Ghost Hunt Crew as a MotW team - Spoilers

Trying to think how to do the Ghost Hunt anime as a MotW team, there's some issue since several of the characters would pass as different sorts of Initiates.  There's spoilers here obviously.

Looking at the characters in the main group you have:

Mai Taniyama, the primary perspective character who is a high school girl who slowly develops a range of other capabilities including prophetic dreams, astral projection and a sixth sense for who is innocent or guilty.  She also picks up some shinto and buddhist exorcism chants such as the nine-cuts and the mudra of immobility.  But over all, I think she's a Mundane that dipped into other playbooks.  Though looking at the ratings, none especially match her, I'd be tempted to play around with her ratings to make her Charm +2, Cool +1, Sharp +1, Tough -1, Weird +0 to start and advance her Weird twice via Advances.

Kazuya Shibuya (Nasu), the leader of the team, young genius already has a college degree (possibly a doctorate) as a teenager.  He's most known for using raw, cold logic and cunning to get the team through their cases. His possession or lack of actual powers is a minor/major plot point (it's minor to dues ex machina in the anime, major in the books).  Given he brings in the funding of the group and is shown to have a patron, I'd put him at a Professional primarily with his powers as dipping into other playbooks and using magic (especially since using his powers seems to hospitalize him).

Koujo Lin, Nasu's primary assistant and collaborator.  Later proven to be an Onmyouji with a handful of spirits at his beck and call.  Nasu actually goes to Lin to set up actual magical rituals for him, since any time Nasu draws on power it's like turning on a fire hose.  I'd say Lin is an Expert.  He has a bit of bitterness to him due to experiencing loads of racism at the hands of the Japanese (he's Chinese) during his life.

Update: Lin will be done as an ally for Nasu

Houshou Takigawa, usually called Monk, an apostate buddhist monk. He at least claims to be apostate, Nasu suspects he's a bit more than he lets on.  He is a full time rock and roll musician as well and gets called on to remove curses among the music industry fairly often.  While Lin deals with most of the big rituals that Nasu seems to be at the center of, a lot of the onscreen magic is done by Monk and he is supposed to be quite powerful.  I'd probably say he's an Initiate with a sect that isn't all that active anymore.

Next is Masako Hara, a television medium and minor celebrity about Mai's age. She's generally used to track down spirits and give information about them. She doesn't do much in the way of active exorcism and her powers make her sensitive to intense evil auras. She's pretty much a Spooky despite the fact her powers don't really have a specific dark force, they just make her an attractive target.

Next is Ayako Matsuzaki, a self-taught shinto priestess (or taught by the spirit of an old tree).  Throughout much of the series her powers are next to useless since it's revealed that her bigger powers depend on asking for help from the spirits of local trees and most of their stories take place in cities where the spirits of the trees are dead or asleep.  She does have some general purpose charms and spells, but she's not a major hitter and usually ends up as something between team mom and providing support.  She's prone to boasting and being concerned with her appearance as well as getting teased by the other team members for her lack of a successful exorcism til near the end. I'm tempted to call her a Flake but she doesn't fit the piecing it all together thing at all.  If it weren't for Monk, I'd likely make her an Initiate.

Then is John Brown, a supposed 19 year old Catholic exorcist.  He is a priest, but Nasu has doubts that he's actually completed the exorcism program with the Catholic church.  Despite that, he has legitimate power and is next to the Monk in on-screen demonstrations of psychic ability.  If Monk weren't around, I'd call him an Initiate...possibly I could refluff him as a Divine.

There is a late joiner to the party in the form of Osamu Yasuhara who is another high schooler that they pick up in the third-to-last anime story arch and hangs out with them through the last three story archs.  He's a pretty smart guy and hard worker with a rather odd sense of humor, such as when he spontaneously pretends to be over 200 years old and starts talking knowledgably about things that happened way back when in order to confuse and annoy a poseur ghost-hunter in the Bloody Labyrinth story arch. He more or less fits the Flake skill set since he settles in to do heavy research for the team after he joins and proves very adept at it.

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Makes me want to make Priest and/or Shaman playbooks.

What the hell...Let's do this


Mai Taniyama, the Mundane (later Spooky)

A short-haired girl with a friendly but determined face dressed in practical but cute clothes.

Charm +2, Cool +1, Sharp +1, Tough -1, Weird +0.

Moves: Always the Victim, The Power of Heart, Trust Me

Story Arch Advances

Evil Spirits All Over - Advance: Premonitions (Spooky playbook) - Starts having her prophetic dreams.

Doll House - Advance: Tune In (Spooky playbook) - Attunes to the mother's ghost and realizes its presence before anyone else.

After School Hexer - Advance: +1 Weird - Tests positive for latent ESP.

