Review of Shiki

This review was written by E_IO on kissanime and contains small spoilers. To all that come here hoping for romance, ecchi, shounen fights or the like, this is not a series for you. I would also argue that those who care a lot about a story being very character driven would not completely like this either. I stress, this is not a show for everyone. There are a lot of things that I hear people are annoyed about, the slow pacing, the character designs, or just the actions of certain characters in general. But I would like to say that the pacing really amps up the dramaticirony, the character designs are a remnant of the 90's manga, and to remember the age of many of the characters, which are undoubtedly young and inexperienced. And that you yourself in such a position would likely not do much different.

This show shines in it's narrative. I've watched this series at least a dozen times, and I've gone to read the novel. I've never minded the things people thought annoying, and I've found the ending very poignant. “It was clear that everything considered important and good was insignificant and repulsive, and that all this glamour and luxury hid the old well-known crimes, which not only remained unpunished but were adorned with all the splendor men can devise.” ― Leo Tolstoy, Resurrection. In a small town, a population of 1000 tore itself apart with war. A chasm had formed between the living and the dead, and their increasingly long period of segregation isolated each. But for all their struggles ― of claims of survival and the greater good ― nothing mattered in the end. Their struggle was but a speck in history, worth not even a mention in the history books. The question is brought up then: What was the whole point? Where the struggles of those people meaningless?

Modern literature is defined by its ambiguity. In it's ability to be interpreted differently by the readers, for different meanings to be derived, and for it's ability to be applicable to oneself. Deontology vs consequentialism. Existentialism vs nihilism. Gosh, you can even derive that there is commentary on social psychology and group conformity.

My opinion is that there is a lot to take from this show. Take a breather. Look past the little issues that you could spend the next day nitpicking. Take your time to consider what this show is saying, could be saying. There's a lot that can be found.

On a side note, I am absolutely thrilled to see ethical philosophy be explored like this.