The SoulTaker

For the Soul Taker film starring Joe Estevez see Soultaker (film).

The SoulTaker (The Soul Taker 〜魂狩〜) is an anime series that focuses on Kyosuke Date who was killed by his mother, and afterward gained the ability to turn into a monster known as "The SoulTaker". The show was Tatsunoko's first attempt at a more adult (even by Japanese standards) series. It originally ran for 13 episodes. Pioneer Entertainment had licensed the series and released it on 4 volumes. In 2004, Geneon (formerly Pioneer) had re-released the series under their Signature Series label.

It originally aired in the United States on TechTV as part of Anime Unleashed, and later aired on G4 after the TechTV merger.

There is a spin-off OVA featuring Komugi, Nurse Witch Komugi. It is somewhat similar to Pretty Sammy, but shares more in common with Puni Puni Poemi.

Plot
After being stabbed in the chest by his mother, Kyosuke Date returns from the dead to find out he has a twin sister, Runa and the ability to transform into the mutant known as the SoulTaker. As he seeks out his sister, he is being pursued by the strange mutant doctors and nurses of the Hospital, led by his own father, Richard Vincent, as well as the evil Kirihara corporation, led by Yui Kirihara, who is also tracking down Runa for their own malevolent purposes.

Assisting him along the way are the mysterious Shiro Mibu and the nurse mutant girl Komugi Nakahara, who betrayed the Hospital out of love for Kyosuke.

Characters

 * Date Kyosuke
 * The main character. Serious and determined. After being stabbed by his mother, he comes back alive to find his lost twin sister. He has the ability to transform into the creature known as 'SoulTaker'


 * Date Mio
 * Kyousuke's mother who stabbed him in the heart and buried him alive.


 * Dr. Kyoya
 * The first mutant doctor Kyosuke faces in the first episode.


 * Kirihara Yui
 * The CEO and head of the Kirihara corporation, and one of the series' antagonists.


 * Mibu Shiro
 * The mysterious man who allies with Kyosuke against the Kakihara corporation.


 * Misaki Maya
 * Kyosuke's friend and savior who was kidnapped by the Kakihara corporation.


 * Nakahara Komugi
 * A mutant nurse girl who betrayed the Hospital to help Kyosuke. She is the main protagonist in the spin-off, Nurse Witch Komugi.


 * Richard Vincent
 * The main antagonist and Kyosuke's father.


 * Runa Tokisaka
 * Kyosuke's twin sister and creator of the Flickers.

Episode list

 * 1) The Crest of the Devil (悪魔の紋章篇)
 * 2) The World is an Illusion (うつし世は夢篇)
 * 3) The Skull and the Maiden (髑髏と少女篇)
 * 4) The Slithering Darkness (蠢く闇篇)
 * 5) Beyond the Human Realm (人外魔境篇)
 * 6) The Malevolent Stratosphere Castle (成層圏魔城篇)
 * 7) The Last of a Woman (女人果篇)
 * 8) Mask of Hell (地獄の仮面篇)
 * 9) Phantom of a Beautiful Dead Woman (死美人の幻影篇)
 * 10) Sacrifice for Nothingness (虚無への供物篇)
 * 11) Demon on a Deserted Island (孤島の鬼篇)
 * 12) Madonna in Black (黒衣の聖母篇)
 * 13) The Last Inferno (少女地獄変)