Kamisama Dolls

Number of Episodes: 13 + 6 bonus mini-episodes

What Wikipeda Anime News Network says: " Kyouhei Kuga is a young man who has left his small hometown to escape from its anachronistic rules and traditions. He wants to try a new life in Tokyo as a simple university student. In the past he was a seki, title given to individuals who are able to control the mysterious kakashis. Considered as gods in the small Karakami village, the kakashi are ancient wooden wonders able to perform incredible feats. The escape of a seki from the provincial town abruptly brings to Tokyo a handful of other seki who are searching for him. Despite being so far away, Kyouhei is still haunted by the old laws and hatred between the two main families, the Kuga and the Hyuga."

tTPO says: This series actually has a pretty interesting premise, and a bunch of good characters whose backgrounds and motivations are well explored. Well, except for one particularly annoying female but even her motivation is pretty clear. Where it all somes to pieces is the plot (such as it is). It just rolls along with events just sort of flowing into each other without any clear direction. Instead of a beginning, a middle and an end, it ends up being a middle, a beginning (told in pieces and probably the most interesting bit), followed by more middle, finally disappearing up its own backside in a series of amazingly irrelevant (even by their generally low standards) two minute 'specials'. Even the fanservice was unimaginative.

Yet another plot annoyance was that, given the initial secrecy associated with the dolls, there are a number of extremely public doll battles in and over Tokyo of which there seems to be no public consequence.

How About the Music?: The OP, "Fukanzen Nunshou" by Chiaki Ishikawa (this link is a fancover but finding the original is rather hard) is a refreshing flamenco piece, and significantly better than the series it fronts. The ED I struggle to describe aside from being interesting and no J-pop or rock. Worth a listen. And also better than the series. 

So how does it end? (Spoiler Free): Not well. This series can be added to the unfortunate group where there is little resolution to the story and if you get a second series (good luck) then you may or may not get some sort of satisfaction.

Overall Grade: Despite initial appearances, there is no satisfaction to be had with the plot or ending here, only frustration at what could have been. Of course if there is a second series I may need to re-evaluate this. I'm not holding my breath. And I'm not bothering with the manga. Grade D.