The SoulTaker opens to a crime scene. The victim, Kyosuke Date age 17 was stabbed in the heart, by his own mother. Days later, Kyosuke's grave is excavated by a beautiful, young woman named Maaya Misaki who finds Kyosuke very much alive. After taking Kyosuke home with her Maaya is kidnapped by a group of mutants from a mysterious organization simply called the Hospital. Things get even more complicated when we learn that Maaya is not human but rather a strange entity called a Flicker. She and others like her are being hunted by not only the Hospital but the Kirihara Syndicate. When Kyosuke nearly dies while trying to save Maaya, he undergoes a terrifying transformation into a creature called The SoulTaker. Kyosuke must adapt to this new life as The SoulTaker and use his power to battle the Hospital and the Kirihara Syndicate. Along the way he will unravel the horrifying secrets of the Flicker and his own origins.
It's challenging to critique The SoulTaker in terms of its plot because the anime combines science fiction, horror, and mystery to weave a tale that has numerous twists albeit a few plot contrivances here and there. Without going into too great a level of detail, it should be noted that even though The SoulTaker is on the short side i.e. thirteen episodes - half of the length of most anime, it is a very satisfying watch largely because with the exception of one or two episodes, the mystery surrounding the Flickers, Kyosuke's efforts to come to terms with being killed by his own mother, and the machinations of the Hospital and the Kirihara Syndicate are at the forefront of The SoulTaker's plot.
The characters in The SoulTaker are about as unique as the world they inhabit. Kyosuke isn't a typical protagonist in part because despite how things start off, his story doesn't require him to beat the bad guys and save the girl. Unlike some protagonists who wear angst as though it's some kind of fashion statement, Kyosuke is dealing with real challenges that he can't solve by crying or resigning himself to his fate. There's a lot more to it than that as Kyosuke must deal with the tragedy revolving around his mothers death, his own death and resurrection into this new kind of life, and his struggle to maintain his humanity when he forced to live as this thing.
Komugi is another fascinating character and a very bright spot in this dark world. Kyosuke's side-kick and mostly one-sided love interest, Komgui was actually an operative of the Hospital who defected after she fell in love with Kyosuke. While this is something of a contrivance I mentioned earlier, Komugi's defection is at least somewhat believable as she was grateful to the hospital director for saving her life in the past, but she never agreed with the kinds of things the organization was involved in.
While the anime's character designs are not entirely unique, the art style is very much so. The SoulTaker uses a lot of religious iconography and many of the scenes are drawn to mirror depictions of stained glass windows. The environments vibrant colors are juxtaposed against the characters that are sometimes drawn in shadows, and the backgrounds are rarely static. The art isn't too busy but it seems organic and it really helps The SoulTaker standout against more well-known titles that don't have this level of polish. There's also an interesting effect in that the backgrounds will sometimes reflect the mood of the characters themselves. One particular instance of this happening is when Kyosuke descends further and further into madness and the once pristine background shatters.
Voice acting is another area where The Soultaker excels. You’ve heard most of these actors from other anime but Brad Swaille steals the show. Perhaps best known for his role as Light Yagami in Death Note, Brad Swaille also does the voice for main character Kyosuke Date and in doing so he displays the range and intensity for which he is best known. "I'll destroy Kirihara" may not have the same impact as "I'll take a potato chip, and EAT IT" but most of the lines are just as memorable. The opening and ending themes of The SoulTaker are very well done, the opening in particular sounds like a throwback to 1990s sentai shows.
Overall, The SoulTaker is one of the better lesser-known anime out there. Having a limited DVD release and a spot on TechTV's notoriously unpredictable schedule prevented this title from getting the kind of exposure it deserved. Make no mistake this anime is fun to watch, highly entertaining, and the plot is quite different from most anime on the market today while the art style is top notch. Despite its short length the characters are well-developed and the story keeps you on the edge of your seat. This is definitely a title you shouldn't pass up.
- Jetstream Rev
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