This entry is late for a reason. Now, we move on to my impressions. Ookami Kakushi is the second of the new anime series I am watching this season (the first was Durarara and it was at least ten times better as a raw than the subbed Ookami Kakushi) and I can tell you I am disappointed. Here follows a few notes explaining exactly why.
Story-wise we do not even get much out of the first episode. Of course, first episodes should be a setup of sorts for the following episodes, but this episode certainly did not carry it off well. The first few minutes before the OP show something that is happening in the future as opposed to the rest of the episode. The “current” (as I choose to call the story as it progresses after the OP) time shows Kuzumi Hiroshi, our protagonist (who also happens to look like a goddamned girl especially if you cut out his school pants and just look at the top half of his picture) moving in with his father and handicapped sister Mana (shown above).
He gets surprised by some Tsumuhana Isuzu on the first day though, and she declares that she likes him on the second day. Kuzumi gets a lot of attention for a transfer student, and even he himself (and one other, called Asagiri Kaname) is surprised since he has never stood out in school or class. Then he gets told his existence is annoying by a very mysterious girl called Kushinada Nemuru, and one of the students in the show later get killed, though he changes into a demon or something before then. Bla bla, end of story. Now with the specifics.
Isuzu is seriously annoying. I had yet to come across this annoying a character since Raki (Claymore) I think. She messed up the entire episode, largely on her own. Other than the prologue which shows that she might have connection to the storyline (I will come to my speculations later) she seems to serve no purpose other than to force the viewer away from the show. Really.
The only two girls that warrant attention are Nemuru and Mana. Mana is headstrong as a young girl even though she is handicapped, and witty too. Nemuru is mysterious, and quite obviously the masked “god” holding the scythe (as above), and has a very cold personality. Design-wise (and also personality) these two seem the best, though Kaname is a good bet as one of the better personalities as well.
Ookami is a wordplay on the words (as I understand it, so I could be wrong) “wolf” and “god”, and they even say that the incarnation of the god is a wolf in this town. So “Hidden God” can also mean “Hidden Wolf”, which is interesting in itself for the title. Wolves are also abundant in the show as masked men or beasts, and Nemuru in her other form even has the tail of a wolf.
The fact that the town is not alive after 7-8 PM says a lot, and the biggest reason for Kuzumi’s popularity is somewhat of a guess for me. My speculation is that all of them have been or are turning into “demons” of sorts, in which Nemuru is the “death god” watching over them. If any of them steps out of line in their hunt for new blood (like Kuzumi, which would explain his popularity) then she steps in.
As a premise I must say the show could have done better. Cast-wise Katou Emiri is voicing Isuzu (sadded), Kobayashi Yuu is doing Kuzumi (he is officially yaoi material), and Fujita Saki is Mana. These are the characters we know at the moment. I must say their talents are wasted if this show continues the way it has done.
The OP is by FictionJunction, and is pretty good. ED is by Nanri Yuuka, worthy of a listen but otherwise in need of a full version to make a better judgment. AIC ASTA is animating this so the CG has been really nice, which is sad since the story is not living up to the hype. I liked the music where Ogasawara got chased though, so I should be looking out for the OST.
So, all in all, Ookami Kakushi is pissing me off, and I seriously doubt I can hold my attention for more than 3 episodes for this series, if even that. Durarara is definitely a better alternative, but Shadow will likely be doing his first impressions for that show and not me.
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Topspin on 
hopefully it’ll be like Higurashi & Umineko, they both start off really uninteresting (to me anyway) but get SO much better later on.
Isuzu really made me want to tear her hair out and if it weren’t for her, I think I would’ve liked this episode a little more despite a less than satisfying start.
That aside, I hope there’s more gore in action later on. Ogasawara’s “death”, I presume, was very meh-some and the parts where the death god/Nemuru is swinging down her scythe wasn’t as exciting as I wanted it to be.
Hmm, that doesn’t bode well. This is one of those shows I was flaky on from the start. I guess I’ll see how it turns out. And need to watch Durarara!! …and whatever the other show I wanted to watch was. I don’t remember anymore. orz
mefloraine´s last blog…Tatetsu Teto / 舘津テト
It’ll pick up. :)
Isuzu was so annoying, but the main character should have been more assertive as well instead of being the passive guy he is. =/
Hopefully the story will pick up, but Durarara!! was definitely way better.
neko: Yeah, making Ryukishi07 a one-type wonder which will in turn further turn me off since I never watched (nor did I like the premises) for both.
Xiao: Gore-some is unlikely in this anime series if they did it the Ogasawara way. They better have more powerful Shinigami’s with Zanpakutou’s appear…wait. Wrong show.
Aleks: One hopes.
Reltair: Deshou?
i love it! looking forward to the next episode!