Ōkami Kakushi

Ōkami Kakushi
File:Ōkami Kakushi Cover.png Ōkami Kakushi original visual novel cover.
おおかみかくし
Genre	Drama, Horror, Mystery, Psychological thriller
Game
Developer	Konami
Publisher	Konami
Genre	Action RPG, Visual novel
Platform	PlayStation Portable
Released
Anime television series
Directed by	Nobuhiro Takamoto
Written by	Touko Machida
Music by	Takumi Ozawa
Studio	AIC
Licensed by	NA Sentai Filmworks
Network	TBS
Original run	January 7, 2010 – March 25, 2010
Episodes	12
Manga
Ōkami Kakushi: Fukahi no Shō
Written by	Konami
Illustrated by	Mirura Yano
Published by	ASCII Media Works
Demographic	Shōnen
Magazine	Dengeki Daioh
Original run	February 2010 – present
Manga
Ōkami Kakushi: Metsushi no Shō
Written by	Konami
Illustrated by	Kuroko Yabuguchi
Published by	Kodansha
Demographic	Shōnen
Magazine	Monthly Shōnen Rival
Original run	February 2010 – present
Light novel
Ōkami Kakushi Miyako Wasure-hen
Written by	Ryō Masaki
Illustrated by	Eri Natsume
Published by	Shogakukan
Demographic	Male
Published	March 18, 2010

Ōkami Kakushi (おおかみかくし, literally Wolfed Away) (wordplay on ōkami (wolf) and kamikakushi (spirited away)) is a Japanese visual novel developed and published by Konami for the PlayStation Portable, with Ryukishi07 of Higurashi no Naku Koro ni fame as game director and the manga author duo Peach-Pit as character designers. The game was released on August 20, 2009 in Japan. An anime adaptation produced by AIC began airing in Japan on January 8, 2010 on TBS.

Plot

A 15-year-old boy, Hiroshi Kuzumi, has recently moved into a new town in the mountains. The town is separated into new and old streets by the river, and many mysterious local customs and practices still remain, and the townspeople are unusually friendly towards him. Although confused and enjoying his new life, one person has kept her distance from him: class committee member Nemuru Kushinada. In their few encounters she gives him a word of advice: "Stay away from the old streets."

As the story goes on, Hiroshi learns about the town's local traditions and legends—most prominently the ones about the local Wolf Spirits. However, something mysterious is going on in the background; people mysteriously "move away" and students suddenly "transfer schools" while none of the locals pay any attention. Hiroshi initially tries to ignore it, but he soon sees a girl with an enormous scythe along with people in strange masks kill someone who is said to have "moved away" the following day. Hiroshi is soon drawn into the dark secrets long hidden by the townsfolk, and uncovers a plot to destroy the town.

Main characters

Hiroshi Kuzumi (九澄 博士, Kuzumi Hiroshi)

Voiced by: Yū Kobayashi

Hiroshi is a 15-year-old boy and is the main character of the story. His family moved to the city of Jōga due to reasons relating to his father's line of work. The kanji for his name can also be read as "Professor", so many people call him Hakase (Professor) as a nickname. Hiroshi is not fond of this nickname, because it makes people believe that he is smarter than he is. Despite this, he still allows Kaname to call him by it. Hiroshi later learns from Nemuru that all humans (known as "Fallen" as opposed to the Godmen as the Jouga wolves call themselves) emit a trace of a scent (undetectable by humans) that is intoxicating to Jouga wolves but emitted in small enough quantities that most of them can resist it without much difficulty (in high enough concentrations this scent can cause them to succumb to their predatory natures and to attack the Fallen). Hiroshi happens to be a Temptation, one human in 100,000, who emits the scent at such concentrations that resistance is almost impossible.

Nemuru Kushinada (櫛名田 眠, Kushinada Nemuru)

Voiced by: Mariya Ise

Nemuru 15 years old and the only daughter of the head of the Kushinada clan, the family with the most political power and presence in Jōga. Nemuru, as part of her role as the Hunter, patrols the city at night clad in an elaborate ceremonial outfit and wolf mask and wielding a scythe, hunting for Godmen who have succumbed and started to attack the Fallen, whom she is charged with executing. She is the class president of Hiroshi's class. Nemuru is initially very cold to Hiroshi because she considers him to be a danger. Despite this, she eventually warms towards him and they become friends.

Isuzu Tsumuhana (摘花 五十鈴, Tsumuhana Isuzu)

Voiced by: Emiri Katō

Isuzu is a 15-year-old girl who lives close to Hiroshi. She is tomboyish and extremely affectionate towards Hiroshi, sometimes to his dismay. She had an older brother named Issei, who attended university before succumbing to his predatory instincts and attacking Hiroshi. He was killed by Nemuru. She herself starts to submit and attacks Hiroshi, but manages to stop herself and is spared her brother's fate.

Mana Kuzumi (九澄 マナ, Kuzumi Mana)

Voiced by: Saki Fujita

Mana is Hiroshi's 12-year-old sister. She is wheelchair-bound due to a car accident. In spite of this, she strives to be independent, and becomes quite annoyed when her brother rushes to her side to help her with the smallest of tasks.

Kaname Asagiri (朝霧 かなめ, Asagiri Kaname)

Voiced by: Mai Fuchigami

Kaname is a 16-year-old girl who moved to the Jōga with her family a few months before Hiroshi and she is Isuzu's best friend. Being the eldest of their circle of friends (Kaname, Hiroshi and Isuzu), she tends to act as the voice of the reason for the group. Kaname has somewhat of a dark personality, and does not hesitate to tease or trick her two friends. She is interested in the occult and loves city legends and folklore.

White Wolf Kannon (白狼観音, Hakurō Kannon)

She is a local deity who prowls Jōga, carrying out the god of the land's will to rid it of the regressed "wolves". She appears as a young girl wearing an elaborate white outfit and wolf-like mask. She is named after the bodhisattva Kannon. Her true form is later revealed to be Kaori, a lady who Hiroshi and Mana met while taking a walk.

Adaptations

Internet radio show

An Internet radio show entitled JTTB Jōga-machi Kankō Kyōkai Hōsō (JTTB 嫦娥町観光協会放送) to promote the anime series started broadcasting on the Animate TV Internet radio service on December 18, 2009 and airs weekly on Fridays. The show is hosted by Yū Kobayashi and Yūko Gotō, who voice Hiroshi Kuzumi and Kaori Mana in the series, respectively.

Manga

A manga adaptation illustrated by Mirura Yano titled Ōkami Kakushi: Fukahi no Shō (おおかみかくし〜深緋の章〜) began serialization in the February 2010 issue of ASCII Media Works' Dengeki Daioh shōnen manga magazine. A second manga adaptation illustrated by Kuroko Yabuguchi titled Ōkami Kakushi: Metsushi no Shō (おおかみかくし〜滅紫の章〜) began serialization in the February 2010 issue of Kodansha's Monthly Shōnen Rival manga magazine.

Anime

See also: List of Ōkami Kakushi episodes

An anime television series adaptation produced by AIC and directed by Nobuhiro Takamoto began airing in Japan on January 8, 2010 on the TBS television network. The opening theme "Toki no Mukō Maboroshi no Sora" (時の向こう 幻の空, "Across Time, Sky of Illusions") is by FictionJunction and the ending theme "Tsukishirube" (月導, "Moon Guide") is by Yuuka Nanri. Takumi Ozawa is responsible for the soundtrack.

External links

• Official website (Japanese)
• Anime official website (Japanese)
• Ōkami Kakushi at The Visual Novel Database
• Ōkami Kakushi (anime) at Anime News Network's encyclopedia