Jigoku Shoujo

Jigoku Shoujo Official Website
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First episode of 'Hell Girl' - The Other Side of Twilight aired on Oct 4th.

Typical Japanese horror elements come into play. Vanishing faces, floating lanterns and objects suddenly turning into skulls. We got a peek into the general template of story developement. Someone victimised calls out for help. They go to a strange website at 12 o'clock midnight and with unsureness mixed with fear, type in the name of the most hated person. Just when they're about to click 'send', they hesitate and their finger hovers above the mouse. Click or not click? Eventually they do when the limit of their tolerence is breached. And in the next second, a message flashes up on their cell phone : Request received - Hell Girl.

After a deal is agreed upon - revenge granted at the price of your own soul, hell girl dresses up in beautiful kimono in a ceremonial fashion and rides the flying wagon driven by flaming heads. Off she goes for her mission.

The storyline might seem mundane and the horror elements we've seen thousands times before don't make it a major attraction. Still, the etheral feeling of the setting twilight, or the boat that slowly drifts in an aqua bed of dimming lanterns and in front, the gate of hell looms large and undefiable. Jigoku shoujo, the girl with bloody red eyes and a soothing voice devoid of all emotions, speaks of despair matter of factly. She looks empty, lonely but not wanting, distant yet as palpable as the breeze on your skin.

We shall see the pasts of the hell angels unveiled, and more victimised lives filling the empty chess board.