Tsukuyomi - Moon Phase

Title:Tsukuyomi - Moon Phase
Moon Phase
Moonphase
Tsukuyomi: Moonphase
月詠 −MOON PHASE−
Overall:Rent
Keywords: , , , , , , , , ,
Notables: Animation - Shaft
R1 License - FUNimation
Kouhei is a photographer who has been hired by his friend, Hiromi's Occult Monthly Tabloid for a special project. So together with sensei Seijyu, Japan's leading authority in the supernatural, the three travel off to Eastern Europe to research the haunted Castle Schwartz. While there, the extremely dense and supernaturally resistant Kouhei succeeds in breaking into the inner sanctum of the fortress and manages to free a teenage vampire named Hazuki, who was sealed within. Alone in a different world, Hazuki decides to follow Kouhei back to Japan to demand his assistance in finding her mother and uncovering her past.

25 episodes, each about 24min.
First aired on TV Tokyo in 09/2004
Animation Production by Shaft

Opening Theme “Neko Mimi Mode” by Dimitri from Paris.
Check it out as a 1:29min - YouTube Video
For more information - See Wikipedia

R1 license by Funimation (preview)

FUNImation has posted 13 episodes to HULU.
click here to link to HULU and see the first episode

And FUNI has opted to post all 26 (subtitled) episodes to VEOH.COM
Episode Details 
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 20
OverallArtAnimationCharacter Design MusicSeries StoryEpisode StoryReviewer
Watch 7 6 7 5 5 6 Ggultra2764 [series:865#1552]
Moon Phase seemed like a series that wasn't sure what kind of story it wanted to tell, mixing rom-com and vampire drama in its focus on male lead Kouhei's interactions with 14-year old vampire gal Hozuki, though both elements are still lackluster. The comedy and drama to the series comes from Hozuki adjusting to living life outside her castle while Kouhei puts up with her antics and Kouhei's family trying to protect her from other vampires trying to drive her back to the castle. The comedy was mostly lackluster for me since it relied on many of the same gags such as Hozuki's obnoxious tsundere character and waterpans randomly falling on the cast for whatever reason during both mundane and serious moments. It also occasionally gets in the rather annoying habit of pandering to the audience as some scenes in the series only serve to feature the younger cast members of Moon Phase striking cute poses, having their idiosyncrasies and wearing various clothes or costumes.

The drama to the series is just as underwhelming. It does offer a decent amount of character development with Hozuki and Kouhei with the former learning to better interact socially with others while searching for her mother and Kouhei wanting to protect her from vampire threats, though the majority of secondary characters and villains don't get as much fleshing out limiting how much one could care for them. There is emphasis on strategizing against vampire threats with Kouhei's family as they are spiritualists, but these are mostly pointless as each vampire threat gets conveniently dealt with through whatever random power upgrade that Hozuki or Kouhei gain. The romance that Moon Phase also tries to play up between Hozuki and Kouhei (along with his two younger female cousins) may make some viewers uneasy considering their younger age as Kouhei is a young adult and the girls in question are barely teenagers, with their character designs making them look even younger. Even when not factoring this possibly uncomfortable fact, I am not a fan of our two leads as a pairing due to Hozuki's rather obnoxious tsundere character.

Visually, Moon Phase is rather average for a mid-2000s title. Scenery and character designs have a good amount of detail and shading to them. The animation isn't too heavy on fluid movements like KURAU Phantom Memory or Paranoia Agent, but depicts enough to move the anime along. Shaft fans may be surprised to know that this is one of the acclaimed studio's earlier works they did without having a joint production with other animation studios, considering the studio's rep in recent years for creating highly detailed and avant-garde visuals with works like the Monogatari franchise, Madoka Magica and the two TV anime adaptations of ef.

Nonetheless, I wouldn't really find myself recommending Moon Phase due to having a number of flaws to its comedy and drama, as well as seeming like it was trying too hard at points to pander to its audience. Either stick to the studio's more recent works or if you want a vampire series, try hunting down more better quality titles like Blood+ or Hellsing Ultimate.

