This is a very heartfelt special addition to Another, and contrasting greatly with the original series, it progresses fairly slow. This really helped to enhance the feelings of intimacy conveyed throughout, and to allow us to connect more on a personal level, to Mei.
I have no doubt about it that by watching this prequel, you'll come to understand Mei's back story much more vividly. It seems as though this was the reason behind releasing an episode 0, and especially due to the inclusion of real scenes from episode 1 (of the main) - the story comes together beautifully.
I really found it nice to see Mei so happy for a change, during this episode. The show reflects some Slice Of Life-like elements, and it works well in bringing out the thoughts, feelings and emotions of Mei and her Sister, that were originally going to remain untold. However, contrary to this supposedly "dramatically less dramatic" feature, i can say however that the show retained its sense of uneasiness. Contrasting with what i've said about it being a chilled out piece, it still manages to incorporate some of the show's signature fear inducing, edge of the seat presentation tactics.
This is an essential piece for fans of the show to watch!
