Occult Academy - Episode 13 (Completed)

If last week's episode of Occult Academy seemed like a natural end-point to the series, then think again - although the show's wicked witch was defeated, the future still looks as bleak a wasteland as ever, so something somewhere has clearly gone awry with any plans to destroy Nostradamus' Key.

The reason why everything has gone pear-shaped soon becomes clear as Fumiaki prepares to return to the future, and Maya lands a surprise on him - she's booked for Bunmei and his mother to come and perform at the school's end of year closing ceremony.  It appears that for all her love of the occult, Maya has clearly never watched any time travel-based science fiction, as we all know that meeting your past or future self can have all sorts of nasty consequences, as is the case here.  So we learn that this meeting of Bunmeis from different times is the real cause of the alien invasion which all-but wipes out humanity, all in the name of a family reunion of sorts.  Oops.

No matter how hard they tried, the invading aliens couldn't wipe out Earth's hat industry

Equally bizarrely, the powers that be from the future agree to allow Fumiaki one more day in the future before he has to return, before extending this yet further when Maya tells Bunmei's mother his services are no longer required.  This seems like a pretty risky game to play with the entire Earth in the balance, and of course these decisions are guaranteed to go horribly wrong once young Bunmei decides to sneak away and check out Waldstein Academy for himself without his mother's knowledge, while Maya all but pleads with Fumiaki to stay in the past with her.  Needless to say, Bunmei junior and senior end up coming face to face and aliens duly invade via the hold in space-time created as a result - but this isn't quite the end of the world as we know it, as a moment of madness and bravery from Fumiaki somehow manages to stave off the invading forces (don't ask me how, I couldn't quite get my head around it either) and save the world.  Hurrah!

So there we have it, via a final episode that pretty much sums up Occult Academy in a nutshell - some of its plot points and goings-on were basically ludicrous and stupid while others simply didn't make sense at all, but boy was it fun to watch.  Aside from those two episodes where the series really dropped the ball (there was no episode nine or ten of this show, right?), Occult Academy demonstrated a barmy yet deft ability to leverage its zany humour to maximum effect, creating a number of laugh out loud funny episodes which seemed as though they'd forgotten about the big picture until the show reined itself in to deliver some mind-blowing, eye-popping instalments to finish things off in a broadly satisfactory fashion.

I'd probably slate other shows for ending with an episode so full of logical craters and moments of stupidity from its previously eminently sensible main characters, but somehow it just fits the flawed genius of this particular series perfectly.  If you're looking for a show with internal logic that matches up throughout then Occult Academy will infuriate you on a regular basis - throw such concerns out of the window and simply strap yourself in for the ride however, and you'll have a riot.

Occult Academy - Episode 12

After paying at being a kind of zany Ghostbusters-esque affair for quite a while before drifting off into goodness knows what territory for a couple of episodes, Occult Academy enters its finishing stretch as some kind of magical girl series on crack, complete with Mikaze now unmasked as some kind of dark witch while Chihiro gets to play at being the heroine somewhat after seemingly railing against Maya all series.

What this boils down to is largely a non-stop cavalcade of action that this series certainly hasn't seen up to this point before, with Mikaze and Chihiro duking it out in the sky above the town while Maya makes her escape from the onslaught before drawing Kozue, Ami, JK and Smile into the chaos; cue that latter pairing using their spanner and dowsing rods to fend off evil demon grannies from Hell.


Although Chihiro finally succumbs to Mikaze's sheer power, she doesn't wilt before freeing Fumiaki from his frozen state and telling him something very important... something which is revealed as we reach our bit climax at Waldstein Academy itself as Maya is left facing Mikaze alone until Bunmei's appearance turns the tide in their favour. So, that's it - Nostradamus' Key has been discovered and destroyed, and the world is saved forever. Except this isn't the last episode is it? Things are rarely that simple...

While I was expecting this episode to step up to the plate somewhat to brings us toward's the shows climax, I wasn't expecting this much of a breathless roller coaster - set piece after set piece that could happily have adorned the most-actioned packed anime or Hollywood blockbuster with ease while still fitting effortlessly into the zany and often light-hearted feel of the show that has served it in good stead throughout. Quite simply, this was a minor masterpiece in all sorts of ways, telling its story well enough via utterly compelling visuals and developments. Colour me well and truly impressed; this was certainly a million miles away from that lacklustre story arc of a few weeks ago, and hopefully it can retain some of this energy to give Occult Academy a fitting send-off.

