Urban Legends (2024 TV series)

Urban Legends is a television series that explores popular urban legends and myths, delving into the stories behind them and investigating their origins. The show typically features dramatizations of these legends along with interviews with experts who provide insight into the historical and cultural context of the tales. Each episode focuses on a different urban legend, examining its impact on society and how it has evolved over time.
==Synopsis==
The “Urban Legends” TV series provides viewers with an intriguing look at the folklore that has captured the imagination of people around the world. By presenting these stories in a visual format, the show brings to life the mystery and intrigue surrounding urban legends, inviting audiences to question what they believe and why these tales continue to endure.
==Characters==
;Jenny Barnes
:Jenny moves to the hometown of her deceased mother with her father and her big brother Henry, where she finds that her mother confronted several evil entities that haunted the town, which included Mothman, and wrote all her supernatural experiences in a diary, which is entitled "The Urban Legend Journal". Jenny is very strong, brave and determined within, but sometimes a bit moody, mostly because of Boon's reckless behavior.
;Tommy Boon
:Boon is a sixth-grader and Jenny's best friend. She seems to fear nothing, even in dangerous situations, and is very brave when it comes to helping Jenny and the gang confront the ghosts. She also has a psychic connection with Jenny's mother. In the ADV English dub, she is a born again Evangelical Christian from a posh family, and almost every sentence she utters contains a thinly-veiled reference to Christianity. She mentions that she was a heavy drug user and a sex addict prior to becoming a Christian.
;Louis Amityville
:Amityville's is Jenny's neighbor. He is strong and courageous but has cowardly tendencies. Despite this, he is one of the most reliable of Jenny's friends. In the ADV English dub, Amityville is a stereotypical anime protagonist with a slightly horny streak.
;Freddy Orville
:Orville's is Amityville's friend and has a big obsession with paranormal themes, and proclaims himself as a respected paranormal researcher. However, whenever Leo finds a clue pertaining to the existence of supernatural entities, it seems that it turns against him. Like Amityville, he tries to be brave, but most of the time shows cowardice. In the ADV English dub, he is portrayed as a dorky teenager from a Christian family.
;Henry Barnes
:Henry is Jenny's bigger brother. He is easily frightened, fooled, manipulated, and often detective, but on rare occasions shows courage in defeating the ghosts. Because of his weaknesses, he often creates situations that the other characters have to solve. He creates a special friendship with the ghost Mothman. In the ADV English dub, his incompetence is elevated to that of being mentally challenged. He is often referred to as having dyslexia and is seen applying to the Special Olympics. He will often respond with a non sequitur and in times of stress, his speech will turn into a childish babble. He behaves oddly and randomly bursts into laughter, tears, or squeals.
;Mothman
:Mothman is a powerful entity that, long ago, was sealed by Barnes's mother in a tree in the mountains, but was finally released from his magic prison when that tree was cut down during urbanization. However, he did not have his freedom long, as Satsuki accidentally sealed him in the body of her pet cat, Kaya. At first, Amanojaku is hostile toward the kids and takes great pleasure in seeing them in trouble, but throughout the series, he develops an attachment to them (especially Satsuki and Keiichiro) and starts helping them in giving clues and sometimes gives direct help to the kids. He is the typical tsundere anime character. In the ADV English dub, he retains his antagonism towards the kids and will often break the fourth wall complaining about the poor animation, lazy writing or not being paid enough.
;Mr. Zachery
:Mr. Zachery is the teacher of the class where Satsuki, Hajime, and Leo attend. Despite not believing in ghosts, he suffers as a victim of many supernatural incidents. Mr. Sakata is often possessed, cursed, and kidnapped by ghosts. A running gag in the ADV English dub has him exclaiming his hatred for an unseen teacher named Ms. Nancy.
;Richard Barnes
:Richard is Jenny's father. He has no clue about his daughter's supernatural duties and does not believe in ghosts. In the ADV English dub, he is a largely absent and inattentive father. It is implied that he is a cross-dresser.
;Sonia Barnes
:Sonia is Jenny's and Henry's deceased mother. Through her diary, it is revealed that she was an avid exorcist during her childhood. She possesses Boon two times throughout the series to aid Satsuki against the Dybbuk Box and Poltergeist, and once helped Jenny and the others to escape from a powerful haunting called Hoosac Tunnel. Her maiden name was Julia. It was revealed that she is haunting The Urban Legend Journal that she made for Jenny (this was proven when The Urban Legend Journal content disappeared after Jenny exorcised all ghosts that she dealt with during her childhood) and assisting her through the diary or possessing Boon. In the ADV English dub, she is either bisexual or lesbian.
==Episode==
==Reception==
Overall, “Urban Legends” serves as both entertainment and education, offering a blend of storytelling and investigation that appeals to those interested in mysteries, folklore, and the unknown.