Ghost Hunt, Vol. 1

I picked this one up as a browse title after having been somewhat burned on manga. I'd fallen too often for beautiful looking manga that promised a lot, only to deliver very little. I'm very glad that this was the title I picked up. The premise isn't that new, a cute young girl falls in with a troupe of ghost hunters, one of which is someone that she immediately clashes with (yet is also subconciously attracted to). However the manga stands out from the usual fare with it's truly individualistic characters & beautiful artwork. The stories are also unique as they are actually scary and the main heroine doesn't immediately gain super powers & defeat all of the ghosts in the beginning. (She does gain some, but they start off weak & she has to work to use them.) Would I recommend this to a friend? I would. It reminds me of the Kindaichi manga series, which is a very good thing.

I'm surprised everyone seems to be missing the point with this series. While on the surface, this is just another Ghostbusters, a close reading shows there's much more to the story than meets the eye, and all the things you may think you know about what's going on are probably wrong. The manga is actually chock full of clues that eventually lead you to one revelation after another until you finally understand the real story (I say this only knowing how the novels ended, but so far the series seems to be following them). So if you enjoy a good puzzle with some spookiness thrown in, this one is worth checking out.

Though most are good, I'm surprised at the two poor reviews given for this series. It is my number 1 favorite manga right now. Here's why: I like the romantic tension between Mai and Naru, including the inevitable love triangle with Masako. The stories are indeed about ghosts, but they're really more like detective stories. As each story unfolds, more information is revealed until, usually, there is a surprise ending. The stories are satisfying. There's a lot of character development, especially in Mai, and as the series progresses we learn more about each one of the supporting characters and Naru. This is a family-friendly, engrossing series with good art and pacing. I would recommend it to anyone.

I'm loving the influx of the Del Ray Manga collection. I'm already a fan of Wallflower and Ghost Hunt is just as good in a different way. Mai the main character fits a 15 year old girl perfectly by being impressed by how much ghost hunting equipment costs to wondering what the heck it is used for? This first book shows that the series isn't all about finding ghost is every haunted place but keeping the reader wondering if a specter really exists? Through scientific investigation and some more supernatural findings the mystery is finally solved. Background character provide humor and I love the art style. It is rather realistic for manga as compared to say the more outlandish Yu-gi-oh style or line based Inuyahsa, but not as good as Descendants of Darkness. If that helps? I would highly remommend this book for its intriguing storyline.

I recently read Ghost Hunt volume 1, and it has quickly become one of my new favorite manga titles. While you may not find the type of horror seen in such titles as Junji Ito's Tomie or the Ring saga, keep in mind this is a shoujo title. It is more in the context of the mood set up at the beginning of the book: a group of girls telling ghost stories at school. I found it particularly eerie when reading it at night before bed, and there are moments of suspense and tension. The story, however, was most effective for me because of the characters. We start off with Mai Taniyama and her friends meeting Kazuya Shibuya, who claims to be a transfer student. It isn't until Mai inadvertently injures Shibuya's assistant and is somewhat extorted into filling in for him that she finds out Shibuya is really a ghost hunter hired to investigate an old building by Mai's school. They are soon joined by a miko (Del Rey gives nice explanations in the back of the book about this and other cultural references the reader might not be familiar with), a Buddhist monk, a priest, and a famous psychic medium from television to solve the mysteries surrounding the building. This isn't just about the supernatural; there's also a good deal of humor and hints of romance. The art is great. While it may not be as intricate as, say, an early work of CLAMP, that doesn't take away from its beauty. The character designs and development are fantastic as well. Mai is really cute, and she makes some of the funniest/cutest faces. Shibuya in particular is beautifully drawn (truly one of the best designed bishounen I've seen). What really hooked me to this manga is Mai and Shibuya and seeing how their relationship might develop, seeing as how he is an ardent narcissist, and she is a stubborn girl not suckered by his good looks (while just about every other women in the story seems to fall for him instantly ^^;;). Shibuya also remains a pretty mysterious character throughout, so I anticipate having some more of his background revealed. If you enjoyed Ghost Hunt, you may also like Akino Matsuri's Petshop of Horrors and CLAMP's Tokyo Babylon.