Ghost Story in the Park - Advance: +1 Charm - Convinces the spirit to pass on before it becomes an angry ghost.

Silent Christmas - Spends most of the time possessed and unaware of what's happening, absent player.  No advance.

Forbidden Past-time - Advance: What Could Go Wrong (Mundane Playbook) - Charges off to fight the ghosts herself.

The Blood-Stained Labyrinth - Advance: +1 Weird - Displays some definite use magic in the case of her Astral Projection to find Masako.

The Cursed House - Advance: Change to Spooky - By this point she's gone full-blown psychic.

The Dark Side of her power is that she tends to experience the last moments of the spirits she tunes into.  So she's experienced being murdered several times.  So, for her Dark Side tags: Guilt, Pain and Hallucinations (from the ghosts).

For moves she picks up The Big Whammy (she gets told off for using it on a possessed person though), Hunches and The Sight

The Forgotten Children - Advance: Remove one Dark Tag: Guilt - She has to get over some of her own emotions in order to complete the exorcism.  Her first solo exorcism with the rest of the team already drawn into the hallucination.

End result

Charm +3, Cool +1, Sharp +1, Tough -1, Weird +2

Dark Side: Pain, Hallucinations

Moves: Trust Me, Always The Victim, The Power of Heart, Premonitions, Hunches, Tune In, The Big Whammy, The Sight, What Could Go Wrong?

Kazuya Shibuya (Nasu/Oliver Davis) the Expert (with Lin as an ally, I put him back to Expert...though Experts don't get Allies...so...where to put this)

A tall, young man with a cold and vain disposition and simple, dark clothes.

Charm -1, Cool +1, Sharp +2, Tough -1, Weird +1

Moves: Preparedness, Often Right

Haven: The Shibuya Foundation offices.  Lore Library, Mystical Library, Magical Laboratory

Advances - Mai is really the only one who seems to literally advance, well her and maybe Ayako...the others just reveal abilities that had always been there.

Evil Spirits Everywhere - Advance: Apprentice (Initiate Playbook) - Rather a formality, represents Lin, who barely shows up this story arch until late into it.  Lin is more of a Lieutenant or Bodyguard, but oh well.

The Doll House - Advance: Cool +1 - Plays up his cold personality and ability to stay calm here.

After-School Hexer - Advance: It Wasn't As Bad As It Looked (Expert Playbook) - Literally does that this storyarch.

Ghost Story in the Park - This was mostly Mai's show with the spirit.  No Advance.

Silent Christmas - Advance: +1 Sharp - Shows off more of his Holmesian intellect here.

Forbidden Past-Time - Advance: The Man With the Plan (Expert playbook) - Ties into his plan with the onmyouji talismans.

The Bloody Labyrinth - Advance: +1 Weird - Doesn't actually do much with, but this is sort of prepping what's coming up.

The Cursed House - Advance: The Big Whammy (Spooky playbook) - Kills a god with telekinetic power...then passes out.

The Forgotten Children - Advance: Mark Investigate a Mystery and Act Under Pressure as Advanced.

End Result

Charm -1, Cool +2, Sharp +3, Tough -1, Weird +3

Moves: The Man With the Plan, Often Right, Preparedness, It Wasn't As Bad As it Looked, Apprentice, The Big Whammy, Advanced Investigate, Advanced Act Under Pressure

Houshou "Monk" Takigawa, the Snoop (changed initial to this because his being a rock star and minor celebrity shows up once or twice)

A tall man with died blonde hair and an athletic build who wears flashy clothes.

Charm +2, Cool -1, Sharp +0, Tough +1, Weird +1 (messed with this a little)

Moves: Minor Celebrity, I'm a Reporter!(Rock Star!), Relaxed Producer (Freelance Guitarist)

Advances - Really just revealing his actual skills as things move on

Evil Spirits All Around - Advance: +1 Cool.  He's actually pretty cool-headed.

Doll House - Advance: Mystic (Initiate Playbook) - Does his first exorcism in this.

After-School Hexer - Advance: The Mojo Wire (Snoop Playbook) - Actually confirms the haunt from a few fans after a live show at the start of the story line.

Ghost Story in the Park - No Advance, this was mostly Mai.

Silent Christmas - Advance: +1 Weird.  Doesn't do much in this particular storyline, but he's shown some heavy chops by this point.

Forbidden Past-Time - Advance: +1 Sharp.  He has been showing some real intelligence throughout the show.

The Bloody Labyrinth - Advance: +1 Cool.  He keeps his cool very well here.

The Cursed House - Advance: Unfazeable +1 Cool (Professional Playbook). Again, when steps in to lead he shows a lot of being a cool head.

The Forgotten Children - Advance: Use Magic and Protect Someone become Advanced - More due previous storyline than this one.

