Kekkaishi
Synopsis
Yoshimura Sumimura comes from a long line of "Kekkaishi," individuals who have supernatural abilities and are able to destroy evil creatures called Ayakashi that venture into the human realm from time to time. The Ayakashi are demons that look to feast on the power emanating from the land of Karasumori, which also happens to be where Yoshimura's high school is located. Now, Yoshimura must fight to protect his beloved school and hometown. Although, if it were up to him, he would rather be baking cakes than fighting off the ugly characters that show up at night. Thankfully, Yoshimura isn't the only one helping to keep the baddies at bay. His childhood friend and neighbor, Tokine Yukimura, joins him in this righteous battle. Despite the fact that they are from rival clans, these two make a fantastic team. And teamwork is something vital to fighting the evil that is closing in, as the Ayakashi attack in waves, looking to claim the land as their own, and a shadowy organization looks on, ready to pounce when the time is right...
Audience Consensus
Overall, Kekkaishi is viewed as a decent shonen anime with well-developed characters and interesting techniques, although some find it repetitive and lacking depth. While not groundbreaking, it offers a good balance of action, comedy, and romance that makes it an enjoyable watch for fans of the genre. Many appreciate the series' ability to avoid common shonen pitfalls, but some feel it doesn't fully live up to its potential.
Strengths
- Good character development, especially for Tokine
- Refreshing pacing and creative action sequences
- Interesting and unusual barrier techniques
- Well-defined characters with consistent personalities
- Good balance of comedy, drama, and thought-provoking scenarios
Weaknesses
- Repetitive episodic structure with monster-of-the-week format
- Underdeveloped story arcs and character backgrounds
- Samey battles due to the unchanging location
- Simplistic and two-dimensional characters
- Lack of emotional depth in certain situations