Nura: Rise of the Yokai Clan Volume 1

Rikuo Nura, a bespectacled, good-natured twelve-year-old, attends school like other boys his age. But when he goes home… he’s welcomed by the many yokai (demons) who are the members of the Nura Clan and serve his grandfather, the Supreme Commander of the Night Parade of One Hundred Demons. Rikuo’s thirteenth birthday is approaching, the age at which a yokai attains maturity, and the clan members are growing increasingly anxious about the succession. Young Master Rikuo seems far too human (he’s only one quarter demon) and likes the company of his school friends rather too much. Supposing he decides to reject his demon blood and decline the role of Third Head of the Nura Clan? Tensions are running high in the Nura household – and the arrival of a new classmate at Rikuo’s school, Yura, only makes matters worse. Yura is a young onmyoji (a wielder of yin and yang magic) who has learned to summon several powerful shikigami, and she has come to Tokyo to seek out and destroy evil yokai! Add to the mix Rikuo’s over-enthusiastic classmate Kiyotsugu Kiyojūji whose passion is learning everything there is to know about yokai, even though he fails to notice that Rikuo is accompanied by two rather unusual ‘school friends,’ Tsurara and Ao, really Yuki-Onna, the Snow Woman, and the giant Aotabō, who alter their appearances to guard their young master at all times. Kiyotsugu sets up the Kiyojūji Paranormal Investigation Patrol and drags the reluctant Rikuo along on his demon hunts – yet often, to his frustration misses the real action.

It soon becomes apparent that not only are there threats to Rikuo’s life from outside the clan, but also a very real danger of treachery and betrayal inside the clan itself. Matters come to a head when Rikuo and his schoolfriends, led by the over-enthusiastic Kiyotsugu, go off to Mount Nejireme on a yokai-hunting field-trip. Caught in a cunning trap, Rikuo is separated from his friends and forced to fight for his life. When his friends are in danger, mild-natured Rikuo transforms into his powerful Night Form, which greatly resembles his ancestor Nurarihyon, leader of the Parade. And when another dangerous clan appears in Tokyo, murdering and threatening to take over the Nura Clan’s territory, Rikuo will need to use his Night Form’s strengths to save his clan – or be destroyed. The problem is that his Night Form only appears at night and the rival clan are ready to attack at any time.

Hiroshi Shiibashi’s popular ongoing shonen manga has been adapted as a TV series by director Junji Nishimura and his team and if you’re a fan of anime with a strong flavour of Japanese folklore (as I am) then you’re sure to enjoy Nura. There are all manner of yokai to appreciate: from the more familiar Karasu Tengu (crow demons) and water-based Kappa to the diminutive Nattō Kozō; there are quaint and comical ones, and genuinely scary and grotesque monsters. The introduction uses the traditional depiction of the Parade of One Hundred Demons and from time to time, especially in the story of Lord Gyuki, the artwork draws on historic Japanese styles, creating some ravishing stills and backgrounds.

Nura makes an agreeable watch, even if sometimes the elements of everyday school story and the alternate world of the yokai sit a little unconvincingly side-by-side. Its charm lies in the characterisation and Rikuo (Jun Fukuyama/Darrel Guilbeau) in his schoolboy day form makes a likable and unpretentious hero. Onmyoji Yura (Ai Maeda/Sophie Roberts) is rather endearing in her earnest desire to protect others; in later episodes, we see her in a supermarket queue trying – not very successfully – to compete with the local housewives to buy cut-price food (and failing.) It’s tough having to fend for yourself in Tokyo and fight yokai at the same time.

One of the most distracting elements comes with the soundtrack (by Kouhei Tanaka, best known for One Piece.) Unfortunately, the composer has stuck rather too closely to the director’s temp track (I imagine) because Rikuo’s theme is so similar to John Williams’s theme for Harry Potter that it really jars (it’s even used for the eye-catches.) A pity, for at other times, Tanaka’s score works very well, enhancing the moments of supernatural mystery and dramatic tension effectively with driving rhythms and ominous choral chanting. The Opening Theme, “Fast Forward” by Monkey Majik, is an expansive song accompanying a colourful animation introducing all the Nura Clan. The Ending Theme “Sparky☆Start” by Katate☆SIZE is performed by Aya Hirano, Yui Horie, and Ai Maeda, the three seiyuu playing the heroines. This is a cute piece of animation and a catchy little song, with chibi versions of the three characters singing and dancing.

From a visual point of view, the character design for young Rikuo (auburn hair, metal-framed glasses) is very reminiscent of that for Negi Springfield, hero of Ken Akamatsu’s Negima! (surely a coincidence…) I’m also not the first to point out the fact the similarities between the dilemma faced by Rikuo/Nurarihyon and a certain Clarke Kent/Superman. When Kana, Rikuo’s classmate, begins to ask some awkward questions about Night Rikuo (after he’s saved her life) it’s difficult not to be reminded of Clarke’s stuttering excuses to Lois Lane. And by the twelfth episode, there’s rivalry developing for Rikuo’s affections between the fiercely faithful Tsurara and classmate Kana. Where will this lead? Unfortunately, as episode 13 is a recap episode, we’ll have to wait for Part 2 to find out.

If, like me, you first watched this when it was streamed, you’ll probably be happier with the original Japanese voice cast and subtitles. Having said that, there are many experienced players in the US dub and it’s always a pleasure to hear performances from actors of the calibre of Taylor Henry bringing a genuine sense of gravity and menace to the shadowy Lord Gyuki, or Mela Lee ably conveying Kana’s confused feelings toward Rikuo. (I just don’t quite understand the 15 certification. There are some scary moments, the odd flash of cleavage, and, inevitably in a shonen series, fights. But Highschool of the Dead is also a 15. The two are in no way comparable.)

In Summary

If you enjoyed Tactics or even xxxHolic, you’re certain to enjoy Nura which ably blends traditional yokai legends with a fast-moving contemporary school story.