Kyoukai no Rinne

When talking about any show, I often take extra precaution to avoid marginalizing the work by use of buzzwords. This isn't to say that the usage of certain words don't help others to understand where you're coming from, but rather, when a word is overused, it begins to lose value to many that have grown accustomed to it. After a while, it's desensitized to the point where people would write you off as just another "pseudo-critic" with nothing left to say, and understandably so. But sometimes, I find the aid of commonly used words to just be unavoidable. Sometimes, no other word works better to ... describe the title at hand. And when it comes to Kyoukai no Rinne, no matter what angle I approach it from, no matter how much I try to better articulate what's the main issue at hand, the conclusion is always the same; the show is simply mediocre.

Following the comedic misadventures of a Shinigami named Rinne Rokudou, we're introduced to a world where the afterlife and the physical world intertwines on a constant basis. Performing his job as a Shinigami eventually leads him to befriend a peculiar girl named Sakura Mamiya, and the rest of the show is dedicated to seeing the comedic mishaps that the pair find themselves getting in. The setup is decent enough but the perpetual state it places itself in just turns it into amnesia-inducing content. A purgatory where every episode repeats itself. And no, I'm not joking, they quite literally repeat the same setup and comedic gags every time with only slight variations stuffed in:
Rinne and Sakura are going through a typical day--> some supernatural occurrence disrupts everything--> Rinne attempts to solve the issue--> problem solved--> rinse and repeat.

The show limits itself to the point where watching it feels like a massive case of groundhogs day, where nothing is moving forward, and you're simply stuck in a state of viewer's limbo. Everything that it tries to establish just goes nowhere. From the romantic subplot to even the character's issues. They're merely brought up, only to be left on the back burner, due to the show's overbearingly pronounced complacency.

The humor of Rinne was all over the place, but more often than not, it was lackluster and had little to no comedic impact to speak of. It tried to use a more deadpan kind of approach when dealing with the ghosts and conflicts that arise in the show. And while it did have its moments of effectiveness, those were usually sparse and drowned out by the many times it dropped the ball. Whether this type of humor will resonate with you or not all depends on your taste in comedy. As for me, It wasn't consistent enough to keep me amused for long, as I often found most of it to be NyQuil levels of sleep-inducing.

The characters themselves all felt like watered down versions of the ones found in InuYasha. Not surprising, though, given that Rumiko Takahashi, the creator of InuYasha, was also the one behind Kyoukai no Rinne. It almost feels like she's trying to ride off of the coattails of InuYasha to make Rinne relevant, and sadly the mark was missed by a long shot. It's hard not to look at Rokumon, Rinne's residential mascot, and not think about Shippo, a character with arguably more characterization and importance to the series he was a part of. Or to even look at Sakura and not feel like you're just looking at a more dull version of Kagome. This isn't to say that the characters of Rinne are an exact clone of Takahashi's prior works but that Rinne is engulfed by the shadow of its predecessor, both in terms of quality and relevance.

Almost like an attempt to match the quality of the script with the presentation, the art and animation of Rinne were painfully average. There were no visible attempts to stand out nor was there any proper use of lighting, shading, color placement or any other technique that could have been used to heighten the visual experience. It was generic across all fronts. This was also the case with the sound mixing, with background music that felt overplayed and lacking in variation or drowned out to the point where you don't even recognize it at all. If there was an attempt to make the presentation better in the show, it was never made visible enough for me to take notice.

And that's my experience with Rinne as a whole, too middling for me to ever take notice of anything it offered.

I wasn't offended by Rinne, but at the same time, I wasn't impressed either. It's a title that's almost predestined to be forgotten. And looking at the small reception it got from viewers, it seems like that fate will happen sooner than later. It had decent moments every now and then but was entirely too aimless for its own good.

Kyoukai no Rinne was a giant ball of "meh" that seemed to have set its bar low from the get-go. There was nothing here that I can say was satisfactory and with a setup that went nowhere, it's hard to recommend this title to anyone. It's a title that leaves no final impression and has taken its one-way ticket to obscurity before it could even plant its feet in the ground.

The story is not really original or complex, it is another Rumiko Takahashi works, and that is the best and maybe the worst you can say about this anime. If you enjoy Ranma, Inuyasha or Maison Ikkoku then you would probably enjoy this new work, otherwise better try to look for something else. It has the same kind of comedy, similar drawing style, similar kind of romance... this anime make me feel like watching a 90s anime, I mean the drawing style is old, characters as well give me a feel of old style (that do not correspond to the typical cliches that we ... find on 80% percent of current anime) and besides it lacks of recurrent ecchi and fan service, (which is for me a good point but I think many people disagree about this). I personally find the characters very cool and funny, story is very slice of life so most of time every episode is a new story and general development is very slow.... but come on is a comedy, ¿what are you hoping for?. I am a bit old generation and I find Rumiko style very enjoyable, but maybe new generation are not fit for this old style and probably that explain why Rinne is so poorly rated by the community in MAL, but if you are not a Rumiko hater then you should give it a try, Rinne and Mamiya deserve it.

In all honesty this series is about as basic as it gets. Its an episodic comedy anime. And just from that you pretty much know exactly what to expect.

As far as story, the series is....pretty mediocre. As I've already said, the series is very episodic. This can be fine in shows like Mushishi or Death Parade where you have an overarching character story that shows the progression of each character throughout the series. However, no such story is present in Rin-Ne. Or at least its not all that prominent. Sure there is sort of a romance plot, but by the end of the first season ... it's pretty much stayed in the exact same place as it has been for the entire series thus far. For the most part you could watch episodes out of order and get the exact same experience. The show is episodic down to a formula at times. At first everything is normal, then someone puts in a request to the prayer box or a main character comes across a spirit or a character from the other world comes in and causes chaos, Rinne and Mamiya try to resolve said problem (or Rinne tries to do it on his own), while Juumonji and Ageha try to interfere because they don't want Rinne and Mamiya to get too close, and then at the end all is resolved and in the next episode we're right back in the same place. Now this isn't to say that this show doesn't have at least some continuous episodes, they're just few and far between.

As for the comedy, it can be pretty hit or miss. The series has some decent jokes, particularly in its rare moments of slapstick. My favorite episodes have to be the ones with Masato because his reason for hating Rinne and the ways he tries to get back at him is hilarious! But unfortunately a lot of these jokes are often ruined with this narrator that always has to explain the joke, even going as far as to explain plot elements that we already know about (seriously how many times do you need to say that normal people can't see Rinne when he's wearing his jacket?). In the end this becomes really annoying and often feels like the narrator thinks the audience is stupid and can't figure things out on their own. There's also a runnng joke where Rinne's grandmother doesn't like being called a grandmother and does this ear thing to any character who calls her that or does something to remind her of her age. Moderately funny at first, but incredibly overdone by the end of the season.

Apart from Rinne, characters are either 1 note or entirely bland. Although not perfect, Rinne has an alright amount of personality. The series does a deent job of capturing the duality of his life through his constant struggle to maintain a normal student life and how his job as a Shinigami is a constant deterrant to any form of normalcy and how this "job" is so demanding that he can barely afford to live. How he is affected by his relationships with others is handled fairly well as well. His resentment towards his father is more than understandable because he's a neglectful crook who steals from his own son at every chance he gets. His feelings towards Mamiya are totally reasonable because of how her mere existence plays off of his duality. It's easy to see how she can be attractive to him because he can relate to her as, due to the fact that she can see spirits, she (sort of-ish) is going through the same duality as him. Therefore she can both be an escape for him as well as a way of remaining connected to his life in the other world. Bottom line, he doesn't have to hide anything from her. He understandably wants to be connected to both his human and Shinigami side, as these are integral parts of his very being and Mamiya is his only option for retaining both connections simultaneously without alienating anyone.

As for the other characters, the majority of them have "personalities" that are based solely on a few running jokes.

edit later

Rinne will be reckoned to most as a boring anime, but it's a rough diamond unless you just want to have a relaxing watch and a short laugh.

Story (6): mainly episodic in nature, it does not have too much plot involved, which is a reason you can just jump in at any episode.

Art (7): although not the best, the art style is suited for the lame comedic effect that views, such as me enjoy. Overall, the art is consistent but lacks depth in battles and certain scenes.

Sound (7): the sound is expressive of the fun and wacky nature of this anime. Nothing memorable though.

