Tokko: Volume 1

Anime fans have had more than their fair share of demons, scantily clad heroines and brooding protagonists over the years, but can the latest series from Manga Entertainment squeeze any more mileage out of this winning formula?

‘Tokko: Volume 1’ serves up the first four episodes of a thirteen part series, and focuses on Ranmaru, a recent graduate of the Special Mobile Investigations Troops First Division training academy (otherwise known as Tokko), and his first few days on the job. A survivor of a massacre at the Machida apartments, he is every bit the wide-eyed rookie, seeking vengeance for the murder of his parents.

First on the scene of a series of gruesome murders Ranmaru quickly realises that something far more deadly than a deranged psychopath is on the loose – human-faced-maggot spewing zombies, multi-limbed demons and a scientist with more than a couple of eyes too many are just a few of the horrors our hero must confront. It’s a good job then that the mysterious Tokko division are on hand. Wielding swords instead of pistols, Tokko are the explanation for the severed limbs and an enigma that Ranmaru must unravel,

This is by no means an anime masterpiece, yet these opening chapters are never the less fairly enjoyable. Borrowing liberally from films such as ‘Urotsukidoji’, ‘Wicked City’, ‘Men in Black’ and ‘The Matrix’, it wears its’ influences on its sleeve. This combination of elements does bear fruit, with the production often achieving a genuine sense of unease (a creaking sound-scope of digitalised static lending a perfect atmosphere to the on-screen gore). The plot is not stunningly original, but it does generally succeed in retaining the viewer’s interest despite occasionally losing momentum.

‘Tokko’ does suffer from moments of ‘comedy’ that will most probably leave everyone but die-hard anime fans scratching their heads. Largely revolving around suggestions of an incestuous relationship between Ranmaru and his sister, Saya, these light-hearted interludes do function as a respite from the melodrama, dismemberment and foghorn voiced police chiefs nevertheless.

‘Tokko’ clearly revels in the absurd, yet there are moments of real drama, with Ranmaru’s flashbacks handled with particular finesse. It is solidly scripted, well animated and, although the characters rarely move far beyond anime stereotypes, the plot (though often absurd) unfolds at a satisfying pace. It does little to lift itself above the competition in a very crowded genre, but is worth a look nonetheless.