Requiem from the Darkness

Requiem from the Darkness (京極夏彦 巷説百物語) is a series of novels by Natsuhiko Kyogoku. It was made into horror anime series, licensed in English by Geneon Entertainment, and into a series of live action TV specials directed by Yukihiko Tsutsumi.

Plot
Taking place during the Bakumatsu age when the foundations of the Tokugawa government has began to sway, a young writer named Momosuke wishes to write a book of 100 ghost stories and his encounters with three spiritual beings.

While researching these old myths and legends he comes across a mysterious trio who call themselves the Ongyou. They are detectives who are investigating the legends to reveal their truths...and bring those in the wrong to justice. Each time Momosuke meets the Ongyou he must face horrible truths and battle with his morals, but he's seeing things he shouldn't be seeing...

Characters

 * Momosuke Yamaoka
 * The main protagonist of the series. A young writer who got bored writing a riddle book for kids. He now aspires to write a book of 100 ghost stories. During his adventure to gather them, he encounters the Ongyou and witnesses their methods of imposing justice upon wrongdoers. He wishes to be one of the Ongyou, but each time he asks to join them they talk him out of it. He is called "Author" by the Ongyou. At the end of the series, Momosuke finishes his 100 ghost stories.
 * The main protagonist of the series. A young writer who got bored writing a riddle book for kids. He now aspires to write a book of 100 ghost stories. During his adventure to gather them, he encounters the Ongyou and witnesses their methods of imposing justice upon wrongdoers. He wishes to be one of the Ongyou, but each time he asks to join them they talk him out of it. He is called "Author" by the Ongyou. At the end of the series, Momosuke finishes his 100 ghost stories.


 * Tsutaya
 * A small creature who is Momosuke's publisher.
 * A small creature who is Momosuke's publisher.


 * Heihachi
 * Heihachi is a co-worker of Momosuke.
 * Heihachi is a co-worker of Momosuke.


 * Kyogoku Tei
 * The principal antagonist of the series. Kyogoku Tei is a being who serves as the superior to the Ongyou as he provides them their targets and even commissioned Momosuke's death at first to cover their existence until he saw him to be of use to his scheme. Assuming the alias of feudal lord Danjo Kitabayashi, Kyogoku Tei commits many inhuman acts as part of an overall plan to cover the world in darkness with the Flame Lance cannon. He was ultimately defeated by the Ongyou, devoured by the very darkness of everyone who he used and killed.
 * The principal antagonist of the series. Kyogoku Tei is a being who serves as the superior to the Ongyou as he provides them their targets and even commissioned Momosuke's death at first to cover their existence until he saw him to be of use to his scheme. Assuming the alias of feudal lord Danjo Kitabayashi, Kyogoku Tei commits many inhuman acts as part of an overall plan to cover the world in darkness with the Flame Lance cannon. He was ultimately defeated by the Ongyou, devoured by the very darkness of everyone who he used and killed.


 * Hermits
 * Black Hermit
 * White Hermit
 * Two strange hermit ladies that work for Kyogoku Tei, serving as his messengers. On occasion they will change themselves into to young girls to trick the Ongyou into doing what they want them to. They are accidentally destroyed by Kyogoku Tei in the last episode.


 * Tatsuta
 * Burning her childhood friend Shiragaku to death in a jealous rage with her husband to be, Tatsuta assumes her friend's name and developed a reputation as a rumored Hinoenma as she kills anyone who "loves Shiragaku." Though the Ongyou attempt to deliver judgement, the Hermits intervene and take Tatsuta to serve under Kyogoku Tei. Unaware of the full plan, she helps him by orchestrating a massacre and forcing prisoners into becoming murderous sadists for a reenactment while the Flame Lance was being rebuilt. When Kyogoku Tei is destroyed, Tatsuta is consumed in the resulting inferno.
 * Burning her childhood friend Shiragaku to death in a jealous rage with her husband to be, Tatsuta assumes her friend's name and developed a reputation as a rumored Hinoenma as she kills anyone who "loves Shiragaku." Though the Ongyou attempt to deliver judgement, the Hermits intervene and take Tatsuta to serve under Kyogoku Tei. Unaware of the full plan, she helps him by orchestrating a massacre and forcing prisoners into becoming murderous sadists for a reenactment while the Flame Lance was being rebuilt. When Kyogoku Tei is destroyed, Tatsuta is consumed in the resulting inferno.

Ongyou
The three spiritual beings are recurring characters in the show who function as a team that punishes sinners who emit a dark aura about them, most frequently murderers. To that end, they use their talents to set their target up to face his crimes before being executed and committing them to the next world.


 * Mataichi
 * A small man wrapped in bandages who serves as the leader. He is a spiritualist who is also referred to as a trickster while posing as a simple monk. He would usually be the one to kill the target sinner with Retributive justice and leaves an Ofuda on the body so the departed can be "sent to the next world." Nagamimi commonly calls him "trickster". At the completion of his task, he uses the phrase "ongyō shitate matsuru (御行奉為、おんぎょうしたてまつる)." The beginning of every next episode preview, except the final episode when it's Momosuke's final line, he begins with the line, "Jyashin yashin wa yami ni chiri, nokoru wa chimata no ayashii uwasa (邪心野心は闇に散り、残るは巷の怪しい噂. )."
 * A small man wrapped in bandages who serves as the leader. He is a spiritualist who is also referred to as a trickster while posing as a simple monk. He would usually be the one to kill the target sinner with Retributive justice and leaves an Ofuda on the body so the departed can be "sent to the next world." Nagamimi commonly calls him "trickster". At the completion of his task, he uses the phrase "ongyō shitate matsuru (御行奉為、おんぎょうしたてまつる)." The beginning of every next episode preview, except the final episode when it's Momosuke's final line, he begins with the line, "Jyashin yashin wa yami ni chiri, nokoru wa chimata no ayashii uwasa (邪心野心は闇に散り、残るは巷の怪しい噂. )."