Enjoyment ... (8): personally, i like this anime. It resonates with me especially during supper. However, Its flaws are obvious, and comedy cannot be understood by all.

Overall: (7) due to it being mainly mediocre in too many fields of interest to the viewer

Kyoukai no Rinne is a lighthearted supernatural anime.
It has comedy moments and it's pace is gentle. It does not take itself too seriously. It is primarily focused around the lives of 2 teenagers who go to the same school together;

Mamiya Sakura: A fairly quiet teenage girl who has a "go with the flow" attitude. She is quite perceptive (and reasonably popular) and in many regards, totally average for a teenage girl except for one thing: When a child she gained an ability (which she keeps secret) to see spirits and other otherworldly beings. One day she discovers that one of her classmates (Rokudou ... Rinne) is a Shinigami.

Rokudou Rinne: An impoverished (and fairly serious in nature) teenage guy who is also secretly a Shinigami. Although skilled at his work of sending stray souls to the afterlife (and outwitting & battling supernatural beings), he is also always desperately trying to pay off a large financial debt (which is not his fault but which he is held responsible for none the less). He has a good heart (and strong sense of right and wrong) but money is often a huge motivator or influencing factor in how he deals with situations.


Events of course end up conspiring that the two of them have to unite and they end up going on many adventures together (which each episode revolves around).


If you are looking for...
1. An anime with a gripping story line.
2. Strong characters with lots of development.
3. An anime with a strong sense of direction.
4. An anime with lots of fan service.
5. An anime with epic fight scenes between supernatural beings.
6. An anime with a passionate and heart-rending romance between its main characters.

...Then Kyoukai no Rinne is NOT for you (and if you watched the anime while hoping for any of these things, you would probably end up feeling rather disappointed and would rate the anime quite poorly).

However.

If you are looking for...
1. A anime with a relaxed story line.
2. An anime which doesn't take itself too seriously.
3. An anime which has comedy moments (but which doesn't try too hard to be funny).
4. An anime that is ideal to watch when you want to unwind & chill out.
5. An anime with a certain old school vibe about it (but which has the pros of being modern and visually appealing)
6. An anime which has a different story each episode (VS long one consistent plot arch).

Etc, then I would strongly Kyoukai no Rinne for you!


This anime is not a masterpiece. However I found it very enjoyable and relaxing to watch (and the series is in fact one of my top favorite anime's). It is also a successful anime with not only a generous 25 episodes in its 1st season, but (as I type) a second season (also spanning 25 episodes) is now being aired too.

Although Kyoukai no Rinne is marketed as being a Shonen anime (Shonen of course being anime/manga primarily intended for boys between the ages of 8 to 18) I could see just as many girls enjoying this anime (if not even more so) and would say that overall, its appeal is very broad in both its gender and age range (I am an adult and yet I still found this anime entertaining & very enjoyable to watch).

(This has been adapted from my blog/reddit thread. Spoilers ahead!)

Specters. The supernatural. Spirits, as they are most commonly called. For some, there is a staunch belief that beings from beyond still roam the Earth. The idea is that they physically cannot manifest as their corporeal selves. However, through their ghastly ways, it is possible to feel their presence or hear their meddling.

Kyoukai no Rinne is an anime about these very spirits. Good spirits, bad spirits, spirit whisperers, spirit exorcists, and so on. The show is replete with spirits of all shapes and sizes, all backgrounds and creeds. While not necessarily spiritual, the amount of spirits ... is undeniable.

I cannot say for certain if I have ever seen a spirit roaming nearby. I actually do not believe that spirits exist. But there have been occasions where I thought I saw something out of the corner of my eye or I felt like something was there that should not be. Those moments would pass quickly, so I would think nothing of them. Though thinking more about them now, perhaps that was people like Rokudou, Sakura, and the gang helping one more spirit pass on.

STORY

Kyoukai no Rinne is plain in its approach. Focusing mostly on spirits, comedy, and romance, the show finds variable success in each category, resulting in a mixed offering.

“Spirits” was mentioned first because that is the aspect that the anime uses first and foremost. More specifically, the anime spends a lot of time constructing parts of its world with spirits in mind. The Shinigami, the various spirit types, and the parts of the afterlife are not exactly intricate in terms of world-building but they manage to make the spirit motif a bit more tangible rather than waving them off as “spirits exist and nothing else has to be said”. Explaining all of the spirit-related content has the added benefit of demonstrating why a certain character acts the way he or she does – like Juumonji with his “Holy Ash” – or why the supernatural events are happening at all to begin with – like an evil octopus wiener arising from a cursed lunchbox. Again, the anime could have certainly just had the spirits exist as nothing more than a driving force for the arcs (they still do this) but by going into further detail on the world, the narrative builds itself a stronger foundation to stand on throughout the season.

Speaking of the narrative, Kyoukai no Rinne takes a common approach to setting it up: multiple arcs rather than an overarching plan. Arcs generally last one, sometimes two, episodes. For the anime, this is a nice direction since having many arcs allows the show to explore its spirit motif as it sees fit. One encounter might involve spirits that make a soul-stealing pen while the next deals with a possessed house that prevents its inhabitants from leaving. The anime jumps from scenario to scenario, providing ample opportunities to show a wide variety spirits, their habits, and the ways of dealing with them adequately. As for the content of the arcs, the show never gets too serious despite the implication of death at every turn. Instead Kyoukai no Rinne tends to keep its mood lighthearted. Spirits are saved rather than exorcised to make sure this happy feel is achieved. One of the better examples is the arc where an idol, still lingering at the pool where she was supposed to make a visit, is angered that nobody can (understandably) notice her. To remedy the situation, Rokudou has all of the recently stolen spirits as well as the lonely culprit greet her to make her happy enough to pass on. As Sakura puts it, everything ends up “happily-ever-after”, applicable to every spirit-filled arc the anime has.

Besides spirits, the anime also puts a lot of stock (pun intended) into the idea of money and economics. At the minimum, the show concerns itself with the notion of finance playing a large role in the life that Rokudou lives. It is nothing new to know that items have cost. Without the appropriate amount of bills or coinage, those items are impossible to get. This becomes the source of a lot of the comedy within Kyoukai no Rinne. For example, the characters at one point go to Hell where money is often scarce. Scarce to the point that there is an entire subsection entitled “Debt Hell”, where denizens slave away forever as they are unable to pay off their debts. But Rokudou, having spent most of his life poor as dirt, manages to do the job at light speed. The joke that follows – the director of the place delaying his payment a few months – also relies on the money shtick. The anime even sets time aside for the narrator to explain the cost of the spirit-useable items: “Spirit Duster”, “Separation Incense”, and more are silly, everyday devices with special, spirit-warding properties that, inconveniently and ironically, cannot be used on a regular basis. So no matter what Kyoukai no Rinne might be doing on-screen, money always underlies the festivities.

Money as a crutch (technically no money) unfortunately lacks any thematic purpose. While this motif is a common thread throughout the entire season, because the anime does not do anything more than poke fun at Rokudou’s living conditions or showing yet another greedy move by his father, the show quickly devolves into repetition. The setting and the players involved might change slightly but the same jokes, the same outcomes, and the same ideas happen regardless. Money is not the only instance of repetition. Rokudou calling his grandmother “Grandma”, while correct, earns him a beating every single time, and Sakura’s two closest friends never stick around for too long since each spooky event scares them away. However these are a bit more understandable since they are deliberate, running gags. They exist either as a way to get a quick laugh (the former) or as a way to isolate the events (the latter). The same stream of jokes about money do not have these same luxuries, the end result being induced boredom caused by repetition.

Crossing the spirit quality and the money quality gets at the third quality, romance. “Quality” is a bit of a stretch, however, since Kyoukai no Rinne barely brushes the surface of the genre. Romantic undertones are present between Rokudou and Sakura, but the louder characters – Juumonji and Ageha – are the most vocal about that special feeling. There are passing glances or minor monologues about how one character feels (or in Sakura’s case, might feel) towards another but the show never goes out of its way to put the romance on a pedestal. When romance finally emerges from its suppressed state, it either is ignored or misunderstood, meaning said “romance” is essentially worthless. To be fair, the romance is more akin to a dash of seasoning rather than the main course: it exists to add flavor to the spirits, comedy, and money motifs that run rampant. But given that the anime does little beyond mentioning potential romantic feelings now and again, the taste of the extra seasoning is lost. Other problems exist, such as the show forgetting about the first true antagonist Masato, the grudge-having demon. The presence of Sabato and, for a time, Kain makes him a moot point after his original entry. Other positives exist, too, such as the plot sometimes referencing the past to explain the motivations of the characters and therefore the specific set of events. Altogether Kyoukai no Rinne’s narrative is as average as they come.