Last updated Friday, October 09 2015. Created Friday, October 09 2015.
Rent 9 8 9 8 7 8 chibi [series:865#2380]
OK, I admit it: I only started to watch this series because I was attracted by the pictures of the cute girl in the cat ears, even though I'm not into vampire shows. Fortunately, this isn't a typical vampire show, and I had a good time watching it, though it's a little off-beat and is not going to be everybody's cup of tea. Some find Hazuki too cute, but for myself I found there was enough character there to avoid having to take insulin shots. Kohei is refreshingly not a marshmallow, and the cast seems well-designed and recognizable, with good effort on animating their facial expressions. Hazuki escapes from her castle prison with Kohei's help and goes to live in Japan with his family, which just happens to be full of powerful occult mages (Kohei being an extreme exception). They all help her to explore her past and powers, protect her from her father's minions who are sent to reclaim her, and bring out her better nature. The story is a combination of slapstick, occult/action, and romance -- a little for everyone, which seems to be the way a lot of series are playing it these days. This causes some dilution of the the series story, as if it can't make up its mind what it's trying to accomplish, so the show could have been better but was enjoyable nonetheless. I even liked the OP (again, it's off-beat, and opinions differ), one of the few I wouldn't regularly skip over, and in which the producers have hidden a few easter eggs. Overall, I'd rate this a strong "Rent", depending on your tastes.

Last updated Tuesday, January 02 2007. Created Tuesday, January 02 2007.
Unevaluated Forbin [series:865#1573]
5 R1 Episodes Watched
I'm not sure, this looks like a good story but until Episode 5 showed up I wasn't very interested.
Now that episode 5 is here I am VERY interested.

Funi did a little 'gift' and gave 5 episodes instead of 4 at the cost of the extras (almost none).

I HATE the OP. It just not for me with a little girl saying Nekomimi the whole time.

More after I see more.

Last updated Friday, October 20 2006. Created Friday, October 20 2006.
Buy Jan-Chan [series:865#967]
For me this is a BUY series, (though to be be fair, most would rate it between a <rent> to a <buy>, but I will not make any excuses).

Sealed in an abandoned isolated castle, and tended to only by Vigo, a spiritual guardian and protector, the young teenage vampire Hazuki is desperately seeking for a means of escape. The arrival of the trio, Kouhei, Hiromi and Seniju, who are researching occult phenomena for a tabloid, might just be the situation that she has been waiting for. On the night of a full moon, Seniju sends (the dense and spiritually resistance) Kouhei over the wall into the castle, while he and Hiromi wait just outside of the strong spiritual barrier that protects the castle. When in side, the twenty-something-year-old Kouhei meets Hazuki and is completely entranced by her, so much so that he asks her for a photo shoot. But she has other intentions, and offers to give him a special gift - a gift of a kiss (on the neck!). Sensing that Kouhei is in trouble, Seniju launches an assault on the barrier and engages Virgo in a difficult magical/spiritual battle. Hazuki shares her gift with Kouhei, tasting blood for the first time, expecting him to fall under her spell to become her obedient servant, and is very surprised when he questions her demand that he destroy the orb that houses the spirit of Vigo. Kouhei does destroy the orb, but more out of concern for Hazuki, rather than as a servant of her will. Having grown up in Japan, Hazuki returns to her homeland to seek her family, and not knowing anyone, she decides to stay in the home of her servant, Kouhei, (not that he knows what to do with a spoilt and pampered teenage vampire.)

The protectors of Castle Schwartz are very interested in having their Mistress Luna returned to their care, so Count Kinkel dispatches one of his blood-turned vampires, the stunningly beautiful Elfriede to convince or capture Hazuki into returning. Elfriede in seeing Hazuki again “kiss” Kouhei under a full-moon, understands why he does not become her servant. She names Kouhei as being an “Ama Lamia” (vampire lover), a dangerous legendary threat to all vampires and an possible avenue of escape and freedom as to her servitude to her master, the Count Kinkle.

With a fun mix of magical mystery, vampiric occult lore and Hazuki's feelings about having a new found family, this is a story of a very special young lady who comes to understand that having a circle of supportive friends and family might be just what she is missing in her life. There is a bit of a loli-edge in the relationship between Hazuki and Kouhei, but they both do care for each other and the big-brother/little-sister relationship that they share is very endearing and special. It does not hurt that Hazuki is a shameless showoff, willing to wear cute cat-ears around the house and is quick to model any new thrilling and fashionable clothing that might come her way.

I am really enjoying this fun series, as it mixes the very personal story of two people against a larger backdrop of a trueborn day-walker vampire who is being pursued by powerful and dangerous foes.

Oh, and the opening song is really very fun, quite silly and surprisingly entertaining.

Last updated Friday, May 22 2009. Created Wednesday, October 27 2004.

Other Sites
NameURL
Official Japanese Series Web Site http://www.jvcmusic.co.jp/m-serve/tsukuyomi
Official Japanese Series Web Site http://www.tv-tokyo.co.jp/anime/tsukuyomi

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