It's not often that a series comes out and can be called unique these days. Studio DEEN's latest, Tactics, is a prime example of one of those rare titles that makes you stop and take notice. Originally a manga by Sakura Kinoshita and Kazuko Higashiyama the anime is 25 episodes long and being published here in America by Manga.

Tactics is a show about exorcism and spiritual study. Each episode features one unique demon or another and for each of them there is a story to be told. This is a point in time where technology has started to surface but the old Japanese traditions are still thriving amongst the people. There's a certain dreamlike quality to each episode and in the end it feels like a surreal Japanese fairy tale. Sure there are things that this show does that may be similar to others but the characters and world are some of the most unique that I have seen in anime.

The series focuses on a young boy named Kantaro who is regarded as a world class exorcist. While vanquishing spirits is his passion it is also a means to an end because after he still has to pay his bills. Of course sometimes the check doesn't always come through but that's where his novel writing comes in handy. Tactics also includes a bevy of characters who flank Kantaro's sides. Yoko is a fox demon that the boy named and Haruka is a feared demon-eating tengu whom he also sought. Both of Kantaro's demons join him on just about every adventure and job though they are more than servants; they are friends. A good deal of the time that Tactics takes is given to developing Kantaro's relationship with his subordinates which gives the series a weighty amount of character depth to say the least.

While many evil spirits have been washed away since the show began the prior volume was probably the most climactic. A main villain of sorts was finally revealed and the show took on a noticeably darker tone. A fair amount of continuity was put into place as well since this new bad guy (girl?) seemed to have a thing for Haruka. Going into the fourth volume of the show I was anxious to see if she'd be showing her face again.

The first episode here tells the story of a man who betrayed his wife to cheat with a servant of sorts. Well, the girl that he cheated with was going to blackmail him so naturally he whacked her and stuck her decomposing body in a hidden room. You know, that old shtick. Now her spirit is back and really angry with humanity. Unfortunately for us Sugino (the white goblin) is feeling pretty much the same way thanks to a fit of jealousy over Muuchan and Kantaro. Needless to say fighting an evil spirit is bad enough but when you add the white goblin into the picture the outlook is grim.

The next episode starts out rather hilariously with Kantaro suffering from a very large hangover. From there it takes on a more serious tone as a bizarre priest, a guy named Hasumi, and a young girl named Rozali step into the picture. The priest is basically working with the villains to lure out evil spirits and use Rozali as a medium. The girl has latent abilities and can see monsters for what they really are. Over the course of this volume she makes several appearances and kind of becomes one of the cast.

The next episode she is in features Hasumi's hunt for the paranormal and his quest to dispel the myths associated with monsters. Naturally we know the truth and as Kantaro accompanies him hilarity ensues as monster after monster slips right beneath Hasumi's nose. My personal favorite was the hair demon who went out of his way to mess up people's hair.

From here the volume takes on a couple of powerful storylines that explore both Yoko and Haruka's characters. The first sees Yoko fall in love with a human but when an evil spirit is revealed to be in control of the man's life things change. Haruka's story brings the main villains back into the fold as they try to unleash the demon-eating goblin inside. Both are powerful episodes and perfect examples of why Tactics is such a great show.

While it may not hit the ball out of the park with every episode Tactics is a gripping show. It blends character development and interesting stories together for something we don't see often in anime. There isn't a huge amount of depth at work here but the concept is intriguing enough to keep fans watching. If you haven't seen it yet you should definitely add this to your list.

Tactics is a show with a slick design and unique sense of style. The 1.78:1 anamorphic image features a vibrant transfer with crisp visuals. The picture is sharp and there is very little grain to complain about. No compression can be found throughout the five episodes either though a few rough scenes here and there in terms of animation lines. It's nothing too devastating but it's certainly noticeable if you're looking for flaws. Overall this is a good looking show with a strong transfer though this volume has a couple blemishes.

Beating the par set by most other anime releases Tactics offers a whopping four audio selections before you start watching. Two of them are 2.0 tracks for English and Japanese. The other two are 5.1 surround tracks. The quality for both types is remarkably good though the 5.1 is the winner here.

Both the English and Japanese language dubs offer a roughly similar experience from a technical standpoint. The stereo track offers the limited diversity that you'd expect but the surround option doesn't seem to hit all of the points that it should. Sound effects and music blanket the rear channels though occasionally some dialogue filtered through. Though it was clear for the most part there were other points it sounded somewhat distorted. Don't get me wrong I wouldn't call it bad by any stretch of the imagination; I guess I was just hoping for more.

This volume of Tactics offers basically the same style of bonus material as the previous volume. That being said you can expect to see a music video, some commercials, a stills gallery, and trailers. In other words there's nothing very interesting when you get right down to it.

Tactics has become one of my favorite less-known series. You can go on all day about Fullmetal Alchemist, Ghost in the Shell, and Cowboy Bebop but when you get right down to it shows like Tactics help sustain anime. It's a thought-provoking show with rich character development and a beautiful presentation. Those facts alone make it a release that most any otaku should be able to appreciate. With four volumes under its belt this show continues to go strong and hasn't really missed a single step along the way.

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