As the story deveolops, the world expands. We're introduced to other sacred areas which are portals into alternate dimensions that gods live in. And we are introduced the the Urakai, and organization of people with magical abilities which takes it upon itself to investigate and police the supernatural happenings in Japan. A majority of the supporting characters, such as Yoshimori's older brother Masamori and his subordinates, are members of the Urakai.
Summary: The manga starts out with a number of small arcs that helps explain how the world works, what kinds of things our heroes deal with, and how they use their powers. Among the stories: Yoshimori befriends and helps a human ghost to move on, a demon user from the Urakai leads to problems at Karasumori, the group confronts an ayakashi from Madarao's (Yoshimori's magical dog sidekick) past, and Yoshimori is called upon to help a god.
Once things are well-established, Tanabe builds the Kokoburou arc, which comes to define a significant portion of the series. It starts out small, with a few strange ayakashi coming in and taking an interest in Karsumori. Some more characters come in, notably Shishio Gen, a part-ayakashi boy sent by the Urakai (and Masamori in particular) to help defend Karasumori. Tanabe doesn't let the threat of the Kokoburou dominate from the start. The antagonists are very mysterious at first, and they don't move too quickly, allowing Tanabe to also spend time detailing the dangerous politics of the Urakai and the relationships that form between Yoshimori, Tokine, and Gen. When the Kokoburou at last begin to take serious action in an attempt to take over Karasumori, things take a turn for the impressive. Shockingly, Gen is killed in one of the Kokoburou's (unsuccessful) assaults on Karasumori. The heroes then take the fight to the alternate world of Kokuburou itself, where old scores are settled and some new alliances formed.
In the wake of the Kokoburou arc, we return to smaller arcs, which this time split themselves between some expansion of the world and character's powers and more focused looks at character development. Among the stories are: Yoshimori and Tokine meet an exorcist with a mission, a mysterious and powerful attack is mounted on both Masamori's Yagyou and on Karasumori with the result that some characters become stronger, a girl Yoshimori has no interest in forms a violent crush on him, Masamori confronts his old mentor who has turned into an ayakashi, a prophetess causes a few problems at Karasumori, Masamori confronts one of his enemies in the Urakai, and a crazed god attacks Karasumori. The involvement of the Urakai and its various members in the plot increases, and Tanabe seems to be setting the stage for major events in both of her main theatres- Karasumori and the Urakai.
(from left to right, Tokine, Yoshimori, and Gen)
Spotlight: As you can imagine, a lot happens in 200 chapters, so there's quite a bit to choose from. I have to give recognition to the fight between Masamori and Ogi Ichirou, in which creative and skilled use of a variety of weaker techniques triumphs against overwhelming force. Even more remarkable, at least to me, is when Tokine kills a god. Not only is it an example of a strong female lead acting when the male lead has made some mistakes, it's incredibly impressive because of the characters there, we know that Tokine may best understand the detrimental consequences her actions will have on her- and she acts anyway, proving her skill and her devotion to her mission. I also can't neglect some excellent pieces of humor- most notably the two chapters in which a mysterious spirit causes everyone in the middle school to act ridiculously.
But really, there is one thing that I have to pick out above everything else in the series- Gen's death. It's a sudden, brutal piece of realism to have a teenage character stabbed in the back in the midst of an epic supernatural fight. Gen doesn't make a heroic sacrifice. He doesn't valiantly struggle against death, but tragically accepts it. This alone would be notable, but it's Tanabe's recognition of the aftermath that really distinguishes the series. We see the funerals, and the raw grief that some of the characters are experiencing. We see how they bottle up the emotions, or channel them in different ways. And the effects of Gen's death don't just go away once the Kokuburou arc is over- characters continue to remember him, and be affected by that memory. This sensitivity to grief injects the series with a serious. thoughtful touch from time to time.
Strengths: Tanabe is a dinstictly skilled author, and this comes through in a number of ways. One of the aspects of Kekkaishi that distinguishes it from a number of the better-known shonen series is the creativity of its power systems, and the characters who use them. Whether it's Yoshimori using a shikigami shaped like yourself to skip class, or a young member of the Yagyou using her power to animate inanimate objects in order to outwit a kidnapper, the powers are very interesting to watch and consistently follow the logic systems laid out by the series. The series is also very well paced. Many shonen fall into traps of drawing out fights too long, or repeating themselves, but Kekkaishi avoids this pretty thoroughly. Major arcs, such as the Kokoburou arc, can be divided up into sub-arcs that give their own feeling of satisfaction while also driving the main arc further. It also helps that Tanabe's art is excellent- I find the character designs very appealing and with a good range of individuality, the backgrounds are well-detailed without being distracting, and the designs for ayakashi and other supernatural things to vary well from a good traditional base to intriguingly creative.
What I admire most about the series, though, is Tanabe's refusal to simplify human relationships. Possibly my favorite scene is a brief one shortly following Gen's death, where Yoshimori and Tokine have a discussion on the school roof one night. They totally fail to connect in a way that's meaningful for the moment, because they've been left in such different places by their grief and have incorrect expectations about how the other is reacting. It's an unflinching little portrait, and really displays some of the series greatest strengths. Kekkaishi is full of characters who care but misunderstand, who have issues with each other or about how to relate to others. Taken individually the characters are good, but as an ensemble they're one of the better ones I've seen in a manga.
It's also in the characterization that Tanabe's adherence to "show, don't tell" is most evident. You don't need to see Masamori thinking "why wasn't I the legitimate successor?" when all you have to do to get that point across is show him looking at his right hand. We know how deeply Yoshimori has been affected by Gen's death when it becomes clear that he's put away everything to do with his baking hobby in favor of training (likewise, we know he's come back to himself for the most part when he starts baking again). I like it when authors treat me as if I'm paying attention.
Weaknesses: Tanabe doesn't have the understanding of theme that, say, Arakawa displays in Fullmetal Alchemist. There were a number of potential themes for the Kokoburou arc, but they tended to be used by the chapter or sub-arc, not really chosen and explored. The abscence of some overarching themes makes for a less overall cohesive story, and in a series that has such careful and extended character arcs this lack stands out. You're left with questions like "What exactly does Tanabe want to say about revenge? Or did she just decide not to say anything on it?"
The elements of the plot don't always mix well. While overall the goings on of the characters in various locations feed well into each other and combine to good effect, Masamori's power struggles can feel like they're intruding into the story of Yoshimori's growth, and vice versa. And while I personally greatly appreciate characterization choices such as Masamori's tendency to take one step forward and two steps back in dealing with his issues, I can see how some people might complain that it stagnates the narrative a little.
In Brief: Kekkaishi is very much my cup of tea, and I highly recommend it. It has strong characters with fascinating relationships, both of which develop naturally. It has solid, creative worldbuilding which allows for unique comedy as well as action, and can put things on a grand, mysterious scale when it's called for. It's a refreshing, enjoyable, and interesting read.
