Another

In class 3-3 of Yomiyama North Junior High, transfer student Kouichi Sakakibara makes his return after taking a sick leave for the first month of school. Among his new classmates, he is inexplicably drawn toward Mei Misaki—a reserved girl with an eyepatch whom he met in the hospital during his absence. But none of his classmates acknowledge her existence; they warn him not to acquaint himself with things that do not exist. Against their words of caution, Kouichi befriends Mei—soon learning of the sinister truth behind his friends' apprehension.

The ominous rumors revolve around a former student of the class 3-3. However, no one will share the full details of the grim event with Kouichi. Engrossed in the curse that plagues his class, Kouichi sets out to discover its connection to his new friend. As a series of tragedies arise around them, it is now up to Kouichi, Mei, and their classmates to unravel the eerie mystery—but doing so will come at a hefty price.

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

Misaki, Mei Main

Takamori, Natsumi Japanese

Sakakibara, Kouichi Main

Abe, Atsushi Japanese

Akazawa, Izumi Supporting

Yonezawa, Madoka Japanese

Teshigawara, Naoya Supporting

Maeno, Tomoaki Japanese

Mochizuki, Yuuya Supporting

Yamamoto, Kazutomi Japanese

Chibiki, Tatsuji Supporting

Hirata, Hiroaki Japanese

Fujioka, Misaki Supporting

Sakuragi, Yukari Supporting

Nonaka, Ai Japanese

Mikami, Reiko Supporting

Sakakibara, Naoko Japanese

Kazami, Tomohiko Supporting

Ichiki, Mitsuhiro Japanese

Horikawa, Kenji Producer, Planning

Yasuda, Takeshi Producer, Planning

Fukuda, Jun Producer

Matsuki, Ai Producer

Reviews

May 7, 2025

CHaoz6097

Recommended

Another – A Chilling, Atmospheric Horror with Some Missed Opportunities
“A stylish, atmospheric horror anime that hooks you with its eerie mystery and shocking moments, but lacks the emotional depth and consistency to elevate it to greatness.”

Another is a psychological horror anime that blends mystery, suspense, and gruesome deaths into a tightly packed 12-episode experience. Set in a seemingly normal high school with a dark secret, the series follows Kouichi Sakakibara, a new transfer student who uncovers the chilling and mysterious events surrounding a classmate, Megumi Shimizu, who died years ago under strange circumstances. Soon, he and his classmates realize that a deadly curse has plagued ... their class, resulting in a series of inexplicable deaths. With a slow-burning narrative that builds tension, Another is a series that plays on the fear of the unknown and the unsettling feeling of being trapped in a place filled with secrets.
For its atmospheric tension, gory thrills, and engaging mystery, Another earns a 7/10, but it falters in areas like character development and pacing, ultimately leaving more to be desired.

Story: Intriguing, but Unevenly Executed
The premise of Another has all the elements of a great horror story—mystery, suspense, and death. At its core, the show revolves around the mystery of a curse that haunts Class 3-3 of Yomiyama North Junior High. Each year, the class suffers from inexplicable deaths, and the students are haunted by the ghost of Megumi Shimizu, a former student who died years ago.
As Kouichi becomes more involved with his classmates, the pieces of the puzzle start to fit together, revealing a chilling truth behind the curse and its connection to Megumi’s death. The narrative is full of twists, and there are enough shocking and unsettling moments to keep viewers on edge. The mystery aspect is strong, with the show drip-feeding information at a steady pace, keeping you guessing about the origins of the curse.
However, the execution of the story can feel uneven. The explanation behind the curse and the ultimate reveal is somewhat lackluster, and certain plot points don’t receive as much attention or development as they deserve. The show builds up a lot of tension but falls short of delivering a satisfying resolution. While the ending is chilling, it feels rushed compared to the slow pace of the earlier episodes.

Horror & Atmosphere: Eerie and Gruesome
Another shines in terms of its atmosphere and horror elements. The series excels at creating a creepy, unnerving environment. The creepy atmosphere is enhanced by its eerie setting—an old, isolated school with a class full of peculiar students who seem to be hiding something. The series builds a sense of dread with every passing episode, as the characters are always on edge, fearing the next death.
The horror in Another isn’t just psychological but also visceral. The series doesn’t shy away from graphic and disturbing death scenes, which are one of the major selling points. The deaths are often sudden, brutal, and shocking, making each one more disturbing than the last. The animation during these scenes is well-done, adding a layer of shock value that adds to the series' sense of horror.
However, the gore and death scenes, while impactful, can sometimes feel excessive or gratuitous, and might not appeal to all viewers. At times, it feels like the show prioritizes shock value over meaningful plot development.

Characters: Lacking Development and Emotional Connection
One of the major weaknesses of Another is its underdeveloped characters. While the main protagonist, Kouichi, is somewhat relatable as the outsider trying to unravel the mystery, the rest of the characters feel somewhat flat and one-dimensional. Despite their importance to the story, most of the classmates and faculty members don’t receive enough screen time or development to make them feel meaningful.
The lack of emotional depth is particularly evident in the case of Megumi Shimizu, whose death sets the events of the show into motion. Though her backstory is explored, her character feels more like a plot device than a fully realized person. The emotional weight of the deaths doesn’t land as effectively because viewers don’t feel deeply connected to most of the characters.
In horror anime, the emotional stakes can be just as important as the scares, and Another misses an opportunity to really make its viewers care about the fate of the characters.

