Kemono Jihen First Impressions

“Yeah, I thought as much. This is called a lifestone. They’re only formed under special circumstances. There’s some component that only exists within this stone which makes it a precious stone in that regard. It’s not the sort of thing you’d leave a child you’re abandoning.”

Sometimes when discussing a series it’s possible to find oneself drawing a comparison only to turn around and find another instance where the connection is far more apparent. Earlier in the season, I noted the similarities in tone between Otherside Picnic and last year’s In/Spectre, but upon watching Kemono Jihen, it became apparent that reference may have been better employed here. Admittedly, Kemono Jihen lacks the dry tone of the two aforementioned works, but when one is discussing a story about a detective agency specializing in supernatural incidents, the comparisons can write themselves. Going in blind with this one proved quite fun, so if the question is simply whether you should check out Kemono Jihen, then my answer is absolutely. This first episode was one of the most enjoyable entries of the season so far, so it gets a strong recommendation.

This first episode centers around a supernatural detective named Inohaba Kohachi as he is called to investigate the mysterious death of farm animals in a rural village. While there he encounters a young boy, referred to by the other children as Dorotabo. Though not the innkeeper’s child, he lives with her and her son, though they keep him at a distance as he supposedly smells terrible. Kohachi appears to take no note of the odor, though, much to Dorotabo’s shock. Instead, he actively seeks him out, believing the boy to have a much better understanding of what’s occurring than the other children in the village. Going into any more detail might serve to spoil some of the enjoyment of this first episode, but Kemono Jihen is one of the more charming and creepy series I’ve seen in quite a while. I compared it to In/Spectre because it shares that series’ analytical approach to supernatural phenomena, but it lacks that show’s dry, overindulgence in its own constant flow of dialogue. The tone and atmosphere may bear more of a resemblance to that of the Natsume Yuujinchou franchise, though based on this first entry, Kemono Jihen has more emphasis on action than that comparison implies.

The production is handled by Ajia-Do Animation Works, a studio which dates back to 1978. Despite a lengthy history, the studio has taken the lead on a relatively small number of projects, and mainly taken a supporting role. In recent years this has changed a little with Aija-Do being behind How Not to Summon a Demon Lord, Ascendance of a Bookworm, and last year’s Kakushigoto. Of those titles, the only one that I sampled was the premiere of How Not to Summon a Demon Lord, a series I was so disinterested in that I decided against even throwing together a review. I’ve heard good buzz about the other two titles though, and Kemono Jihen seems to fortunately be continuing that trend. The animation is crisp and smooth, but has a retro quality to some of its character designs, particularly in Inohaba Kohachi’s eyes. There are also some outright creepy visuals that I would love to share, but as I said before, the less I spoil the better. They decided to forgo an OP with this first episode, but given that employing one would likely risk spoiling plot details and character dynamics, omitting it was probably a good choice.

Before I wrap up, a few Notes and Nitpicks:

• The nickname Dorotabo is a reference to Japanese folklore. It refers to a zombie or spirit of a farmer that emerges from the dirt from the waist up on a full moon. The episode doesn’t explain this reference, so I ended up looking online.
• Ajia-Do Animation Works has only helmed 16 shows over the course of their existence, but they’ve had involvement in dozens of shows and movies.
• The studio evidently was responsible for animating the Genshiken OVAs, but it’s been long enough that I can’t recall any details of the production.