12 January 2012

First Impression: Another - Horror done right

Episodes: 12
Producers: P.A Works
Genres: Horror, Drama, Mystery, School

Another is one of the two most look forward to anime for this season. One of the reasons for that is because I love horror in my anime (not in real life movie though - I can't handle it) and have always enjoyed horror theme anime like Mononoke or Ghost Hound. The other reason simply because the lackluster list of anime we have for the Winter. Compared to Fall, this season is like at the bottom of the pile of shit.

(c) pixiv id 1408036

Once the show started you knew you are in for a good ride. The story of Another managed to grab you on the get go. The whispering and gossiping about Masaki and the combination with various instrument playing for the BGM really set the mood for this show. It's not even 2 minutes yet but I am already singing praises for Another. That ought to mean that I am right about this gem.

This is a story of Misaki, a girl who died 26 years ago but still a living legend to this very day. Kouichi Sakakibara, our male protagonist just transferred to the town but is ill thus he couldn't attend school until May. He was visited by three of his classmates and they seemed like an odd bunch but for good reasons. They kept asking if he had stayed at Yomiyama before, which of course he has not. For some reasons he attracts supernatural shit, which of course in this case, Mei Misaki, the ghost of class 3 everyone talks about.

When he did finally go to school, there was actually Misaki in that class of his but one of his classmate that visited him was absent. Clearly something was amiss as the other classmates trying not to let him catching on to whatever it was they were trying to hide. It was clear that Class 3 was alienated. They didn't even share their PE class with any other classes. I also noticed that Kouichi classmates got hurt and has wounds. I suspect that it has something to do with Misaki... or not.

Misaki did tell Kouichi about his name that associates to death but that was all. It keeps us wondering and it definitely got me excited to find out.

Between scenes, we are assaulted by disjointed mannequin that could easily creeps you out. Then there is how the show was directed. That scene in the elevator was quite scary, is it not? The feeling was enhanced with the BGM that in my opinion is the thing that gels and makes this show having that edge for horror. They don't even showed us the face of Kouichi's grandparents and let it remains a mystery for us viewer at this stage.

Episode 1 of Another is somewhat perfect for me. I couldn't find anything to poke about. It has definitely meet and possibly exceed my expectation for the show. I am officially a fan now and will probably blogging this every week. This is possibly the best show of Winter season. So if you are complaining about how stupid the other anime are, then you will find satisfaction watching Another.

art & animation 9/10
story 10/10
characters 8/10
sound 10/10
enjoyment 10/10
overall 9.4/10

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