ANIMATION

Kyoukai no Rinne adopts an older artistic look for its characters when compared to works of the modern age. Faces are wide, outfits are normal, hair-dos are not extravagant, and colors are bland, making the designs appear as if they come an earlier period of the medium. This is not a negative. In fact, the older appearances fit the spirit and magic setting that the anime so often uses.

Investigating the characters more closely, some have nearly identical designs – specifically Rokudou, Juumonji, and Kain – that one could easily make the mistake that they are somehow related to one another. Looking specifically at Sakura’s design, her hair is a greenish-yellow, her eyes are a dull blue, and her attire consists mainly of a plain school outfit and the occasional casual look. Contrasted with today’s crazy hair-dos, intricate dresses, and detailed faces, she has an extremely boring design. Yet her boringness creates an aura of simplicity that fits with the mellowness of her character and indeed the artistic direction of the anime.

This art does not have the same aged aspect as the character designs but that is worse because the anime’s backgrounds are as forgettable as possible. Rokudou’s apartment is literally filled with just a mattress. Their school is like any other. And the city, while traversed occasionally, has no notable locations. The art is more or less boring but that is sort of the point. Kyoukai no Rinne does not aim for lavish art because it has its spirit foundation in mind. By keeping everything very plain, the show inherently hits that calm, mellow target. Kyoukai, the quasi-world that the characters find themselves in regularly, is rainbow in color and bright in light, creating an atmosphere that contrasts nicely with the normal artistic direction. To put it differently, Kyoukai stands out a bit more than usual because of the plainness of its counterpart, cloaking the locale in a distinct, otherworldly mood.

Still, can one consider the character designs and the art appealing despite how plain they both are? It is difficult to say. Rokudou’s fiery hair symbolizes his passion for spirit saving, as does his flame-embossed white shawl, but his design is otherwise so drab that it seems as if the bare minimum of effort was put into the design. The backgrounds are the same. They lack oomph. They lack impact. And when boring designs are placed on top of boring art, the visuals are tolerated not touted.

All of this says nothing of the other nuances, like the camera and the lighting. Camera-wise the anime, once again, does the bare minimum. No extravagant shots, no unique perspectives, and no interesting takes. The camera is par for the course at best and completely underwhelming at worst. Lighting is often the same. Other than Kyoukai, the anime does not toy with lighting in any capacity except for a random sunset or a simple shadow. There is a nice moment where Ageha is clearly lighter than the rest of the gang on a dreary day to signify her position as a Damashigami (during episode eighteen, when Rokudou’s “Life Flame” is forcibly seized), but such a moment is the exception, not the rule. Thus, when both are taken together with the character designs and the art, the result is nothing short of dullness.

As for the actual animation, Kyoukai no Rinne takes the same path. Surprisingly there is a lot of action in the show. Rokudou squaring off against multiple dolls, Rokumon slamming into a giant rat, and so on. However a lot of the action hides behind still frames and quick cuts that give the illusion of movement when none is being portrayed. When the action does die down, characters see mouth, hair, and limb movements to a moderate degree, though per usual nothing excessive is shown.

CHARACTERS

The best (or at least the most fun) way to dissect the cast of Kyoukai no Rinne is to use an extended metaphor centered on money (and using U.S. denominations where appropriate).

Starting with Rokudou, he is the almighty penny. Rokudou is poor, and in terms of worth the penny is the lowest on the scale. Rokudou is also the main (male) protagonist; he is the number one guy in the anime. Similarly pennies are denoted as one cent. Rokudou is necessary to the plot and to the other characters. Likewise the penny is necessary in the field of money exchange because pennies allow for numbers not divisible by five or ten to be distributed. Rokudou is known for saving, or contextually freeing, the spirits he encounters as opposed to handling them harshly. Coincidentally the penny features the (nonnegotiable) greatest President of all-time, Abraham Lincoln, who is known for, among many other things, emancipating or freeing the slaves. Rokudou goes invisible a lot. Similarly pennies tend to get lost in couches, the bottom of change jars, and out on the street, turning “invisible”. “Pick a penny, pick it up. Then all day you’ll have good luck” is a common phrase when the minute coinage is found, which coincides with Rokudou’s own luck at always finding success no matter how grim the odds. And as it were, Rokudou emphasizes the color red, as do pennies with their copper, reddish hue. Rokudou is a penny through and through.

Negative quantities of money are technically less than the value of a penny, which is where Sabato, Rokudou’s father, comes in. Sabato represents the lack of money, otherwise known as debt. He is always spending, he is always asking for more, and he is always doing anything to get any kind of return. Sabato’s relationship to his son Rokudou is similar in that Rokudou’s poorness derives from his father’s existence; Sabato’s debt is Rokudou’s debt. For Sabato, Bijin, Ageha’s older sister, is his interest rate. She assists him in his money-stealing endeavors, acting as the secretary and the accomplice, allowing him to haul in bigger returns than he ever had by himself. For both Rokudou and Sabato, Kain, the Shirushigami, is (literally, not just figuratively) the debt collector, his job entailing the seizing of property and the handling of money. Kain later on becomes at the minimum acquaintances with Rokudou, and that makes logical sense since it is difficult becoming full-fledged friends with the person who is seeking the money he is due.

Moving away from the lower end of the money spectrum, Ageha manages to mirror Rokudou in a variety of ways. Both are Shinigami; Rokudou and Ageha both deal with spirits daily. Both have a unique financial state, Rokudou being poor and Ageha being wealthy. Both have someone they love, for Rokudou that is Sakura and for Ageha that is Rokudou. But the most striking difference – perhaps the most obvious difference – is that Rokudou is a boy and Ageha is a girl. Collectively, Ageha is similar to Rokudou but not exactly the same. Given these traits, Ageha is the gold, one dollar coin featuring Sacagawea on its front. Gold is fought for, gold symbolizes wealth, and gold is loved by everyone. And of course, Sacagawea is female, all of which contrast the copper, Abraham Lincoln penny. Other aspects to Ageha make this interpretation even more logical such as Ageha and Sacagawea being natives of their respective lands and the penny and the gold coin representing one of their given unit.

The other characters continue to follow this money metaphor. Rokumon is, given his small size and small importance, a dime. Juumonji is a nickel, his gray holy ash and his morally gray obsession with Sakura matching the grayness of the nickel itself. Plus, nobody really likes nickels, and given that Juumonji is a character that is around but not too appreciated, this description fits even more. Masato is a counterfeit check, deceptive and dastardly in his actions and motives, which in turn causes even more problems for the broke Rokudou. Rokudou’s Grandmother is a cash bond: she is there and could most certainly help but one has to wait a while before the bond can be turned in for monetary gain. But when that gain is gotten, there is no doubting how much help it brings.

Everyone is related to money. But the most interesting and arguably the strongest character of the bunch has yet to be investigated. Sakura is a strange bird. She does not worry about money like Rokudou or Sabato. Sakura does not worry herself with romantic feelings like Ageha or Juumonji. She is especially prone to this kind of behavior; whenever Sakura is asked about who she is to Rokudou or when Juumonji is blatant in his advances, she is apparently oblivious to even the most obvious of social cues. Sakura does not worry about the afterlife or the quarreling of sisters or the past. In fact, Sakura hardly worries about anything. She is an immensely apathetic person. She sometimes raises her voice and occasionally has concern for another person. But for the most part her personality remains as flat as a five dollar bill (though that is not her metaphor).

Sakura is content with who she is, where she is going, and why she finds herself thrown into her situation. Therefore, Sakura is a 401(k) plan. A 401(k) nets money for the future, bringing a feeling of security for the person who has such a plan. In other words, a 401(k) removes worries later on in life because extra reserves are present. Furthermore, Sakura is not a very impressive character. She breaks common stereotypes of main (female) protagonists by having absolutely no outstanding characteristics. She is a boring, dull, and wholly uninteresting person. 401(k) plans are similarly boring. Not much is done with them: they are created, money is put in them, and they are not accessed for years and years and years. Going forward one more step, Sakura does not get mad at others, and she is quite the respectful lady. Sakura is mature. 401(k) plans are similarly mature in the sense that having one signifies maturity, not just in age but also in wisdom.

