History Anime / MouryouNoHako

** Kiba, right down to the flashbacks and the hair-trigger temper.

* TheBeautifulElite: Kanako. Subverted later in the story.
* {{Biseinen}}: Enokizu Reijiro, who resembles [[Characters/TsubasaReservoirChronicle Fai D. Fluorite]] in the anime and who, in the novel, is often compared to a European porcelain doll; however, he's over 35, much closer in age to the other main male characters than he looks.

* CuteKitten: The Chuuzenjis have a cat (named Pomegranite!) that have no relevance at all to the plot but... it's so cute!

* HyperAwareness: Chuuzenji.

* MrExposition: Kyougoku

* ShellShockedVeteran: Kiba.
** Arguably Sekiguchi, since there's no way to know whether his weird personality existed before the war or was completely or partially a result of it. Even Enokizu and Chuuzenji were in the army, though they saw less frontline action than the former pair and seem to have been far less affected, if at all.

* {{Biseinen}}: Enokizu Reijiro, who resembles [[Characters/TsubasaReservoirChronicle Fai D. Fluorite]] in the anime and who, in the novel, is often compared to a European porcelain doll; however, he's over 35, much closer to the age of the other main male characters than he looks.

* {{Biseinen}}: Enokizu Reijiro, who resembles [[Manga/TsubasaReservoirChronicle Fai D. Fluorite]] in the anime and who, in the novel, is often compared to a European porcelain doll; however, he's over 35, much closer to the age of the other main male characters than he looks.

''Mouryou no Hako'' (''Box of Goblins'') is a relatively obscure anime revolving around boxes, based on the second novel in Natsuhiko Kyogoku's ''Kyogokudo'' series.

Despite gorgeous animation courtesy of {{Madhouse}}, and a plot adapted from one of the finest supernatural mystery novels in recent years, this series is still sadly below many people's radars. Plenty of scares and {{body horror}} for all, in addition to long, deep discussions on philosophy, religion, biology, and the human condition.

* AllMythsAreTrue [[spoiler:[[ZigZaggedTrope Maybe.]]]]

* AndIMustScream [[spoiler: Poor, helpless Kanako.]]

* {{Bishounen}}: Enokizu Reijiro, the self-proclaimed "detective" who in the novel is often compared to a European porcelain doll. Being roughly 30 years old, he's more Biseinen than Bishonen, but who cares?
** Plus pretty much everyone on the main cast, at least in the anime. (CLAMP did the character designs, after all.) In the novels, Sekiguchi's often called "monkey" by several characters, and Kyougoku is once referred to as "Akutagawa's ghost."

* {{Buddhism}}: Early in the story, Kanako tells Yoriko about the concept of Tennin Gosui ("The Five Death Omens of an Angel" or "The Decay of an Angel"), which is found in several Buddhist writings. [[spoiler: Unfortunately, Yoriko takes the concept a bit too seriously, with disastrous results.]]

* DramaticThunder leading to ItWasADarkAndStormyNight: episode 3 and again in episode 11.

* MindScrew: To the point where it's almost impossible to figure out what's going on if the viewer hasn't been paying attention well enough. However, the ones who have been paying attention are vastly rewarded for their efforts by a wondrous ending.

* MundaneMadeAwesome: To the point of abuse. Talking scenes are underlined with tornado-scale gusts of wind, dancing is punctuated with torrential cherry blossoms, and all driving is done as maniacally and erratically as possible, especially when there isn't any semblance of a reason.
* [[spoiler:ParentChildIncest]]: Central part of [[TheReveal the shocking truth]] revealed near the story's end.

** Which from a certain point of view makes that a {{Ground Hog Day Loop}}; because they're reliving the same two lifetimes over and over again...

* SerialKiller: [[spoiler: Kubo. If the [[Series/{{Dexter}} Ice Truck Killer]] had lived in the same era, he'd probably be looking up to this nutcase in admiration. Seriously, Kubo's THAT friggin' messed-up.]]

