Summary:
In a world containing both humans and Yokai – beings of inhuman power – friction, and even hatred, between the two is all too common. Standing tall against this trend is the town of Sakurashin. Formed in-between five great sakura trees, it contains the only gateway to the Yokai realm. Originally formed as a place where Yokai could return, it has also become a town filled with Yokai who didn’t want to go, and were willing to live peacefully by human terms. For them, Sakurashin is a refuge, the only place where they are not persecuted for what they are. Fully half the town are Yokai. However, it attracts all sorts in the end, and some are less benevolent than others. Kyousuke the Oni, Ao the Mind Reader, Kotoha the Word User, Hime, Mayor and Dragon Incarnate, and last but not least, Akina, the Hizumi successor, are all members of the Town. Most of the time their duties are relatively peaceful, but when a Yokai runs amok, everyone depends on them. And this time, everything may depend on them.

Studio:
Studio Gong

Cast:
Fukuen Misato as Yarisakura Hime
Kaji Yuuki as Hiizumi Akina
Sawashiro Miyuki as Isone Kotoha
Fujita Saki as Nanami Ao
Ono Daisuke as Kishi Kyousuke
Seki Tomokazu as Hiizumi Enjin

Genre:
Fantasy, Supernatural.

Episodes:
Twelve. There is an OAV, but it is a remake that follows the manga exactly rather than a sequel.

DVD Availability:
Yes.

Review:
There are reviewers in the world of anime who appear to be eternally tormented by the existence of stereotypes and formulas. “Argh, a moe girl with glasses!” They howl in dismay. ‘Oh my g-d, not another tsundere with a too nice love interest,’ they’ll groan later. ‘Why, why?’ Those same people would no doubt take one look at Yozakura Quartet’s premise and break down in frustrated tears screaming ‘not another ‘group of high schoolers with power save the world’ anime! Gouge out my eyes, why don’t you?’ But you know, I’m less cynical about it. Stereotypes and formulas are only horrors when utilized by incompetent people. No point in focusing on them. Yes, Yozakura Quartet is ‘another group of high schoolers with powers save the world’ – or in this case their town – anime. But it is a bunch of likeable, entertaining, sympathetic high schoolers with powers save their town anime. It is a bunch of high schoolers with real, compelling dilemmas and emotional ties and quandaries save their town anime. And it is a bunch of high schoolers who form a tightly knit group and are as delightful to watch interacting as they are fighting or struggling with dilemmas with powers save their town anime. Yes, the premise is formulaic, and I’m sure you’ve all seen it before. So have I. I give it a four anyway.