No matter how logical or insane this extended metaphor is, this does not say much about the development of these characters. In short, there is none. Rokudou, Sakura, and everyone else remains the same from their individual introductions until the end of the season. Juumonji does the same two actions throughout: throw holy ash and declare his love for Sakura. That is it. Like inflation does to economic values, he is consistent throughout the entire season. He does not change, and the same can be applied to everyone else. And for Kyoukai no Rinne, that is perfectly fine. The show does not want complex characters or unique relationships that are thematically special. Instead, the anime wants to have its quirky cast of characters mingle with one another, deal with spirits, and simply have a fun time. This might seem worthless – and for many it very well is – but as they say, “A penny saved is a penny earned”.

SOUND

The first opening theme in Kyouakai no Rinne is, initially, not the best piece. The track is mostly a pronounced guitar, with a vocalist using a nice singing voice but without demonstration of range. But the track grows on the listener. The clapping in the middle as well as the beat have a catchiness to them that is not immediate and only noted as the song is heard with each subsequent episode. The same can be said for the first ending theme. The instruments and singing are cute and quick, though not entirely inviting. The second half of the first ED, however, takes advantage of the build-up in the middle to bring about a catchy track that is as simple and as fun as the actual anime is.

The same cannot be said for both the second opening and ending themes. Starting with the second OP, catchiness is hard to achieve mostly because of the grating instruments and the high-pitched vocalist. The vocalist for the first ED is the same one for this second OP, but here her voice is not as soft, leading to the disharmony the second OP provides. As for the second ED, the piece is almost too simple. It is devoid of any complexity, both the singer and the instruments going through the motions rather than trying to create a memorable piece. For both, the anime also strangely refuses to change the majority of their visuals for the OP and ED, making the second ones appear out of sync with what is shown as the songs are played.

Out of all of the different parts that make up the sound-work for Kyoukai no Rinne, the original soundtrack is easily the best. And while Kyoukai no Rinne once again does not go out of its way to design tracks that are groundbreaking, what the OST does give is a large quantity of tracks influenced by its spirit motif. “Ningen…Mi Tai Na-Rin Ne no Theme” is Asian in origin, the wind instruments and dainty piano coinciding with the spiritual feel of Kyoukai, the spirit realm. One of the more iconic pieces is “Hyakuyoubako no Irai”, with its ambient effects and everyday yet spooky feel, the latter feeling once more matching the spirit motif. “Anoyo no Uta” cranks up this spookiness even further, the choir and chilling instruments creating a ghostly composition. “Uwasa Hanashi no Chi” goes for curiosity for those equally inquisitive moments whereas “Lay Michi Kaikou” goes completely otherworldly. And “Kakugo!” is one of the many flurry-filled tracks with lots of noise and triumph. Again, the OST is nothing too impressive, but at the minimum the OST is fitting and thematically relevant.

Last but certainly not least is the voice acting. Performances are generally average in execution, the characters’ voices fitting nicely enough. Marina Inoue as Sakura delivers a monotone voice that captures the girl’s personality. Hitomi Nabatame as Rokumon uses a childish, boyish voice that is unfortunately hard to listen to for long periods of time. Kaito Ishikawa as Rokudou sounds slightly too old for his age, but Rie Murakawa as Ageha provides yet another wonderful performance, giving the love-struck Shinigami a girly and commanding way of speaking.

ENJOYMENT

There was a stretch in this anime where I could not stand what was happening. When the new character Ageha was introduced, for about five or so episodes the plot decided to constantly have Sakura misunderstand what Rokudou did or what Rokudou was really feeling. This aggravated me. This aggravated me so much that it forced me to continue watching more in one sitting than I normally do because I had to see when the situation would clear up. But episode after episode, more misunderstandings piled up which in turn piled up my own anger. Eventually the misunderstandings stopped (and I was therefore able to cool down) but the damage was done.

I also hated Sabato, Rokudou’s dad. I get it. He is a stingy, horrible, and evil father. But seeing him always get away with everything and him always mistreating the people around him grated my nerves. The show does at least make him suffer near the end with the ramen-making episode but that was not nearly enough for the amount of annoyance he caused me let alone Rokudou and the rest. And, his presence combined with the previous misunderstandings, only made my blood boil further.

Infuriation was not the sole emotion I felt throughout the season. I also felt bored. The show dragged a bit since the repetitive jokes about Rokudou being poor were not the best from the get-go. The characters are likewise boring. Nothing about them is remotely worth remembering, a substantial problem for any anime. Sakura might have a case because her plainness is what makes her different from many other protagonists, but since she goes with the flow rather than actively participating in the events, even this weird inversion fails to stick.

Still, I cannot say I hated watching the show. What little romance was given was enough to make me smile. Ageha getting embarrassed when she “holds hands” with Rokudou – and especially the narrator’s dialogue afterwards – was funny. I also strangely liked how Rokudou always called Sakura “Mamiya Sakura”. There is something innocent about doing so that was endearing to hear whenever Rokudou called for her. Also, for whatever reason, everyone does the rock-n-roll symbol with their hands – only the forefinger, pinky, and thumb extended – when they got hit. Seeing that was amusing if only because of how silly such a response was to being abused. And to its credit, I liked the Christmas episode. I love Christmas, but I also liked seeing the main four characters – Rokudou, Sakura, Juumonji, and Ageha – grow closer as friends. Interestingly, this episode had the least to do with spirits, though that probably says more about me than the anime.

Kyoukai no Rinne loves spirits, loves money, and loves misunderstandings. Its narrative, while focused, is plain. Its characters, while symbolic, are uninteresting. And the art, while reminiscent, is dull. The OST might have something going for it but that something is difficult to see when the anime can be as frustrating as it is. Using some word play, this one is filled with spirits yet not exactly filled with spirit.

SUMMARY

Story: Fine, spirits and money galore, with repetition and halfhearted romantic subplots souring the experience

Animation: Fine, plain character designs, dull artistic direction, and about average actual animation

Characters: Fine, pennies, debt, and 401(k) plans

Sound: Fine, okay first OP, bad second OP, okay first ED, bad second ED, okay OST, and about average VA performances

Enjoyment: Bad, cute and amusing but the misunderstandings irked me to the nth degree

Final Score: 4/10

No worries, no worries
There's a second season, so no worries~

Short Summary:
Sakura Mamiya, a main character of the series disappears once when she was a child. She came back safely but returned back with the power to see ghosts.
Now as a teenager she has gotten tired of seeing ghosts and wished they would leave her alone. At school, next to Sakura is a desk that has been empty since the start of the year and one day out of nowhere the classmate who sits there shows up!
Just who is this person??

Soooooooo, where to start?

I guess I enjoyed this series. Although I'm worried about the fact that ... there are a lot of young ghosts in the series. I mean does a student die everyday or something? That fact was in my head the whole series and it really bothered me....

But other than that, the series is fun to watch.

There's romance and A LOT of comedy in the show. As can be seen with my scoring.

The art didn't give off that "modern" anime feel either; so it was nice to watch.

If you like comedy and solving ghost cases why not try this show?

Spirits and the afterlife are common things in anime. Sometimes they're about the more serious side of things where spirits are corrupted and wish for human destruction. And other times they're...basically harmless. Kyoukai no Rinne, hosts the latter of the two.

Story: The story of Kyoukai no Rinne follows the story of Mamiya Sakura, a girl who has the remarkable power of being able to see spirits. With this seer sight, she is able to see spirits day to day throughout her entire town. One day in class, she finds a mysterious battle between a boy that looks vaguely familiar to ... her classmate and an evil dog spirit. After finding out that her classmate is a Shinigami (probably), the two set off on a wacky adventure dealing with spirits in their hometown.

Kyoukai no Rinne is one of those series that really isn't one that is taken all that seriously for good reason. To start, the series plays by a near episode by episode basis where every week, the cast of four merry shinigami and humans deal with a current situation that usually involves spirits, demons, or some otherwordly aspect. The formula usually involves some occurence happening in some random place in town, Rinne and Co. go check it out, figure out what it is, then solve the problem; rinse and repeat. In addition, the show is very comical in the sense that it doesn't take any of these situations very seriously, even though there are people who are getting their souls taken out or what have you. As a result, this show gives off the vibe that it really shouldn't be taken seriously because every problem has a very nonchalant solution that apparently isn't all that hard to find out.

