga gets her pregnant. He feels her anxiety and asks her to run away with him - before she can even answer Enaga is killed by Tsukuhane's husband and his servants. Omodaka ratted her out and now she is punished by having her baby turned into a half-spirit, which hurts her less than the betrayal by her own blood.
Zakuro's fate was to live like the other half-spirits in humiliation. Her birth however did make the lilies on a nearby sea flower and while her stepfather is distracted her mother escapes with Zakuro and Kushimatsu.
Her husband tried to get her back and while the search was going on many half-spirits were created, hoping one would be as powerful as Zakuro. This didn't happen and the childs were forthwith treated as failures and tools. On the other side Zakuro was hidden by her mother's pendant, but she began to outgrew it's power restraining abilities and thus Tsukuhane returned to the village in a barter for Zakuro's safety. Kushimatsu didn't trust Omodaka's promise and so she constantly moved around with Zakuro. On her travels she met the other girls and took them in, following an old request from Tsukuhane. Their journey ended when they met Lord Amaryoju, who convinced Kushimatsu to settle down and to teach the girls pride in their abilities.
Once the story ends it is decided that the team will invade Village of Oracles, using a scrap of paper left behind by the Black Widow. In the village itself the wedding ceremony seems to have started. Daidai is consumed by jealousy and in that state approached by the Black Widow - it is not clear what she is planning, but it is sure to be directed against half-spirits.

Finishing note: Apparently Zakuro is like her mother - both are tsundere, clumsy in the household and very powerful. Guess that's better than her half-brother turned out - at least she doesn't want to rape her siblings or committed matricide.

 

[corocoro]

Spoiler: 12

Reluctantly the Lords A and Um send the team to the village. Agemaki however lands at a different spot than the group - while they are all safe outside the village he's right in front of Tsukuhane's house. The spirit of the death mother (or something) asks him to deliver her "voice" to her children.
Meanwhile the rest of them found the marriage ritual and tries to intervene. Omodaka and Byakuroku leave with Zakuro, so he can rape her. The group is busy with fighting the fox spirits of the village, so they can't follow them immediately. Luckily for them the spirits don't want to continue living, since their fate would just be to be killed so more half-spirits can be created. Since they don't want to see more suffering, they're begging for death.
The group does not want to comply and freezes until Riken starts acting: He attacks the fox spirit's masters to free their slaves. The team soon realises his tactic and helps, winning the battle.
Omodaka arrives at the lake where Zakuro was conceived. There he decries his fate of not having much power, not finding trustworthy friends, and not having his mother's love. In case you haven't noticed: He's quite unhinged. Before he can rape Zakuro Agemaki shows up and tries to stop him. Byakuroku beats him up easily. Before she can finish him off the rest of the team arrives to save the day. Well, to be beaten up by Omodaka's fox spirit hydra spell.
During the struggle a wayward sword flies towards Zakuro and Agemaki jumps in to save her. While lying above her he sees the pendant sealing Zakuro's power, but decides against removing it.
Here he reveals what Zakuro's mother told him: That she wished for Zakuro to live a normal life and that she loved Omodaka. For a moment this seems to reach him, but in the end he's only pushed farther into his madness and tries to kill Zakuro. While he is throttling here a scream can be heard from the village.
Daidai is setting fire to the village and freeing the half-spirit slaves. Rangui promised her that she'd kill the villagers so that they can all live in peace.
Omodaka has another change of heart and grabs Zakuro to run back to his house. Byakuroku decides to turn and help Agemaki save Omodaka from his past. While all this is going on Zakuro tries to console her brother in the underworld.

I find it interesting how everyone has a motivation and how the reasons for people's insanity are explained as well.

 

[corocoro]

Spoiler: Finale

Byakuroku finds kindred spirits in the other girls and together they arrive at the burning mansion where one can hear Rangui's version of the battle song reverberating through the halls. Seeing the house engulfed in flames Byakuroku starts searching for her sister, only to have Daidai die in her arms.
The rest of the team arrives and together they fight the Black Widow, empowered by the energy of her recent prey.
The team can't really do much against Rangui and Zakuro is still trapped in her paralysis. She finally manages to break free with the help of the feelings of her friends, her memories of her mother, and most important of all a love confession from Agemaki. Now free she takes of her pendant and then prepares spider soufflé.
Once the battle is over Omodaka runs into the house to see his mother - whom now appears to Zakuro and him like she does to everyone else: rotten skin and bones. While Zakuro, her lover, and her brother are talking the house starts to collapse - and the last mentioned wants to stay behind, since he never got to spend much time with his mother. Byakuroku, carrying her sister's corpse, decides to also stay behind for her new found freedom is too overwhelming for her and she wants to continue serving Omodaka.
With Hanadate gone Spirit Affairs is also disbanded. While saying their goodbyes and promising to visit often the feelings of all the pairs are made clear once more and Zakuro even manages to confess and kiss. Of course, the next day Spirit Affairs is reinstated, since the lover boys begged their general for it to continue and everything is nearly back to normal. :P
We also see Byakuroku and Omodaka driving through the city in one shot, so apparently they left the house after all (and can now develop into the fourth pair ;)).