Kekkaishi

Author: Yellow Tanabe
Review Type: manga/anime
Status: ongoing/completed
Genre: Shonen, Supernatural

*note the color codes for manga and anime.

Synopsis

The understand the story, you need to understand what happened 500 years back in the current manga script.A feudal lord was attacked by demons seeking to harness the inner power within him to control the human world. The feudal lord sought Tokimori Hazama for aid. Hazama brought two of his students to save the feudal lord and the land from rogue demons. The effort was a success but it had its repercussions. Tokimori Hazama and his proteges fell ill and the feudal lord was killed but his power was buried with him at a site called Karasumori.

Now forward to the where the manga begins, Karasumori has become a land of contention. Demons are still drawn to the place for its ability to make them stronger. But now there exists a group called the Kekkaishi or barrier masters. There are two clans responsible for this duty; the Sumimura and Yukimura respectively. They are basically in charge of exterminating demons that would seek to harness Karasumori's power.

Yoshimori Sumimura and Tokine Yukimura color the manga as the main protagonists of the comic as the current ones to guard over the land. The story takes this simple plot a step ahead by introducing Yoshimori's idealistic anthem of gaining the power to not only exterminate demons but to save the world from being entirely controlled by them. It also produces a political flavor by having demon organizations contending with the kekkaishis in a power struggle for ownership of the land and its powers.







Rempit's Vrooming Comments:

The story basically is a typical shonen fair. You would have the ideas of a weak hero for a starter, a trying to get stronger hero with a stronger rival for an entree and a miraculously strong hero for an appetizer. Much like Naruto. Yoshimori fits this description but this time the rival is none other than Tokine; a much more focused and skilled kekkaishi. The relationship here however is not a Sasuke-Naruto or a Naruto-Sakura type. So that would be a breath of difference and relief.

Unlike Naruto's Sakura or Bleach's Orihime, Tokine provides a point of difference by first not being a big-boobed bimbo, but by actually being extremely skilled at her trade. With the fact that she has a mother syndrome, watching over Yoshimori at all times. Though there are hints of romance between the two, the manga hasn't provided us the privilege of a love stint between the kekkaishis.

Yoshimori's character in contrast with Naruto, starts with a lazy, cake loving and not enthusiastic kekkaishi. Naruto on the other begins with a rejected, low self esteemed, i-want-to-be-the-best syndrome.

Other characters are fairly introduced and Yoshimori's contemporaries provide a decent flavor to the manga. They don't introduce this Gambate feeling. Unlike your other typical shonen flicks.

To end it, well give Kekkaishi a try both on manga or anime. It is pretty interesting, especially in the manga as how the story develops. Check the ratings below if you are still contemplating on the subject.

Rempit Rates:

Character Development: 4/5
Plot: 4/5
Structure: 4/5
Art: 4/5