In addition, the show utilizes the idea of poverty as a way of communicating comedy. (I know, it's rather twisted laughing at a poor guy.) Kyoukai no Rinne also heavily revolves around the idea of money, as well as Rinne, our main male protagonist, and his lack of it. As such the idea of paying even 100 yen for something is too much for him, and the entire show dances around this idea very often as a main basis for how it conveys comedy. Sometimes though, it gets tired, because it shoves the idea of Rinne being poor up your ass sometimes.

In the end, while Kyoukai no Rinne had honestly no problems with what it wanted to do, there's just nothing substantial to it. Because you expect the show to resolve itself, you can't really take it seriously and it becomes rather mediocre because you know whatever issue is occurring is going to solve itself in about ten or so minutes, leading to an incredibly easy amount of predictability.

Overview:
+/- Poverty and nonchalant comedy (this can be good or bad depending on your taste in anime.)
- Predictable plotline
- Kind of an anticlimactic end

Characters: The characters in Kyoukai no Rinne fall into two groups. The main four characters, and everyone else.

First, Roukudou Rinne, the main male protagonist of the series. Rinne is the main Shinigami in the Kyoukai no Rinne series and serves as one of the main sources of the series’ comedy. As the poor guy of the series, Rinne's main goal in the series is to help out the town he lives in as a Shinigami by reaping spirits, as well as getting any source of income that he can no matter what sum. (Because according to Rinne, 100 yen is very pricy for an object.) As a result, the running gag of this poor guy chasing after money becomes very well versed in the series and is a major part of how the series tries to entertain.

Then we have Mamiya Sakura, the female protagonist of the series whose name you will NEVER forget because Rinne always keeps referring to her as “Mamiya Sakura” so it becomes difficult to try and let it slip your mind. As a seer, Sakura is able to see spirits and other various things such as Shinigami and otherworldly beings and as such, is always by Rinne’s side whenever he has a case or something going on. Sakura plays the sensible one out of the entire Kyoukai no Rinne cast. Because of her very kuudere-like nature, nothing in the series really fazes her and she just brushes everything off without a second thought. Between her and Rinne though, there really isn’t any character development whatsoever except for the highly inferred budding romance that the two are going through, (It’s really minute.) which is honestly a plot point that we really didn’t need.

Then we have Rokumon, the black cat spirit that acts as Rinne’s helper during exorcisms and such. Honestly…that’s pretty much it. Rokumon as a character pretty much just acts like Rinne’s support for the entire series, and helps him through every task at hand through means like getting him gear, telling him useful tips, and adding in his little retorts to any and every situation.

And finally, we have the last two characters of the main cast, Ageha and Jumonji, who are basically the exact same character just gender swapped. What I mean is, they have very similar personalities and status in the show. Both come from wealthy families, both are inherently stupid in a lot of various situations, and they both like the perspective main character opposite to their sex while also hating the other character that is the same sex. (Ageha likes Rinne, Jumonji likes Sakura, Ageha hates Sakura, Jumonji hates Rinne; you get the idea.) The issue I have with these two is the sheer fact that they are basically the same character with just their sex swapped. As such, they don’t add an absurd amount of depth into the series since they really only serve to get in the way of everything, and are sometimes just really annoying.

Side characters in Kyoukai no Rinne come in a variety of forms, ranging from Rinne’s moneysucking father, Rinne’s “Onee-san” (his grandmother in actuality, but likes to be called Onee-san to feel young), Kain, who is a right pain in the ass sometimes, and various villains throughout the series that are for the most part, one off spirits that you never care nor remember after their episode is over. The good majority of these characters are the basis for each episode, with each evil spirit serving as the villain for the episode’s plotline before vanishing because they get reaped. As a result, these side characters are only plot devices and don’t really serve much purpose beyond the given episode aside from the characters that I specifically mentioned above. (Because those guys get more screentime.)

Overview:
+/- Decent main cast (I still don’t like how two of them are basically the same.)
- Little to no character development
- Side characters serve mostly as plot devices for the episodic format and really nothing else

Art: The art for Kyoukai no Rinne was bears a lot of resembalance to Inyusha, as the same author created it. As such, the two have a very similar style to it with the way the characters are drawn. In the anime, Kyoukai no Rinne has some pretty average animation. Aside from the way the characters are drawn (due to the somewhat iconic style), there really isn’t anything to hit home about the animation.

Admittedly, it is a decent style as it uses a nicely bright color palette that gives a little bit of whimsy to the series, as well as comedic moments which are coupled with exaggerated expressions and changes in background in additional to character retorts. But really though, the animation is average, so there’s nothing really to write home about it.

Overview:
+ Decent animation (with somewhat iconic artstyle)
- Not a spectacular style of animation

Sound: The songs for Kyoukai no Rinne are average at best. If I were to pick one, I would say that the first OP would be the most fitting for the series, as it has an upbeat rock tone to show off the atmosphere for the series that you will be watching.

Aside from that though, the rest of the track is mediocre at best. The first ED and second OP and ED are a little lower than average so there’s nothing really to write home about them. (Didn’t help that they literally used the exact same visuals for the opening and ending themes. And who thought it was a good idea to screech sing out the second OP?) Background music is also average at best. They really only serve to create the mood and don’t do anything besides say to you “This is the funnier part of the show.”

Overview:
+ Decent first OP (I found this to be the better of the whole track.)
- Rest of the soundtrack was average at best
- None of the tracks were particularly memorable

Personal Enjoyment: When I first found Kyoukai no Rinne, I honestly didn’t know what to expect. It was a show about Shinigami, and I thought “Hey, let’s give this a try.” As it turns out, I suppose I enjoyed myself, though coming up with a satisfactory conclusion is a bit of a trial, I must say.

Did I enjoy this anime?

Honestly, I did enjoy watching parts of it. There were sections of each episode that I genuinely liked because I found them entertaining, as well as a couple characters, (the main girls specifically) that I found to be my favorite of the series. The entire main cast was admittedly, decent when they were all together, but I still didn’t like that Jumonji and Ageha were basically the same character. (Also, that announcement for season two was admittedly pretty smart.)

What didn’t I enjoy about this anime?

Kyoukai no Rinne didn’t have anything that made the show really shine. Because of its very formulaic and episodic format of storytelling, the show didn’t have much to make it interesting beyond what it offered. It never stepped out of its boundaries and as such, never made an effort to make the story more interesting in any way since every episode was basically the same thing with a different monster. In addition, the hint of love between the two main characters honestly, kind of unnecessary because it rose some “will they? Or won’t they?” questions. Also, I hate Rinne’s dad. He is an honest to god, awful character.

Would I recommend this anime?

If you want something to relax to, I guess Rinne is good for that. The show doesn’t really have much substance besides reaping a spirit then crying about having no money. It’s not a deep story AT ALL and there isn’t really anything that should be taken seriously. Everything in this show is considered as a joke in some form or another, and as such really doesn’t have any other quality besides cheap entertainment. So, if you want something that doesn’t particularly make you think hard about what it is, then considering Kyoukai no Rinne is an option, I suppose.

I'm surprised at how negative the reviews for this show are to be honest because I rather enjoyed it. Written by Rumiko Takahashi of Ranma 1/2 and Inuyasha fame I think it's has exactly the similar light hearted romantic comedy kind of vibe more the former than latter.

It never actually gets serious and as some have said episodic but there is interesting character backstory. The fighting is more comical in nature than life endangering and the character designs are quite nice.

I love the first opening and its a completely light hearted show that never takes itself seriously so the viewer really shouldn't either. ... It's pretty funny at parts and parodies at times other animes which I found pretty hilarious, Sailor Moon, Ace Attorney, Shokugeki no Souma etc but still stays pretty true to its own rhythm.

It never has a big climatic fight or anything so if you hold out for that you will be disappointed but there's a second season happening so maybe it gets darker then?

The main girl character at times is pretty bland I find but not dislikeable. She's just a very non reactive sort of character. The other characters are also interesting in their own way and although my favourite is Rinne, his grandma probably comes second.

If you're after something fun, cute, lighthearted with a bit of ghosts and slight romance then this is definitely worth watching.

I still really enjoyed watching Rinne, even though it's not as good as Inu Yasha or Ranma 1/2.

