Teito Monogatari

Title:Teito Monogatari
Capital Story
Doomed Megalopolis
帝都物語
Overall:Watch
Keywords: , , , , , , ,
Notables: Animation - Madhouse
R1 License - ADV (Renamed)
Yasuori Kato, an oni who mastered the art of onmyodo and shugendo, is determined to destroy the Imperial Capital Tokyo to appease the grudges of his ancestors. To accomplish this, he attempts to awaken a powerful angry spirit, Taira no Masakado, to use as a tool for his destruction. When his initial attempts fail, Kato seeks out Masakado's descendant, a young woman with psychic powers, to use as a medium to communicate with the spirit. Opposing Kato's efforts is Yasumasa Hirai, the greatest onmyoji in all of Japan as well as the Soma Family, another lineage of Masakado. The conflict that results from this encounter will shape the history of Tokyo.
(Summary Courtesy of Anime News Network)


4-episode OVA series released from September 27, 1991 to August 14, 1992.
Animated by Madhouse.
Originally released by Streamline Pictures in the mid-1990s and later re-released by ADV Films.
OverallArtAnimationCharacter Design MusicSeries StoryEpisode StoryReviewer
Watch 7 6 7 6 5 5 Ggultra2764 [series:3123#1552]
This horror anime adapted from a 1980s Japanese novel series focuses on the demonic spirit Kato trying to bring about Tokyo's destruction through triggering varying events throughout the OVA series that involve female members of a powerful family of spiritualists and psychics. On the one hand, the horror in this series is genuinely suspenseful as Kato comes across as a believable threat with the problems that he causes the members of the Tatsumiya family and the animation for the series is quite solid for its time with vast settings, believably detailed character designs and some great animated sequences coming from showings of Kato's power. On the other hand though, the pacing to the series is fairly rushed as there is little time to connect with relevant characters and only slows down whenever major events in the plot come along or Kato makes his presence felt. The side-plot that Doomed Megalopolis plays up involving an abusive incest relationship in the Tatsumiya family comes across more unsettling than suspenseful (especially as rape plays a major part in this side-plot) and the show may be alienate a good chunk of Western anime fans since the OVA dabbles heavily into elements of Eastern folklore and spiritualism. In spite of its flaws though, fans of older horror anime titles may be tempted to give this a look as Doomed Megalopolis does do well for the most part with the execution of its horror.

For anyone who wants to see this series in its original Japanese audio, do be careful with what DVD release of the series you choose to pick up. The Special Edition ADV release of the OVA contains the original Japanese audio and Streamline Pictures' English dub of the series, while an earlier ADV release contains only the English dub.

Last updated Saturday, November 28 2015. Created Saturday, November 28 2015.

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