Ghost Hunt
Cover of the first volume of the original light novel featuring Mai Taniyama (center) and Kazuya Shibuya (top)
ゴーストハント
(Gōsuto Hanto)
Light novel
Akuryō Series
Written byFuyumi Ono
Published byKodansha
ImprintX Bunko Teens Heart
DemographicFemale
Original runAugust 5, 1989October 5, 1992
Volumes8 (List of volumes)
Light novel
Written byFuyumi Ono
Published byKodansha
ImprintX Bunko White Heart
DemographicFemale
Original runMarch 1994April 1994
Volumes2 (List of volumes)
Manga
Written byShiho Inada
Published byKodansha
English publisher
Magazine
DemographicShōjo
Original runJuly 7, 1998September 30, 2010
Volumes12 (List of volumes)
Anime television series
Directed byAkira Mano
Written byTsutomu Kamishiro
Music byToshio Masuda
StudioJ.C.Staff
Licensed by
Original networkTV Tokyo
Original run October 3, 2006 March 27, 2007
Episodes25 (List of episodes)
Manga
Akumu no Sumu Ie: Ghost Hunt
Written byShiho Inada
Published byKodansha
MagazineAria
DemographicShōjo
Original runJuly 28, 2012July 28, 2016
Volumes3

Ghost Hunt (Japanese: ゴーストハント, Hepburn: Gōsuto Hanto), originally titled Akuryō Series (悪霊シリーズ), is a light novel series written by Fuyumi Ono. It follows the adventures of Shibuya Psychic Research as they investigate mysterious occurrences all over Japan with a team of other spiritualists and clever assistants. Although the last novel was published in 1994, the story was left incomplete.

The novels were adapted into a radio drama for Akuryō Series in 1997. A manga adaptation written and illustrated by Shiho Inada began serialization in Nakayoshi in the July 7, 1998 issue and ended on the September 30, 2010 issue. The individual chapters have been collected and published in twelve tankōbon volumes by Kodansha. It is licensed for English-language release, under the name Ghost Hunt in North America by Del Rey Manga and in the United Kingdom by Tanoshimi. An anime television series adaptation of the manga was animated by J.C.Staff and premiered on October 3, 2006 in Japan on TV Tokyo where it ran for twenty-five episodes until its conclusion. The anime is licensed for English release on Region 1 DVD by Funimation Entertainment, which also uses the name Ghost Hunt.

Plot

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Ghost Hunt follows the ghost hunting adventures of Mai Taniyama, a first-year high school student who becomes involved with Shibuya Psychic Research (SPR) and its young manager, Kazuya Shibuya. Mai nicknames Kazuya Shibuya "Naru" because of his narcissistic (narushishisuto) attitude, and the nickname is generally adopted by all those who come to eventually work with SPR: Buddhist monk Houshou Takigawa; shrine maiden Ayako Matsuzaki; celebrity teen psychic Masako Hara; and Catholic priest John Brown.

Ghost Hunt also explores the paranormal abilities of the characters, particularly focusing on Mai's "latent psychic abilities," demonstrated by her dreaming about information relevant to their cases. She is often joined in her dreams by someone whom she assumes to be Naru, who acts as a spirit guide, but who is later revealed to be Naru's dead twin brother who had died long before.

Characters

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Secondary Characters & Victims

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Media

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This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (October 2009)

Light novels

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Akuryō Series

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No. Title Japanese release date Japanese ISBN
1There are lots of Evil Spirits?!
悪霊がいっぱい!?
August 5, 1989978-4-06-190311-1
2There are really lots of Evil Spirits!
悪霊がホントにいっぱい!
November 5, 1989978-4-06-190365-4
3Too many Evil Spirits to sleep
悪霊がいっぱいで眠れない
March 5, 1990978-4-06-190417-0
4A lonely Evil Spirit
悪霊はひとりぼっち
September 5, 1990978-4-06-190485-9
5I Don't Want to Become an Evil Spirit!
悪霊になりたくない!
March 5, 1991978-4-06-190594-8
6Don't Call me an Evil Spirit
悪霊とよばないで
October 5, 1991978-4-06-198575-9
7I don't mind Evil Spirits 1
悪霊だってヘイキ!(上)
September 5, 1992978-4-06-198696-1
8I don't mind Evil Spirits 2
悪霊だってヘイキ!(下)
October 5, 1992978-4-06-198697-8

Ghost Hunt (White Heart)

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No. Title Japanese release date Japanese ISBN
1Nightmare Dwelling 1
Akumu no Sumu Ie (Ue) (悪夢の棲む家(上))
March 1994978-4-06-255156-4
2Nightmare Dwelling 2
Akumu no Sumu Ie (Shita) (悪夢の棲む家(下))
April 1994978-4-06-255164-9

Manga

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Written and illustrated by Shiho Inada, the manga adaptation premiered in Amie magazine in 1998, then moved to sister publication Nakayoshi.[2] After this, the series moved to being published in volumes only.[2] The series was completed in September 2010 with the twelfth and final volume.[2] The manga was licensed for an English-language release in North America by Del Rey Manga and in the United Kingdom by Tanoshimi, which had released eleven and nine volumes of the series, respectively.

