Ushio & Tora

After a long search, I finally stumbled upon a lesser-known anime series among the plethora of battle anime from the nineties. What sets it apart is that it doesn't rely on dragged-out fight scenes spanning multiple episodes, nor does it drown in excessive melodrama. The main characters, including two charming young ladies, are instantly likable, and the quality of artwork and animation holds up surprisingly well considering its production era. The soundtrack is solid, humor is plentiful, and it captures that indescribable essence I seek in nineties content, which is fully present here in all its glory. Undoubtedly, the series' greatest strength lies in its sense of humor, largely thanks to the excellently voiced yōkai character, Tora. His hilarious antics stem from his cluelessness about the modern world and his peculiar relationship with Ushio. The action scenes carry momentum and suspense, while the villains exude charisma for the most part. Although there are a few inconsistencies throughout the season (like when Tora's punch creates massive cracks in the ground, but his full force impact on a storefront barely does anything?!), they are easy to overlook and don't significantly detract from the overall impression. Overall, I would rate it a solid four stars, albeit a slightly lower rating. I was somewhat bothered by the episodic nature of the storytelling and the absence of a grand overarching plot, particularly towards the end. However, that doesn't change my opinion that the relatively obscure Ushio and Tora stands at least two notches above the highly acclaimed Yu Yu Hakusho: Ghost Files. (07.03.2015)