"Another" Anime Review

After watching Madoka Magica and liking it -for the most part- I asked my friend Alaa -who is the biggest anime fan- to recommend something a bit more mature for me. She recommended I watch Another.

Another is a horror/mystery story based on a novel by Yukito Ayatsuji. The story follows Sakakibara Kouichi, a boy who moves with her grandparents to the city of Yomiyama. Basically, there is a curse on the 3rd class of ninth graders. It started 26 years ago when a student died but his/her classmates pretended that he/she didn't. With that, they invited death to that classroom. Each year after a death will occur to the students and their immediate relatives in that class in what will be knows as class 3 calamity. I won't go into further explanation of the calamity because

spoilers.

The series is only 12 episodes, each is about 25 minutes long (roughly 5 hours), so it's pretty easy to wedge into a weekend if you're not busy.  The theme song -as usual in anime as far as I can tell- isn't related to the storyline of the show itself whatsoever, and nor does the name of the anime. Then again, that is the usual problem with translated materials.

The art wand graphics for the series were very normal and mundane, I would have loved to see more risk taking in this aspect in particular because the story has a supernatural element to it.

The characters are portrayed distinctly and are very much one dimensional. Not two characters in the same show share one quality or habit.

still don't get what the dolls have to do with anything

Kouichi is very dull, he is probably the Japanese spokesperson for Gryffindor (no offense to all you roaring lions out there). Misaki Mei is a childish weirdo, Teshigawara is flirtatious jock, Mochizuki is helpful and quiet, and Akazawa is strong, willful, assertive, and takes no one's crap.

no.

The first episodes are a bit confusing cause you don't know what's going on yet, but once the first death happens the show picks up its pace and things start to ravel to Kouichi and the viewers.

this poor kid actually falls down the stairs her umbrella opens and the pointy end goes right through her neck. It was actually pretty epic.

The story line is pretty decent, you can see how this was a book previously. The last two episodes are awesome, the class goes on a trip and the students figure if they kill each other maybe they won't die and a fighting rampage erupts by those 15 year old kids. Which, Japanese people, why is it always middle school kids that die?

I should mention that I have very poor tolerance and resistance towards horror and scary things in general. I still remember an episode in Charmed back in 4th grade which had people haunting the rooms in a painting of a house. To this day I find paintings of buildings creepy. I can actually count on one hand the names of horror movies I've seen (3 if you count sci fi genetic move, The Fly.) When I saw that this anime was rated in the horror genre I was like, "please, as if." They are not messing around. This is very creepy and scary and has ghosts and what not in it. If you can't handle your horror movies do not watch this. Maybe I'm exaggerating a bit.

 

creepy, I tell you

 Final rating: 4/5

Okay, you should just watch this clip because it is ingenious.

This -if you ask me- is the best death scene ever, better than all the deaths in Battle Royale.