Customer Reviews

Ghost Sweeper Mikami (Vol. 1)

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I first watched "Ghost Sweeper Mikami" back in 1994 and the first episodes of the TV series were humorous and I enjoyed it a lot.

The television series introduced a a money loving ghost-demon-vamprie hunter named Mikami and in each episode we get to know more about her and each member of her team that joins her for each case.

This is what I enjoyed about the television series is the fact that you got a chance to grow with the characters and fully enjoy the series because it is a humorous series and quite fun.

Almost a decade later, the DVD of the series is finally released in the US but not the release that I was expecting.

"Ghost Sweeper Mikami" features the final two episodes of the anime television series and what I enjoyed the series for, the ability to grow and enjoy the characters has been removed from this series.

What you see is a group of people assisting Mikami going against Nosferatu. No one knows about the other characters and why they act the way they do and thus my feeling is that people who watch this are not really going to get it.

Hopefully Manga Entertainment will plan to release the series on DVD but with the final two TV episodes combined to make like a movie, just doesn't seem right without the proper background knowledge of the characters. Without it, you can't really appreciate this anime.

As for the DVD, since this was a TV series based in the early 90's, you can't expect top notch anime compared to movies or OAV's but you get to watch a series created by cels instead of the typical comptuer animation used in anime today.

As for audio, the digital 5.1 has an awesome track but since I'm a Japanese language purists, I rather watch the series in that format via English subtitles but I did switch time from time to hear the 5.1 track which was really good.

As for special features, there's a photo gallery and character bio information and of course the typical Manga trailers they include on every DVD.

All in all "Ghost Sweeper Mikami" is a great series that was intended for people to watch the television series and enjoy the character development with each episode not by skipping to the final two episodes of the TV series and then enjoying it from there. It just doesn't seem right. The series is quite entertaining but to watch the final two episodes, I'm not sure if the viewer who hasn't watched the previous episodes can truly enjoy or appreciate this entertaining series.

If you have not seen at least a few episodes of the TV series it you may not enjoy this movie since it is set at the end of the series. There is no introduction to the charactors since it is expected you know them from watching the series. It's too bad that non of the TV series has been released in R1.

Note: The english track has had all of the music replaced, and music has been added where there is non in the original. The Japanese track has not been changed.

The dvd is is great condition. No scratches and it does not skip. This a a must see for anyone who loves a combination of paranormal ghost and monster hunting that is sort of a parady of Buffy the vampire slayer. FYI there is also a tv series that this movie is based on and is coming to america for the first this November! Unfortunatly, the tv series is only in its japanese dub, just to let you know.

This item is mislabeled. "Ghost Sweeper Mikami (Vol. 1)" implies that it is the first volume of the Ghost Sweeper Mikami TV series, it is not. It is the 60 minute movie/OVA Ghost Sweeper Mikami: The Ultmate Vampire Slayer! which based off of the TV Series. As it turns out, the TV series was never dubbed in english. Don't get me worng, I still enjoyed the movie, it just that some people would be confused by the title. That aside, I fond it very funny, just like the book series it was originally based on. Even though it's not what I was expecting, I'm still going to keep it. Maybe one day Manga will dubbed the TV series.

Wow. The fact that this rather muddled and non-representative OVA is the only Ghost Sweeper Mikami entry to make its way to our shores is nothing less than criminal. It's like putting out the Sailor Moon OVA/movies...and none of the series. Or the Fushigi Yuugi OVAs...and not the series. Or the Magic Knight Rayearth OVAs...and neither of the series. In other words, quite possibly the stupidest marketing decision EVER in the history of anime. It's almost like they were TRYING to sabotage acceptance of the series over here - put out the worst, least representative thing ever associated with the series, and when it tanks, oh well, we can say we tried!

All I can say about this is somebody, please wake up and bring over the Ghost Sweeper Mikami series. It's funny, cute, and has some endearing characters (Okinu in particular). This OVA/movie is just a mess.