Shiki 14 – gruesome violence

Thankfully all marriages don't end like this.

Episode 14 of Shiki was absolutely horrifying. It included some gruesome imagery that I won’t repeat here. While various things happened that are, no doubt important to the advancement of the plot, it was Toshio and Kyoko Ozaki’s story that was truly disturbing.

Shiki 12 – meddlesome kids

 

This hunter seems all but down for the count.

 

Shiki‘s back and I caught up. I always knew this show was going to be disturbing, but as I watched it this Summer I could feel it messing with my head anyways. I wouldn’t say this show is scary, in the way American horror films are. Shiki doesn’t have the sudden frights that cause you to jump, it is more of a relentless atmosphere of wrongness that clings to you like a chill in the winter time. After five or six episodes, I had this feeling that I was alright now, but that couldn’t possibly last forever. It wasn’t so much that I was jumpy when I heard strange sounds in the middle of the night, as that I was hyper aware of all the strange sounds. Why did I start watching it again? Because Fuyumi Ono is a gifted writer, and, to paraphrase Akira Tanaka, I would rather regret watching it, than regret not watching it.

Bulk Update: Shiki 6, Occult Academy 7, and Ookami-san 7

Someone is not only willing, but happy to listen to Bou-san's troubles.

Another week with me falling behind. Here I try to keep up, by writing about Shiki episode 6, Occult Academy (Seikimatsu Occult Gakuin) episode 7, and Ookami-san to Shichinin no Nakamatachi episode 7. Before we get down to it, you might want to know that the mysterious driver of the cart has produced a chart revealing anime expected in Fall 2010. Take a look now, and start wondering about shows you won’t be able to watch for months.

Bulk update: Shiki 5, Occult Academy 5, and Ookami-san 6

An excellent week all around

Well, I’m about a week behind, so this will be a short rave about Shiki episode 5, Occult Academy (Seikimatsu Occult Gakuin) episode 5, and Ookami-san to Shichinin no Nakamatachi episode 6.

Shiki 4 – death is terrible (love could be worse)

Sunako discusses death with Muroi.

Episode 4 of the horror anime Shiki sees the “epidemic” spreading. Things are getting pretty bad in the village, and the good folks at the clinic are struggling to find a way to protect the village they love. Sunako stops by for another chat with bou-san Muroi, and Natsuno can’t shake off the feeling that he has a visitor of his own.

Shiki 3: who are the people in your neighborhood?

Sako Masao the creepy guy that lives down the street.

Shiki episode 3 introduced several new characters. We met the Kirishiki household, as expected, but there was a surprise waiting in the form of Sako Masao. Once again the episode created a generally creepy atmosphere, but we also got some solid information, that points towards the rules that underlie the phenomena of the show, and even got some hints into Seishin Muroi’s back story.

Shiki 3 (preview)

Meet the neighbors.

The new trailer for Shiki has been posted at the official website. Episode 3 will apparently bring the mysterious newcomers out into the open. I can’t wait to see what they are like!

Shiki 2: worst case scenario

They have yet to learn what "worst case" really means.

Shiki episode 2 managed to build solidly upon the excellent start made last week to this small town horror story. I was very impressed with the sound work; I’m not sure I would enjoy listening to the OST, but it was very effective at creating a mood of suspense. This episode really opened up the characters and our understanding of the town. We also get several more deaths, and a well-intentioned, but somewhat naive resolution to save the village.

Shiki 1: idle speculations

Visitors arrive in the dead of night.

Shiki is a horror anime, based on a novel by Fuyumi Ono. Rather than attempt to recap the first episode, I shall use my time to engage in speculation based solely upon having seen it. I have no knowledge of the novel, nor of the manga adaptation, so conclusions drawn here are just as likely to be wrong as anything else. You have been forewarned. If you are looking for a more traditional review check out RP’s first impression, or the one provided by Epi on Sea Slugs. For a spirited defense of Megumi, check out Hyper Parfait. Also, if you are having a hard time with all of the characters introduced, check out Hashihime for another of his excellent cheat sheets, which ties character portraits with seiyus (note: it only covers major characters, so I’ll be covering a few more characters below the break).

Shiki (Summer 2010) pre-release artwork

This post is just to let people know about some pre-release materials for a Summer 2010 anime that I am highly anticipating: Shiki. For those who don’t know, Shiki is a Supernatural-Horror anime, featuring the events in the small Japanese village of Sotoba.