It's hard to go into the plot without fear of spoilers, so I'm going to have to be as vague as the show was - and that KILLED me. The show is a mystery-one, where as the viewer (and the characters) solve one problem, there's another, greater problem lying just beneath it. The problem with this is that it takes FOREVER for them to start. Approximately four episodes are spent solving the mystery of eye patch girl (Misaki Mei) and having the extended cast dodge the question. Whenever Sakakibara asks a question, the other students just look around nervously and give some vague reason as to why they can't answer. AND HE LETS IT GO. Where's the drive? Where's the need to solve this mystery? Why is Sakakibara so passive about this? You might be seeing a ghost or something and you're just gonna let it pass by? What the hell is that?
Other than the shows "taking forever to get to the point"edness, Another is an intriguing, entertaining anime. The main thing pushing the show is the mystery and the atmosphere - and boy, Another has some GREAT atmosphere. The surrounding environments are realistic, yet bleak - even a stereotypical beach episode isn't light and bright and airy. The sky is grey, there are no bird calls, and the beach is abandoned, save for our cast. It really hits home the feeling of dread that fills the students, as well as the tension.
My only other gripe is some of the detailing in the final episode, but that's not enough to deter from this show. If you're looking for a good mystery and don't mind some blood (i.e. tons of blood), then Another is a solid show. Nothing that special, but solid.
