Hungry for answers, Ranmaru goes in search of Tokko wanting to understand what happened to him and the Machida tenement they all lived in. It seems anyone who survived the quake five years ago has suffered tragedy – along with strange marks on their bodies. What Ranmaru didn’t anticipate is that Tokko is hungry for him. And that organization isn’t the only one dealing in demons that wants him. Now he has to handle threats, an attempt on his sister’s life, secret societies, and a fate more horrifying than he could have ever imagined!

Only a 13 episode series, volume 2 marks the penultimate installment of this horror series. Although things move rapidly and viewers are given a lot of revelations about what happened 5 years ago and what it means now, there is still plenty of mystery and the anime doesn’t feel rushed at all. As Ranmaru gets more entrenched in the violence and horror in his search for answers, he is also searching for revenge for what was done to his family by the demons those few years ago. When a Tokko member, the brash and feisty Kureha, takes him for a joyride, he learns part of the tragedy of the Tokko members. However, when Sakura sees him, she warns him to stay away from Tokko no matter what. Which will win out: his thirst for vengeance or plain old survival instincts? We’re given the answer pretty quickly and the ominous tones around it bodes no good for any kind of happy ending.

The concept of the “phantoms” and their various roles are intriguing as are the pieces of the gate hidden within them. More mysterious still are the different and competing societies vying to either kill Ranmaru or control him. There are those who want to co-exist with the phantoms, those who wish to control them, and then there is Tokko…or is there really a third sect? Without knowing who exactly is pulling Tokko’s strings, it can’t be said with complete certainty that they aren’t being used for nefarious purposes. For now, they seem to be the doomed select few who can stop the gate from growing and ultimately consuming the entire human race. 

For horror stories, this is a treat. It has substance, style and a bloody body count that shows no signs of stopping anytime soon. There are blood and body parts everywhere and quite a bit of action. The possible love interest growing between Ranmaru and a member of Tokko is interesting, garnering both sympathy and worry as it seems none of those who survived the Machida catastrophe will be able to have long and happy lives. His awakening is a startling revelation of bloodshed and horror. Foreshadowing is everywhere and creates a heady sense of dread that suits the anime admirably.

EXTRAS:
Bonus features include other Manga Entertainment previews, gallery of image clips form the anime, and a Making of Tokko feature from the original Japanese DVD releases. It takes us behind the scenes with video interviews with a large portion of the Japanese cast and crew discussing how the anime came about and the progression of the story. BE WARNED! If you don’t want the ending of the anime ruined for you before you watch the final volume, then don’t watch this special feature until after you’ve seen the entire anime! It holds some massive spoilers. The feature itself runs an impressive 35 minutes in length.

IN SUMMARY:
Tokko is an involving horror with blood soaked nightmares come to life.