Another - Episode 1

Sa-ka-ki-ba-ra-kun~

Another is off to a great start as the foundation of the story has been built and the characters are put into place. The creepy and ominous atmosphere throughout the episode added to the experience. Luckily for me, the episode focused more on the mystery aspect, rather than the horror. Just like the main protagonist, Kōichi, there are so many questions in my head now. Although Kōichi is oblivious to his dark surroundings, it is made clear to the audience that things are just going to go downhill from here. Aside from the story, the random scenes with dolls were slightly creepy and disturbing, especially since dolls rank among the top in the "things that can scare me."

The most interesting part of this episode was definitely the characters. Mei is definitely the most mysterious character of the show and there are so many signs that seem to hint that she is actually the girl who died 26 years ago. Her zombie-like movements and eerie speech tone add to my suspicions. But aside from her, all the other characters are strange in their own way too. The students in Kōichi's class all look dead and seem to be hiding a deadly secret from him because, according to Mei, his name is associated with "death." Then there's his not-seen-on-screen father, dead mother (whose death has yet to be explained), strange grandfather and suspicious aunt who seems to know more about Yomiyama North than she lets on. Each of the characters seems to be hiding their own secrets which will most likely be revealed slowly to Kōichi in the future. The chance of good character development later on in the series looks to be high.

The story, for the most part, is like a puzzle. The pieces are thrown out there and you just have to put them together. It's known that some girl died at the school 26 years ago and that Kōichi seemingly has something to do with it, judging by the suspicious actions and attitudes of his classmates. Assuming that Mei is the same girl who died 26 years ago, her character should theoretically be critical to the development of the plot. Everything's been interesting so far with the conversations between Kōichi and Mei being the highlights of the episode. I believe their little chats will slowly allow Kōichi to discover the truth. There's bound to be plenty of twists and turns along the way but that's what'll make this series even better.

And like all episodes with a new OP and/or ED, I also have some things to say about them. OP was fitting but I found it a bit too upbeat for this slow-paced show. The ED on the other hand, animation included, looked entirely out of place. It's so unfitting that, in a way, it seems like it was done that way on purpose to foreshadow a happy and joyful ending for everyone. Though happy endings are generally what I want, I'm hoping that Another will end on a darker note since it is a horror anime. While still on the topic of music, the BGM was quite creepy to be honest (this is coming from someone who barely watches anything of the "horror" genre, in case you forgot).

Anyways, I'll continue to anxiously wait for the next episode each and every week, barring any unexpected horror that is too much for me to handle.