Karas - The Prophecy

Spoderman

Watched it last night...can anyone tell me what the hell was going on?

Couldn't even figure out if Karas was a goodie or a baddie..

Still though, excellent animation and the opening fight scene was unbelievable

Raziel

I've heard about it. May check it out at some stage!

sharingan

First of all, it is recommended that you rewatch it a few times. The show is intentionally ambiguous, teasing you with insights when you are doing your best to just keep up with the characters and whats going on. Also I recommend that you read the back of the box ... its a bit useful.

There is more than one Karas. In fact we are presented with 4 over the course of the volume. There is Otoha, there is Ikou (the villain) the former Karas (who retains his powers), there is the Karas that you see defeated at the start, and there is the girl, who is Karas to the aspect of Yurine that remains neutral throught the fight. Yeah you got that right - there is more than one Yurine (the pony-tail-goggles girl). It doesn't explain it but I like to think of the various versions of Yurine as aspects/manifestations of the same guardian.

Basically Yurine is the guardian of the Youkai/demon world - she maintains the balance between the human world and the Youkai world. She enters into a covenant with another to be her champion, the Karas. The Karas cannot transform or utilise their power without her unlocking it. *somehow* Ikou, the villain manages to overcome this and rebels, bringing with him some Youkai henchmen who have been powered up as Mikura. He intends to punish the humans who have forgotten the youkai world.

The Mikura can only exist in the human world by consuming human blood; a fact that Ikou uses in his campaign of terror. The always leave a witness, the attacks are based similarly by whichever Mikura does them and the police are left baffled, with their only recourse being to form up a Mulder & Skully outfit.

BTW Nue, the chatty one (the man with the golden gun) was formally one of of Ikou's henchmen, a mikura, but now fights against Ikou.

There is some stuff left unexplained or up to your interpretation. Like how Otoha, the hospital victim wheeled into emrgency at the start of the volume, entered into a covenant with Yurine. It doesn't explain why the other aspects of Yurine dont help. It doenst explain why all of the youkai are becoming sick, but you could infer that it is a manifestation of Ikou's transgressions. It also doesnt explain why Otoha was able to become Karas after Yurine was captured/killed.

Spoderman

I suppose back of the box would have helped but I was in work and it was beginning to bother me.

Thanks for the help all. Multiple Karas's does help a bit. Still pretty wacky. Must watch it again and see if it makes any more sense 2nd time around.

sharingan

It starts to make more sense as you watch it more. Also the dub doesnt include necessary subtitles (like stating that the initial fight takes place 3 years before the rest of the movie). SO watch it subbed as well.

Note that they still haven't finsihed explaining everything. Particularly Otoha. Or why the pink Yurine is unwilling to jump in.

Spoderman

Yeah, spotted that but didn't think I'd pick up anything that would have helped my overall understanding of it.

Anyone know when Vol2 is due out?

sharingan

Pencilled in for September, which I think is pure fantasy considering that none of the episodes 4-6 have been releases in japan yet (I think, no RAWs anyway).

November seems much more likely