Shiki

MasakoX and his Anifile review series are responsible for my watching this, and I am grateful. I suppose it falls into the 'horror' category, although it did not frighten me at all (that reaction seems to be limited to live-action stuff like Paranormal Activity or The Ring). However, it was definitely enjoyable.

I shall say right off despite it not being revealed until some way into the series: this is a show about vampires, which is always a plus in my book. I have a very guilty appreciation for vampires and their ilk - I read the first 11 Anita Blake books and part of the 12th before I realised I had just read a hundred pages of supernatural sexual tension and decided I'd had enough, and I do love True Blood. So if vamps are your thing, give this show a go. Like any good vampire story, it puts its own spin on the established mythology, keeping it fresh and exploring some interesting themes and ideas that I hadn't seen done with vampires before. The setting of an isolated village (at least they call it a village, but it's fairly large) is a nice change too, and is very relevant to the plot and many of the characters' attitudes and motivations.

The art style is really nice. Most of the characters have very unique designs (and ridiculous hairstyles), which definitely helps considering there are so many of them - I say most, because two of the main characters look nearly identical, and I didn't realise they were different people at first (mega 'Ooohhhh' moment). Everything is fittingly dark in tone and of course much of the show takes place at night, lit by supernatural auras or raging fires. The music is melancholy and haunting, and at random times I had some of the background themes floating through my head without knowing where they were from at first.

I can think of two downsides to this show. One is that the first half of the series is excruciatingly slow-paced; I can't imagine having to watch that part week to week. Perhaps this was necessary to build up the tension; I couldn't say for sure, but thankfully things pick up a lot in the second half, which I did largely watch weekly as it aired in Japan. The second flaw was that I just didn't feel connected to the characters. Everything felt pretty distant, and it took a while before I realised I was supposed to be already emotionally invested in what was happening rather than taking in some kind of setup or prologue. This could be because there is no real protagonist - the two characters who come closest to filling this role, in terms of being introduced to what is going on at the same time as the viewer, are both private characters who have plans and objectives that we don't always see. Other characters that discover things along with the audience are too annoying or minor to form a connection with.

Still, despite the above, I'd recommend this show. It has a unique, lamenting tone, and the plot and pace really do kick up a notch halfway through. At 22 episodes it's not too short to be shallow and forgettable, but not so long that it starts to drag and outstay its welcome. Worth watching for any vampire fans. (Twilight fans need not apply; these nasties are the real deal.)