Occult Academy - Episode 11

After allowing itself to get sidetracked well and truly with a rather pointless side story over the past couple of episodes, this eleventh instalment of Occult Academy throws us right back into the serious business of Nostradamus' Key. What, you didn't really think they'd forgotten all about it, did you?

While Maya is already planning their next potential target from the world of the occult which could be the key they're looking for, Fumiaki finds himself once again at the mercy of the ever-more seductive Mikaze. Indeed, as she turns the flirting dial up to eleven we finally get to the crux of her interest in Fumiaki - she (and her band of like-minded individuals) want him to kill Maya, claiming that she is in fact the cause of all the odd goings-on, which in turn points to the fact that she is, in fact, Nostradamus' Key herself.

This claim leaves Fumiaki torn as he beats himself up over what to do about Maya, before eventually revealing to her what he's been told before changing his mind again and refusing to let Maya photograph herself with his camera again as he can't bear the thought that she could be the key.


From here onwards the entire episode goes, to put it bluntly, batshit crazy - Maya is murdered, seemingly by Chiriro, except she isn't actually dead as the whole thing was staged by Chihiro, who is really a white witch protecting Maya from harm at the request of Maya's father, who still appears to be alive and well in the future incidentally. Oh, and Mikaze is a dark witch who wants Maya dead for her own nefarious ends. There, did you get all that?

After the drab story-telling of the past two instalments, this was certainly a very different Occult Academy once again, even dumping its unique blend of humour in favour of a rollercoaster of twists and turns aplenty which would probably have taken up half a dozen episodes in other shows. I can only really commend this outing for not pulling any punches, be it sexually, emotionally or in terms of its plot, to make for a breathless viewing experience which certainly doesn't come along very often. While I will admit to preferring Occult Academy when it was being funny and zany, we had to move on to the "proper story" eventually, and judging by this episode the series is ready to do so with aplomb and a crazy spark of insanity in its eye.

Occult Academy - Episode 10

It has to be said that I wasn't overly impressed with the previous episode of Occult Academy, nor was I particularly thrilled to seeing the story of ghost girl Akari run into a second episode. Still, what's done is done, so can it it win me over for the second half of this particular story arc?

Although Akari's dad is plain unhelpful (and understandably so, really) to Maya's requests and queries regarding his dead daughter, Maya is determined not to give up, and thus arranges for her band of friends to meet again after school the next day to consider their next plan of action. An apology from Fumiaki about his behaviour the previous night is soon wasted by the appearance of Mikaze, as he chooses to follow that particular "route" once again, earning him a (probably deserved) punch from Maya.


As for Maya herself, sheer tenacity in camping outside Akari's father's doorstep all afternoon and evening finally gives her what she needs - the story of how and why Akari died, out in the cold one Christmas while waiting to see Santa while her father worked. To allow her to move on, Maya arranges an impromptu Christmas party for the following day, allowing Akari to enjoy the Christmas that she missed that year, complete with a very important red-suited guest.

While the ending to that particular story was all very touching and all, it still really didn't fit in with Occult Academy's raison d'être, to the point where it almost felt forced into a series which has relied more on comedy and zaniness than emotional tales of loss and the like. Sure, come the end of the arc it tied into Maya gaining a new understanding of her father and his reason for founding the academy, in turn giving her renewed vigour to find Nostradamus' key (which I thought we'd maybe forgotten about), but surely this could have been achieved in a far more entertaining way that was more in keeping with the rest of the series? I'm not going to rag on this show overly for a couple of dud episodes, but with the series coming close to wrapping up I have to wonder if this also signals a close to the fun and frolics we've enjoyed earlier in the series. Personally, I hope not - I'd rather have an utterly daft ending if it means more of the genuinely funny humour we've been presented with here previously.

Occult Academy - Episode 9

Although the house in which Maya used to live is about to be demolished (as we learn as this latest episode begins), there isn't much time allocated to worrying about such things as this instalment's featured lesson sees Chihiro giving a demonstration of summoning a spirit.

