Oh Ghost Stories...what to do with you.

Reviewing Ghost Stories is like reviewing two different series, since the dub and sub are as different as night and day. This review mostly applies to the dub (the more worth your time version).

Why? This is what happened according to VA Greg Ayres (he told a group this at a con):
Ghost Stories was a show given a large budget and an A-List cast and a primetime air-slot...where it proceeded to flop miserably. The Japanese company offered it to ADV Films, begging them to make a profit on this miserable failure, and they didn't care what they did to it as long as it made some money. ADV relented, and licensed the show but basically threw away the script. In its place, ADV created a dub that feels more like an Abridged Series fandub from Youtube (DBZ Abridged, Code MENT, YuGiOh Abridged, etc.) The characters and plot are the same, but in the place of serious dialogue is VA ad-lib, pop culture references, crude jokes, and self-parodying satire. What was once a PG-ish level horror anime was now a dubbed over with Family Guy-style humor. AND IT WORKS.

Subtitled Version
As a subtitled show, iGhost Stories is simply just another generic "super sleuths" horror anime about a bunch of kids as they try to banish the ghosts from the old schoolhouse using a spellbook by Satsuki's now-deceased mother. The first episode or two weren't horrendous, but the rest of the series is...well...bluntly speaking, BORING AS ALL GET OUT. The ghosts would only be scary to young children (though truth be told, I would have been scared if it wasn't for the dub because I'm a wimp when it comes to horror).
Note: I'll admit it, I never watched it as a sub. But I got the gist of it anyway.

Dubbed Version
If the sub were to be given a PG rating, the dub would be a TV-MA. The [gag] dub is a comedic fandub-style low-brow humor fest of in the vein of Futurama, American Dad, The Office, and Family Guy. Example: the spells to seal away a snow ghost? ("Go with the-snow, but not the-snow, that is yel-low!") Lol wat?- and thats one of the cleaner ones! Pop culture references are made left and right referring to actors, movies ("Where'd you learn that force field spell?" "Jessica Alba in that Fantastic Four movie, even though that movie sucked."), and Voice Actors ("It's bigger Chris Patton's ego!") They're a little outdated now (this was a 2004 dub) but its still funny. And by the end the fourth wall barely is left standing ("oh no...not the creepy violins!"). It's pretty hilarious, though a lot of the jokes are quite offensive-in short, if you hate the humor of the shows mentioned above, you'll hate this show.
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Note: Each of these content ratings will be different for sub and dub, fyi.

Violence/Gore
Sub- It's a horror show, so expect the usual "pools of ghostly blood," skeletons, people being attacked by monsters (off-screen), and ghosts who died terrible deaths trying to kill people. Supernatural attacks put people in the hospital. (The dub points out the fact that many episodes directly rip-off famous Japanese horror films like The Ring).

Dub-not much difference.

Nudity/Sexual Content
Sub- Just a couple of panty shots. (kinda creepy considering these characters are all in elementary school)

Dub- The biggest target of the jokes. Jokes make fun of child molestation, homosexuality, and pedophilia. Dialogue also mention or insinuate hiring hookers, groping, masturbation, STD tests, premarital sex, underage pregnancy, abortion, and everything in between.

More prominently, the dub clearly says that Satsuki's mom was a lesbian, and in the diary calls female ghosts "attractive." Hajime also seems to be obsessed with panties. Leo is often called gay and Hajime calls him a "f**"

Theological Themes
Sub- If you haven't guessed iGhost Stories is about...ghosts. (gasp!) Thus, lots of unhappy spirits of the dead and stuff. Creatures of Japanese legend appear, and at one point characters a trapped within the spirit world. A group of girls attempt spells together using some kind of Satanic ritual, and someone attempts to resurrect a dead animal using voodoo. Also, one of the main characters, Momoko is a psychic, and often channels the spirit of Satsuki's mom. Leo is a paranormal fanatic. A main character in this show is the demon named Amanajaku who is forced to inhabit the body of a black cat.

Dub- Definitely the most offensive part of the entire dub (for me at least) was Monica Rial's version of Momoko. In the dub, Momoko is one of those obsessive right-wing evangelistic Christians who hates Jews, Muslims, and gays. She is constantly spouting off random Bible verses or trying to convince the other kids to accept Jesus. She calls people demons, tells them they're going to hell...basically, the Westboro church-type. This character is insufferable, racist, homophobic- the worst kind of caricature of the Christian. Her attitude leads the other characters to mock her "born again" status a ton. While this element shows up less and less as the series goes on, it's still very offensive.

Also, Greg Ayres' Leo is a Jewish (mostly ethnically) but is stereotyped and mocked accordingly.

