Despite belonging to a genre that has yet to fortify itself in the anime industry, Another has managed to stand out in a sea of impeccable series, primarily due to its gripping plotline and sinister setting. The anime perfectly incorporates the essence of horror, touching almost every subgenre and ensuring viewers remain on the edge of their seats throughout the entirety of the show.
The series follows a transfer student, Kouichi Sakakibara, who tries to solve the mystery of the grueling and bizarre deaths of his classmates. With the help of Mei Misaki, a girl that the rest of class 3 seems to ignore, Kouichi tries to connect with the supernatural, all the while ensuring that no one else falls victim to the mysterious curse. Another’s unique storyline on its own is enough to satiate viewers, yet the series intensifies the sentiment with its extensively detailed visual designs and soundtracks.
A Spine-Chilling Storyline
The show presents quite a unique storyline, one that is riddled with mysteries and thrills alike. Upon transferring to Yomiyama North Middle School's ninth grade class 3, Kouichi learns about the curse that plagues this class, one that was accidentally summoned 26 years ago. As a result, there will be one extra person on the class roster that is dead – yet no one knows who that is. To combat the effects of the curse, the class devises a strategy which involves ignoring one classmate for the rest of the school year.
Unlike the general theme in horror series where the cause of the deaths remains unknown, Another takes a different approach as the characters are already aware of the curse that looms over their class, along with the circumstances that can cause their deaths. What makes the series even more harrowing is that, despite understanding how the curse works, the students still remain incapable of saving their classmates, with the number of dead students gradually increasing. This not only makes the series more ominous but also adds a thrilling undertone as the characters are forced in a race against time to halt the curse’s effect.
Ominous Visuals That Complement the Theme
Nailing the visual aspects of horror is quite a tedious task for an anime series, yet Another achieves this feat effortlessly with its unnerving setting and gloomy undertones. From the eeriness of the school building to the unsettling visuals of the dimly lit doll museum, the series never fails to deliver. Through the use of symbolism and systematically designed color palettes, the show puts out visuals that are not only synonymous to the plotline but also ones that perfectly capture the essence of horror.
The color schemes are also artistically manipulated to create a profound effect that puts an emphasis on shadows rather than the characters themselves. By dampening the overall hues, the series creates an aura of mystery and ominosity, clearly hinting towards the theme of death that haunts the town. Even scenes that feature daytime are dulled out creatively, either through dark heavy clouds or shallow downpour – symbolic of gloom and despair.
Soundtracks Befitting the Horror Genre
The series soundtracks and background music perfectly complement Another’s sinister theme, creating truly horrific scenes throughout the show. The anime creatively plays with the characters' deaths, making them more compelling and gruesome by pairing the scenes with high-pitched orchestral arrangements, creating a scene etched with horror and despair. The use of silence throughout the series is also quite notable, as the eerily quiet scenes leave the audience in a paranormal tension, eagerly awaiting a jumpscare or an equally frightening revelation.
Graphically Detailed Death Scenes
One of the pivotal aspects of horror lies in the characters’ death scenes – something that Another effortlessly captures. With over thirty deaths in the entirety of the series, Another has multiple opportunities to showcase its overly gruesome scenes, something that the show has become renowned for as well. The anime doesn’t shy away from blood and gore as the scenes depict the characters’ demise down to the last frame.
Be it an umbrella piercing right through the neck or a fountain of blood splattering on a class of ninth graders, the anime certainly doesn’t hold back when it comes to death and murder. Another’s climactic finale also serves as a testament to its near-perfect grueling death scenes, as the students tragically meeting their demise one by one, coupled with the instrumental background music, creates a truly petrifying experience for the viewers.