Dark Gathering is a series that you willingly follow even if you are not a fan of the horror genre, but the 25 episodes of which it is made up only cover the first half of the story and you have to turn a blind eye to a couple of elements, namely the plot-armor of the protagonists and the total awareness that certain things are unclear partly because they are Shinto in nature and in many others (individual capabilities/solutions/human authorities), because they are simply suited to the narrative need. In this sense the main core of a horror story helps to get over it and the growing psycho-splatter violence of the episodes also. In short, it should be seen a little with the brain turned off, after all in this anime everyone blindly relies on a pre-adolescent girl with two skull-shaped eyes.
Yayoi is a little girl with special eyes that see the spiritual world, but she tragically lost her parents due to a sort of ghost embryo, an entity that in the future could develop into a nefarious being of global reach. At her side there are; Keitaro, an impressionable half-introverted young adult with a cursed hand and Eiko, the typical, improbable and beautiful childhood friend, as well as Yayoi's cousin, who has the task of chauffeuring them around Japan and above all the passion for everything that's scary.
A couple more words should be said about Eiko, given that, despite doing everything to be a nice and positive character, is at the same time even more disturbing than most of the embattled ghosts. His interest in the occult leads to perversion and his apparently genuine affection for Keitaro is somehow tainted by the boy's special propensity to attract spirits, which would partially remain with him even if he managed to erase the annoying curse on his hand. Eiko also has a hidden secret, but we are not given the opportunity to see the effects clearly.
Even Yayoi, however, is not so normal. It is not clear whether it was due to the accident, but her intelligence is conveniently disproportionate and her character, with the excuse of the pre-established objective, apart from a few rare moments of enthusiasm is somewhere between constantly inexpressive and cruel. The little girl is always super equipped, it is not clear how, but in the space of a year spent by her cousin she studied the paranormal phenomenon, becoming more expert than many monks, and despite not having exorcising powers she managed to devise many tactics.
Although in Dark Gathering it may initially seem that Keitaro shares the starring role with her, and that Eiko is useless, it will soon be clear that this is primarily the story of Yayoi and then with equal importance also of her two friends.
Apart from the absence (in a couple of episodes), of one of the two university students, the development will be quite fixed, the trio goes to a place particularly renowned for appearances, things get worse than expected, but by deflecting the damage on the cute puppets of Yayoi and using increasing equipment of dubious usefulness will mostly manage to escape... even when they unleash dangers of equal magnitude if not even worse than the evil fought.
The basic motivational principle is "For extreme evils - extreme remedies", even if this fight is not for the good of humanity, but for purely personal issues. Motivations that involve little in Yayoi's case, thanks to her pragmatic attitude, her world made up of wandering spirits and Shinto-Buddhist reincarnation as the only relief for the human being.
In this sense, the Ai-kamiyo subplot serves to reinforce everything, but we continue to be interested in the mini narrative arcs and little in the final objective, because it is difficult to empathize with the protagonists. Even Keitaro, who with his constant anxiety, average appearance, and a somewhat wasted life, would potentially be the most relatable character of the trio, has two sisters barely glimpsed twice, a communication difficulty exploited only once (and not even that serious), the classic lack of libido of a Japanese protagonist and a hypothetical pain in his hand that never seems to get in the way of his daily life.
Among the avoidable things, apart from a clear revanchist sentiment with a ghost soldier, a drawing style that makes the two nineteen-year-olds appear excessively young, especially Keitaro and limits the variety of adults in general, an excessive severity with some victims turned executioners in turn and whose corruption sometimes even makes you smile a little, like the names of the most powerful spirits, typically pompous and cacophonous as the Japanese like... one thing that left me perplexed is the total disinterest in delving into both the human world in which the characters live, including living relatives, and the more positive side of the spiritual one . We will only be shown a gray mix of two realities in which the happiest entity wanders or stands still waiting for oblivion and a restart. In short, you know, it's better to enjoy life to the fullest.