Problematic Themes
Dub- This dub includes a lot of racial stereotyping and racist jokes ("Run faster! Pretend a big black man is chasing you!"). Like I said earlier, with their mockery, NOTHING is off-limits here. Satsuki's brother is portrayed as being "semi-retarted" and is barely intelligible most of the time. In short: basically, this entire series is crude and problematic, hence the 10.

Lots of language in this series as well, quite a few uses of b****, d***, and sh**. Girls are called "whores" and "sluts." However, in the last 3-4 episodes it seems they didn't care about keeping a lower rating anymore, resulting in about ten or so uses of "f***".

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So do I like or dislike this series? I honestly don't know. I laughed a ton, but I just frowned at some of the more tackless jokes. It's crudely funny. If you like/ don't mind that stuff, watch this for a laugh. As for me, I just feel sort of guilty for watching iGhost Stories. I gave this series a six because I laughed, but if it wasn't for that it would have ended up with a 3 for its offensiveness.

Note: The dub and sub of this anime are completely different, since ADV was given free reign to do whatever they wanted with the dub. I have only seen the dub, but I will try to comment on the sub based on my knowledge.

Violence: This area of the anime is pretty much the same in both dub and sub. There is some mild horror movie violence and blood. There is a bit of body horror too. Honestly, it seemed kinda creepy and violent for a kids show, but I know Japan has different standards regarding death and violence and what is appropriate for kids. The dub has a joke about child abuse, so there's that.

Sex and Nudity: In the subbed version we have a few panty shots, three of which are taken notice of. It's really creepy since these are literal elementary school aged children. Satsuki and Mamiko are like ten and twelve. I'd give it a two or maybe a three for the creepiness.

The dub is a completely different story. We have tons of sex jokes. I bumped it up to a six, despite there being no real nudity, just for how absolutely raunchy some of the jokes were. At one point one of the teachers literally explains how sex works to the children in the most blunt way possible. They make jokes about pretty much everything in this regard. I'm not even going to try listing things. I'm just going to say that these children do not seem to act like children and are very, very curious about this stuff.

Theological Themes: In the subbed version, we have ghosts and rituals and the like. I don't think it's any worse than your run of the mill supernatural anime. If you are familiar with xxxHolic, Ghost Hunt, or Toilet Bound Hanako-kun it's on that level. The ghosts haunt places and Satsuki and the gang have to exorcise them with magic spells. Momoko has ESP and is sometimes possessed with the ghost of Satsuki and Keichiro's mother. I'd say a 5 or maybe a 6 to be safe.

The dub portrays Momoko as every negative stereotype of Christians rolled into one. She's a right wing homophobe (kinda racist too) who spouts thinly veiled references to Christianity every time she opens her mouth. She also regularly disses other religions, and she is generally an intolerant person. Leo is a stereotyped Jew. I bumped it up to a 7, since Momoko is probably a deal breaker for a lot of people.

Problematic Themes: I dunno what the sub would be rated. It might get a 1 or 2, depending on whether or not there is mild language in the sub.

The dub gets a 10, because of how unbelievably offensive it is. No one is safe. No one. No religion, political party or race. Satsuki's brother is disabled, and they can get pretty mean. They say lots of slurs, too (slurs for trans, gay, and disabled people-- I don't rememver any racial slurs, but I could be wrong). There is racism. It is very, very inappropriate, and parents should take a second look before they let their children watch it.

Overall: Is this show incredibly offensive and inappropriate? Yes. Is it absolute trash that I wouldn't recommend casually to anyone on this site? Yes. Did I actually enjoy it? Yes. I don't know if I could ever rewatch it, but it certainly was...something else.

Yeah, I liked this show way more than I should have. I will mention that aside from the offensive humor a lot of the jokes were pretty outdated with a strong hold in pop-culture from the early 2000's and late 90's that I was too young to get.

The plot is simple. Five children deal with supernatural happenings, most of them at their school.

The characters really made the show. I have way too many quotes from this show living in my head rent free. That's probably not something that should be happening, but it's too late for me to un-hear them. Satsuki, our lead is a self-absorbed little jerk. Hajime is her dirty-minded neighbor, Leo a Jewish nerd, Momoko an offensive stereotype of Christianity, and her brother Kechiiro, Satsuki's "innocent" and mentally disabled little brother.

The opening and ending are pretty catchy. The voice acting for the dub was beautiful. Hilary Haag, Chris Patton, Greg Ayres, and Monica Rial were exceptional as the lead characters. I also feel the need to for me to give a shout out to Brittney Karbowski. In episode 9 (my personal favorite) she transforms a quiet, animal loving girl into a psychopath in love with a rabbit. It was one of the best vocal performances I've seen in a while.

Age wise, the dub is probably best for older teens and up for obvious reasons. I'll go with preteens and up for the sub. It would probably get lower if not for the out of place panty-shots, which do not belong in a kids' show.