While the class decide upon the academy's former principle as their "victim" for this summoning (despite Maya's presence), when it comes to the crunch a rather different spirit emerges - that of a young, lost girl who is looking for her family home named Mayoi Hachikuji. Oops, sorry, wrong series... I meant a young girl named Akari.


Of course, you can't just have a ghost wandering around the place, so Maya and friends take it upon themselves to help Akari make it back to her home, except of course everything turns out to be far more complicated than that, as Akari turns into a full-on angry poltergeist and it emerges that she didn't exactly have the happiest and most caring of childhoods. The only solution to the problem is to find Akari's father and persuade him to intervene, but it looks as though this won't be a particularly simple task either...

Honestly, I don't know what's happened to the Occult Academy I've been watching so far all of a sudden, as all of the traits which have made it such an enjoyable series prior to this point have disappeared without a trace this week - you could almost say they've been spirited away. Aside from a couple of very brief moments, the humour that underpinned the entire show has vanished, replaced with a story which is suddenly taking itself far, far too seriously, which might not be so bad if the story was actually interesting and not a dull as dishwater sob story that is about as far from interesting as you can get. What's worse, this storyline is all set to roll-over into next week's instalment as well, which leaves me wondering what they're thinking at this point in time. Unless it proves to morph into something incredibly important next week this was a truly wasted episode and a huge disappointment in what has been a really enjoyable series so far.

Occult Academy - Episode 8

After the slap-o-rama which added some surprising emotion to an episode which seemed like little more than light-hearted fluff, things still haven't returned to normal between Ami and Maya as episode eight of Occult Academy kicks off, with the two of them continuing to ignore one another at school the following day.

Things only look set to get worse when Ami invites Maya rather coldly to meet her at a nearby shrine after school, an appointment that the latter almost misses as her focus turns to something rather troubling - for all of the attention to detail lavished by Ami's father upon his little trick last episode, surely he didn't go to the trouble of mutilating an entire herd of cattle? Further investigation reveals that the blood has been sucked from all of these beasts, and we soon discover by who as a bunch of little green men appear on the scene to kidnap Ami and whisk her away.


However, these are no aliens but rather chupacabras, a fact which Maya of course knows without a second thought. After informing Ami's dad, a crack squad featuring said father, Maya, Kozue, Fumiaki and Smile are formed to deal with the problem.... except they don't actually know where they're going. Thank heavens then for JK and those trusty divining rods, which also turn out to be pretty handy at being down chupacabras, as the whole affair turns into something of an action movie leading up to Ami's rescue before dumping us into a muddy puddle of conspiracy as the episode comes to a close.

While it looked as though this episode was going to play things straight for quite a while this week, I should have known better than to be lulled into that false sense of security, as the brief and knowing training montage was followed by that wonderfully funny moment where Ami's father realises he has no idea where he's actually going to rescue his daughter. Throw in some actually pretty stylish action, and another great moment which happily pokes fun at its own predictable dialogue and how it fits into pop culture, and you have another wildly entertaining episode. It still doesn't bring us much closer to the central plot of the series if we're honest, but once again when it's this fun to watch then who cares?

Occult Academy - Episode 7

A chance meeting between Maya and Ami's father frames and sets up this seventh episode of Occult Academy - A man who remembers the occult-loving Maya of her youth who is more than a little shocked to see this "new-look" Maya who at best has no interest in matters of the occult.

We too get some glimpses into Maya's past as an occult fanatic during this episode - later in the instalment via flashback and, just notably, as Maya and Kozue hang out at Ami's house where she unveils some of Maya's old notebooks, talking of future trips to Loch Ness and the like.


However, these festivities are interrupted by news of a mysterious circle (a crop circle if you'd rather) which has mysteriously appeared overnight - A revelation that (to the eyes of Ami's father) has re-awakened the occult lover in Maya, whereas in reality she's more interested in helping Fumiaki uncover Nostradamus' Key. So, Ami's dad helps Maya to stake out the "mystery circle" that night, which turns into an all-out UFO chase with cattle mutilation and all. Unsurprisingly, this "UFO" isn't what it first seems, a fact which leads to an almighty falling out between Ami and Maya which looks set to reverberate into the next episode.