 * Ogin
 * An attractive, voluptuous and large breasted female puppeteer. She often using a puppet in the form of a young girl with a white powdered face and red lipstick wearing a Japanese Kimono. Fifteen years prior, Ogin and her parents were murdered by Kinzo Sasamori, a corrupt official who posed as her father Giamon of Inarizika to force the homeless in work for him and created the rumor of Giamon as a Kowai to ensure it. As a spirit, she became a member of Ongyou to ensure no other child suffers a fate like her own, saving her childhood friend Yae from Kichibe's madness. She often calls Momosuke a pervert due to him accidentally walking into her in a bathing room when they first met. Though she saw Momosuke to be weak for being native, she eventually adapted his methods.
 * An attractive, voluptuous and large breasted female puppeteer. She often using a puppet in the form of a young girl with a white powdered face and red lipstick wearing a Japanese Kimono. Fifteen years prior, Ogin and her parents were murdered by Kinzo Sasamori, a corrupt official who posed as her father Giamon of Inarizika to force the homeless in work for him and created the rumor of Giamon as a Kowai to ensure it. As a spirit, she became a member of Ongyou to ensure no other child suffers a fate like her own, saving her childhood friend Yae from Kichibe's madness. She often calls Momosuke a pervert due to him accidentally walking into her in a bathing room when they first met. Though she saw Momosuke to be weak for being native, she eventually adapted his methods.


 * Nagamimi
 * A large shape shifter and bird caller who is also extremely good at controlling animals. As the anime states, he is over 200 years old and was versed in Kabuki.
 * A large shape shifter and bird caller who is also extremely good at controlling animals. As the anime states, he is over 200 years old and was versed in Kabuki.

Theme Song
The opening song "The Flame" and the ending song "The Moment of Love" were both performed by Keiko Lee.

Principal Seiyu

 * Sanae Kobayashi - Ogin
 * Natsuhiko Kyogoku - Kyogoku Tei/Danjo Kitabayashi
 * Ryusei Nakao - Mataichi
 * Masako Nozawa - Black Hermit, White Hermit
 * Hiroshi Otake - Tsutaya
 * Toshihiko Seki - Momosuke Yamaoka
 * Keiko Toda - Tatsuta
 * Norio Wakamoto - Nagamimi

Principal Voice Actors

 * Dorothy Elias-Fahn - White Hermit, Otoku (ep. 2), Osome (ep. 9), Suzu (ep. 12)
 * Tom Fahn - Heihachi
 * Grant George - Momosuke Yamaoka
 * Neil Kaplan - Kyogoku Tei/Danjo Kitabayashi
 * Steve Kramer - Mataichi, Yahei (ep. 4)
 * Mona Marshall - Black Hermit, Actress (ep. 6), Oriko (ep. 9), Innkeeper's Wife (ep. 11)
 * Michael McConnohie - Nagamimi, Izou (ep. 3), Ryojin (ep. 10)
 * Philece Sampler - Tatsuta, Shiragiku (ep. 10)
 * Karen Strassman - Ogin
 * Tom Wyner - Tsutaya

Additional Voices

 * A.D. Adams - Shimazo (ep. 8)
 * Jack Aubree - Kinzo Sasamori (ep. 9)
 * Catherine Battistone - Old Woman (ep. 2)
 * Richard Cansino - Tanuki (ep. 6), Kawakubo Clan Member (ep. 11)
 * Cam Clarke - Matashiro (ep. 8)
 * Lara Cody - Oyoshi (ep. 4)
 * Barbara Goodson - Mrs. Ofaju, Otami (ep. 8), Young Shiragiku (ep. 10)
 * Melora Harte - Willow Woman (ep. 2), Chio (ep. 9)
 * Jody Jaress - Old Woman
 * David Lodge - Kichibe (ep. 2)
 * Dave Mallow - Fushimiya (ep. 7)
 * Lara Jill Miller - Servant (ep. 5), Tei (ep. 6)
 * Jeff Nimoy - Kijirou Hamada (ep. 8), Lord Sakiyama, Hyogo (ep. 11)
 * Joe Ochman - Enkai (ep. 1)
 * Joan-Carol O'Connell - Towa (ep. 3)
 * Bob Papenbrook - Kaburagi (ep. 12-13)
 * Allan Peters - Ukon Shinonome (ep. 12-13)
 * Simon Prescott - Tokuemon (ep. 1), Shibaemon (ep. 6), Jihei (ep. 8), Kyoemon (ep. 10), Innkeeper (ep. 12)
 * Stephanie Sheh - Otama (ep. 4), Yae (ep. 2)
 * Peter Spellos - Tagamimi (ep. 8), Kawakubo Clan Member (ep. 11)
 * Doug Stone - Yasaku (ep. 3)
 * Terrence Stone - Sajiro Ogata (ep. 7)
 * Kim Strauss - Gunhachiro Yamaoka (ep. 8)
 * Jim Taggert - Servant (ep. 5), Player (ep. 6), Jester (ep. 7)
 * Kirk Thornton - Chojiro (ep. 5)
 * Dan Woren - Matajiro Ishikawa (ep. 4), Taromaru (ep. 11)

English Staff

 * Steve Kramer - Voice Director