Review of High School of the Dead
Okay, as always I want to preface my review with the three things I’m looking for in an anime: I want a really good story (+5), I want really good dialogue (characters/character development, etc.)(+3), and I want really good “technicals” (style, sound, etc.)(+2). Also, I’ll remind you my reviews generally encompass the whole series of an anime unless otherwise stated (That is to say that no more seasons are coming out). So let’s get to it! High School of the Dead… Now this is one of my favorite fan service anime to date. Why? Let me rephrase that question, what is a genre out there thatcan get away with having virtually no story by its very nature? A zombie flick, that’s what. Yes, this anime has no real story behind it other than to, you guessed it, survive a sudden zombie outbreak! Honestly, the story is about survival, not in finding out where or why or who or whatever, and High School of the Dead does an exceedingly good job in that focus. Throw in a few quips about survival of the fittest, some romance plots, wrap it up with a healthy dose of fan service, and you have something I can’t really see any man out there not enjoying.
Earning 3.5 points
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The dialogue in the show was excellent in my opinion. I should probably note that I watch only dubbed versions, but, I found that the localization was superb. Dubbing has come a long way, that’s for sure! As far as character development goes, I feel it was a bit hit or miss. The protagonist didn’t really do a lot of “growing” throughout the series, just kind of stepped in and saved the day/killed zombies, etc. There were moments, but nothing really stand out. But, it’s a zombie flick… I feel conflicted, because I don’t expect the secrets of the universe to be revealed in the zombie apocalypse. All I’m saying is that it could’ve done a better job, as I do feel that when one is faced with the entire world falling apart, they might change in some unexpected ways (i.e. become “out of character”), and I saw none of that potential developed.
Earning 2 points
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Technicals are again solid for this one. Honestly, I rarely have complaints on technicals, unless of course you do something monumentally stupid like the Code Geass second opening, which was terrible. Whoever let that roll of the production floor should be ashamed!
Earning 2 points
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Bonus points goes to… That fan service episode! Guys, you know the one I’m talking about! Screw the beach episode anime out there, High School of the Dead played it right.
Earning 1 point.
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Add it all up and we have a score of 8.5! All in all, this one was entertaining, hitting nearly all the right points for a zombie story. A little weak on the ending, a little weak on the character development, but, again, I leave you with this important question: What are you looking for in a zombie flick? Philosophy or entertainment? Story or fun? Zombies, to me, are meant to be entertaining and fun, so I don’t sweat the details!
As always, since I’m a critic, I’ll round down my score to a 8 because that’s just the way it goes. That way it’ll be better than expected when you watch it! Till next time