** Sekiguchi, Kiba, Enokizu, and even Chuuzenji were all in the war, although the latter two saw less frontline action than the former pair. Sekiguchi was also Kiba's senior officer (believe it or not).

* StoicSpectacles: Sekiguchi is this is in front of other people (even his own wife), though his monologues reveal otherwise.
* StringyHairedGhostGirl: [[spoiler: Kanako never comes back as a ghost per say, but the consequences of her tragic fate haunt the minds of the cast, and also serve to spur the plot along.]]

** It's ''extremely'' important for understanding things later on. It also helps if you know a bit about {{Onmyodo}} and kanji, to say the least.

''Mouryou no Hako'' (''Box of Goblins'') is a relatively obscure series revolving around boxes.

Mouryou no Hako (Box of Goblins) is a relatively obscure series revolving around boxes.

The year is 1952. Japan is still struggling to get back on its feet after its crushing defeat in World War II. The old folk beliefs are slowly being overshadowed by emerging modernization. And amidst the lonely hills and fields on the outskirts of Tokyo, boxes containing the severed arms and legs of unknown female victims keep turning up. A small private detective agency gets involved in the investigation, and along with them, a very different sort of detective, the coldly skeptical [[{{Onmyodo}} onmyouji]], Chuuzenji Akihiko.

Despite gorgeous animation courtesy of {{Madhouse}}, and a plot adapted from one of the finest supernatural mystery novels in recent years, this series is still sadly below many people's radars. Plenty of scares and [[{{BodyHorror}} body horror]] for all, in addition to long, deep discussions on philosophy, religion, biology, and the human condition.

Despite gorgeous animation courtesy of {{Madhouse}}, and a plot adapted from one of the finest supernatural mystery novels in recent years, this series is still sadly below many people's radars. Plenty of scares and [[{{BodyHorror}} body horror]] for all, in addition to long, deep discussions on philosophy, religion, biology, and the human condition. Definitely [[{{NeedsMoreLove}} needs more love]].

* SerialKiller: [[spoiler: Kubo. If the [[{{Dexter}} Ice Truck Killer]] had lived in the same era, he'd probably be looking up to this nutcase in admiration. Seriously, Kubo's THAT friggin' messed-up.]]

* HeyItsThatVoice: Kanako Yuzuki is HarukaTomatsu
** Akihito Chuezenji is HiroakiHirata
** Tatsumi Sekiguchi is HidenobuKiuchi
** Reijiro Enokizu is ToshiyukiMorikawa
** Morihiko Toriguchi is Creator/DaisukeNamikawa
** Kubo is Creator/ToruFuruya
** Yoko Yuzuki is Creator/AyaHisakawa

** Kubo is TohruFuruya

* LesYay: Yoriko and Kanako

Despite gorgeous animation courtesy of Madhouse, and a plot adapted from one of the finest supernatural mystery novels in recent years, this series is still sadly below many people's radars. Plenty of scares and [[{{BodyHorror}} body horror]] for all, in addition to long, deep discussions on philosophy, religion, biology, and the human condition. Definitely [[{{NeedsMoreLove}} needs more love]].

* AllMythsAreTrue

* {{Bishounen}}: Enokizu Reijiro, the self-proclaimed "detective" who in the novel is often compared to a European procelain doll. Being roughly 30 years old, he's more Biseinen than Bishonen, but who cares?

** Yoko Yuzuki is AyaHisakawa

[[caption-width-right:378: "...HOU..."]]

The year is 1952. Japan is still struggling to get back on its feet after its crushing defeat in World War II. The old folk beliefs are slowly being overshadowed by the emerging Western-style modernization. And among the lonely hills and fields on the outskirts of Tokyo, boxes containing the severed arms and legs of several female victims keep turning up. A small private detective agency gets involved in the investigation, and along with them, a very different sort of [[{{Onmyodo}} onmyouji]] named Chuuzenji Akihiko.

