Highschool of the Dead - Drifters of the Dead OVA

We could definitely do with some more Highschool of the Dead if you ask me, especially with the series proper left hanging, so does this OVA fit the bill of giving us another zombie killing fix?

Err.... no.  This additional episode, subtitled Drifters of the Dead, sees the gang finding their way to a small, uninhabited island somewhere in their attempts to escape the zombie hordes.  This, of course, can mean only one thing - a beach episode.  Lo and behold, it takes no time at all before the entire cast (including its male number) are decked out in swimsuits.

After all of the usual splashing around in the water, an attempt to collect and cook food goes horribly wrong, with the hydrangea leaves unwittingly used to cook the food causing hallucinations for all concerned.  Although I'm not sure this is technically accurate (yes, it is a poisonous plant but I'm not sure about it causing these symptoms), that's of little concern, as you can probably see where the episode is headed next, with each character "indulging" in their own delusions for the titillation and entertainment of the viewer.

While some OVAs are well worth taking some time out to watch, I can't really pretend that this additional episode of Highschool of the Dead is one of them - its animation budget concerns itself only with bouncing female flesh with little time taken on anything else, and any semblance of a plot is cheesy, nonsensical and outright ridiculous.  If you only watch this series for the fan service then this is probably some kind of gift from the heavens for you, but if you're more interest in the way it blends those elements with slick, jaw-dropping action then there's nothing to be gained from watching this bonus instalment.

Highschool of the Dead - Episode 12 (Completed)

As if zombie apocalypse isn't bad enough, the end of Highschool of the Dead's penultimate episode decided to throw a spot of nuclear apocalypse into the mix for good measure. But surely this series isn't going to end with humanity in its entirety wiped out in a thermonuclear fireball?

Of course it isn't - luckily for most of Japan's inhabitants three of the four missiles destined for its shores are intercepted safely, leaving only one to worry about - just as fortunately, this happens to be a high altitude warhead designed more to disrupt everything in its range via EMP - something which is certainly does with aplomb, blowing out mobile phones, computers and cars aplenty. Of all people, it's Shidou's bus of fun that proves to be one of the most important dominoes in the stack that cascades for this series finale, with its engine cutting out thanks to said EMP blast and causing it to crash into and wreck the barricade so carefully positioned by the Takagis.

The good news is that the ensuing zombie stampede upon their mansion home, that overcomes even the house's iron front gate, makes for a balls to the wall action-fest to close things out, with plenty of guns, swords and ridiculous stunts to remind you what this series is all about at its best. This turn of events also seals the deal when it comes to our group of students and ditzy teacher making their own way in the world once again, courtesy of a Humvee that just happens to be resistant to EMP attacks (Marikawa's friend really does think of everything) which allows them to leave Takagi's parents to their own devices as they return to their search for Rei and Komuro's family. This open-ended finale also leaves us well and truly of the mind that this is more of an au revoir than a goodbye for Highschool of the Dead, with a final scene that might as well have included a sign which read "please commission a second season... please?!".


But, until that time, Highschool of the Dead is done and dusted for now, so what to make of it? When this series got down to what it did best, it could easily count itself as the most visceral and breathtaking show of the year so far - it did a fantastic job of ramping up the tension when required, its action was ridiculous yet absolutely jaw-dropping and more than capable of leaving you with a big grin on your face, and it's fan service mostly worked somehow even when it was clearly over the top. If only there had been even more of those elements to keep things moving at a hectic pace - to be frank, pretty much every attempt at character development throughout the series fell flat on its face while its humour sometimes jarred with its poor timing, before we even mention that pointless recap episode.

Overall though, Highschool of the Dead was more of a victor in its outlook and modus operandi than it was a failure, and for every episode or scene that left me rolling their eyes there was another that left me drooling for one reason or another. My God this show was stupid on a regular basis (surely the bullet time breasts will never be forgotten) but would I watch another series of it? Yes, in a heartbeat. If cinema-goers need their trashy popcorn movies to enjoy every summer, what's wrong with us anime fans having our own popcorn shows to watch from time to time?

Highschool of the Dead - Episode 11

As rain and storms descend over the city, things are getting decidedly dark within what is left of Highschool of the Dead's humanity itself, whether it's upon Shidou's bus as its occupants reach cult-like proportions and what seems to be a rapid attempt to repopulate the planet, or those who have been saved by Takagi's father as they seek to turn against his violence ways and opt for a peaceful way out of the current chaos, whatever that might be.

While our group of high school students have unanimously decided upon Takashi as their leader, there's also some tension here, namely between Rei and Saeko - although nothing explicit is spoken about that particular love triangle, all of Rei's works to both Takashi and Saeko seem to be dripping with meaning, suggesting that she's more than a little aware as to what went on between the two of them while they were on their own together.


Mind you, love is the least of Rei's worries as Shidou and his troop of subservient students arrive on the doorstep of the mansion they're staying at - it's at this point we learn exactly why Rei hates this teacher so much, and surprisingly it isn't as perverted as you might have initially thought, with Shidou responsible for holding Rei back a grade at the behest of his father, a corrupt Senator with a dislike for Rei's father and his position within the police force. Seeing Shidou's face again causes Rei to fly into a rage, threatening him at knife point, while Soichiro Takagi is quite happy to allow her to make her own decision as to whether he lives or dies before he leaves, angry and disgraced. Not that it's going to matter where anybody goes, judging by the depressing final few scenes which look set to lead us towards a brutal ending for the series.

