Another - Review

Humans are despicable creatures. When all is fine and well, they wear smiles on their faces, going around promoting peace and unity. But when a crisis that threatens them arises, don't expect things to remain the same. Friends suddenly become traitors, acquaintances become enemies, and chaos ensues. The human instinct of "survival of the fittest" kicks in, eliminating the once supported notion of unity. Blood and tears are shed, with no one to clean up the mess. The once peaceful community will become infested with selfish, cruel animals. The difference is like day and night, black and white. This is what Another tries to depict - the horrible, but true, nature of human beings.

Art (8/10)
While the artwork itself is not particularly outstanding or excellent, the way some of the scenes transition from one another makes up for it. Camera angles were used skillfully throughout the series - a close-up shot when wanting to draw attention to something and a wide show when wanting to establish a scene. The sheer amount of symbolism used really required the art to be detailed and captivating, and I felt the animation in Another had no problem with that. Character designs and background elements had a good amount of detail in them; barely anything to complain about. Very solid animation, overall.

Characters (8/10)
To be honest, there really isn't much known about the characters. From start to finish, they are more or less kept a mystery from the audience. Their background, hobbies, family, and any other pieces of personal information are not revealed, with the exception of the two protagonists. While this effectively accentuates the "mystery" aspect of the show, and prevents viewers from analyzing the characters in order to easily solve the mystery themselves, the consequence is the lack of character development for the side characters. This leads to a lower shock value when these characters end up being part of a significant plot event. But in the case of the main characters, Sakakibara Kōichi and Misaki Mei, their characters are developed fairly well throughout the 12 episodes. As the series went on, it was nice to see the two of them slowly open their hearts and grow closer towards each other, and at the same time supporting the other in times of need.

Sound (9/10)
When it comes to horror series, BGM plays a bigger role than usual. If it is unable to set the mood for the scene, the viewer's enjoyment value plummets. Luckily, Another does well in this aspect. The BGM is very noticeable during the suspenseful scenes of the series, enhancing the overall sense of tension in the air. Although there weren't any big name seiyūs involved in this project, I was surprised at how the emotions of the characters were brought out fairly well through their voices. The only setback in this category had to do with the OP. I felt that it wasn't dark enough; it didn't fit the theme of "horror" too well. The slow and soft ED, on the other hand, wrapped up each and every episode magnificently. It's soothing melody is perfect for allowing the viewer to slowly absorb everything that has just been thrown at them.

Story (9/10)
Having often been compared to horror masterpieces like Higurashi no Naku Koro ni and Shiki, it's not like Another has a unique story. But while this may be true, the approach it takes using the plot of "a strange boy in a strange town" is what separates it from the other two. While I do admit to having lost faith in this series during the first half due to the seemingly predictable pattern the story was progressing in, I'm glad I stuck with it to the end. In a way, the slightly disappointing first half helped to lower my expectations for the second half, which ended up being both captivating and shocking. The story as a whole had a good sense of realism to it, making it all the more entertaining.

Overall (9/10)
Another is undoubtedly more psychological than bloody. Each flashback, event or action almost always has a hidden meaning that is crucial to the series as a whole. Because of this, it's re-watch value is very high. I found Another to be one of the best shows of the season; the right elements came together to create a captivating story, full of twists and turns. I'd recommend it to anyone looking for a short and interesting psychological thriller.