Phantom Quest Corp.

Phantom Quest Corp. (幽幻怪社, Yūgen Kaisha) is a comedy horror anime produced by Madhouse, originally released as a four-episode original video animation (OVA) in Japan between August 25, 1994, and February 25, 1995. An English-dubbed version was released in North America by Pioneer (now Geneon Universal Entertainment) shortly thereafter. The plot revolves around Ayaka Kisaragi, the proprietor of Phantom Quest Corp., a company in Shinjuku, Tokyo dedicated to helping those in need of paranormal aid. The title is a pun: Yūgen Kaisha, typically meaning "limited liability company", can also refer to "the occult" when written with different characters. Ayaka Kisaragi, descended from a long line of exorcists, starts Phantom Quest Corp., using unconventional weapons like a lipstick case that turns into a laser sword, and earrings that explode with spiritual energy. Despite her skills, her bad habits (sake, karaoke, shopping) impact the company's finances. She, along with her partner Mamoru Shimesu, battles vampires, poltergeists, and rivals trying to drive her out of business. In addition to the OVA series, there are two soundtrack albums, a Japanese light novel, and a single-issue English manga. Phantom Quest Corp. is often compared to the concurrent series Ghost Sweeper Mikami. Critics have praised its animation, comedy, and action sequences but noted its lack of plot depth and character development due to its short length.