Terror, the form where you are scared because you don't know what will happen. Horror, where you are scared when placed in / experiencing a scary situation. And personally, terror is the better one when watching any text / medium.
So Another, the show that can be deemed as one of the best horror animes, and it does live up to the name.
Quick synopsis. In 1972, a very popular honor student named Misaki died partway through the school year in Yomiyama North Middle School's class 3-3. The rest of the students, devastated by the unexpected loss, decided to carry on as if their classmate were still alive, going so far as to keep the desk in place and bringing it to the graduation ceremony. Yet no one could explain why their classmate, already dead and buried, was present on the graduation photo.Then, in the spring of 1998, a boy named Kouichi Sakakibara transfers to the class, and begins to grow suspicious of the fearful atmosphere permeating the class. In particular, he becomes fascinated with a mysterious, aloof girl with an eye patch who always sits alone, drawing pictures. A girl the rest of the class refuses to acknowledge. A girl named Misaki. (Another wiki)
With horror, there needs to be suspense built, the reason for all the phenomenons occurring, and most of all, being able to get you jump from your seat. And to satisfy all these conditions can be considered difficult, especially within 12 episodes. But it has proven itself to be successful.
Story. As far as I'm concerned, it was very well written. In some horrors, all you get is a plethora of violent deaths, or some menacing scenes. But Another builds its suspense. Like breaking each individual bone in your body, then prick you till you die. In other words, it progresses slowly, and builds up its suspense before it all comes together in the grand finale.
All in all, it is a terrifying ghost story.
Art. The backgrounds feel real, yet the characters are fictional. And it works in a surreal way. Similar to a classic Victorian house, with cool gadgets and modern technology inside. And it does not stop there, but pushes its limits further as the show progresses.
In some circumstances, the setting/ stage is of crucial importance in many horrors. Another definitely gets 10/10 for this. That is how well the artwork was.
Sound. Just listening to the osts alone is capable of sending chills down one's spine. In some circumstances, each ost has its own little story to tell. But it can only sing silently, so it requires the emotions and dialogue of each character to create a "terrible beauty". To top it off, you get a story that is terrifying in its own peculiar ways.
Characters. I felt the characters were a bit 2 dimension for this, but they have contributed to the story immensely. So I can't flaw them too much. They are very memorable characters as they all have a strong sense of personality, their roles in this to fulfil and their secrets to keep. (we all have secrets let's be honest) It's like talking to NPCs in a game. They won't tell you much unless a certain task or achievement is completed.
Enjoyment. Honestly, this was one of the shows I would not go out of my way just to watch it. I happen to come across by accident and was curious how an anime horror would manage to terrify people. Mainly, we are scared because they seem / are real. So how can anime, a full on fiction medium, terrify people? Let's just say, Another is a very ghostly story. And ghosts aren't exactly real, so this is perhaps, one of the reasons why it was so "delicious".
Overall. I recommend watching it around autumn, where the days gets a little shorter, a bit darker, and a bit colder. Watch it before you sleep, with a bedside lamp by your side. And be prepared for an incredible journey with Sakakibara-kun as you discover more and more about the class 3-3, this mysterious Misaki, and how well the story unfolds like a wrapped up carcass, showing you all the stained bones, rotted organs and bits of flesh.
