Review of High School of the Dead

Haiku review: Zombies are around Show big anime tiddies! We die with a smile Prose review for the plebes, which CONTAINS MINOR SPOILERS: It’s important to say up front that “Highschool of the Dead” is not a documentary. It is a work of fiction (as are many so-called documentaries, but that’s a different discussion). It is a semi-hentai horror harem series, and as such it follows the standards and tropes of that genre in both anime and live-action films. It features entirely gratuitous fan service, which fortunately (as with the rest of the artwork) is quite well done. It has an appropriate soundtrack. It features breast physics that do not resemblethe physics of those estimable features nor the physics of any real or hypothetical substance on this or any other planet.

It’s good that we cleared that up.

“Highschool of the Dead” is, for what it is, a ripping good yarn. The fan service has been widely criticized both here and elsewhere, apparently by persons unfamiliar with the parts in question (a condition that they are likely to maintain all their days; there’s a reason why weebs famously fail to reproduce).

Nor is the fan service especially explicit. Those who question this might take a look at something like, say, “Valkyrie Drive Mermaid” (as should the fan service artists and designers of “Highschool of the Dead”). That show actually has a credited artist with the job of “Special Breast Effects.” It’s a little embarrassing that actual anime fans clutch their artificial pearls at the sight of blue-striped panties. One almost hopes that the strange boobies were meant as an ironic parody.

Good that we got that out of the way, too. Now, some actual criticisms.

BEGIN SPOILERS

First, it would be nice somewhere along the line to get some hint as to the cause of the zombie apocalypse. (Though it’s weirdly ironic now, in the age of COVID-19.) The writers (and I presume the original manga author) had the chance to make an interesting story here, and for a while they did, but then they set off in weird directions for no apparent reason. For example, entering the succession of U.S. presidents into the plot, to no apparent effect. Another example: It’s never explained why anyone anywhere would touch off a nuke to create an EMP in this situation. While the hook is there for a second season of the show, that never came to pass, and the hook merely suggested that what the hell, let’s go shopping.

END SPOILERS

There was one thing that I found desperately irritating about the show: The episode is announced, cleverly, at the beginning of each episode. Then they announce it again during or near the end of the episode. The credits were run – but then more of the show. Then the preview. Was this to punish those who skip the ED? Because it makes no sense.