In general it was a pleasant and advisable viewing, and if they were to make a second season I will certainly watch it, however it remains a partially cold product that involves for its atmosphere, but hardly enters the heart of its viewer. Dark Gathering is a continuous sequence of short battles and quickly explained strategies, it makes full use of the time at its disposal, but it moves too quickly.
Yayoi is a little girl with special eyes that see the spiritual world, but she tragically lost her parents due to a sort of ghost embryo, an entity that in the future could develop into a nefarious being of global reach. At her side there are; Keitaro, an impressionable half-introverted young adult with a cursed hand and Eiko, the typical, improbable and beautiful childhood friend, as well as Yayoi's cousin, who has the task of chauffeuring them around Japan and above all the passion for everything that's scary.
A couple more words should be said about Eiko, given that, despite doing everything to be a nice and positive character, is at the same time even more disturbing than most of the embattled ghosts. His interest in the occult leads to perversion and his apparently genuine affection for Keitaro is somehow tainted by the boy's special propensity to attract spirits, which would partially remain with him even if he managed to erase the annoying curse on his hand. Eiko also has a hidden secret, but we are not given the opportunity to see the effects clearly.
Even Yayoi, however, is not so normal. It is not clear whether it was due to the accident, but her intelligence is conveniently disproportionate and her character, with the excuse of the pre-established objective, apart from a few rare moments of enthusiasm is somewhere between constantly inexpressive and cruel. The little girl is always super equipped, it is not clear how, but in the space of a year spent by her cousin she studied the paranormal phenomenon, becoming more expert than many monks, and despite not having exorcising powers she managed to devise many tactics.
Although in Dark Gathering it may initially seem that Keitaro shares the starring role with her, and that Eiko is useless, it will soon be clear that this is primarily the story of Yayoi and then with equal importance also of her two friends.
Apart from the absence (in a couple of episodes), of one of the two university students, the development will be quite fixed, the trio goes to a place particularly renowned for appearances, things get worse than expected, but by deflecting the damage on the cute puppets of Yayoi and using increasing equipment of dubious usefulness will mostly manage to escape... even when they unleash dangers of equal magnitude if not even worse than the evil fought.
The basic motivational principle is "For extreme evils - extreme remedies", even if this fight is not for the good of humanity, but for purely personal issues. Motivations that involve little in Yayoi's case, thanks to her pragmatic attitude, her world made up of wandering spirits and Shinto-Buddhist reincarnation as the only relief for the human being.
In this sense, the Ai-kamiyo subplot serves to reinforce everything, but we continue to be interested in the mini narrative arcs and little in the final objective, because it is difficult to empathize with the protagonists. Even Keitaro, who with his constant anxiety, average appearance, and a somewhat wasted life, would potentially be the most relatable character of the trio, has two sisters barely glimpsed twice, a communication difficulty exploited only once (and not even that serious), the classic lack of libido of a Japanese protagonist and a hypothetical pain in his hand that never seems to get in the way of his daily life.
Among the avoidable things, apart from a clear revanchist sentiment with a ghost soldier, a drawing style that makes the two nineteen-year-olds appear excessively young, especially Keitaro and limits the variety of adults in general, an excessive severity with some victims turned executioners in turn and whose corruption sometimes even makes you smile a little, like the names of the most powerful spirits, typically pompous and cacophonous as the Japanese like... one thing that left me perplexed is the total disinterest in delving into both the human world in which the characters live, including living relatives, and the more positive side of the spiritual one . We will only be shown a gray mix of two realities in which the happiest entity wanders or stands still waiting for oblivion and a restart. In short, you know, it's better to enjoy life to the fullest.
In general it was a pleasant and advisable viewing, and if they were to make a second season I will certainly watch it, however it remains a partially cold product that involves for its atmosphere, but hardly enters the heart of its viewer. Dark Gathering is a continuous sequence of short battles and quickly explained strategies, it makes full use of the time at its disposal, but it moves too quickly.
