Kakuriyo: Bed and Breakfast for Spirits
Close your eyes and imagine a hidden realm in the anime world with airships. Need some help imagining? Kakuriyo: Bed and Breakfast for Spirits will take you to this parallel dimension.
Aoi-a, a college student, is bereaved after the death of her grandfather. This is not the only grief the girl has to cope with. She finds out her grandfather has a massive debt to repay not in the human world, but in the spirit world.
Aoi Tsubaki is no ordinary woman, she has the ability to see Ayakashi, a trait she inherited from her grandpa. One day, she spots an Ayakashi is sitting near a tori shrine, claiming he’s hungry. Turns out this Ayakashi is the one her grandfather owes a debt to. This Ayakashi, who is an Orge named Odanna kidnaps her and takes her to the spirit world, and dares to ask her to marry him as compensation.
This may sound typical (spoiler alert: the plot thickens later on), but Aoi has no interest in becoming a trophy-wife. Her genius offers to work off her debt by opening a small restaurant in Tenjin-ya (Odanna’s hotel).
The story has a feminist mark. It’s cool how Aoi rejects the marriage proposal of a rich guy in the spirit world. She is fearless and proposes another patron even though the guy can rip her off into pieces. But paying off the debt wasn’t that simple. In case you haven’t seen Shrek I, let me remind you “never make a deal with an ogre!!”
Now that you are familiar with the plot, let’s have a brief introduction about Kakuriyo: Bed and Breakfast for Spirits. This romantic comedy anime TV series is the adaptation of a supernatural Shoujo light novel series by Midori Yuma. Season 1 comprising 26 episodes premiered in April 2018. Who knows, there could be a season 2 as well? Don’t get your hopes high, nothing is confirmed by the show’s producers.
Aoi is a likable character. You can’t help but cheer for her. Fortunately, because she used to feed the spirits in the human world, the spirits won’t eat her in their world. But they certainly don’t approve of her probably because of what her grandfather did or because she is a human.
Coming to the ogre, Odanna, let me make one thing clear folks. This ogre is not an ugly or a huge creature like Shrek. Instead, it’s handsome yet fearsome. To add a touch of horror, the creators have added horns and massive teeth. The Japanese ogre may look pretty on the inside, it’s ugly on the inside. He is cool and collected, yet you will sense an air of danger about him the very first time you see him.
The viewers learn things about the demon world at Aoi’s pace. The culture, spirits, creatures and even the government is completely different from the human world. Much of that isn’t touched in season 1. I hope the differences could be explored in the next seasons, if they will be produced ☹.
About the Characters
Other characters that you are introduced to are just as unique. They have their own backstories, which triggered my interest. Let’s dive into them one by one:
Odanna
Besides having horns and teeth, Odanna is pale-skinned, tall, and has black medium length hair. He has got bangs too, and red eyes (since he is a monster on the inside). Another scary element is his pointed black painted fingernails.
He is seen wearing formal attire, mostly black kimonos with a colored sash. At times, he is also seen wearing a white fur or a fur-like collar. On his feet, he wears white tai and zori with black straps.
Odanna is cold and merciless. Despite that, he is respected by his servants for his big heart. He respects those who work hard. He is a powerful Ayakashi who has control over his green flame.
Ginji
Ginji is another main character in the series. He is a young master at Tenjin-ya. This 9 tailed fox Ayakashi is the first one in the hidden realm to show kindness to Aoi. He owns a small restaurant struggling to attract customers. Yes, you have guessed it right. He gives an offer to Aoi to work for him and cook human style food to invite customers. He also offers her a place to stay in his hotel. With time, the two become good friends.
Ginji appears to be about Odanna’s age, but he is more than 300 years old. This character can transform into 9 variations. He looks like a young man with layered white hair, long bangs, white fox ears, and light blue eyes. Don’t be so curious to find his 9 tails. They aren’t shown in the anime.
Ranmarus
Ranmaru is a supporting character. He is a lead manager of Orio-ya, a rival in. He is also one of the 8 hachiyo of the spirit world.
He is lean, young, and has long red hair tied in a ponytail. He has dog-like ears and a tail. I found him angry, and arrogant, with manipulative tendencies. Despite that, he has a loyalty and demonstrates a strong sense of justice.
Akatsuki
Akatsuki is the front desk manager at Tenjin-ya. He is Suzuran’s older brother. He is a young man with reddish brown hair and eyes. Initially, he objects to Aoi's idea of opening up an eater but soon realizes she is different and befriends her.
Byakuya
Byakuya works as a chief accountant at Tenjin-ya. He is strict and extremely knowledgeable. He appears to be tough, but has a soft side.
Ougon-douji
Ougon-douji is another supporting character. She is the founder of Orio-ya and Tenjin-ya. She is seen wearing Lolita attire. She is one of the strongest characters in the series.
The storyline of the series is emotional. Aoi could see Ayakashi and had interacted with them most of her life, but still had things to learn about these spirits in their world. She uses the skills taught by her grandfather.
Throughout the season, Aoi hopes to discover the Ayakashi who saved her life when her mom left her stranded to starve. It could either be Ginji or the Ogre, who knows! You might think it’s the Ogre since he wanted to marry her, but what about Ginji who becomes her confidante, gives her a job and a place to live? So it can be said that Kakuriyo is not just a fantasy romance, it’s also a foodie show. There is equal emphasis on both genres.
As you move into the series, you will find that Oryo is in love with an Odanna ‘cause he saved her when she was a child. And Oryo is jealous of Aoi. It seems there are some deep dark secrets about Aoi’s family. Flashbacks to her childhood continue to appear time and again.
The thing that intrigued me the most to watch this series is the mysteries it presents. I am sure these mysteries will keep the audience tied as well. The spirit world is somewhat strange, especially the culture. I can’t help but say that this world has weird double standards. For instance, the spirits find human brides desirable yet they want to eat humans. Some people can see spirits while others cannot.
The spirits wear masks all the time. Rules like these are confusing. Some logic in this universe are out of place as well. I found a few. I also found the first couple of episodes light comedy, but as the show moved forward, things started to get interesting and the next thing I know, I ended up watching the entire series.
The artwork no doubt is stunning. There is an immense focus on the characters and their expression. However, the animation could be improved. Often, shadowing wasn’t there. The lack of depth made the characters fall flat, even though they are so beautiful. Apart from the graphics, I am in love with the soundtrack. It takes you to the ancient Japanese universe. I liked the song so much, I downloaded it on my phone. The music fits the show as well.
Conclusion
This manga had a decent start. The twists and turns make it more enjoyable and to my surprise, it wasn’t much predictable. Aoi, and Ginji were my favorite characters. It’s worth mentioning that the supporting characters had their personalities as well.
Spoiler Alert: This anime is full of cooking, some strange characters, and a touch of life.
Kakuriyo: Bed and Breakfast for Spirits didn’t have any fistfights or dragons, but it had its own charm. I won’t call it an award-winning anime, but it was nice enough to enlighten the mood. The first season ends when Aoi gets injured as a result of a brawl between the head chef and the guest complaining her food is boring. Oddana steps in and everyone frowns at Aoi for being disrespectful and not bowing. Aoi bows anyway and a drop of blood falls from her face. Aoi gets yelled at and runs ways. I hope there will be another season to do justice to the story.