End Result

Charm +2, Cool +2, Sharp +1, Tough +1, Weird +2

Moves: Minor Celebrity, I'm a Reporter!(Rock Star!), Relaxed Producer (Freelance Musician), Mystic, Unfazeable, The Mojo Wire, Advanced Use Magic, Advanced Protect Someone

Masako Hara, the Spooky (later Professional)

A slight teenaged girl with a severe expression dressed in traditional kimonos.

Charm +1, Cool +0, Sharp +1, Tough -1, Weird +2

Dark Side: Mood Swings, Hallucinations, Dark Bargain (she sometimes allows ghosts to possess her)

Moves: The Sight, Tune In, Hunches

Advances

Evil Spirits All Around - Advance: Always the Victim (Mundane Playbook) - Seriously, Mai gets attacked more, but Masako gets attacked almost everytime as well.

Doll House - Advance: +1 Cool. Masako can be pretty cool-headed.

After-School Hexer - Advance: Minor Celebrity (Snoop Playbook) - Comes into play when someone recognizes her from TV and sends spirits to attack her.

Ghost Story in the Park - Advance: +1 Weird.  Allows herself to be possessed.

Silent Christmas - Not sure she appears much in this story. No Advance.

Forbidden Past-Time - Advance: Mystic Library.  Never shown, but reasonable that she has one.

The Bloody Labyrinth - Advance: Erases Mood Swings.  After a heart to heart with Mai, this eases off.

The Cursed House - Advance: Changed to Professional.  Her position with the TV Agency hasn't really changed, but Mai has become the Spooky on this storyline, so decided to switch Masako too.  Also note, I thought about starting her off as The Professional since she has only a few very specific powers.

Agency: TV Studio, Well-Financed, Recognized Authority(Celebrity), Dubious Motives, Inter-Departmental Rivalry

Moves: When Dealing With the Agency, Bottle it Up, Unfazeable (Cool +1), Tactical Genius

The Forgotten Children - Advance: Cool +1 just a reminder...she can be quite cold.

End Result:

Charm +1, Cool +3, Sharp +1, Tough -1, Weird +3

Dark Side: Dark Bargain (possession), Pain

Moves: The Sight, Tune In, Hunches, Minor Celebrity, Always the Victim, When Dealing with the Agency, Bottle it Up, Unfazeable, Tactical Genius

I know Ayako was next on my list, but trying to figure out a place to put her is nerve racking.  So...


Father John Brown, the Initiate

A man with youthful appearance and a priest's uniform.

Charm +1, Cool +1, Sharp +0, Tough -1, Weird +2 (moved these around a little bit to better reflect the character)

Sect: The Catholic Church: Ancient Lore, Integrated in Society, Tradition Bound, Mystical Oaths

Moves: Good Standing With the Sect, Mystic, Helping Hand, Sacred Oath (Chastity, Poverty)

Advances:

Evil Spirits Everywhere - Advance: Soothe (Divine Playbook) - He's really good at calming people down.

Doll House - Advance: Cast Out Evil (Divine Playbook) - He exorcises a doll that none of the others could deal with.

After School Hexer - Advance: +1 Cool.  He is very calm.

Ghost Story in the Park: Mostly Mai's story.  No Advance

Silent Christmas - Advance: +1 Tough.  Just because he isn't particularly weak and doesn't hesitate to do physical stuff.  His sect requested the job.

Forbidden Past-Time - Advance: +1 Weird. While not as center stage as Monk, he shows himself to be quite competent as an exorcist.

The Bloody Labyrinth - Advance: +1 Charm.  He is very charming.

The Cursed  House - Advance: Manipulate People and Use Magic are Advanced. Again, he's one of the few characters never shown to have a problem with his rituals and he is very good at working with people.

The Forgotten Children - Erase one used Luck Mark from playbook.

Osamu Yasuhara, the Flake

A young man with cheerful eyes and neat clothing.

Charm +1, Cool +1, Sharp +2, Tough +0, Weird -1 (played with this a bit)

Moves: Often Overlooked, Connect the Dots, See, It All Fits

Advances:

Forbidden Past-time (First appearance) - Advance: +1 Cool, accepts his probably fate with dignity and a smile.

The Bloody Labyrinth - Advance: +1 Charm, bamboozles a poseur with a tale of being over 200 years old.

The Cursed House - Advance: +1 Sharp, gets together lots of research in a very short period of time.

The Forgotten Children - Not sure he's in this story.

End Result

Charm: +2, Cool +2, Sharp +3, Tough +0, Weird -1

Moves: Often Overlooked, Connect the Dots, See, It All Fits

will hold of on Ayako....with Spooky, Initiate and Expert already taken, and Chosen not really fitting her at all, kind of need a new playbook for her.

Probably something like a "shaman" or "priest" type thing.  Or possibly something related to how she's a woman from a rich family with some psychic ability.