Review of Shiki

Story: 8 The story goes through considerable lengths to explain why it has to be set here and nowhere else. For the most part, everything that happens is justified and well thought out. The way people react to the tragedy surrounding them is realistic and nuanced. Not everybody reacts the same way, and that's handled very well in this. That said, it's not perfect. A few points in the plot just don't make sense at all, and a few others would have been better if they weren't telegraphed. Overall, the story handles itself well with only a few missteps. Art: 9 I feel like this is something youeither love or hate. Between the ridiculous hairstyles and over-saturated dramatic colour shifts, it creates a rather unique visual appeal. I love it, but you may not, and that's okay.

Sound: 9
The opening is absolutely wonderful, and the background music holds up equally well. It manages to subtly set the mood without distracting from what's happening on-screen. The biggest complaint I could give about the audio is something that was absolutely necessary: cicadas. It's the middle of summer in rural Japan.

Characters: 8
For the most part, every person in the village is distinct. A lot of it falls into classic anime stereotypes (bratty teen girl, aloof guy, cold and methodical doctor, bubbly nurse, etc), but it also gives them more depth than a lot of longer shows with smaller casts. More than a couple are WAY over-the-top, though. At least one character meant to be obnoxious annoyed me to the point that I was hoping he'd fall sick and just die. Another pair of characters are so over-the-top that you'd swear you were looking at Isaac and Miria (Baccano!!). Toward the end, there are a few episodes following background characters to show what they've been doing from the beginning up until this point in the story, and those are honestly my favourites. They don't have to worry about the mystery or advancing the plot because they happen after we've already found everything out. Instead, they focus in on a single character and show how the progression of the plot has affected them.

Enjoyment: 8
The story drags on for a while a little past the halfway point, but it picks up again soon after.