00:00You liked Tokyo Babylon, but you want to watch something lighter in the style of Gunsmith.
00:04Cats? Come on, I have Yugen Kaisha to suggest, or in French, Exorcist S.A., potentially as well.
00:11known by its English title Phantom Quest Corp. Hello everyone, so Exorcist S.A. is
00:17a mix of supernatural investigation and accounting review, with a touch of humor of course.
00:22Released in Japan between 1994 and 1995, produced by Eternal Madhouse with support from Pioneer,
00:29These four OVAs, each about half an hour long, were released in France by Kazé starting
00:34It was released on VHS in 1996 before a new DVD edition in 2005. For those wondering,
00:41The acronym S.A. in France stands for Société Anonyme, therefore a particular type of company.
00:47Yugen Kaisha is pure entertainment, 4 episodes, 4 different cases. A simple background plot,
00:53really lightweight, just to establish a narrative thread, or rather a financial one I should say,
00:58with the monitoring of the finances of this investigative office, which is struggling to generate any profit, and this,
01:03despite the significant involvement of its leader, Ayaka Kisaragi, a figure you will remember.
01:09and which you'll see right now in the trailer. A trailer that is just the
01:13Opening credits, slightly modified by me. Among the thousands of companies existing in Japan,
01:19Only one is likely to help you if you are dealing with the supernatural and if all rational solutions have failed.
01:24fails. Exorcist SA. When supernatural phenomena threaten the city, Ayaka Kisaragi,
01:30And his rather unusual team of specialists will rid you of the problem with style and efficiency.
01:35Whether it's vampires, ghosts, mummies or werewolves, through adventures blending investigations,
01:41fantastic and very funny.
01:43Subtitling by Radio-Canada
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04:39"Hey, this 360-degree view around the main character is really lively."
04:43The fund is changing, okay, they wanted to save money.
04:46But the character animation is beautiful.
04:48Well, guess what? It's impossible that you won't believe your ears that it wasn't...
04:51TRUE.
04:52Hint: we're at Madhouse.
04:54Mr. Kawajiri took care of it.
04:56Yes, Yoshiaki Kawajiri, aka the boss.
05:01It's magnificent.
05:02Now that life is better, what do we say about these 4 OVAs?
05:05Well, another revelation already.
05:08If the 4 OVAs are named Incident File Number 1, 2, 3 and 4,
05:13Please note that there is also a zero file.
05:15a special episode that was only planned for Japan,
05:17which served in part as an introduction to the story and character of Yugen Kaisha,
05:21and for the second half, short reports,
05:24particularly on the dubbing part with 4 of the professionals who participated in the recordings.
05:29Among others, there's the voice actress for Ayaka, our chief exorcist,
05:33as well as the voice actor for Inspector Karino.
05:35As I mentioned, this special episode was only intended for Japan,
05:39but on the collector's edition of the American DVD,
05:42Therefore, it's titled Phantom Quest Corp and not Yugen Kaisha.
05:46This hidden OVA could be launched via a specific manipulation in the menus.
05:51For my part, I rummaged through my DVD published by Kazé,
05:55But I haven't found anything there.
05:56In any case, this zero file is really nice.
05:59especially the documentary section with the voice actors,
06:01as well as the intervention of a genuine monk
06:04who will perform certain rituals of purification and protection,
06:07on our IUDs.
06:09Since it was never released in France,
06:10I'll see if I can put it on YouTube with French subtitles.
06:14which in fact does not exist.
06:16If we refocus on the OVAs now,
06:19this design works quite well
06:21with the classic structure of old-fashioned police series.
06:24One episode, one investigation.
06:25Like Pet Shop of Horrors,
06:27or the pet shop of horrors in French,
06:29which I have already reviewed,
06:30which are also 4 OVAs from the 90s,
06:33She also produced it through Madhouse.
06:36but which, in this case, is clearly not focusing on comedy.
06:39whereas Exorcist S.A. makes it its driving force.
06:41These are therefore stories with a much lighter tone.
06:44which nevertheless present some serious sequences
06:46when it comes to fighting a demon,
06:47through the invocation of Pentacle and other runes,
06:50but it never really descends into a dark, disturbing atmosphere.
06:54Which makes me say, from my point of view
06:56that this Exorcist S.A. is accessible to all audiences.
07:00Especially since there's a French version.
07:01A French dub that works more or less well depending on the characters.
07:05I find the original version preferable if you want a better dynamic experience.
07:08and above all, an audio track with a better mix.
07:11The French dub sounds really muffled in comparison.
07:13However, if we compare the dialogues of the French version this time
07:17and those of the subtitles,
07:19There's no comparison, the voice adaptation is much more pleasant.
07:22richer than that of subtitling.
07:24In fact, I recommend at least initially testing the French version.
07:28Regarding the graphics,
07:29one could say that the perceived visual quality
07:31is not so far removed from that of an anime episode,
07:34Although we do see more detail and more elaborate scenery,
07:37but that's also where the budget goes.
07:39It is the animation department that is in greater demand,
07:42as well as the presence of more numerous shots, different sequences.
07:46In the mid-1990s,
07:47It's a good achievement in the OVA sector.
07:50and above all, a balanced execution.
07:52As for the stories and investigations we will follow,
07:54Don't expect anything unprecedented.
07:56There will sometimes be a few small surprises,
07:58But broadly speaking, it's rather conventional.
08:01even sometimes predictable.
08:04One last small point: the soundtrack.
08:06which regularly features some pretty catchy tracks,
08:08but the whole thing might sound a bit dated to some ears,
08:12like the opening theme song
08:14which will undoubtedly make us think of another era.
08:17However, after listening to it on numerous occasions,
08:20I like it, but initially, it's true that it doesn't inspire modernity.
08:23So, Yugen Kaisha, or Exorcist S.A.,
08:27I think it's a good supernatural investigation series.
08:29with characters, which I haven't mentioned, it's true,
08:31but who make the coffee,
08:32Ayaka is the only character who fundamentally changes our habits.
08:36Graphically, for OVAs from 94-95, it's pleasing.
08:40The atmosphere leaves plenty of room for comedy
08:42makes it all good-natured and accessible.
08:44We also have access to a French version, for even more relaxation.
08:49The four OVAs shown together take us on a journey of just under two hours.
08:52So, ultimately, it's a good production.
08:54which I gladly recommend to everyone.
08:57That was Bleach, see you next time, bye!
09:01Subtitling by Radio-Canada
09:01Subtitling by Radio-Canada
09:05Subtitling by Radio-Canada
