♬ r y u k i ~ b l o g =^^=: Psychic Detective Yakumo

Psychic Detective Yakumo (心霊探偵八雲 Shinrei Tantei Yakumo^?) is a novel by Manabu Kaminaga published in Nihon Bungeisha with illustrations by Katoh Akatsuki and later in Kadokawa Bunko with cover illustrations by Yasushi Suzuki. The book has been adapted into two manga series, an anime, a live-action drama series and a stage play.

Plot summary

Yakumo Saitou, a reserved College student, was born with a red left eye. This eye, which he usually hides behind a contact lens, gives him the ability to see ghosts and spirits and has brought him many hardships throughout his life. Even though this special vision could easily scare anyone, it doesn't scare Yakumo. He strongly believes ghosts and spirits are feelings left behind, bound to earth because of a certain 'cause'. It is his opinion that by talking with them, he can eliminate that 'cause' and release them, allowing them to rest in peace. One day, a fellow College student named Haruka Ozawa knocks on his door, asking for help to save her friend, who she believes to be possessed. Reluctantly, he accepts, and thus begins a story full of unsolved supernatural events, bound to be deciphered by the two, and Yakumo's journey to release his heart from his painful past.^[1]

Characters

Yakumo Saito (斉藤八雲 Saito Yakumo^?): Voiced by: Daisuke Ono; Yakumo is the main protagonist, a college student who lives at the filming club room in school. He acts like a stranger and is not good with other people. He has the special ability to see ghosts. He was born with heterochromia; a difference in eye color, the left one a crimson red, which he sees ghosts with. He believes ghosts and spirits are bound to earth because of a certain 'cause' and simply eliminating that 'cause' will those spirits rest in peace. Being asked for help by Ozawa Haruka, they begin the investigation together.; Yakumo is blunt, sarcastic, and often comes off as cold or condescending. He also does not care about what others think. However, he has a kind heart and will help whomever comes to ask him for help. He often uses tricks and traps to gain what he wants; for example, he tricked a teacher, whose classes Yakumo often skipped, in to believing that he was cursed with a supernatural affliction and in payment for 'exorcism', full class credits. He often teases Gotou and Haruka about their relationships and intelligence. He has a surprisingly strong sweet tooth, as he often eats parfaits. Yakumo is also very ticklish; he automatically crashes in to the nearest wall from shock when somebody (namely Haruka) pokes him in the hip. Yakumo is shown to be highly intelligent, observant, and logical, often solving mysteries before the police. Yakumo is sensitive about only being able to see and speak to spirits and not being to exorcise them. He often feels helpless at his own powerlessness. Yakumo is exceptionally guarded with his feelings and is close to very few people: Haruka, Gotou, his uncle Isshin, and his younger cousin Nao (the last he is very gentle with). He will go at great lengths for these people and risk his life to save them. Many think that Yakumo changed a little after meeting Haruka and appears to have developed feelings for her.

Haruka Ozawa (小沢晴香 Ozawa Haruka^?): Voiced by: Ayumi Fujimura; She is a second year student and asks Yakumo to save her friend Miki from demons possesing her. She is the first person who is not frightened of Yakumo's different eyes or his ability to see ghosts. She even says they are beautiful, as Yakumo's uncle once predicted. Because of Yakumo, she is able to see her twin sister who died in an car accident when she was seven years old. She was always blaming herself for this, seeing as her sister was chasing a ball she threw onto the road. Later, Yakumo reassures her that it wasn't her fault, and shows her an image of her sister, smiling, in the anime.; Haruka seems to have some feelings toward Yakumo, which develop into some kind of crush.

Kazutoshi Gotou (後藤和利 Gotou Kazutoshi^?): Voiced by: Hiroki Touchi; Gotou is a middle aged detecive who is a little bit workaholic. He has known Yakumo for a long time now and always calls him if there's a paranormal involvement in the case he's investigating in. Yakumo often toys with him, whether it is commenting if his wife has left him or telling him the lie that his assistant Yuutarou is gay (which is proven false by his crush on Haruka). Ten years ago he saved Yakumo from his mother who tried to kill him.

Yuutarou Ishii (石井雄太郎 Ishii Yuutarou^?): Voiced by: Tokuyoshi Kawashima; Detective who works under Detective Gotou and admires him as the Occult Detective. He starts to love supernatural aspects but after seeing them for real he gets a little bit scared of it. Gotou suspected him of being gay for a short period of time, though this turns out to be a false interpretation of Ishii's infatuation and, as it turns out, Ishii has developed a crush on Haruka.

Makoto Hijikata (土方　真琴 Hijikata Makoto^?): Voiced by: Megumi Toyoguchi; She is a reporter who helps Yakumo and his team for investigation. Her father is also a high-standing person in the police. She was at one point possesed by the ghost of a necrophobic whose desire to live caused him to manifest in her body, with both souls struggling to keep the body for quite some time, but was later saved by Yakumo. She has feelings for Ishii

Nao Saito (斉藤　奈緒 Saito Nao^?): Voiced by: Ami Koshimizu; Younger cousin of Yakumo, Nao has been deaf since birth and lives with Isshin Saito in a Buddhist temple. She is unable to hear but is able to sense the feelings of those around her very clearly.

Isshin Saito (斉藤一心 Saito Isshin^?): Voiced by: Toshihiko Seki; He is Yakumo's uncle and father of Nao. He is kind of a father for Yakumo and lives in a Buddhist temple. In order to make Yakumo feel a little bit more comfortable he wears a red adherent lens. Also Isshin was the one who named Yakumo.

Miyuki Nanase (七瀬　美雪 Nanase Miyuki^?): Voiced by: Ryoka Yuzuki; Assistant in evil to Yakumo's biological father. Miyuki is shown as being physically strong, mentally twisted and very loyal to Yakumo's father.

Anime adaptation

Main article: List of Psychic Detective Yakumo episodes

An anime adaptation produced by Bee Train, written by Hiroyuki Kawasaki, and directed by Tomoyuki Kurokawa began airing in Japan on October 3, 2010. .^[2] Minako Shiba designed the characters and Daisuke Ono and Ayumi Fujimura were casted as the lead roles, with the opening theme songs also performed by Ono. The songs, "Key," "Key Phase 2," and "Key Phase 3," were released on November 17, 2010.