At the same time, a young girl named Yuzuki Kanako is missing. Her friend/reincarnation Yoriko witnessed her disappear beneath a moving train late at night, after which Kanako was brought to a strange, black box-shaped hospital deep in the hills. Her washed-up actress "sister" has employed the help of haunted ex-soldier Detective Kiba to find the severely crippled girl before it's too late.

And in the pages of an up-and-coming novelist's newest work, a man on a train encounters a gloved man carrying a box with a human head inside of it. A head that is, beyond all reason, alive.

Despite gorgeous animation courtesy of Madhouse, and a plot from one of the finest supernatural mystery novels in recent years, this series is still sadly below many people's radars. The three plotlines collide in a brilliant, multifaceted way, with plenty of scares and BodyHorror for all, of course. Definitely NeedsMoreLove.

* TechnologyPorn: how many machines are needed in a hospital room for one single patient? (episode 3)
** To be fair, this was 1952. A humongous iron lung was considered the cutting edge in life support. Imagine what would be needed to [[spoiler: provide life support to [[BodyHorror a human who has been reduced to a head and half a torso?]]]]

* WhatDoYouMeanItsNotAwesome: To the point of abuse. Talking scenes are underlined with tornado-scale gusts of wind, dancing is punctuated with torrential cherry blossoms, and all driving is done as maniacally and erratically as possible, especially when there isn't any semblance of a reason.
* {{Youkai}}: Not only does the story tie very closely into the myth of the Mouryou, Chuuzenji gives us a downright etymological and cultural low-down of what "Mouryou" actually means.

** Morihiko Toriguchi is DaisukeNamikawa

Mouryou no Hako (Box of Goblins) is a relatively obscure series revolving around boxes. Seriously, it's far [[BetterThanItSounds better than it sounds]].

Despite gorgeous animation courtesy of Madhouse, and a plot from one of the finest supernatural mystery novels in recent years, this series is still sadly below many people's radars. The three plotlines collide in a brilliant, multifaceted way, with plenty of HighOctaneNightmareFuel and BodyHorror for all, of course. Definitely NeedsMoreLove.

'''Tropes:'''

** [[YourMileageMayVary Some fans find his explanations a bit long]], but it's ''extremely'' important for understanding things later on. It also helps if you know a bit about {{Onmyodo}} and kanji, to say the least.

* BishoujoGenre: Many attractive younger female characters. Bonus points for Kanako's "sister" and Chuuzenji's and Sekiguchi's wives.
* BodyHorror On the most profound, deep-in-your-soul level possible.
** [[spoiler: For example, how would a head and shoulders kept alive by wires inside a box be able to breathe enough to say "Hou"?]]
* {{Buddhism}}: Early in the story, Kanako tells Yoriko about the concept of Tennin Gosui ("The Five Death Omens of an Angel" or "The Decay of an Angel"), which is found in several Buddhist writings.
** [[spoiler: Unfortunately, Yoriko takes the concept a bit too seriously, with disastrous results.]]
* CherryBlossoms: LOTS. Especially in the first episode.

* ReligionIsMagic: Adverted somewhat. [[spoiler: Despite a large amount of attention paid to Shinto, Buddhism and folklore, the mysteries are shown to be psychological or scientific in nature. The series is probably one of the more truthful representations of {{Onmyodo}} in anime.]]

* [[BishoujoGenre Bishoujo]]: All the younger female characters. Bonus points for Kanako's "sister" and Chuuzenji's and Sekiguchi's wives.

* TheBeautifulPeople: Kanako. Subverted later in the story.

* HeyItsThatVoice: Yoriko is HarukaTomatsu

* Hey,ItsThatVoice: Yoriko is HarukaTomatsu

** Kubo is ToruFuruya

* EverythingsCuterWithKittens: The Chuuzenjis have a cat (named Pomegranite!) that have no relevance at all to the plot but... it's so cute!