While this episode suffered from being overly predictable, with a twist in the tale you could see coming a mile off, and arguably bordering on filler, it still made the most of the subtly changing yet still hostile relationship between Maya and Fumiaki, while also reminding us how brilliant it is at being utterly daft to the point of hilarity, mostly when JK was on-screen and particularly when he shared that screen time with pudding to any degree. Yes, this was a pretty week episode of Occult Academy by its own standard, but it still got a lot more laughs out of me than other more focused comedy efforts this season.

Occult Academy - Episode 6

After her carefully manufactured Near Death Experience last episode, it's fair to say that Kozue seems to be enjoyed both the ups and downs of its results. On the one hand, her previously terrible eyesight is now not far from perfect, but on the other she's now lost all of her previous enthusiasm and belief in the occult.

Unsurprisingly, this huge change in Kozue's personality is worrying her friends, and so they set out with various plans to bring back the "old" Kozue. Most of these involve proving (or at least pretending to prove) that the occult exists to revert her back to her usual self - This is attempted via a number of comical means, all of which naturally fail miserably. In the end, Maya even calls in Fumiaki to fake his spoon-bending tricks of old, but even this falls flat - Is this really the same Kozue at all? Eventually, Maya surmises that she has simply left her heart behind following that near-death experience.


Ergo, the only way to restore normality is for Kozue to have another near-death experience, alongside somebody else who can rescue her "heart" - let's not get into the plot holes of how two near-death experiences encountered by different people could somehow merge into a single reality, this is a show about the occult and an alien invasion after all. Anyhow, Maya volunteers to perform this rescue operation, only to find Fumiaki turning up and taking her place. This switch around allows all of those present to witness was a difficult life the child celebrity Bunmei led, and how that celebrity status was little more than a vanity project for his mother, before Maya and company also get to see the horrors of the alien invasion which Fumiaki has been sent back in time to stop. However, there's still enough time for Fumiaki to save Kozue's "heart", in what turns out to be a hilariously simple fix to her particular problem. Mission complete on this occasion, and witnessing Fumiaki's childhood and its parallels to her own seems to have fostered a new sense of understanding towards him from Maya. Well, kind of...

While I wasn't entirely sure why this particular story had been pushed out into a second episode, it all makes sense now, and in the end this proved to be another top-notch instalment of Occult Academy. As has been the case throughout this series, the sense of fun and humour which the show holds within all of its dealings is nigh-on perfect, from Maya's attempts to create fake occult goings-on through to Fumiaki's usual bumbling slapstick - throw in some amusing camera pans (seriously, this show even knows how to make camera movements funny) and an ending to Kozue's problem which was so ridiculous it's sublime, and you have a lot to enjoy from the off. Perhaps the real genius is how this is tied in so simply to the relationship between Maya and Fumiaki, with the former realising how they have both had to endure the hardships of a parental figure who is so caught up in their own self-interest that they have little time for their child - it's a realisation which is both obvious and subtle in terms of the way it's presented here, making it hard to miss yet still subtle enough not to feel condescending. We now appear to be headed back towards worrying about impending alien invasion in terms of the main story, but if it can continue to tell its tale as it has thus far then there's nothing for this show to worry about in entertainment terms.

Occult Academy - Episode 5

After subjecting Fumiaki to all sorts last time around, it appears as though the torch of slapstick punishment has been passed on to Kozue for episode five of Occult Academy, as her desperation to experience the occult for herself reaches new heights.

Of course, strictly speaking Kozue has already experienced something supernatural on two occasions, but that isn't enough for her, as she wants an experience that she can actually see and witness with her own eyes. Thus, much of this episode is occupied with Kozue's ill-considered and frankly disastrous attempts to bring some kind of supernatural phenomena or other to her doorstep, only to see them all fail miserably.


This looks set to change though as she ends up in a lesson which is the stable of any good school education, and something which I'm sure we've all participated in - A near-death experience. Well, my school days often felt like a near-death experience at least. Anyway, Kozue volunteers for this particular experience, and it does indeed look likely to be a life-changing one for her... so life-changing that we're left with something of a cliff-hanger as this story extends into a second episode.

Whether this particular plot point has anything to do with the main thread of this series is rather hard to say given this show's history thus far, but as per previous instalments it proves to be entertaining regardless of this, throwing in jokes, comedy and one-liners so fast that it's pretty much guaranteed to achieve some smiles and/or laughs, which it duly does, even if Fumiaki still manages to get some of the best moments despite not having much screen time this episode. I still imagine all this fun will have to make way for some serious handling of a forthcoming apocalypse at some point, but I suppose we'll have to see how that shakes out.

