Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Buffy fans take note..., June 5, 2002
Devil Hunter Yohko was one of the very first anime I saw way back when ADV was a little company that everyone never heard of. It was and is one of my favorite anime series. It chronicles the story of Yohko, a young high school girl that has a special destiny. She is actually the 108th generation of Devil Hunters...mystical warriors who fight the forces of darkness and evil. While this may sound similar to Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Yohko came first. Yes, even before the movie. Perhaps Buffy was even influenced by Yohko, as Joss Whedon is a comic fan. This release contains the first three episodes in Japanese as well as English. Also included are some art, music video, and some commentary. I only watched the sub version. Perhaps the Amazon reviewer watched the show in English because obviously in the sub version his loopholes such as a devil hunter having to be a virgin are clearly explained after the end of the first episode, and we find out that the esteemed line of Devil Hunters must stay pure only until they actually become a Devil Hunter. After that, all bets are off. Watching this show now, nearly 10 years later, I'm surprised at how well it stacks up against today's shows. While there is the typical gratuitous nudity, sexual situations, and violence present even in today's anime, Yohko is instantly likeable as she struggles with life trying to balance her secret demon hunting career and her hormones/high school life. Sound familiar? Laced with humor and gags, Yohko is a funny show. Another great feature is the music. I really like the music in Devil Hunter Yohko. Perhaps it's just nostalgia creeping it's head up but, the music is quite catchy. Granted, it can seem a bit much, and I agree that it is a fan service fest, as Yohko seems to lose much clothing, but there is still something about it that appeals to me. Not being into the gratuitous nudity and sex, I ordinarily would shun a show like this. Like I said, it may be nostalgia rearing it's head, because I enjoyed this show and recommend it to fans of Buffy if only to what may have even been it's original inspiration.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
One of the timeless classics., July 8, 2005
The very first anime ever released by ADVision, this is still one of the best, even in this day and age of shows like AZUMANGA DIAOH, EXCELL SAGA, and MAGICAL SHOPPING ARCADE ABENOBASHI.
Regarding Amazon's plot description, there is no plot hole regarding the part about devil hunters and virginity. I guess that guy must not have been paying close enough attention. Let me make it clear for you: a girl born into the Mono family must remain a virgen until the first time she blossoms and becomes a devil hunter. If she loses her virginity BEFORE that happens, she loses the ability to become a devil hunter forever. If she loses her virginity AFTER she becomes a devil hunter for the first time, she no longer has anything to worry about (at least as far as her powers go). Because Yohko's granny didn't have sex until after she became a devil hunter, she got to keep her demon slaying powers for life. (This is made pretty clear in both the dub and sub versions of the show.)
As for other plotholes, Yohko and Chi's gawky male friend who is first seduced and then possesed by the principal disapears after the first episode and we're never told what happened to him. However, it's always possible his family could have moved to another town and taken him with him.
However, in episode 2 we meet Azusa, a girl who is perhaps slightly younger than Yohko who has a magic bracelet of her own and wants to become a devil hunter too and wants to learn from Yohko. While Azusa is certainly a cute character, and it's interesting watching Yohko fight with a partner, and the English voice actor, Kimberly Yates, does a great job in the role, it's problematic to the story. The first chapter gives you the impression that you actually have to be born into the Mono family to become a devil hunter, but apparently now any teenage chick with a magic bracelet can become one (at least as long as she's still a virgen.)
Then we come to the final episode, when Yohko meets her twin cousin, Ayako. We never meet Ayako's mom. Did SHE lose her virginity too early, too? (Boy, what would the odds of THAT be, huh?) Or was she killed in combat against a demon? We are never told. The biggest gap in the entire series, however, comes in the form of Ayako's partner, Azuka's twin, who is dubbed simply "Azuka #2". Did Azuka also have a twin we were never told about? Where did she get her magic bracelet? (How many of those things are there, anyway?) When Yohko asks the question of where Azuka's doppleganger came from, her grandma simply tells her, (and the audience,) "Well, maybe it's just one of the 7 wonders of the world!" Gee, thanks alot, guys.
Finally, regarding the dub, one other reviewer said it was horrid. Generally I try to respect everyone's opinion, but I have to take issues with this one here. I mean, cripes, just how good do the actors have to be to satisfy you?! I myself belive whole-heartedly that the English voice actors fit their characters perfectly, and I'd hate to hear anyone eles doing them. I became an instant fan of Amanda Winn's (English voice of Yohko,) the first time I saw this. Also, what ever happened to the person who did the voice of Yohko's vampy mother, or the young grandmother in episode 5 (which would actually be episode 4 if you don't count the music videos episode)? Both of them were wonderful also, but I don't think I've seen them in anything eles. If you're open to watching dubbed anime, I don't see how you could dislike this.
Anyway, this is a must-own for any true anime fan.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Incoherent Yet Entertaining, December 25, 2003
Most of the episodes in this series were humorous and entertaining, yet when you have a collection with many episodes, you would think each one would build on what the other showed which wasn't the case in Devil Hunter Yohko. Each episode presented different stories and introduced random characters who were supposed to serve as main characters with a great say in how the episodes played out, but weren't able to do so since they weren't portrayed all throughout the series. The humor in this series is specifically geared towards adults as it consists of an abundance of nudity and fowl language that most parents wouldn't find suitable for children. Overall, there was a fair amount of action and gore in every episode, though I would be a little hesitant to list it in the horror genre. Devil Hunter Yohko uses ideas of both Buffy: The Vampire Slayer and Sailor Moon to present its theme and purpose for Yohko being a devil hunter. Also, this series does not consist of 6 episodes but rather 5. The 4th episode is merely a music video collection about the series as a whole, yet the story still ends as it should and does not leave the viewer hanging. The 2 DVD's as a whole consist of both dubbed and subtitled versions of all the episodes, a few music videos concerning the series, and a wide array of trailors in the separate disk by AVD Films. The clarity of the picture is superb and very impressive. In sum, if you're looking for a decent anime with interesting action scenes, an interesting plot, and loads of humor, then by all means check Devil Hunter Yohko out.
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