Animation & Art: Stylish, but Not Revolutionary
The animation in Another is decent, with a distinct style that matches its dark, moody tone. The character designs are fairly standard for a high school setting, but there’s a deliberate use of color to enhance the creepy atmosphere—muted tones and dark, shadowy settings enhance the sense of foreboding. The show uses close-ups and exaggerated facial expressions effectively to convey the emotional intensity of certain scenes, especially during the death sequences.
However, while the animation is serviceable, it doesn’t stand out as much as other anime in the genre. The fight scenes and action moments are decent but not particularly impressive when compared to other horror anime with more fluid animation.

Soundtrack & Voice Acting: Heightening the Tension
The soundtrack in Another is one of its standout features. The music is eerie and atmospheric, with chilling themes that ramp up the tension. The opening theme, "Kyoumu Densen," is haunting, perfectly capturing the series' dark and unsettling tone. The music effectively complements the action and eerie moments, adding another layer of suspense and fear to the narrative.
Voice acting is solid, with the cast delivering the appropriate emotional intensity for their roles. Nobuhiko Okamoto as Kouichi does a good job conveying his confusion, fear, and determination throughout the series. The rest of the cast also fits well into their respective roles, with Megumi Shimizu and Mitsuki Mutou contributing to the overall unsettling atmosphere.

Why It’s a 7/10 (Not a 10)
Underdeveloped Characters: The characters, though they play important roles in the story, don’t receive enough development to make their deaths impactful. Their lack of depth makes it difficult to form emotional connections, which weakens the stakes.
Uneven Pacing: The story starts slow and gradually builds the mystery, but the pacing falters towards the end. The final episodes feel rushed and don’t deliver the payoff expected after the slow buildup.
Excessive Gore: While the shocking deaths add to the horror, they can sometimes feel excessive or serve more for shock value than plot development. For viewers who don’t enjoy graphic violence, this could be a major downside.
Slightly Predictable: Despite its eerie atmosphere and mystery, the twists and turns are sometimes predictable, especially once the show establishes the central idea behind the curse. The reveals aren’t as impactful as they could have been.

Final Verdict: 7/10 – A Creepy Horror Mystery With More Style Than Substance
Another is a solid psychological horror series that excels in creating a tense atmosphere and providing shocking moments, but it falters in delivering a strong emotional connection to the characters. The mystery and the horror are engaging, but the show is held back by underdeveloped characters, inconsistent pacing, and an ending that feels a bit too rushed.
If you’re a fan of horror anime and enjoy eerie atmospheres and gruesome deaths, Another will likely keep you on edge. However, if you're looking for more character depth and a more fulfilling conclusion, this might not fully meet your expectations.

“A chilling, suspenseful horror anime that delivers thrills but doesn’t quite fulfill its emotional potential.”

Reviewer’s Rating: 7

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May 4, 2025

lvrsr0ck

Mixed Feelings

I totally recommend Another if you're looking for horror anime! I was surprised at some scenes, I love the art style and how the plot is so interesting. It did scare me at times but I'm happy that it actually had a extremely good plot! If you like horror animes and can't find one then I would watch Another.
The anime is at "another" level for real. This was my first time watching a genre like this one. It's awesome, already one of my fav. The characters are so pretty, well animated, the story is good. The ending made me satisfied but also left me in ... grief. Yet I want to see more the growing friendship of Sakakibara and Mei, I suppose.

Reviewer’s Rating: 7

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Mar 26, 2025

SombreroLoco

Not Recommended

Meh, I can't really say that this anime convinced me that much. Another surely hit its genre by being a horror and suspenseful series, but it simply wasn't enough.

I really liked the animation and the art; the characters are well-designed and appealing. The bloody scenes looked very realistic and brutal, so no minus here.

But the story was concluded terribly. The slow pacing in the first eight episodes really made watching them feel like a chore. The last five episodes built up some really good tension, though, just for the ending to be really unbearable. I can't imagine that this was the best conclusion the anime ... could've ended with.

All in all, I can't really say that the story had plot twists or reveals that left me astounded, going like, "What, really?!" e.g. the reveal of Misaki's true nature and, as already mentioned, the ending. I didn't really think there was much mystery here at all.

Overall, I can't really recommend it, knowing that there are way better shows in this genre.

Reviewer’s Rating: 4

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Spin-off Novel of 'Another' Announced

Ayatsuji Yukito announced on his twitter that he will write a spin-off novel of Another titled "Another ~ episode of S" (tentative). He is also planning to...read more

Feb 28, 2012 2:49 AM by dtshyk | Discuss (56 comments)

	Poll: Another Episode 2 Discussion ( 1 2 3 4 5 ... Last Page ) ilikeyouevenmore - Jan 16, 2012	387 replies	by aysaysa »» May 11, 3:48 AM
	Poll: Another Episode 12 Discussion ( 1 2 3 4 5 ... Last Page ) Stark700 - Mar 26, 2012	1,053 replies	by meowrrs »» Apr 16, 12:59 PM
	Poll: Another Episode 11 Discussion ( 1 2 3 4 5 ... Last Page ) Stark700 - Mar 19, 2012	598 replies	by meowrrs »» Apr 16, 12:32 PM
	Poll: Another Episode 10 Discussion ( 1 2 3 4 5 ... Last Page ) Stark700 - Mar 12, 2012	341 replies	by meowrrs »» Apr 16, 12:05 PM
	Poll: Another Episode 9 Discussion ( 1 2 3 4 5 ... Last Page ) ClementIV - Mar 5, 2012	389 replies	by meowrrs »» Apr 16, 11:38 AM

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