Kekkaishi

[Jeebus201]

Most of the shows Adult Swim aired have at least one redeeming feature. Geass had Ok action, Moribito had beautiful artwork, Tim and Eric offer a few guffaws every season depending, and even one and done shows like Mongo Wrasslin have cool concepts.

But this show has nothing redeemable about it in the context of Adult Swim. It's an unabashed kids show with no adult hook (Clone Wars is connected to the multi-billion dollar Star Wars franchise), characters that are unlikable kids (Bleach has women over 18) blase action scenes that are animated so poorly Tom Goes to the Mayor looks like Cowboy Bebop in comparison, childish humor without even a hint of adult content (Brotherhood at least tried for adult themes, although it failed miserably) and in general is a big stain on an already horrible action block.

This show has no redeeming factors. At all.

[Darkstar_Zero]

You're saying this show is worse than Bleach?

[Jeebus201]

At one point Bleach may have been considered good although today it's a troll fest.

Kekkaishi was never anything but an aggravating kids show.

[-Gaynor79-]

For once, you and I agree on something. Kekkaishi is garbage.

[BUU8800]

I dunno if I'd say worst but it seemed subpar for the most part. I watched the entire series (more or less) on AS and while I enjoyed some episodes at least partially too many were boring or dissapointing. I still think it would've been MUCH better/more interesting if the older brother was the focus though. As it is I found the main character to be a weak and uninteresting lead. I'm no expert on the series or anything though...

[helpme]

---

-Gaynor79- wrote:
For once, you and I agree on something. Kekkaishi is garbage.

---

[Jeebus201]

I used "last six years" instead of all time for a reason. I mean, there may have been worse shows. Like, one or two tops.

But this show is every negative anime cliche wrapped into a big ol basked of fail. It literally provides nothing of interest. This is the sort of show that turns people off to the block.

novirginsallowed.com/adultswim/articles/index.html

[Top_Gun]

Out of curiousity, how does linking to an ancient website with horribly-written "opinions" on [as] series have any bearing on the topic at hand? Or am I better off not asking?

[Jeebus201]

Nothing directly, although I find attitudes like that are born from blind defense of shows like Kekkaishi, shows with no redeeming quality lauded as masterpieces solely on the basis of geographic origin. 

[mgangel1124]

I liked the gay ghost dogs.

[Top_Gun]

Uh-huh.

[Jeebus201]

That idea was so stupid Carlos Mencina wouldn't steal it.

[zoid9000]

Kekkaishi has much more substance than Bleach and most anime of its genre. 

While I agree with you on the fact that it doesn't have an "adult hook," that doesn't mean it's devoid of good writing and solid character development. 

Overall, the largest problem with Kekkaishi is that the story was never fully completed in anime form, so viewers miss out on a lot of the later pay-off. In the end though, the series itself has an interesting plot and setting, it just developed too slowly for most people. However to claim it has no redeeming features is bullshit. 

1/10 troll

At least it got me to reply. 

[Top_Gun]

What I find amusing is that some of the issues I did have with Kekkaishi's character development and usage are things that Bleach has abused much more egregiously.

[Jeebus201]

I'll agree.

Bleach started out good, then descended into an almost comical parody of a shounen. Is it anyone wonder both Toriko and Shingeki no Kyojin are outselling it?

But Bleach had a good start. Kekkaishi from Day 1 was insufferable. The characters were not likable from the get go as opposed to turning into cardboard cutouts like Bleach. The designs were crap (Kubo fails at a lot, but most of his designs look good enough) and the action was boring to watch.

At no point was the show good. Bleach at least hooked people before jumping the shark themed arracnar.

[Top_Gun]

Kekkaishi had a shaky start after its first episode or two, but it definitely started introducing more elements of its backstory and mythology as the series progressed. By the end of the series, there were several overarching plot points in play that were set up to be the main focus of the story as it progressed beyond the anime's end. I'd certainly be willing to watch a continuation of the anime if it were ever made.

[Jeebus201]

And to get that far, you had to sit through a show that reveled in its immaturity, presented boring battles, characters who weren't sympathetic in the slightest, and just a sense of "Why?  Why air this?  There are thousands of superior shows, what makes this one the one you had to air?"

And then fans of the medium would weep gently into the night.  OK maybe not that last part, but it was hard not to be dissapointed.

[zoid9000]

---

Jeebus201 wrote:

 "Why?  Why air this?  There are thousands of superior shows, what makes this one the one you had to air?"