Occult Academy - Episode 4

With the search for a so-called "Tengu" getting Maya into trouble by the end of the last episode, this latest instalment of Occult Academy sees both herself and Kozue missing; of course, it's Fumiaki who is tasked with looking for them both by the disturbingly (and hilariously) infatuated Chihiro.

As luck would have it, Mikaze just happens to be part of the town's committee which is helping with the search for Kozue, and before he knows it Fumiyaki is whisked off at break-neck speed in her Porsche to look for the missing persons. This eventual leads them both to a shrine which unexpectedly gives up its secrets, revealing a maze of underground passages which lead into the mountain which folklore suggests is actually a pyramid.


Some more slapstick comedy later Fumiaki is separated from Mikaze but instead finds himself in the ever-friendly company of one decidedly lost Maya, who of course is simply thrilled to see him. Now that they're both lost, an attempt to find the exit leads them into even more trouble, revealing the true identity of this "Tengu" while also explaining what happened to Fumiaki's predecessor. Then there's Fumiaki himself, who is left with no choice but to reveal himself to Maya as a fraud who couldn't bend his way out of a paper spoon. Or something. In the end it's left to JK and Smile to save the day with a giant spanner and a keytar (really, I'm not making this up), while Chihiro's goons appear responsible for sealing the pyramid/mountain to close off this particular story arc.

I'm not normally much of a fan of outright slapstick in anime, but somehow Occult Academy manages to pull off daft and completely old hat jokes whilst still leaving them looking fresh - As a fall guy, Fumiaki is the perfect blend of idiot and... well, lovable idiot, while Maya's never-ending stream of violence and abuse still hasn't gotten old either. There's probably some important plot points in the midst of all this (not least my continued belief that Mikaze is clearly more than some waitress with a flashy car), but to be honest I find it hard to care, as I'm still quite happy watching the main characters romp around and getting involved in daft tales of the occult. Thankfully, I get the feeling that the writers of Occult Academy feel the same way, so I don't think we'll be getting too caught up with worrying about the forthcoming end of the world as we know it any time soon. Why would we when we can watch Fumiaki getting bounced about in that shiny new Porsche a bit more?

Occult Academy - Episode 3

With a somewhat uneasy truce forged between Maya and Fumiaki (and lets face it, it's hard to forge anything other than an uneasy truce when the other party keeps throwing things at you), it seems that there are already important happenings to be investigated in town, with rumours of a Tengu supposedly running riot via a spate of kidnappings.

Despite Maya's alleged hatred of the occult, she deems it necessary to investigate in case this is somehow tied in to Nostradamus' prophecies, alien invasions and the like, and thus orders Fumiaki to do his thing and investigate what is actually going on, Tengu or otherwise.


The trouble is, it seems that our Bunmei is having a rather tough time keeping his mind on the job, whether it's down to the lure of Chihiro's bosom, homesickness, a good curry or, more importantly, a good woman. In fact, it's the aforementioned curry which leads to the aforementioned woman; a girl named Mikaze who seems a little too good to be true - She's beautiful, she's cute, she's friendly, she says all the right things and (most importantly for me) she drives a brand new Porsche with the control of an old pro. Fumiaki certainly can't resist Mikaze's offer to show him around town, and so he effectively derelicts his duty, leaving Maya to do a little Tengu hunting of her own - A state of affairs which looks set to land her in a tight spot.

Ironically, you almost get the feeling that Fumiaki isn't the only one to forget about the Tengu problem, as you get the feeling that this instalment of Occult Academy has either forgotten or doesn't care about it too much either, instead making the most of the opportunities Fumiaki presents when it comes to injecting some humour into proceedings. To be fair though, this actually works pretty well - Although this episode isn't the height of hilarity it did get a fair few laughs out of me, and I can only hope that there's a little more hidden depth to this episode than first meets the eye; certainly, it's hard to believe that a waitress can afford a new Porsche. In a way, I'm actually pleased to see this series not taking itself too seriously, as I think it would have been the death of it - This bring and breezy demeanour which barely seems to care about its only major plot points is rather endearing in a series about the occult, and although it still runs the risk of becoming tiring I have to hold my hand up and admit that I still enjoyed this episode all things considered.

