To the people who have yet to check out this episode: be careful. The entire ED is full of spoilers for the second half. >.< Either way, this was a bit of a bizarre way to end the first half with: an entire episode dedicated to none other than Itou Ikumi. Didn't see that one coming, yet it worked surprisingly well to show how the villagers are starting to suspect things. This episode did really well in portraying such a weird character as herself, and she's actually quite charming.
I remember some commenters talk about how I should hate Shiki because its story is just a standard vampire story and has hardly any originality. The thing with this show is indeed that the general story is about a bunch of vampires attacking a town, nothing special with that. The reason why I love this show is the huge amount of creativity and energy it puts in its delivery and storytelling. It's true that I like shows with a lot of plot twists (provided that they don't take this over the top and are too lazy in other areas), but I also love the series that have simple stories, yet excel in their delivery, storytelling, or characters. That's pretty much the reason why my review scale talks about "storytelling", rather than "story". I don't care how big your story is, I'm mostly interested in how it's used.
I think the best way to describe the storytelling in this show is that it leaves hardly any room for the audience to take a breath: every second is busy showing something. There seem to be hardly any seconds there to just fill time. It's also a series that makes excellent use of its soundtrack to create its atmosphere: it knows when to start playing its tunes, and it also knows when to keep quiet. It works really well so far.
On top of that, I also love the kinds of series that actually make their setting come alive. At this point, it's actually working pretty well so far, and this episode was a key to it: it showed that the lead characters aren't the only people in the world, and the villagers are definitely also involved here. I feel like the creators can take this even further, but that completely depends on the kind of direction that the second half will go into, and whether it will abandon the rest of the villagers, or instead focus even more on them. Series that really manage to portray an alive setting are very rare, but it would be awesome if this show manages to do it.
Rating: ** (Excellent)
Shiki – 11
I wholeheartedly agree. There’s nothing wrong with a generic premise. It’s what you do with it that matters. The way that this show sets up events and executes them is just such a pleasure to watch each week.
Also, crap. 3-week hiatus…
If I was writing it, when the old lady pinned the note on the guys chest, he would’ve burst into flames and flopped around the courtyard for a bit until he went poof! into a pile of ashes.
She would’ve felt so vindicated.
this is a great series. though the plot is simple, it captures the emotions of both shiki and humans. shiki have to kill to survive, they want to live on. similarly humans have to fight for their survival.
jcb,
Yes but remember that Kirishiki had a pulse, unlike the one that got hit by Natsuno, HE is not a Shiki.
It’s natural that they would have a few human figure heads to do any work that require long term or close public exposure. Things like buying land or offering a pulse. In other words, the Shiki already had the eventuality of the events in this episode accounted for.
Reminds me, the Funimation stream didn’t have the spoilery ED and I really want to see that.
It’s too bad there’s a hiatus because it gets really good after this point in the manga.
I thought this episode was pretty good, particularly Toshio’s actions/reactions. As you’ve mentioned before, I can definitely see his pride becoming the focal point of this series. I especially like the characterization/personalities this series has built up to this point. With the exception of Natsuno’s strange actions in the last episode, characters in every single episode have felt real and very human, something that has become exceedingly rare.
At the risk of sounding whiny, I’m a bit afraid of what will happen once this series catches up to the manga. So far it’s fantastic though. If it keeps being as good as the last 3-4 episodes, it may even become the best new anime i’ve seen in a long time.
@tomtom – But remember, the manga is based on a novel, so at least there is already an ending. I’m really hoping that means we’ll get the full story.
I’m definitely curious about the course of the second half. There are so many different ways the next 11 episodes could go. It’ll be hard waiting 3 weeks.
Well the manga went strikingly different ways compared to the manga, especially in it’s choice of main characters. If it will have a different outcome has yet to be decided, but yes the anime could and quite likely will rely on the novel concerning the ending.
I’m still interested to see if they will go certain ways the novel did or if they will try to follow the manga all the way up to the point where there is no manga-material anymore.
Did not know it was based on a novel. That’s good to hear. Really looking forward to the second half, anyway.
Did not know it was based on a novel. That’s good to hear. Really looking forward to the second half, anyway.
I agree with your assessment of how simple stories can become amazing to watch if the setting and the pace is done with great precision.
I found High School of the Dead to have the setting spot on but not pace. Shiki surpassed it by using a great artistic style and setting that makes the environment becoming alive. And it’s so stressful to watch. You end up dreading every single night that they’ll get caught. The main characters are quickly deemed as targets and you can sense that as bold as they can be at first, they become stressed as hell and devolve as the constant danger looms over their heads.
And since I read the manga, I know the quality doesn’t drop at all and the suspense remains very intense despite the story being simple. So I’ll be expecting the second half with great anticipation as the execution is great for the anime adaptation of Shiki. And it’s also good to know it’s based on a novel. We’ll be able to have a satisfying conclusion since it won’t have to rely on the manga for its climax.