Based on the manga of the same name, Ushio to Tora (also known as Ushio and Tora) is essentially a supernatural battle shounen. It also has a sort of old school feeling attached to it that translates into a modern fantasy story. We meet Ushio and Tora in the very first episode. And taking at a first glance, Ushio can be described easily as a typical young boy with a hot-blooded attitude full of energy but also kind at heart. Tora on the other hand is anything but ordinary. He is literally a demon with beast features and a menacing face. The show establishes the idea that Tora (named by Ushio) wants to eat humans including Ushio’s friends. The downside of his plan is that Ushio has control of the Beast Spear, a powerful object that he fears. With no way to accomplish his goal, Tora begins a rather unusual relationship with the young boy.
I have to admit, Ushio to Tora is pretty straightforward as a series in the shounen department. The first few episodes easily sends the message that Ushio’s life can no longer be the same as youkai, demons, and spirits invades his space. Whenever this happens, he is thrown into a life-or-death situation and it’s up to him to stop it and at times, his unlikely partner Tora. Maybe I should requote that and say more of “dependent”. Tora seems always reluctant to lend a hand because the irony is that he wants to devour Ushio himself. Get the picture now? This puts them on an oddball fence as Ushio himself is also in danger everyday being so close to Tora. Nonetheless, the story progresses and we see their bizarre relationship transform into more of loyalty, attachment, and even respect. This idea can really pique viewers’ interests because it shows how a man can get along with a beast. It’s also interesting to see the two learn from one another despite having almost nothing in common. Furthermore, Tora begins to display human behavior throughout the show which is something that can be quite fascinating to explore.
Despite being the core characters of the series, there are also other characters gets that gets involved in the story. Ushio’s friends, Asako and Mayako, are prime examples of what friends really should be. Although their personalities are different, they display courage, trust, and is always willing to lend a hand to their friends when needed. There’s also some subtle romance that can easily be realized from the beginning with them and Ushio. And likewise, the show doesn’t forget to establish their position and role including background stories. These are important to show their connections to the supernatural occurrences that happen throughout the series. While this isn’t a big surprise, it does give more prestige to their role in the story as opposed to them being just an outsider. Of course, the series introduces even more characters with supernatural origins that gets directly involved with the bizarre events. They are diversely introduced ranging from skilled exorcists, Kamaitachi, and spirits. What’s also interesting is how they all grow to accept their roles because of Ushio’s actions. As Ushio learns more about his past, we see how he uses his own ways to help them and in return, they return the favor. Not all of them are like this though as each character in the show has their own motives and reasonings.
Now, the show will take small bits of patience to get used to. Anyone coming into the series completely fresh will question about the structure of the story. The first half of the series has an episodic nature with even bits of slice of life. Each of those episodes introduces the Big Bad while we see how Ushio and Tora solve these problems. Of course, the characters in these episodes have an overall connection to the series’ main premise. What can upset viewers is the pacing as it can quickly become repetitive. Luckily, there are two factors that can spark more interest. First, each of those standalone episodes has some sort of message that also involves interpersonal conflicts. Some of these can be easily relatable such as an overprotective parent, revenge, or self-doubt. In retrospect, the show has a clear way of its purpose each episode. Later on, we see that there’s a central antagonist for the story and we even learn the true visage of the Beast Spear.
Even as a series with a darker premise, it still finds time for comedy. Most of this comes from the character interactions in particular Ushio and Tora. Just seeing them bicker shows how much they are alike and different the same time that turns into comically scenarios. Tora’s lack of common sense such as how a TV works is also quite amusing. In general, the comedy comes from the behavior of the characters rather than the events that occur. As a show that can easily balance between lighthearted comedy and its darker storytelling, it can be quite appreciated.
MAPPA is the official studio for the adaptation and from my experience, the series is exactly how it should be. The art style retains the familiarly from the manga although character designs looks slightly more generic. Nonetheless, the violence is still there and crafted with clear precision. Tora’s wild nature is also accurately made to show what he is capable of. On most parts, the modern setting is depicted well alongside spiritual objects and the prominent Beast Spear. In addition, the action has a smooth choreography and connects with the fighting movements. The most fascinating thing about the artwork is the monster designs. Every supernatural being discovered in the show gives off a bizarre sense of feeling and they are designed to look dangerous. As a testimony of their appearance, we can also see what they capable of that matches with their features. Finally, as I have mentioned before, the show has an old school like feeling that can easily be felt.
On most parts, the soundtrack works well for the show. There are occasional ill-timed choreography with its soundtrack but most of is met with expectations. From the thrilling action to the charismatic OP and ED theme songs, each episode delivers its soundtrack as it should. The character voice mannerism are impressive for most of the non-human creatures in particular Tora and the central antagonist that we meet later. The sinister vibe for any monsters in the series can be recognized by their voice mannerism. On the other hand, Ushio is less distinctive alongside the human character cast. It’s not bad but hardly something to write home about.
Ushio to Tora really is a supernatural battle shounen to take home at heart. The manga has over 300+ chapters and this adaptation covers two parts (2 cour of 26 episodes with an additional 13 episodes to air in Spring 2016). With that being said, there’s a good amount of faith to trust despite some early pacing issues. What we have here is more than just about a boy and a beast co-existing in the same world. It’s more about how they adapt and learn from one another. Through it storytelling with convincing technical features and clever ideas, Ushio to Tora is a unique gem for a revival. Ushio’s adventures takes him to places that he’ll never forget and hopefully, this show will be a part of your memories as well.
