Ghost Hound

     I figured that continuing with the ghost theme would make a nice transition into Ghost Hound... WHAT!? you've never heard of Ghost Hound and you're already thinking about skipping over this review? don't be so hasty grasshopper, consider this a token of my gratitude. This truly is a diamond in the rough of a series. I cannot overstate that fact. It incorporates psychological, philosophical, and Shinto(religion) aspects, to grasp the happenings in the series. And just like Ghost in the Shell, this anime was manifested by Masamune Shirow. You'll notice a correlation of concepts used between the two.

   - Astral projections/Outer body experiences and linking to the net are the same ideas; both demonstrate the ability to connect a world beyond our real world awareness, while being in a state of mind, that leaves the body dormant without a conscious.

   - The question "What makes us alive?", plays itself into both series as well. In Ghost in the Shell, it's if a living 'thing' can be have a full cybernetic body. In Ghost Hound there are these things called, "Bioids", which are possibly living organ-holders used for growing human organs. If you find yourself asking how can you grow organs? it's difficult to explain. First you would need stem cells, which are found in the umbilical cord, bone marrow, and in the blastocyst. Once you've obtained the cells, theoretically you can encode them to become any organ you'd like in the human body. During the onset of the show, you begin to see how the bioids are handled by being trapped in pods, and you can get a sense of the fear in them. Emotion, obviously an important component of being a human.

     Ghost Hound is about a boy named Taro, who after seeing a new psychologist is diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. The traumatic event that happened in his past is that him and his sister were kidnapped. The answer to who kidnapped them is a mystery throughout the anime. After years passed though it became a taboo-esque topic, until Masayuki, transfer student, moves into town and begins poking around for answers.
     Amidst this perplexing game of detective, we're introduced to Makoto, who we learn is Taro's cousin. And it was Makoto's father who is the suspected person who kidnapped Taro, but he was run over by a truck when running away from the scene of the crime. Therefore, we're left unsure who deserved to be apprehended.
     Never have I seen an anime where there are so many characters explained in depth. Nearly every character you become acquainted with will have a history that links in with one of the three main characters(Taro, Masayuki, Makoto) storylines. The outer body experiences add an element of mystical-ness to everything. Trust me, this review doesn't even scratch the surface to the greatness of Ghost Hound. It's in my top five all-time anime series. The only drawback is that the ending was rushed. There are only 22 episodes, but it is exceptionally done.