2014-04-03

Hamatora

Hamatora is a 12 episode super natural action series, an original creation by Yukino Kitajima and YĆ«ki Kodama.  The series aired in Japan in the winter off season of 2014.  Created as a multi-media project a companion manga began running in November of 2013 in Young Jump.  A Nintendo 3DS RPG is scheduled for release in Japan in June of 2014.

    In an alternate world people exist known as Minimum Holders that have special abilities.  In Japan there exists a specialty program by the government/shady organization to release and harness these powers.  A group of students from the program have banded together in a loose nit detective agency based in Yokohama known as Hamatora.  The members are split into pairs and take on various jobs or varying difficulty and danger.  When Minimums begin showing up murdered and missing their brains the members of the agency become involved in an insidious plot to convert normal people into Minimum Holders.

    This was an interesting throw back to the classic action series' of the 90's like Cowboy Bebop.  Someone suggested it reminded them of Darker Than Black as well, but I still have not watched the whole thing so can't compare.  Sometimes I was even reminded of Gunsmith Cats.  The series both entertained and bothered me.  Once the main plot started taking shape I really started to enjoy it.  The antagonist was a cold hearted motherfucker.  The character designs to some extent bothered me.  There was unexplained flair to some of the outfits...stuff prime for cosplay in my mind.  The characters had some horrible names too like; Nice, Three, Art and Birthday...come on people!!  There was also plenty of stuff happening in the series that didn't seem to make sense.  The companion manga may actually clear up some of those oddities, but I don't think I care enough to find out.  The most infuriating thing is the cliff hanger end to this series...with a tease of being continued.  There is absolutely no word on what type of continuation it will be or when.  The series wasn't so bad, some parts are cheesy, and there are holes that should really be filled in.  Those holes appear to be pending or covered in the manga...but without reading it I don't really know.  Now it's time to sit and await the fabled continuation.

    The series was simulcast on Crunchyroll.  The manga is not being commercially released as of yet.


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