Story: I don't have a problem with this anime having no significant plot at all; I actually thought that it was done intentionally. The story is entirely about comedy with lots of Japanese supernatural elements being thrown here and there, and the plot isn't that hard to understand.

Art: Pretty standard and animation during certain action scenes were too simplistic, but i do enjoyed the use of bright color contrast. The colors looked pretty and vibrant.

Sound: I think the sound was the strongest element for Rinne. I especially ... enjoyed most of the background music, and I found myself sometimes humming some of the catchy tones. I felt like the overall music is very Inu Yasha/ Ranma 1/2 -ish, and it also really defined the tone of the show. Furthermore, all of the seiyuu did a good job in portraying the feels and emotion of the characters.

Character: There weren't any significant character development, and I didn't take them too seriously. Most of these characters were randomly funny and very ridiculous in terms of how they behaved, and how they tackled their personal problems. Although I do have issues with the female MC of the show, Mamiya Sakura. I just found her to be very boring and extremely inexpressive. But I also sympathize with Rinne's problem regarding being very poor, to the point that it was simply hilarious.

Enjoyment: Personal enjoyment I got was from the music, and the seiyuu. In particular, I enjoyed Yamaguchi Kappei's performance as Rinne's dad. Hearing his voice again, in a Rumiko Takahashi's anime was the best surprise for me. I also liked how the anime made fun of how people treated and spent money for.

Overall: I think for those people who enjoy watching random, comedy anime should really give this one a go, especially if they are familiar with Rumiko Takahashi's humor. It's nothing amazing, but it was a good anime to kill time.

If you loved Inuyasha you probably will love this. This show really deserves a second season which it is getting and I will definitely watch. The characters are unique and colorful. The art is pretty good and colorful. And the story is interesting and very entertaining. I also enjoyed this shows comedy very much. However, I do have a few complaints. The characters really need a bit more development and the story could be added onto. The shows main focus is comedy, but should have still focused on the story a bit more. Overall it was a very good anime. So I would suggest watching ... at least a couple episode to see if you like it.

Kyoukai no Rinne is an episodic supernatural comedy which is quite funny and enjoyable if you dont go in with too many expectations

Kyoukai no Rinne follows
Mamiya Sakura (the best Sakura ever), a first year in high school who was spirited away as a little girl and after being saved, she was left with the ability to see ghosts / spirits
and also follows Rokudo Rinne a really broke half human, half shinigami who works hard as a shinigami inorder to get paid but is met with slight mishaps here and there

It very much reminded me of Noragami and Inuyasha but more comedic and not ... at all serious

Story: Fair
Mamiya and Rinne become friends and there is romance elements to the story but Rinne is extremely poor while Mamiya Sakura is not easily amused (nonchalant). She is calm and level headed. The interactions between the two is most of the time very funny.
It is very episodic and I recommend taking break between episodes (dont bingewatch the whole thing at once because it will get annoying)
Each episode brings in a new short story (the narrator explains at beginning) with a little bit of linkage between episodes, like new characters remain but there is little progress if any at all.

Art: Good
The art and animation was okay, it was not amazing or bad but it does its job very well. The characters looked really nice. No complaints there

Sound: Great
I loved the opening and endings. the were absolutely wonderful. They had a relaxing yet upbeat fun feel to them. They did a great job of preparing one for what they are about to watch. just fun. I never skipped any. They were quite enjoyable. Overall the sound on the show was more than great.

Characters: Very good
Many characters are introduced during the show and we get to know their qualities and goals very quickly. Each character and their relationships with one another is very easy to understand. There is an adorable cat, members of Rinnes family, demons, and more.

Enjoyment: 10/10
I really enjoyed watching Kyoukai no Rinne, its a very relaxing and moderately funny show.
it is FAMILY FRIENDLY everybody.
I would have liked if there was more progression but i was happy with what i got nonetheless.
I recommend this to anyone looking for a light hearted relaxing comedy with supernatural and romance elements to it

Let me say this from the get go, this anime will not be for everyone. So it will largely subjective whether you find this anime to be the following; funny, entertaining, or have any qualities in an anime you would enjoy. What I can do is tell you why I find this anime to be largely under rated, so this is not a review to diminish anyone's opinion, rather provide more insight why someone should reconsider. This review of mine, will not have any spoilers. Rather it will give out little clues in the show of why I think it is largely under rated.

My ... preface, and this has to be said, is that this anime is VERY Japanese. It mixes Shinto Buddhism with typical sociological theme's of Japanese culture. So studying Japanese tradition and culture would help out immensely. This anime does not compromise its Japanese roots, and does not jeopardize itself with western theme's, unlike most anime's have done in the past. Rather it parodies itself within its own culture. It could be said, that most people want drama and character development in anime. Not to mention, our western world likes things to spelled out, mean while Japanese culture would declare that would not be modest. I do not mean to impose, or come off too radical, but it is very easy for us to view anime through a western lenses. Another words, it is very easy to put our own expectations into something. Then it becomes easier to dismiss something and not give it a proper chance.

The second thing, its very nice to see an anime that does not play on typical character tropes. Rather it concentrates, on its light hearted nature. With this, it oozes with charm with its off colored and sly little remarks. Like for example in episode one, with the spirit cracker, and the remark of commentator said, "a real could have the same effect." Its humor it uses is very settle sarcasm and also uses satire. This is what makes the manga artist more brilliant. Rather than being bombastic, and having huge battles and spelled out tension that is flung in one's face like her other work. Another great example of a very settle sense of humor, is having cats in a shot in the anime. Another example, is when Rinne said he does not do relationship advice. Its hinted that its his pride is in the way, and plays it off melodramatically he would rather die from starvation than to diminish his image, and to stoop to that level. Another words, Rinne is a very stubborn character. While he is caring and compassionate in some sense towards Sakura, this is where having a female character makes him reconsider his character. She also provides money for him but later he starts to feel guilty about it. Which is unlike his previous character. He would rather be poor and independent rather than depending on someone. But later he starts to rely on her emotionally and financially when gets over his guilt. This is character development in a nutshell. Here is a tip for seeing character development in general to see the settle nature of Japan culture, compare what they did in the past, to what they are doing. In contrast to what the characters say is less important. When the protagonist saves a character, because it is common in Japanese culture not to meddle with other peoples affair since they believe in karma. Nevertheless, their problems will become your problems. So misfortune could ensue. Since it is not common for people to meddle, it is hinting a hero would. Their version of a knight and shinning armor. Basically it is a form of counter culture. Coming back to how this relates to the review, Sakura supports Rinne. She is the true heroine rather than avoiding him. People forget that.

The third thing, is the show is an oxymoron. So of course, how the shinogami world uses real world objects on spirits. So, How does tangible things have an impact on the ethereal plain? Well of course it couldn't but that what makes the world even more settle and funny. It also alludes to fact there is a form of a modern bureaucracy to this shinogami world. There is quota's, licensing, directors of this world, industry, markets in a world that appears to be in the edo period of japan. This also not only applies to the shinogami world, but the underworld as well. It takes jabs at the underworld like one of the directors of the underworld is some sort wealthy Japanese business man that throws money at his problems. Another great example, is how does yen currency in modern japan be the same in both the shinogami world and the underworld? One would think that materialism would not be an issue, or perhaps have some other form of currency. This only gives more credence that trying to be an oxymoron. Furthermore, one would think these worlds would be more communist or socialist rather than capitalistic. Since you are dealing with death money and commerce should matter less but it doesn't.

Edit; I forgot to mention the music in this anime. Just like any anime, music really sets the mood. Whether it is Naruto, Noragami, or Akame Ga kill. So, I cannot stress how beautiful it is; how mysterious, eternal, magical, haunting, ethereal, and ancient it makes you feel. It takes you to a place where Edo period, where nature and the gods have clashed to keep the harmony of the universe. If you really want to understand YouTube "あの世のテーマ" meaning; "The Theme of the world." Or 地縛解放 "To the liberation of the liberation" Your welcome! :-)

The last thing is my critiques on the show, because it does have flaws. Even though I find them to be minor other people would disagree. As I have seen in other reviews. Yes it is true that the manga creator and artist does tend to recycle characters from previous works. There are other reviews here that did this well, but here is another the forgot. One of the Shinogami's that is infatuated by Rinne, reminds me a lot of Kodachi the Black Rose from Ranma 1/2. But yet again, these types of character and cookie cutter tropes tend to be very popular in Japan. She does this within her own work, so it could be said, that could create conversations within the Otaku culture and her fans. Like for example, best girl in a harem is a very popular past time in otaku culture. So its not a stretch that her dedicated fans would have similar conversations. Similarities is bad within American culture but in Japanese thinking it is familiar and comforting. Another point, the story has very little depth. Which is true. It does not dealing with dark theme's or any real human element that any person could relate to. But yet again, this story was never meant to. But it wouldn't of hurt to do that. The manga creator has done that in the past very well, but she some how didn't do it in this series. So I cannot blame a person for feeling a bit disappointed by this.

