Ghost Stories: Semester 1: Freshman Frights

Reviewed By:   Carla Land

DVD  ADV Films

Review based on first four episodes (1 disk)

Rated TV PG

What it’s (basically) all about: Fifth grader Satsuki and her family have moved to a new town after the death of her mother. On the first day of school she and her little brother meet up with some kids in the abandoned (and haunted) school next door while looking for their cat. After running into a demon, accidentally banishing it into the cat, and learning that their mother had banished hundreds of ghosts in her youth into a mountain now being leveled for housing, Satsuki and her new friends realize life is going to be pretty scary from now on.

Nitty Gritty: One of the more interesting things about this anime series is that it has been entirely rewritten for American audiences. The original Japanese screenplay was considered boring and not well written. The American version of it differs almost completely. Both versions are available (the Japanese only in subbed format, the American in both subbed and dubbed.)

Language on this series relies heavily on innuendo and pop culture, and words like “bitch” and “ass” are used, albeit infrequently. References are made to everything from the “short bus” to Hoobastank, and the voice actors even poke fun of themselves. The sexual innuendo, and Hajime’s tendency to try to sneak a peek at Satsuki’s underpants (and her tendency to hit him when he does), make this a little more mature than the TVPG rating suggest. There are no inappropriate sexual situations, but there are several references to sex (the fifth graders being “under-sexed,” a decapitated ghost “needs some head.”) Some parents might be offended by the born again Christian Momoko constantly trying to convert Jewish Leo, or the revelation that Satsuki’s mother was, in fact, a “recovering lesbian.” On top of all that, there is always a new ghost trying to kill one or all of the kids, so the episodes can get rather scary in spite of the humor.

One of the coolest things about this anime is that the special features include “ghost profiles” that tell you about the ghosts that you meet in the series. Because the spirits are unfamiliar to all but Japanese audiences, this insight to the culture helps to make things more interesting.

For what was a “throwaway show” in Japan, the animation is remarkably good. The voice work is also very well done. The opening and closing themes are fairly catchy, too, but the end theme is called “Sexy, Sexy,” and how it related to the show I can’t figure out.

Previews at the beginning of the disk are for Newtype Magazine and The Anime Network, both products of ADV Films. Most of the sequences in the Anime Network preview go by too quickly to see clearly, but they don’t show full frontal nudity or excessive violence.

Survey says: Would be appropriate for teens, but not kids younger than 13. The humor would go over the heads of 12 and under audiences, and the ghosts would definitely be scary to the seven and under set. Because of the sexual innuendo, this would be better of in adult sections rather than teen /YA collections, though your teens will love it.

Personal Ad: I laughed so hard I nearly fell off of my couch the first time I saw this. This is one anime series that will appeal to fans of Adult Swim’s Robot Chicken and Space Ghost: Coast to Coast. It’s one of my favorites. But beware of that opening theme song- it will totally get stuck in your head.