Score: 6.79/10
Mayonaka no Occult Koumuin
Synopsis
The Nocturnal Community Relations Division is a team of people who specialize in solving cases involving the ominous occult creatures of the night unseen by ordinary humans. Young and unsuspecting Arata Miyako has been assigned to the Shinjuku Ward Office of the division, where he meets his fellow members Theo Himezuka and Kyouichi Sakaki. On his first night, Arata finds himself on a mission where he discovers to his surprise that not only does every supernatural creature he once thought to be fictional actually exist, but also that he is the only human who can understand their non-human speech. Arata's surprises do not end there, as later that night, he meets a legendary creature called a Tengu that refers to him as the famous Heian-era exorcist, Abe no Seimei. Unfamiliar with the exorcist, Arata pays no mind and continues to work with his team, utilizing his unique ability to assist in the resolution of their cases. Mistaken by many occult creatures as Abe no Seimei and quickly becoming notorious for his special ability during his work, Arata becomes curious of his origins and invests himself more into solving cases regarding occult creatures he encounters once he learns of a certain connection between himself and the exorcist. However, Arata will quickly find that dealing with supernatural creatures is not as simple as he thought, as danger begins to play a fundamental role in his everyday findings and his ability starts to present an unexpected issue. [Written by MAL Rewrite]
Stories about secret government agencies who deal with supernatural matters are commonplace in anime, so what separates this title from a crowded pack? Well, this particular government agency seems to be staffed entirely by bishonen.
Actually, there’s more to it than that. This particular variation on the concept also brings up a few other interesting notions. In this world, mythological creatures from various different belief systems coexist, even if not always peacefully, in a Japanese park. More unusually, being able to see supernatural creatures doesn’t automatically mean you can communicate with them, and these civil servants aren’t exceptions to that rule. The audience piecing this together alongside Miyako makes for a neat story hook, and it also turns Miyako from “the newbie learning the ropes” to a resource of incalculable value to the Nighttime Relations office. That also opens up a big mystery as to why Miyako has this ability, though the episode ends with the implication that he’s the descendant or reincarnation of the famous onmyoji mystic, Abe no Seimei. The mystery then becomes whether or not someone in power knew enough about that and channeled him into this position.
Miyako’s abilities and the circumstances under which he came into the job aren’t the only intriguing details, although it does give him a critical role as an interpreter and possible diplomat to the “Anothers,” fueling potential conflicts in the future. The bit about the police tape that produces a mystic barrier was an amusing twist, but so are the designs for the Anothers. This isn’t the only time I’ve seen angels being portrayed as extra-large, but it does make for a much starker visual difference between them and the tengu. Other supernatural creatures are more typical in design but still well-drawn. The opener and closer also promise more handsome guys (including some supernatural ones) and lavish displays of color.
The real question is whether or not the series has enough appeal to attract viewership beyond the otome and BL fans that it is obviously aimed at. So far I think it’s a borderline case, but I would give it a tentative recommendation for now. You can also free Mayonaka no Occult Koumuin anime watch online and free anime download.
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