---

This is your main problem, you continue to look at the show in this light and bash it to no end. However, if this had never aired on [as] I doubt it would have ever recieved such negative attention. When [as] airs something people have certain expectations and when those aren't fulfilled they look for excuses to bash the property. Personally, I'm glad that Kekkaishi aired on [as] since I'm sure that was a factor that contributed to its DVD release - but it's unfortunate that many people who don't like the genre in the first place aren't willing to give the show any slack. 

Anyway, "boring battles" and "unsympathetic characters" are definitely subjective interpretations of the show.

I never found the battles boring, but actually quite refreshing. Where shows like Bleach and Naruto rely upon swords and weapons and power-ups, Kekkaishi has always relied on the wit of the characters to employ battle strategies - especially since their powers are quite flexible and unique. In the end a lot of people just looked it at as, putting a box around an enemy and blowing it up, but the challenges that the characters were faced with in battle forced them to adapt new techniques in strategies. That's endlessly better than giving the main character a bigger sword (or smaller sword...in some cases) to slash with. 

In regards to the characters I always found them particularly interesting because they mange to break a lot of cliches. Yoshimori is particularly noteworthy in my opinion because he's sketpical about doing the duty which was forced upon him - his consistent questioning of the established rules always leads to better plot development. Likewise, Tokine was a consistently strong female character who almost always kept up with Yoshimori through more consistent use of her wits over his raw power. While these elements aren't necessarily unique to Kekkaishi I certainly think they were portrayed better here than they have been in other shounen - the most notable being Bleach and Naruto. 

While you can easily say that Kekkaishi started out weak, I can fully agree that in the beginning are some of its lowest points. But in my opinion the build-up eventually led to a well developed story with compelling characters and a plot that could have (and did in the manga) go farther. No matter how you compare it - something with lasting appeal towards the end is better than a strong start and a weak finish like Bleach. Ultimately though I think what it comes down to with people like you is that Kekkaishi was aimed at children - which is clearly evident - and yet it aired on a channel for adults and teens. If the content had perhaps taken the same elements and made them more "mature" people would have been more receptive to it. But then I look back and think about Inuyasha and that was practically the same thing with more blood and a female main character, not to mention the forced romance. In comparison to that Kekkashi seems far more appealing, at least for me. 

[Jeebus201]

To put it in context, let me say out and out this is more a rant than a troll. I'm not trying to say people are stupid for liking this show, since I see how people could like it. The problem is, all those people are under age 13.

Everything about this show screamed pointlessness and hostility towards the viewer. Even the announcement was a gigantic letdown, a hype balloon violently deflating. It had been over a year since we got something that wasn't a sequel/remake and we get...something that would have been laughed off of Toonami.

(For about two seconds, I thought they announced Kenichi, so that didn't help either).

Everything about the show was so childish and uninviting. Right from the get go, the show goes "We're a kids show, deal with it or change the channel.". The opening theme was oppressively bad. The characters and designs were stock. The humor was immature and not funny. "LOL the dogs are gay". I'm sorry, but Tim and Eric got taken to task for Married News Team, and that was freaking subtle in comparison.

The battles are a joke. They're poorly animated, and not exciting. You'd think being a shounen making the battles interesting would be important, but no. Boxes people.

Any good show needs to give you a reason to watch. This gave me reason upon reason to stay away.

[RPD]

It kinda is crap. I watched an episode a couple weeks ago and it seemed disjointed. It was like they threw in every cliched anime thing and stirred the pot...

[boborudnik]

Just can't let go, huh?

And you probably thought Diaz beat Condit..."just bleed"

[Jeebus201]

I had to get it off my chest before the contract expired.   Why this show quite frankly pissed me off so much.  The fact that, as a show on Adult Swim, it did everything, literally everything wrong. 

And I scored the fight for Condit 48-47.

[mgangel1124]

---

Jeebus201 wrote:

Any good show needs to give you a reason to watch. This gave me reason upon reason to stay away.

---

And yet you kept coming back.

[Jeebus201]

No I didn't, but I did want to rant about it.

[Jeebus201]

To elaborate, I see, all the time, people loudly complaining about how comedy fans are stupid and live action fans are morons, and how comedy viewers are bottom feeding mouth breathers. And then you and show people THIS. It's like when Spike TV disses FX and Archer and airs 1000 ways to die and TNA Impact. Your house is one of glass. Why cats stones?