Occult Academy - Episode 2

The end to Occult Academy's first episode ended with a naked man being beamed down from the sky, Terminator style (well, okay, it was a little less stylish with that) - Of course, that might seem unusual to you, but let me tell you it happens down here on the south coast of England all the time.

Anyway, Maya's reaction to said random naked guy was the expected and understandable one - Scream and run, and despite this nude man giving chase eventually she makes her safe escape. With that little oddity out of the way, Maya returns to her plan of taking over Waldstein Academy from her father as laid out in his will, so that she can run the whole thing into the ground and put an end to this crazy occult academy.


At least that was the plan until a new history teacher who goes by the (false) name of Abe Minoru shows up - A teacher who also happens to be a renowned spoon-bender as a child (Japan's Uri Geller if you will), and more importantly the guy that dropped out of the sky wearing nothing but a vague smile. Of course, this isn't the most happy reuniting of these two characters, but it does let us learn both Minoru's reason for appearing and who those futuristic looking figures at the start of the first episode are. In short, it all boils down to Nostradamus' prophecies (doesn't it always?) of the world coming to an end in 2012, which takes in an alien invasion and Abe travelling back through time to 1999 to try and prevent this cataclysmic event. Throw in a mobile phone that can take pictures and translate them into that object's appearance in 2012 (take that Eden of the East!), and you're pretty much up to speed.

With all of that backstory out of the way, the rest of this episode is really just an enjoyable romp to bring Maya and Minoru's goals into line, making the most of both the occult setting and Maya's violent tendencies to kick things into life. It has to be said that after not being entirely convinced by the first episode, I'm now absolutely in love with Maya's character - Never mind that white dress or having her running around in nothing but a towel, she's a hilarious bundle of contradictions that is brilliant to watch, largely on account of her ever-changing facial expressions which is set off perfectly by Minoru's own demeanour. Despite its rather "heavy" plot of impending apocalypse and hints of decidedly unfriendly factions at work, Occult Academy still seems determined to have fun with its setting, bringing about a few laughs in the process while also managing to actually put together the odd moment of classic horror "what's going to happen" tension.

So far so good then - This has been one of the most enjoyable episodes of a summer season show I've watched so far, and although it's early days I'm already feeling a little pleasing with myself for picking up on the Ghostbusters-esque vibe this show holds; I really hope it can keep up that blend of comic action as the series progresses.

Occult Academy - Episode 1

It seems that no matter the year, you can never get away from proponents of doom foreseeing the end of the world - It's happening now with 2012 looming, and of course we all remember the big fuss some people were making about 1999 and its sense of "end of a century" foreboding.

It's 1999 that we visit for the latest offering in TV Tokyo's Anime no Chikara project, with A-1 Pictures once again doing the honours with Occult Academy, or Seikimatsu Occult Gakuin if you prefer. We're introduced to this particular world via Maya, a girl who is on a journey whose endpoint is Waldstein Academy, a place whose reputation precedes it, giving it the nickname "Occult Academy" due to the bizarre goings-on rumoured to occur there.


We soon learn that Maya is visiting the academy to attend the funeral of her father, an eccentric with an over-bearing interest in the occult that led to him founding and acting as principle of the aforementioned Academy himself. Of course, given his interests you just know this isn't going to be any old run-of-the-mill funeral, and before we know it a cassette recording of his voice (you'd have thought the guy would record it to MP3, this is 1999 not 1989) has summoned some kind of spirit into his body, causing all kinds of havoc and leaving his daughter to pick up the pieces, to her obvious irritation.

It's always tough to know what to make of a show such as this one from a single episode, but it certainly made for an interesting introduction to Occult Academy, mixing a large dollop of humour into its world of the bizarre and some human interest to make for an opener that channelled Ghostbusters somewhat with its irreverent treatment of its subject matter. I would imagine that this series can only hope that I'm still making Ghostbusters comparisons by the end of it all, but whether it can achieve anything close to that remains to be seen - It seems like we're still a little way off getting to grips with the true nature of Occult Academy and the direction its looking to head in, but for now it's proved to be a vaguely enjoyable (if not breath-taking) romp.