I learnt about Another through a list which analysed and suggested the best mystery anime of all time, and it compared it with masterpieces like Death Note. Considering that, before I even watched it, my expectations were extremely high. Yet, I won’t tell you if it was worth the hype until the end of my review. This series has twelve episodes and is based on a novel of the same name by Yukito Ayatsuji, which was released in 2009. It’s a horror/mystery anime and follows Koichi Sakakibara, a teenage boy who moves to a town called Yomiyama.

Synopsis

When Koichi goes to Yomiyama’s high school, he feels an unusual atmosphere in the classroom – and an even more unusual girl, named Mei Misaki, who has an eyepatch over her left eye. When they start talking, strange things begin to happen to their classmates and their families. Thus, there is no other solution than to uncover the truth of the history of their class’s curse.

Plot & Story

The story sounds (and actually is) pretty pedestrian, but the aesthetics of the series save the day. It’s an anime you’ll start watching with the lights off, but sooner or later you’ll be forced to turn them on again. From the very first episode the show is shrouded in pain and mystery, and even though the plot unfolds pretty slowly in the beginning, it manages to keep the viewer hooked. There are numerous deaths, with Yukari Sakuragi’s is the worst one by far – never carry a pointy umbrella! There is also a ton of blood, which is unnecessary in my humble opinion. 

What drives the viewer crazy about Another is the lack of evidence about who might be the ‘extra’ one and, for the love of God, do those creepy shop dolls serve any purpose? Or are they sitting there just to freak me out? Anyway, moving on! One of the things I loved about this series, is how it approaches the whole ‘ghost’ thing in a very different perspective than usual. You see, generally a ghost will start haunting somebody because the deceased doesn’t want to be forgotten, but in Another it’s because everyone tried too hard to remember them!

Whoever watches this anime cannot avoid the similarity with the Final Destination films. Watching the characters perform simple, everyday activities like running or walking down the stairs take our breath away and keep us guess who will be the next victim, and what an unexpected combination of things could happen that could take someone’s life away. Another, in contrast with Final Destination, isn’t sexual. Everyone dies while still clothed and there is a decent balance between story and action. 

Art and Music

The artwork of Another is pretty good. There are many details and beautiful, non-static backgrounds. The colors are dark and match the feeling of the series, while the movement of the characters seems natural.

When it comes to music and voice acting, I can’t think of anything negative. They’re not mind-blowing, but they accompany the anime in an amazing way. Cheers to that!

Themes and Trivia

Noizi Ito, the original character designer of Another, is also the original character designer of the popular series The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya and The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya.

Comments

Before completing my review, I would like to talk about some of the negative parts of this series. First of all, the characters aren’t particularly original and no one managed to be very memorable. The script might have been based on a smart and spooky idea, but towards the end it felt rushed and meaningless. While Another started as a psychological horror/mystery anime, the kind that haunts you in the night, giving you a bunch of nightmares, it somehow evolved into a horrible gore anime with cheap jumpscares. Finally, I can’t help but wonder why Misaki didn’t mention from the beginning who the ‘extra one’ was – instead she left so many people to die.

‘’No matter how many relationships we seem to have, we’re all alone’’ -Misaki Mei, the Emo Girl

High points

• Smart plot twist
• Great artwork

Low points

• Unnecessary gore
• Towards the end it lost its originality

Another is a decent anime, but I wouldn’t watch it a second time. Maybe if the first episodes weren’t so amazing, I wouldn’t have been so disappointed by how it ended. I honestly believe that if the production had kept up with the initial creepy and eerie atmosphere and not so much with meaningless, splatter scenes, Another would have been breathtaking. However, I would say it’s still worth giving the show a chance for all its mystery!