December 01, 2004
TACTICS
Today I discovered that Shinsen/Spoon is subbing Tactics! Yay! I've been watching raws since the other subber I was using switched from bit torrent to another program. I really didn't want to switch programs for just one show, so I began watching raws instead. For those that don't understand, a "raw" is an unsubtitled show. I can understand a little bit of the Japanese, just enough to know what's going on and most of the jokes, but I much prefer to have subtitles.
Tactics is a fun show. I would recommend the manga over the anime any day, but still, the cartoon version is entertaining enough. It's good for a few laughs, that's for sure.
(Yoko picks on poor Haruka...who's apparently not wearing any underware...Do Tengu wear underware?)
Kantaro, aka: Kan-chan, is a folktale scholar and a demon hunter. He's searched his whole life to find the Onikui, or Ogre eating demon, Haruka. He finds him, and by demon law, Haruka must obey the one who names him, which happens to be Kantaro. This leads to a shakey and interesting sort of partnership between the two. Kantaro is lazy, a bit of a bully, and always on the look out to make a quick buck. However, Kantaro has a good heart, and he looks out for the people around him...often in round about ways. Haruka finds Kantaro's personality intreaguing (as well as annoying), and sticks with him.
(Kantaro)
Together with their several other friends, Yoko the kitsune (fox demon), and Suzu the little girl in love with Haruka, they embark on various adventures that often include tracking down trouble making demons. The show is humorous, but it also has a rather dark undertone beneath the light-heartedness. I'm wondering when the story (or if) will switch to a more developed plot line. Right now, the series is more episode to episode, instead of an ongoing story-line (Think King of Bandits Jing).
(Yoko and Suzu)
My most favorite characters in this show are by far Muu-chan and her husband, Sugino.
(Muu-chan is the one in green. Sugino is the one in white.)
Did I just say "husband"?
Yup, the two of them are married...or at least according to Sugino the are. *laughs* He's very possessive of Muu-chan and pitches a major fit when she starts showing attention to the other male cast members. This is halarious in it's own right, because Muu-chan is a simpleton...She reminds me more of a curious pet than someone's wife, though Sugino thinks differently. Sugino takes care of Muu-chan and looks out for her (but not too well considering how often he loses her... and once he pushed her in front of a train and cried after she got sucked underneath...I guess it was an accident....but still...). They live in the mountains where Sugino is the Mountain God.
(Yoko is startled to see Muu chan in the forest)
(Apparently, Muu chan doesn't remember meeting Yoko before)
Sugino is a white Tengu. According to the legends, he was once a human but couldn't (or wouldn't) ascend to heaven. He and Haruka are very different. Haruka is a black tengu, meaning he was born a demon, unlike Sugino.
(Sugino loves Muu chan...enough to let her eat Yoko
According to rumor, Tactics has been licensed by ADV...however, I cannot find anything regarding the anime on any site. I'm wondering if this info is a mistake...the MANGA is licensed by ADV and the next volume is out sometime this month. If anyone knows, and has a link to prove it, I'd love to hear from you...however, I don't want to hear more rumors, as I've surfed several forums and heard all the arguments.