P.S. If you disagree with me, by all means please do so. You can talk to me and we can have a conversation further if you like. But there is one request I would make, please no hate (But yet again this is the internet) If you do, it will be ignored. :-)

Takahashi, Rumiko if you are new to her then you will most likely enjoy it but if you are not then this review is for you.

Story:6
It is all been there done that. Nothing new here..
For Takahashi, Rumiko.. The writer of Ranma 1/2, Inuyasha... It is a spin-off of her previous art work..
The anime is supposed to be lighthearted Rom-Com supernatural.. If you are looking for a bit of drama/love triangle/unrequited love then this is not an anime for you. Again it's either a hit or a miss depending upon your taste.


Similarities with Inuyasha
If you haven't got the hint of where I am going then, ... the anime adapts the setting of Inuyasha where the pair travel to the other world to solve the problems ..In this case supernatural occurrences. The boy is a well practiced Shinigami with little to no cash at all and the girl gradually learning about her abilities. The boy doesn't want to put the lady in danger but has no choice because as powerful as he maybe, he is pretty much useless without her.

Similarities with Ranma 1/2
As the character and love development is extremely low to none at all for the source material nearly boasting about 200 chapters . The anime does not have a clear ambitious goal or any note worthy antagonist. It can work for you as it is mainly light humor with a bonus of slight hints of romance. With some light heart-ed random jokes and mischief with the MC trying to be humorous in a serious tone or pitying his dilemma.


Art:7
Nothing note worthy and is not the prospect of the anime that attracts you.
Well compared to its ancestors the art work is graphically better but rest of the setting is the same. If you set Fate/Zero or other recent anime as your benchmark then you will be left disappointed. If you love combination of bright and multi-colored abstract background[[Like No game No life]] then you will find it note worthy but apart from that it leaves you tasteless..

Sound:8
A combination of traditional Chinese and modern music it. It is listenable but nothing extra ordinary that leaves you with chills or even gets you motivated. The Music is contemporary and constant with a random buzz and fizz in funny moments.

Character
Well the MC is not your stubborn obnoxious muscle brain character but your dependable but a bit jealous and sometimes childish.
In the recent trend of Tsundere/Moe/Kawaii MC heroine it was a pretty bold move to create a unfathomable character with little detail.. A dialed down personality who has little expression and a constant voice tone.

Enjoyment:7
I was left disappointed because all the author did was combine her previous works but if you are new to her then you will may well enjoy it.. Its a classic shonen where you complete your quest and in the meanwhile help your damsel in distress..

Overall:7
The story is well paced and the concept is easy to grasp and easy to follow but brings nothing new to the table. It has its ups and down, it can be your anime to watch when nothing is on your plan but not your daily cup of tea which you would wait around for its next release...
Though it is fun to watch for a while and a joy ride, but with a lack of clear plot if dragged to long can be a big hit or a miss but no middle. It seems unlikely to get 100+ episodes with its intended 25 as was the case in Ranma 1/2 which could have been crowned epic, but the same jokes get tasteless and hence was left off incomplete compared to its source at episode 161 and some ova.
The anime combines her previous work so maybe its not all dim and dark if they add something new to it as well..


Some people do find its humor intriguing but fear of it being left off in the middle as the same loop gets repeated and ultimately start losing their interest.

What the ballocks is this?! Is this memes?! - Kyoukai no Rinne review

Rinne is an anime adaption of the same author who wrote and illustrated the classic manga Inuyasha. However, Rinne quickly becomes a parody of itself and lacks the passionate writing of its fore sibling. It is completely undermined by lackluster characters, mediocre plot, and repetitive gags that quickly loses its substance. While I did have personal enjoyments throughout the show, it is far from redeemable.

The premise of Rinne is quite simple. Our heroine, Mamiya Sakura, wanders into the spirit world and after coming back to the real world she can see ghosts. One ... day in highschool, a mysterious boy, Rokudou Rinne, shows up and their wacky adventures begin. Quite the opposite as it is usually the mysterious girl, but it doesn’t innovate anything. For the first few episodes they proved to hold potential. I genuinely giggled and enjoyed the type of gags it was going for. Throughout the show we’re introduced to some non immersive episodic episodes, especially when the character development is nonexistent and most of which are 1-2 dimensional characters. I’ll elaborate on characters later. Furthermore, one of the most essential/annoying plot lines in the story concerns Rinne’s dad, Rokudou Sabato, that doesn’t give any deeper insight to the linear story we’re given that ultimately concludes in disappointment each time there’s a new plot line that centers him as the antagonist. The money gag in the show is quickly overused and utilized way too much and forced. There isn’t one episode that does not focus on money at some point. Especially since it’s always shoved into your face trying to be funny and garner unwarranted laughs and giggles. There are quick lived moments that’ll reassure you and then demolish your mentality of any enjoyment you would like to have while an episode is still playing. I will give credit to the narrator for making the shinigami tools at least interesting enough to sit through the show. Yes, it uses the money gag, but it’s one element highly underutilized where many of its potential lies. And then it is quickly shoved as a money issue rather than focus more on how funny the actual tools can be used in circumstantial situations that the cast is in.

I have to give credit where credit is due. The art and animation in this show is good and well done. It’s highly consistent and far better than its story counterpart. Some criticisms though is that the fight scenes are a little bit usually just weapon clashes and then it slows the motion down for a bit. That is not very interesting. I mean c'mon, Rinne is a shinigami. Let us see him fight with the powers and fighting capabilities of a spirit exorciser, then it will bring a balance to comedy and the action sequences it clearly failed to do so. The voice acting offers quality as good as the art and animation. Music in Rinne I didn’t really notice too much, it doesn’t stand out as something I’d download myself. The first opening was good and represented the series faithfully, and then the second opening happened. It wasn’t the song but the animation were just ripped from the first opening and it felt lazy. It was unsynced and awkward that they did not match at all. Lazy. Endings are good as it is.

Wow, now onto characters. Like gameplay is important in games, characters are the stronghold of a show. They are not at all great. Mamiya Sakura’s nonchalant nature at times are on point and others it is used in scenes unbalanced with the current moments. It quickly turns many scenes into bland oceans filled with dead Sea Bass. When she does show her sincerity and compassion, it’s always a short fuse that is quickly outlived killing the buildup of actual character development shown in our faces. Rinne had potential. I felt like a little tweaking to his character or at least not make him focus so much on his money problems, then maybe he may have been a much better protagonist. He doesn’t show much range in his character. For someone who has so much potential, for instance, being a shinigami, in debt, and issues with his dad, it is all proven to waver in weakness of the rest of the weak cast. Another main cast member, Juumonji, never changes at all. Or at least have a higher understanding of his friends. Nope he’s your everyday ‘holy ash’ character. Additionally as to being very in love with Sakura, not even that helps his overall character design. Ageha has it the worst of all. Being so obsessed with Rinne, Ageha so pathetically tries to attract his attention in comedy that clearly is one forceful, two generic as fuck, and three annoying as fuck. That’s all there is, and Rokumon is just Rokumon.

The episodes with Kain and Masato are completely lacking in the seriousness they try to convey, specifically concerning Kain with Sabato. Rokudou Sabato is the main antagonist of the series, but all he is there is to be a fuck boy. That’s it. A fuck boy. And Ageha’s sister, Bijin, to simplify it, she basically falls in love with Sabato and that’s it. She ends up just an ignorant and stupid character. That’s as far as those guys gone in the first season. And I hope for Buddha’s sake, they eventually do more than the one dimensional crap that they are and do.

