Ghost Hound 12

Focus02: Homeostasis Synchronization
Get more Ghost Hound Episode 12 Screencaps

Otori Reika (Dr. Otori) is driving home by herself when she encounters Makoto in his wolf-form. The shocking sight forces her to stop the car and stare after the creature.

The next morning, the Komori residence is busy with the whole brewery business. Kei is trying her best while her grandfather looks over her job with critical eyes. On his way to school, Taro passes by Miyako and some friends. He greets her but she ignores him on purpose. Taro is visibly upset about this, a feeling that continues until class.

Meanwhile, in another part of Suiten, Dr. Otori is speaking on the phone with Dr. Hirata. Although it appears that she is merely inquiring after Hirata's condition, from the look on her face it seems like she is still worried about what she has seen the previous night. Dr. Hirata, however, sounds confident that he is doing fine and that he hasn't had any thing strange occurring to him lately.

At the Nakajima residence, Masayuki and Micchio (the glasses guy) catch sight of the photographer guy taking pictures of Masayuki's house. Micchio and the photographer seem to know each other, raising Masayuki's suspicion even more.

Back in school, Taro has finally decided to give Dr. Hirata the tape records of his dream. They talk a bit about Taro's recent experiences, including the OBEs and the transformation that he and Makoto has undergone. Dr. Hirata warns Taro not to confuse Kakuriyo with the real world, but adds that this is something that he always says to his other patients, thereby implying that he could make an exception in Taro's case.

Then Dr. Hirata explains that the transformation might be something similar to Homeostasis. The human body always strives to maintain the same state. He gives as an example a girl that Taro likes. At the mention of this, Taro immediately thinks of Miyako. Then Dr. Hirata further illustrates his meaning by saying that when the body is feeling hot, the pores will open and sweat will pour out, but when the body is cold, the pores will close to preserve heat. All these functions are done involuntarily, the body's way of maintaining constant state.
Meanwhile, Komagusu has gone to see Miyako's teacher, the same one who saw Miyako act strangely the day of the dam incident. Miyako watches from afar.

Back in Taro's school, the counseling is finished. Dr. Hirata is making his way out of the principal's office when he sees something dash across his path and disappear into a classroom. He decides to check it out and at first finds only a deserted classroom. But when he looks down, he finds himself gaping at the horrifying sight of a midget creature with huge red eyes staring up at him. He drops the box of Taro's recorded dreams unconsciously and like an illusion the figure vanishes.

Back again with Komagusu and the teacher, Komagusu explains that he is a single father. His wife, a career woman, is in Tokyo. Although the mother cares about Miyako, too, it was Miyako who chose to live with her father in Suiten.

Meanwhile, Taro is making his way home from school when he spies Miyako sitting on a bench near the river. He makes awkward conversation and Miyako tells him why her father has gone to see the teacher. It occurs to Taro that this might have been the reason that Miyako was in a bad mood but Miyako says that the truth is she is a bit jealous of Taro and his friends, because they can play around Kakuriyo while she has to endure being possessed by spirits. All this time, Miyako addresses him simply as "Taro," much to Taro's chagrin, but he responds by dispensing with the suffix -chan in "Miyako" as well.

At the Nakajima house, Micchio is trying out Masayuki's virtual reality game. While he does, Masayuki uses the moment by interrogating him about the photographer. Micchio reveals that like Masayuki, the photographer has been asking a lot of questions about Suiten. But what Masayuki wants to know is why the stranger took photographs of his house. Micchio answers that it might have something to do with his father's job at BioNippon.Back at the river, Miyako is suddenly possessed by a spirit. She collapses into the river and would have drowned if Taro were not there. Komagusu is completely unaware, perhaps expecting Miyako to go home ahead of him to the shrine, so that after his appointment with the teacher, he drops by a restaurant and unexpectedly meets Dr. Hirata. While the two get into conversation, Taro is carrying the unconscious Miyako on his back to take her home.

Komagusu finds out that Dr. Hirata is in fact Taro's counselor. Then, it occurs to him to tell the doctor about Miyako's case. Dr. Hirata concedes that in folklore (since Komagusu is a folklorist), Taro's ability would be considered as the "trance-type" shaman while Miyako's would be the "possessing-type" shaman. It is agreed that Dr. Hirata would see Miyako.

Back at the shrine, Miyako finally regains consciousness and decides to walk up the rest of the steps. Once they are at the top and seeing the exhausted Taro, Miyako smiles candidly and thanks him. It looks like Taro has something more to say but couldn't get it out so instead he says a hasty "good night" and leaves, running.

At the Ogami residence, Makoto decides to confront his grandmother about his father and why he committed suicide. She does not say why but she says that Makoto's father has always been weak because he could not hear the "voice of god." It seems that Makoto's grandmother is perfectly aware of Makoto's OBEs and transformations and she wants him to inherit the family shrine in lieu of his father. Makoto rejects her offer outright and instead asks if his father's death has anything to do with the death of Taro's sister. His grandmother answers in the negative, after which Makoto leaves the room.

Meanwhile, Taro arrives home on his bike and sees Kei sitting by herself near the entrance. She informs him that his mother is worried and that he should get in quickly. Taro asks her if her grandfather chewed her out but she just smiles.

COMMENTS:

Again, a very interesting episode. Perhaps not as happening as the previous ones, but it is becoming very clear that Kakuriyo is evolving and merging with the real world. Now, it's not only Hirata and Professor Nakajima who are starting to see things, but Reika Otori as well. The neurologist. How about that?! Although her emotional reaction to the incident is kind of disappointing because it's so typical. Thank god for Hirata, who seems to have finally calmed down, despite his recent scare, and to be on the right track when he mentions that perhaps it's the town that's causing all this strange things to happen.

You know, I'm starting to like Hirata's character. He's managed to remain grounded and objective even with all the frightening things that's happened to him so far. I swear, I jumped in my seat when I saw this. That is some scary shit. And to hear that he might become Miyako's counselor as well is an interesting twist. I think perhaps that the "possession by spirits" concept could be explained in psychology as "multiple personality disorder." I wonder if the series makers are going to incorporate that into the story? The best thing about this anime is that it teaches you a lot about psychology and parapsychology without having to read boring books about them.

More Taro and Miyako moments. I just adore these two. God, I hope nothing bad happens to Miyako, what with all these spirits wanting to possess her body. It occurred to me that the girl in the opening clip is in fact Miyako and not Taro's sister.

I wonder what that photographer guy's role is. I have a feeling he knows more than he's letting on. Either he knows about Professor Nakajima's affair with Reika Otori or he'd find out soon (especially if he's taken to taking photographs of the professor's house).

I'm following episodes released by the Shinsen-Subs group. I think some other group is subbing this anime and I understand that 13 and 14 are already out. But I like Shinsen-Subs better so I'll wait for their episodes before blogging about them.