A sequel manga adapting the Akumu no Sumu Ie novels was published in Aria from 2012 to 2016, compiled into three volumes.[3][4]

Anime

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An anime television series adaptation of the manga was animated by J.C.Staff. It premiered on October 3, 2006 in Japan on TV Tokyo where it ran for twenty-five episodes until its conclusion. The anime is licensed for English release on Region 1 DVD by Funimation Entertainment,[5] which released the entire series across two 2-disc volumes, and later in a single box set.

Live action film

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In November 2013, production companies Twins Japan and Kadokawa Shoten announced that a live action film adaptation of Ghost Hunt was in production. The film will be directed by Yoshitaka Yamaguchi with Atsuyuki Shimoda and Shotaro Oikawa writing the screenplay. Shinichiro Inoue will serve as executive producer, and Adrian Chaw will serve as co-executive producer. The film will star Maya Fukuzawa as Mai Taniyama, Mizuki Yamamoto as Masako Hara, and Yosuke Kamamura as Hōshō Takigawa. Additional casting has yet to be announced. The film was slated for a summer 2014 release,[6] but no announcement has been made since.

Reception

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Pop Culture Shock's Michelle Smith criticises the Ghost Hunt manga for its "noticeable slide in quality" after volume five, attributing this to "the end of Ghost Hunt's serialization in Nakayoshi and the beginning of direct-to-tankōban releases".[7] Mania.com's Eduardo M. Chavez criticises the main protagonist, Naru, for not taking "action on initial calls for distress. He then changes his mind, takes the case while always providing a perspective that is contrary to the work that he is actually assigning his staff." He also criticises the repetitive nature of the manga, saying, "every bit of paranormal, psychic and occult culture is dissected to death often repeating a few times a book".[8]

ActiveAnime's Sandra Scholes commends the anime for having "the feel of a well-known supernatural TV series with its roots deep in Japanese mythology and history."[9] Anime News Network's Theron Martin commends the anime for its "excellent pacing, offers good entertainment value, sometimes genuinely intense and horrifying" however, he criticises it for "lax characterizations" and oversimplifying some things.[10] DVD Talk's John Sinnott compares the anime to Case Closed with a supernatural twist. He also stated within his final thoughts that he "was initially disappointed, the show did turn out to be an enjoyable mystery show with some fun and intriguing characters".[11]

Notes

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  1. ^ It is later revealed that the camera that Mai broke was covered by insurance, and that Shibuya was happy for the help

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e Martin, Theron (2008-12-03). "Ghost Hunt Season One Part One - Review". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on 2022-09-20. Retrieved 2014-07-26.
  2. ^ a b c "Ghost Hunt Manga to End in Japan After 12 Volumes". Archived from the original on 2011-01-20. Retrieved 2011-02-23.
  3. ^ Loo, Egan (28 July 2012). "Ghost Hunt Manga Returns in Sequel Series in Japan". Anime News Network. Retrieved 3 August 2024.
  4. ^ "The Ghosthunt: Akumu no Sumu Ie (manga)". Anime News Network. Retrieved 4 August 2024.
  5. ^ "Funimation Adds Ghost Hunt Anime by 12 Kingdoms Author". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on 2007-11-01. Retrieved 2007-10-31.
  6. ^ "Fuyumi Ono's Ghost Hunt Supernatural Novels Get Live-Action Film". Archived from the original on 2013-11-07. Retrieved 2013-11-14.
  7. ^ Smith, Michelle (October 31, 2008). "Your Definitive Guide to Ghost Hunt". Pop Culture Shock. Archived from the original on 2011-06-24. Retrieved 2009-07-21.((cite web)): CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  8. ^ M. Chavez, Eduardo (September 6, 2006). "Ghost Hunt Vol. #04". Mania.com. Archived from the original on 2012-10-04. Retrieved October 18, 2016.
  9. ^ Scholes, Sandra (July 2, 2009). "Ghost Hunt Series 1 Part 2 (Advance Review)". ActiveAnime. Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2009-07-21.
  10. ^ Martin, Theron (December 20, 2008). "Ghost Hunt DVD — Season 1 Part 2". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on 2009-08-05. Retrieved 2009-07-21.
  11. ^ Sinnott, John (October 7, 2008). "Ghost Hunt: Season 1, Part 1". DVD Talk. Archived from the original on 2022-09-20. Retrieved 2009-07-21.

Further reading

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