Usually, I frown upon reviewing titles that seem to be soft pornography, as the cover to box eludes too, but when I was sent this tape I decided to try to give it a try. And you know what it was actually good and not nearly as pornographic as I thought. Mystery of the Necronomicon: Book of the Dead from Central Park Media is an excellent story; a movie mystery that would make FOX's Murder in Small Town X seem like a peaceful walk in the park.

     The story centers around Satoshi Suzusaki, a private investigator that witnesses such a horrible event he loses his memory and has no recollection of what went on that fateful night. Six years after the horrible incident, Suzusaki suffers from recurring nightmares he can't understand. Still, Suzusaki does find time for a vacation and brings his formerly adopted daughter Asuko Kashiwagi to an isolated ski resort for some fun in the snow. However, a huge snowstorm occurs, trapping him and several guests in the resort at the time some horrendous murders are being committed at the resort. For Suzusaki, investigating the crime comes naturally, and for some particular reason, he is drawn to this case.

     The crimes themselves are extremely graphic. The perpetrators MO is to peel the skin of the victims off their faces and then gouge out their eyes, which are left at the scene of the crime. The nature of the crimes are distinctively familiar to crimes that occurred six years ago, crimes the police know Suzusaki was around for. The loss of memory actually resulted in Suzusaki being sent to a mental institution and not facing any jail time. In fact, Asuko is the daughter of one of two of the victims in that crime. Was it guilt that led to the adoption? Was Suzusaki responsible for those crimes? These questions plague the cops as well as the private investigator as he delves through the evidence and struggles to remember a past anyone would like to forget.

     This story is very intriguing. I was drawn into the story by the mystery element involved. I couldn't figure out the killer and I was amazed at how well written the story was, showing some true investigating skills as Suzusaki tried to figure out what I couldn't. The animation was fantastic and the main characters appealing. Though I feel that the supporting characters could have been better written as not simple sex objects, but overall I was happy that this story was not just created to make a horny 18 year old happy. This is one of the best-written stories I have ever seen. The animation is tremendous, but in this case, the story steals the show: Great plot and some excellent cliffhanger endings.

     The first tape in the series is worth the buy, but the end does not finish the storyline, so, you, like me, will have to purchase the next volume to see how the conclusion unfolds. Murder in Small Town X: Who says we have to be entertained by contrived reality series to enjoy a good show. Can you solve the Mystery of the Necronomicon?

     Send your comments and or questions about this article to JMinners@ybfree.com.

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