Typically, the characters are what make the show and Dusk Maiden has some decent characters but, with the exception of Yuko, they seem a little flat at first. Of the main cast of four, Yuko outshines them all. As she should, really. She is the focal point of the story after all. The remaining three are made up of Teiichi who seems be more like the generic lone male in a harem show rather than the lovestruck hero trying to solve a mystery. The remaining two main characters are the other female members of the club whom I will refer to as Tsundere and Comic Relief. Teiichi is one of only two characters who can see Yuko and he is the only person who can actually touch her. This leads to several opportunities for some truly touching moments between Teiichi and Yuko (see what I did there...), but instead it is often used as a device for fanservice. That aside, their interactions with each other are quite amusing. Especially when Yuko is doing her best to toy with him.
The story focuses on Yuko for much of the series, her loneliness, her growing relationship with Teiichi, and their journey to uncover her past. Despite essentially being a ghost story, the show takes a step back as The Paranormal Investigation Club uncovers the often innocent roots of urban legends and ghost stories. A recurring theme of the show is human perception, how it can be influenced, and the dramatic effects that fear can have. Some deep stuff. The story also takes a couple of light-hearted side trips to allow the viewer a moment to breathe and have a laugh. My only complaint is that these side trips often interrupt the flow of the series. There will be a deep realization about the power of fear or a particularly poignant moment between Teiichi and Yuko, then suddenly it's boobs, bento, or a festival. Occasionally, the show seemed to forget what it was doing and devolve into a generic harem series. The story does eventually get back on track after each detour, but it is a dangerous thing for a 12 episode show to do.
The artwork is quite good and remains fairly consistent across all episodes. As most of the show takes place between sunset and sunrise, the lighting and backgrounds use a lot of soft reds, orange, and yellows making some of the darker scenes seem so much more so. Of course there is some fanservice, but it typically fits the scene and it's not excessive. The opening and closing animations are are quite well done and they change slightly with each episode as a way of shadowing what is happening in the story.
The music for the show seemed to do well in setting the tone for each scene, but there really weren't any stand-out pieces. The opening song, Choir Jail, sounded like J-pop pretending to be gothic metal, but it wasn't terribly painful to the ears.
Overall, I enjoyed this series. I've watched it twice, if that says anything, and I will likely watch it again one day. My only wish was that the romance element between Teiichi and Yuko had been handled a little better and perhaps if the music were a little more memorable.
I would recommend this show if you have a hunger for a dark romance and aren't put off by the thought of it dipping into harem territory for a couple of episodes.
