Review of Shiki

A Vampire Story Where The Vampires Are NOT Sexy Fanservice Characters Shiki is often hailed as one of the best vampire series, which piqued my interest. However, I found it a bit... underwhelming. Once I realized that the series would involve numerous deaths, it became somewhat predictable. The plot is strong, but not quite a masterpiece. The pacing was slow, and the story's predictability dampened my excitement. I had to push myself through the first half, as the real intrigue only started around episode 16. While the storytelling is solid, it occasionally became unnecessarily complicated, which didn’t add much to the overall experience. The art and animation weredecent but not outstanding. Certain scenes, particularly those involving crying or drinking, felt dated and lacked fluidity. However, the gore and blood were executed perfectly, with no noticeable censorship.
Sound was the weakest aspect of Shiki. It wasn't creepy enough, and the volume was often too loud, drowning out the characters' voices. The music could have been significantly better, and the opening theme revealed too much, spoiling key elements.
The characters are the heart of Shiki. Their development is compelling and realistic, as they make the kind of mistakes anyone might when facing vampires. Both the protagonists and antagonists are driven by a desire for survival, not hatred. This dynamic reminds me of Avicii’s "Waiting for Love"—the vampires are isolated and cannot coexist with humans. They seek to create a safe haven for their kind, but this comes at the cost of human lives. By the end, I found myself sympathizing more with the vampires than the main characters. Their struggles, especially those of the newly resurrected, were the most engaging part of the series. The first half was too slow to warrant a higher score, but the final episodes redeemed the series.

Story: 9/10 Art: 8/10 Animation: 7/10 Sound: 6/10 Characters: 9/10 Enjoyment: 8/10 Overall: 8/10

In the end, Shiki is a great show that just barely makes it into my top tiers. Though I usually prefer battle shounen anime, this series impressed me with its intense action and gripping character dynamics. I highly recommend giving it a try.