OP: "HIGHSCHOOL OF THE DEAD" by Kishida Kyoudan & The Akeboshi Rockets - I like how the song opens and how it goes to the chorus; it's one of those songs that I mostly here in shounen animes that you don't usually here often anymore due to the pop song demands. And I ain't saying that it's just the opening of the song or its chorus but overall, it was perfect! It felt really dramatic.
Summary:
When Komuro Takashi and Miyamoto Rei were kids, they promised to get married. Unexpectedly, when they grew up, Rei "failed" a grade and had to repeat a year despite being a straight-A student. Takashi was surprise to find out about this. Later did he find out that Rei
intentionally repeated a year because he was dating a person by the name of Igou Hisashi.
While Takashi was skipping classes, getting depressed over the "lies," he saw some
random person trying to get inside the school. The P.E. teachers checked it out but while one was trying to violently stop him from what he's strangely doing, he was bitten in the arm. The bitten P.E. teacher turned into a zombie and bit other people. As the infection spread, Takashi when to the class of Rei to get her and left with Hisashi together. While they thought of a plan to escape, Rei tried to call his dad but he couldn't come in contact with him; it was "busy." With that sad news getting strike at them, they planned to escape through the management building, instead of the crowded classroom building.
While trying to go through the management building, they got caught up with a zombie. While fighting it, they found out that it was stronger than ordinary humans and can't be killed by stabbing its heart. Fortunately, they "killed" it by hitting its head at the expense of having Hisashi bitten in his arm. After going across to the other side of the building's rooftop to prevent zombies getting after them, they blocked the stairs. It was only a matter of time that Hisashi turned into a zombie. Takashi killed him but even at the request of Hisashi to have his self killed, it was to Rei's surprise on his death. She blamed Takashi that he wanted his death because she was dating him. Then, did Takashi resolved to go downstairs and smash all of them but Rei tried to stop him...
ED: "Major Doubt!" by Maon Kurosaki - Nice touch after having the "NOOOOO!" getting shouted out. It really left me blank and empty for minutes. But what's more nice to see is how this awesomely picked song went well with the dramatic Takashi x Rei. I can't definitely say that it's better than the opening song because they both have stood up to their own unique ways.
Preview: Act 2 - Spring of the DEAD
Impression:
While I don't particularly like ecchi shows that much (
I do like them but not that much), the dramatic and romantic ending made it to the top of the awesomeness of this show (or at least this first episode of the show).
On the day everything came to an end, I killed my best friend, and held the girl I loved for the first time...
Poetic and undeniable. It made the ending really fine but it does kind of sound brutal without watching the show and just read this quote. (
I mean, seriously, kill your best friend to hold the girl you love?)
Okay, while I'm calming down after the excitement over the ending, let's all give a round of applause for the awesome work Madhouse has made, AGAIN! This time, it's made well with the nice camera angles, juicy drawing (
Oh, you know what I mean by juicy), and awe-inspiring directing. What makes all the anime different from Madhouse, though, would only be the characters, but this time, it's really different. Well, obviously, there are probably a nice cast of characters but for the meantime, they're focusing on these three (and it was made well).
On with the characters, as it may seem as it is, Takashi is a self-centered idiot who's depressed over the lies on the promise about the marriage but I guess what made this episode really great was the turnabout that Rei was the self-centered idiot (or both/neither of them). Although it was nice for Takashi to keep all those dark vibes for himself and wouldn't really plan to involve anyone, it was kind of hard having no one to lean on to (
Either he's being a man or just being a depressed kid). It seemed like Takashi still had thoughts for others while Rei was like telling him to go with his own life and leave her alone. As seen in the ending, they only have each other now. At least, everything worked out.
Still, the ecchi times were kind of funny. I was like, "Am I suppose to be
hard now?" Still, seeing each other punch, push, and betray each other like shitting was nice–nice enough when you're a little bit depress and have the want to punch someone.
Anyway, the fanservice was fine though I am sure it won't be sure it won't be much compared to
Elfen Lied. It doesn't seem to have distracted me on the action; it, rather,
excited me more (
Talk about pun).
Well, anyway, I don't want to talk too much because it feels somewhat insignificant. Still, if you like zombies (not-so-much anime you can find), fanservice, bloodshed, more bloodshed, and awesome Madhouse production, well, be my guest! As long as it's Madhouse, it's great; no doubt!
