Ghost Slayers Ayashi takes the battle against evil to Animax

Set in the 19th century with Japan in turmoil, Ghost Slayers Ayashi begins with refugees pouring into the city of Edo to worsen poverty, hunger, raids and riots plaguing the people. Things take a nosedive as the city comes under attack of the ‘Y_i’ — demonic beasts in mystical forms such as the dragon and other unworldly manifestations from the realm beyond humans. More massive than any living being, the ‘Y_i’ are capable of destroying whole cities, and only the Ayashi ‘Y_i’-fighting team stands between the safety of all people and complete devastation.

Leading the Ayashi’s fight is Ryudo Yukiatsu, an ex-samurai possessing the legendary ‘Ayagami’ power which reveals the name of an ‘Y_i’ and its ancient meaning to materialize the precise magical powers to defeat it. Ryudo is helped by Ogasawara, a scholar of Western studies; Edo, a firearms-slinging Shinto priest; Abi, a blessed spear wielding-mountaineer; and Saizo, a girl dressed as a boy who fights using a magical paper fan — all with unique abilities to slay the ‘Y_i’.

Ghost Slayers Ayashi comes off the famed production line of top Japanese animé studio Bones which also gave us sci-fi hit Darker Than Black currently airing on Animax, along with top titles Full Metal Alchemist, Eureka Seven and Ouran High School Host Club. Having inspired a manga series of the same title by Yaeko Ninagawa in Square Enix’s Young Gangan magazine, Ghost Slayers Ayashi also spun off a five-episode OVA series tracing the Ayashi’s battles in another story arc titled Ayashi Divine Comedy to also air on Animax following the 25-episode main series.