Ghost Hound Review - 92/100
If you’re looking for a standard anime with a standard storyline, then you should stay well away from Ghost Hound. This is one series that tries to be different, and it’s at the same time after Shion no Ou my favourite series to have aired during the past Autumn Season. It does feature a bunch of fourteen/fifteen year old boys, but this series manages to use them to their full extend.
One of the major themes of Ghost Hound is psychology. You can see that the creators are very knowledgeable about the subject, because this series really delves into the details of this subject. All main characters have run into their own kinds of traumas due to various things that happened in their childhood, and everyone has reacted to this differently. Ghost Hound shows how these people can be cured, and how just a small push in the wrong direction can lead to disaster.
There’s another thing that really sets this series apart from most others: it’s been directed by the director of Serial Experiments Lain, and it shows. Apart from that series, there is no other anime I can think of that puts more focus on its sound effects than Ghost Hound. The result is an continuously tight atmosphere as the events slowly develop.
And yes, this is a slow series, but don’t make the mistake that nothing happens. In fact, every episode builds up for the next one, and it keeps you on your toes, because you’ll never know when a sudden plot-twist might arrive. In this series, it’s not the destination that matters, but the road at which you get there. Because of this, the ending ended up being a tad rushed, but thankfully entertaining enough to keep interesting.
I didn’t have much series to look forward to at the previous Autumn Season, but this one really stood out, and it’s along with Shion no Ou my top-recommendation amongst the shows that aired back then. Don’t worry that it’ll start off slow, it’ll pick up its pace quickly enough and deliver a great storyline, an interesting cast of characters that develops very natural-like and a feast for the senses.
*hug* I am so glad someone else watched, loved and appriciated this series. It does not get enough love.
I have never see a series with better ambient music/sound or something that creeped me out as much that I still loved enough to watch.
Comment by Senefen — April 9, 2008 @ 9:16
I loved this show so much. I was hooked from the start. The characters were great, the sound was outstanding, and the building up was incredibly solid. Probably the best Psychological anime I will ever see. 94/100
I guess it’s time to try out Lain next.
Comment by BlueYoshi — April 24, 2008 @ 14:33
Not just the director of Serial Experiments Lain (and Kino’s Journey), but the script-writer from Lain was involved, as well.
Comment by dm — April 24, 2008 @ 17:19
Definitely worth it! Not exactly horror as listed under genre types on some sites, but very high suspense and masterfully told storyline. A must watch for any high drama, high suspense, and some supernatural elements fan. The suspense in this anime with unique sound effects is different from usual, and it works great especially if you give the shinsen dd5.1 mkv files a try! I was hooked right from the fly on the lips sound effcts (think it was ep 1 or 2)
Comment by Z.A. — June 6, 2008 @ 7:43