There are too many key elements in Rinne that falls apart deeply into the pits of Hades’ underworld. The beginning episodes moved on strong, it displayed what we were getting, but never improving itself. Gintama is an anime that proves to evolve itself even if it brings up old jokes from time to time like justaway and Neo Armstrong Cyclone Jet Armstrong Cannon, is because it’s utilized uniquely and in appropriate story bits. But that all rarely happens. I sorry to Gintama for even making that comparison. This show earns a little respect for not pissing me off so much. And that is why Kyoukai no Rinne earns a 5/10, it’s mediocre. The writing of the story, characters, and overall development disappoints highly, but still holds intricate moments at times as well as the beginning episodes that holds it very strongly. This isn’t something I can recommend because of its repetitiveness and what I’ve stated above. I’d say you check it out only if you’re a huge fan of Takahashi Rumiko, but even still you’re going to be have a terrible time.

I browsed through many anime cartoons, and none caught me to watch it after InuYasha. However, when I watched 1st episode of Rinne, I got attached to this anime immediately.
This is exactly what you can watch after InuYasha, same good in quality anime, more modern times story.
If you want positive feel good entertaining, watch this anime. Great quality, great story and characters are so well described, almost like they have soul of their own (become alive). Same thing was in InuYasha - the anime characters as if became alive - same thing is with Rinne. Great work of ... great artist. Imagination of artist does not stop to surprise. This is not your usual robots or zombies that are everywhere today but totally different new characters! Pure joy to watch! Very relaxing, no stress, mind surprising, educational of culture and based on modern day life. Lots of interesting ideas about after-life. Great imagination. The best anime out there. I wish it had more seasons.

TL;DR: I really loved Kyoukai no Rinne, but I agree that it isn't for everyone. However, it is a fun, light, comedy that I use for a pick-me-up when I need it. (And I've needed it quite a bit, lol)

L;DR
Am I biased about Kyoukai no Rinne? Hmm, yes, yes I am. I'm a fan of Rumiko Takahashi, so I don't think I could ever truly hate one of her works. I also went into the anime after reading the entirety of the manga, so there's that, too. And yes, I've kept this show in my favorites list, because I really truly love it- it's one ... I find myself always coming back to.

I do disagree a bit with the low rating on the show's page. Something about expectations- this isn't a serious shonen. If you've come here looking for the next Inuyasha, you're not going to get it. This is an episodic comedy show set in a high school with light romance. It's character and situation driven, and the plot is more or less ignored. If this type of show doesn't appeal to you, that's totally okay- I'd just say, don't watch it.

To me, Kyoukai no Rinne is a well-executed comedy- and nothing more than that. There's not really any 'arcs' in the show, you could likely isolate each episode and that would really be fine. And several times you'll have multiple scenarios within a single episode, although this happens more often in the later seasons.

The characters, while typical Takahashi archetypes, are still interesting to watch. Sakura is honestly the perfect candidate for a main character with her unbothered nature. Her relationship with Rinne is unproblematic and feels good to watch- the romance in this show is conventional yet sweet, the cherry on top if you will.

The animation could be hit or miss at times, but for the most part I was in love with the art and the way it brought everything to life. Again, I am a Rumiko Takahashi fan, so I've grown used to having most of her work animated less-modernly (starting back in the 80's for Urusei Yatsura, and 90s and early 200s for her other major works). For me personally, I loved seeing her characters and art style translated for a new, modern television presence. And the art itself didn't seem as 'flat' as other animation I've seen from recent years, so I consider it well-done. I'm not sure what else this studio has worked on, but they did a good job here.

Talking soundtrack: I ADORE Keytalk's songs and I think that the music is perfectly fitting for the show's vibe. Listening to the first OP always puts me in an excellent mood. For the background music in the show, I feel it can sometimes work well, sometimes not as much. But generally it gives the show a nice, light feeling to watch. Again, I must impress how much I love the first opening. If you're unsure about watching this show or not, go ahead and take a look at the first OP, because that gives you a pretty good idea about the kind of show this is, from the pure vibes alone.

What happens in the show?

There's a sort of formula to each episode, but I don't think I ever had a moment watching where I was bored. The stories are often quick, and there's no filler, so even despite the enormous amount of episodes (3 seasons of 25 eps each) I didn't feel like I was watching something unnecessary. Rumiko Takahashi's characters aren't exactly known for their outstanding development (Except in the case of Maison Ikkoku which is spectacular) and Kyoukai no Rinne takes a similar stance. Sakura in episode one is sort of the same Sakura in episode 75. Same goes for everyone else. But I found the characters themselves to be extremely endearing, especially Rinne and Tsubasa. At the end of the day, I liked them all, and the way each character flowed together was nice to watch.

The stories themselves are generally entertaining. Sometimes, there will be references that fly over my head due to being very Japanese- as in, based off of some myths or urban legends common in Japan that don't exactly perfectly translate to my American background. However, I never found this to be a problem, and these episodes were often even more interesting because I felt I was learning a bit about cultural differences.

Is Kyoukai no Rinne the best show in the world? No, not in the slightest. Are there areas it could have been executed better? Obviously. But for my personal tastes, this was the perfect show for me, and it might also be a good show for you.

~Thank you for reading this far~

Before attempting to read all these reviews or watch the shows, PLEASE KNOW:

This anime is composed of SHORT STORIES from the manga!

Therefore, there is no significant plot like Inuyasha; it's mostly a Slice of Life kind of anime.

So please don't watch this if you're looking for a giant plot, it's really just an enjoyable slice of life anime.



This anime is probably one of the funniest I've ever watched. I've seen a lot of animes, and the comedy in this one is great. I've seen Inuyasha and Ranma 1/2, so the comedy in Rinne is a bit different than the "Osuwari/Sit boy" or ... "so uncute" comedy from Rumiko's older works.

Mamiya Sakura is a bit bland at first, but she does develop later on in the episodes. The difference in her character from first episode to the last episode is pretty astonishing.

Characters:
The main characters, Sakura and Rinne, are very different than the main characters from Inuyasha and Ranma 1/2. Therefore, don't watch the show with expectations like of Inuyasha or Ranma.

Overall, this is the kind of show that you can watch leisurely and for enjoyment.

Don't let the ratings fool you. The reason for the low ratings is because people expected some massive plot like Inuyasha and didn't know that Kyoukai no Rinne is supposed to be composed of short stories.

Don't forget there's 75 episodes! :D

First things first. My "reviews" system is explained on a blog entry. Which can be found through my profile.
------

✦Story
In a sense an old school Anime, something that has a vibe of "Inuyasha". So basically we get adventure of characters in a world of onmyouji powers. Classic Japan heave/hell thematic and characteristics. With a small twist of how various abilities and tools cost offering money. I do love onmyouji topics and such Anime, they classy and fun. But this one felt really underwhelming. Is it as it had great ideas and light-hearted entertainment, but I fell as story was irrelevant in this Anime or simply ... so weak that couldn't get pulled into it. It's fair enough story'wise, has some plot and development, but I couldn't be bothered with it. Got bored and preferred to move on.

So in short, story has old school feel, but has really weak punch to it.

✦Art & Sound
Blander "inuyasha" basically. It was colorful and clear and quite satisfying to be honest. So I cannot really say much bad regarding the Art. Not extremely impressive nor bad, it felt fitting and had great feel to it. Animation was average for the most part.

As for music, I cannot say much as there weren't that many noteworthy tracks. But some songs and OST had great classy feel. So in short "sound" department felt something in between of "good enough" and "enjoyable", but I like praising Anime, so I gave it "good".

✦Character
I like the main girl, she has oddly satisfying personality. As for the rest of the cast, they were either boring, bland or comedy relief. In another words, characters were just fine.

✦Enjoyment & Overall
As mentioned in story section, I found the idea interesting, as I have weak spot for such style. Onmyouji is fun. But the whole "punch" was really weak and underwhelming. Couldn't get into this anime.

First of all I’m a big fan of Rumiko’s works like Ranma 1/2 and Inuyasha (one of my first ever anime that also make me love anime) so her art style is one of my favorite. After a very long time without anime or manga due to my busy life, I beggin getting back to my anime hobby and there’s no surprise one of my favorite mangaka’s work will be on the list.

But man, the whole show a big disappointment for me, some of the episodes are decent (they make me laugh for the jokes) and anything else is a mess. The story line is ... poor, very poor compared to the legendary Inuyasha. There is almost no character development, the chemistry between Rinne and Mamiya is really odds. Rinne’s dad Sobato should be the main antagonist but all the time he appeared make me really really feel annoying, OMG.

This show is a big no no to me, with my love to Rumiko sensei I tried to finish the first season but man I have to drop it, because I found there’s no enjoyment anymore.