DVD review (region 1, 5-disc box set)
Starring the voices of Blake Shepard, Chris Patton, Jessica Boone and Luci Christian
Release date Out now

On the cusp of the modern age, the old ways of Japan are still strong but their time is quickly passing. Ghosts and spirits known as youkai exist in the shadow, half forgotten as the land plunges into an age of technology and modernity. Folklorist and exorcist Kantarou Ichinomiya struggles to make a living while ‘befriending’ spirits, including his housekeeper, a fox spirit called Youko, and a mythical demon-eating goblin he names Haruka…

While many of the stories in Tactics are standalone adventures that focus on a youkai or ghost of the week, the over-arching storyline focuses on Haruka and his forgotten past. Ancient Japan already holds a special kind of fascination thanks to its alien mystique, but the addition of a very different setting (specifically the Taisho period of 1912 to 1926) makes it instantly captivating.

Fans of anime will already be well aware that spirits and youkai are not always nice and so Kantarou’s peaceful methods and attempts to make friends is a novel twist. In the world of Tactics, it is the act of naming such creatures which makes them servants of a mortal and, while Kantarou has a knack for such things, there are certain fellow folklorists who aren’t happy that he has made a beautiful boy out of Haruka. But the series isn’t all comedy. There are some truly heartbreaking moments and through the course of the series it’s easy to become attached to the characters.

The animation is clean and lots of attention paid to the character designs, no more so than to Haruka. The dubs are especially good, meaning that the series is more than watchable in either language, and the story is always entertaining. It makes Tactics the perfect choice for fans of supernatural romps who are looking for something a little different. Lesley Smith

VERDICT: 7/10
Beautifully animated and oddly compelling, this is one for fans looking for a touch of modernity.