It is also easy to make a mystery plot without any loopholes at all, but with that case, it gains a risk of being bland and predictable. I have watched and read my own fair share of those kinds of stuff, like Detective Conan, Gosick, CSI, and other books and movies, and though I'm not saying that they're not enjoyable, some can be easily predicted halfway.
That is why not only I became a fan of Ayatsuji Yukito-sensei, I also respected P.A. Works (Angel Beats!, HanaIro) a lot more. Yes, some of you who watched it may argue that there were facts that were intentionally hidden from the audience, but isn't it just as well? This is one of those rare moments when it feels good to be cheated on.
Let's proceed with the story. I'm gonna give it an 8/10. Wait what!?!?!!11 After all those praises, this newb otaku is giving "Another" only an 8? Yes, the scenario that it gave was really unique, in the sense that they give you minimum info at the start of every episode, then just as you are expecting a revelation, it will just leave you hanging and hungry for more (kind of like women LOL). Still, that atmosphere was not sustained for all of the twelve episodes. Also, after some realllllllllllly deep afterthoughts about the anime, I found one big loophole at the end that was not covered up well. Maybe you can find about that too, it's right at the last episode.
Also, even if this was categorized as horror, caveat emptor: horror fans may not be too amazed with this aspect, unless you get easily freaked out by Saw-type movies, as this show will be a bloodbath.
On a side note, I was one of those lucky people who were not spoiled, so my guesses were wrong. -_-
The art is just,,,, WHOAAAH! I'm gonna quote something I read from Japanator: it feels like you can pause the anime anywhere, anytime and it would always be a candidate for an awesome desktop bg. P.A. Works is just so good at this aspect. So yeah, 10/10.
I'm not gonna include OP and ED for sound, since I'm not particularly a fan of those. Anyway, the BGM was a really well-used mood-setter for the anime. By any chance, do you know Hans Zimmer? And by any chance, have you watched The Dark Knight by Christopher Nolan? Another's BGM is like TDK's: without the music, scenes are incomplete; without the story, the music is kind of useless. Now, I'm not trying to insult Zimmer here; what I'm saying that the se kind of music are meant to be a catalyst of a situation's atmosphere, and nothing else. And with Another's case, I'm gonna give it a 10, duh.
If you have watched slasher films like Nightmare on Elm Street or Friday the 13th, one common characteristic they have is that they have fu**ing DUMB characters! You know, the feeling where you're yelling "DAMN IT WHY ARE YOU STILL INSIDE THE DAAAANG HOUSE" on the screen? Some characters in Another are like that. I guess it's a given for this genre, but still, they could have made some of the deaths more justifiable. Meanwhile, I have to commend Ms. Sakakibara, the female lead. I'm expecting a lot would be irritated by her, but try to put yourself in that situation; try to read her psyche whenever that time (i.e., the hating :P) comes. One good characteristic about her is that she's one of those characters that you can't really label any stereotypes. While most characters were static (which works well for this show), those handful of the lead roles were the opposite of that, and they were well-developed until the end of the series.
As for enjoyment, I also give it a 10. I was always waiting for the subbed episodes to come out as soon as possible, simply because "Another" always ends with cliffhangers. These cliffhangers did not leave me high and dry, and as soon as I finished an episode, it always makes me think, giving me some kind of faux intelligence. xD
Overall, I give it a 10. I just really loved this show, and I would certainly watch and read other related materials, and I recommend you do too. n_nv
In my honest opinion, I recommend you watch the anime first before reading the novel or the manga, because as I mentioned before, a lot more facts are kept hidden, which would mean that your assumptions and guesses would have less evidence, making it slightly more thrilling. ^_^
P.S. This is my first review, go easy on me guys! Hajimemashite. @_@