Akina is – technically, probably – the main character, though he really shares this role equally with Hime. He is the heir to the Hizumi ability to ‘tune’ Yokai, forcing them back to their realm, and as such has quite a bit of responsibility – and heartache. Pleasant, kind, and good natured, his inescapable duty to deal with rebellious Yokai isn’t always easy for him. As a rule, it’s something he lives with, but for this opponent, things might not be so easy…. The Mayor, Hime, is a close friend of his from childhood, along with a third Yokai who seems to have tragically departed. Energetic, confidant, forward, and possessed of inhuman speed and agility (she tracks bullets and bats them aside), she puts her all into her work, as well as everything else. She also has an all consuming passion for pastas of all sorts, and even her perfectionist assistant’s regular accompanying calorie counts can’t put her off (he does not seem to buy her belief that it will all be burned off by exercise). Kyousuke the Oni is, as mentioned, something of a perfectionist. Detail oriented? Maybe even a little obsessive? You bet. Stiff and exacting, and devoted to Hime (not in a romantic sense), he is clearly less than happy with Akina and company as support, considering them far too carefree and unreliable. Despite his constant protests however, Hime overrules him every time. It probably is not helping that Kyousuke’s younger sister has a crush on Akina of the worst kind. Ao the mind reader is the youngest of the group by a long shot, and highly endearing. Young, perky, and cute, her ability to mind-read via her cat ears (she has no tail) has many uses, both social and martial (in addition to being able to find an enemy anywhere in the city, she’s a whiz with children). The missing Yokai who was part of Akina and Hime’s original trio is her older brother. Assigned with making the city’s announcements, her voice is well known to the town. Kotoha the Word User is a fairly unusual being – a half breed. Half human and half Yokai, her personality could also be considered to be half human and half demonic – in an endearing, socially acceptable way. Most of the time. She has chosen to be human, and she cares for her friends – but she sure can get an evil look. Her power could easily have been much too much but manages to limit itself – she makes things by naming them. If she says ‘machine gun’, she gets one – and, apparently, she can then control what she makes by speaking as well, allowing her too – to use one example – summon about fifteen machine guns and set them all off at once. That’s when that evil look comes out. The only other supporting cast really worth mentioning are the local gods – a trio consisting of one shota and two mid-twenties appearing women. Of course, they are all immortals, and their appearance is for kicks, or so one assumes – certainly their real age does not match. The shota is a bit of a perv, but he’s so old fashioned about it it’s more quaint and comic than anything else. One of the women I’m blanking on so she must not have done much…but the third is interesting all right. Dressed as a nun and carrying two magical katanas, she has a very hard time following the ‘hands off’ rule, constantly chafing at bit, enraged by being forced to observe as things go to hell without doing something. As for the villain…ah, this is delicate. He’s a powerful Yokai named Enjin who wants to unleash the Yokai world onto the town. Apparently the Yokai realm isn’t a very fun place – he doesn’t want to go back, but he’s such a very bad Yokai that there is no question of being allowed citizenhood. So he’s gonna do it the hard way. It’s far more complex than that of course, but you’ll have to find out the rest.

The first five episodes or so switch off between laying grounds for faster paced conflict later on and filler-like one shots that establish and flesh things and people out. As the more patient among us know, these early starts are indeed crucial: they are why you care when all goes to hell. And done skillfully enough, the line is harder to draw – seemingly innocent things interconnect and overlap with sinister suggestion, leaving the point where establishment ends and the plot begins much harder to pin down. Yozakura Quartet achieves this higher level, smoothly intermixing the two from episode one, and the one shot aspects themselves are honestly enjoyable and appealing, achieving their goal of making you care about the characters. Even later on, when the plot is fully in motion, there are moments that unquestionably exist simply for their own sake – and I would change or remove none of them. It is the seamless way in which the cast blends and interacts that is this anime’s most unique and compelling feature. Things hit the point of no return at the end of episode seven: everything is not non-stop battle but the carefree moments are over. The tensions and dilemmas mentioned earlier are brought into focus, highlighted and propelled by events as the efforts of Enjin cause turmoil, and the town itself grapples to find the best approach. Hime, especially, is interesting here, and ends up becoming even more of a focus than Akina – she’s so young and inexperienced, but she is the Mayor, and this is her town. Her emotional journey as she learns what is and is not required of her, and what she truly can and cannot do, versus what she would like to be able to do, is played simple but true, and so is a genuine, if not particularly mind-blowing, success. It bears mentioning that we are given some amount of explanation as to why someone like her is Mayor, which helps things enormously. The unity of the cast shows throughout: they are all, always, in the action, each one essential and playing their role. There is at least one sub-thread that concludes nicely, if predictably – the capitulation of the villain strains credulity a bit. Overall, however, I was very satisfied with the climax and the aftermath. This, in the end, despite all, a ‘feel good’ anime, with a feel good ending, despite not taking the soft route at the end.

Characters that would not be very special alone but together are a pleasure to be with, quite decent action when it comes to it, and a plot and emotional storylines that take the uncluttered route to success, make this anime good enough to go out of your way to try. And that’s my idea of a four out of five.

Final Rating: 4/5

This review is brought to you by Z.N. Singer

Credits:
Information such as cast and airtime are taken from the ANN encyclopedia. Everything else is and always will be the creation of the author.

written by znsinger \\ tags: Fantasy, Reviews, Supernatural