After all of those episodes with a hefty dose of outright action to enjoy, this was another instalment that was remarkable for featuring exactly zero action, focusing instead on various relationships much like the episode which preceded it. The trouble is, some of these encounters went on too long while others were unsatisfying in their brevity - the fallout of Rei and Shidou's face-off felt like it deserved far more than simply seeing him thrown back on his bus and out of the compound given how it had been built up throughout the series. That slightly skewed pacing and lack of action aside, it seems as though Highschool of the Dead now firmly has its eyes set on its end-game - and what a gruesome (if perhaps fitting) finale it looks as though it might be.

Highschool of the Dead - Episode 10

With the whole group now re-united, things take a more sedate turn as far as zombie killing antics go for Highschool of the Dead's tenth episode, as all and sundry find themselves under the protection of Takagi's rather impressive family mansion, while her family and associates seem to have done a stand-up job of mobilising themselves to survive as comfortably as possible in the face of the current threat.

Although this state of relative safety has its perks (not least for Rei, who gets treatment for her previous injuries - amazing how being thrown off a fast moving vehicle onto tarmac before your breasts are used to dampen the recoil of a shotgun can be treated with a hefty dose of ointment), there's clearly some unrest amongst all and sundry within the group of students. From being the "top dogs" within their own small group, they now find themselves looked down upon by the largely adult presence as "just kids", while Takagi is clearly wrestling with the fact that she feels her parents abandoned her in favour of more pressing concerns and both Saeko and Hirano seem to be missing the thrill of previous days. This leaves the group needing to decide whether to stay where they are or go on the move once again, a question perhaps made all the more tricky by the appearance of Takagi's no-nonsense father.


Much like Saeko, settling for an episode almost entirely devoid of action is rather tough to do in a series which has set itself up to offer such vacuous delights throughout, but on the other hand I appreciate the need for some further development in the main characters and their motivations so I can't be too harsh on this instalment for delivering that. If nothing else, it was interesting to see seeds of dissent sown within our high school "team", only for any such rifts to be healed as soon as a threat of any kind appears and the need to stick together is required. It looks as though we'll be on the move again next week though, hopefully leading us into a more action-filled final few episodes through to whatever ending the series has in store.

Highschool of the Dead - Episode 9

While the fortuitous arrival of Takagi's mother has reprieved most of our bunch of feisty heigh school students from their fate, poor old Takashi and Saeko are left stranded from the rest of their party with little option other than to make their own way back to Takagi's home.


Realistically, I can't think of a better duo to be selected for this journey on-foot given their abilities, and indeed Takashi proves himself to be quite a smart thinker, stopping at a nearby motorcycle shop to find transport and provisions for them. Luckily for them this shop is stocking more than just bikes, and before we know it the two of them have a rather nifty little amphibious vehicle to make use of (available from all good bike shops in Japan, I guess), allowing them to make an escape via the river before later using the craft in a park fountain to distract nearby zombies. Some good thinking, that's for sure, although poor Saeko gets wet on numerous occasions throughout the episode in all of the connotations which the word suggests.

With just Takashi and Saeko left to their own devices, we get to learn some more about the latter, more precisely a little about what makes her tick. Despite her controlled and refined manner, it seems that Saeko is in fact a bit of a... well, psycho, enjoying the thrill of beating seven shades out of people with a wooden stick. Personally, I blame it all on video games. Anyhow, rather than admonishing Saeko's dark side, Takashi embraces and accepts it, allowing her to unleash her full ferocity on the zombies which surround them the next morning while also allowing Takashi to tick off another "route" towards his harem ending. Then again, I get the feeling that two-timing Saeko would bring us to an ending where that amphibious vehicle turns out to be rather a "nice boat", if you get my drift.

For reasons that I can't quite put a finger on, I didn't really enjoy this episode of Highschool of the Dead as much as I was expecting - perhaps I'd raised my own expectations too high for an episode of Takashi and Saeko kicking ass (and they did on a handful of brief occasions), but more likely I think I was just let down with regard to Saeko's revelations and the shift in dynamic of her relationship with Takashi. Our protagonist was right, Saeko was incredibly cool to watch in action and has been a pillar of the series from the very start, but it's exactly this which makes degrading her into a borderline psychopathic sexpot unable to think for or control herself so disappointing - it doesn't suit her, and it doesn't add a whole lot to the series as a whole when closing any distance between herself and Takashi could have been done in any number of more believable ways. I know "believable" doesn't sit well as a description of this series anyway, but regardless the developments of this instalment just didn't work for me.

Highschool of the Dead - Episode 8

Never mind our hardy bunch of high school students, surely there is little hope of survival for them when even the President of the United States is doomed, with Air Force One over-ridden with zombies and the President himself bitten. Add to that the talk of nuclear weapons and things don't look too pretty at all.

By contrast, our group of heroes and heroines are in high spirits as we join them the morning after the night before (what, no hangovers girls?), even finding the time to change clothes after crossing the river courtesy of that oh-so handy Humvee. Even better, there doesn't appear to be a zombie in sight as they make their way towards the first port of call, that being Takagi's house. With the sun shining and the cherry blossom falling, it seems like a beautiful, quiet day out on the streets... until they run into the inevitable massed horde of zombies that is.


From this point onwards things go from bad to worse, with some unexpected wire fencing putting an end to the Humvee's journey and unceremoniously spilling Rei onto the asphalt, leaving her at the mercy of said zombies. Takashi is quick to step up to the task of protecting her, complete with shotgun, but when the bullets run out it's up to the rest of the crew to do their bit - Hirano is naturally well prepared while Saeko always seems happy to lend a hand (not to mention a wooden sword), and even Takagi has a part to play. This all seems to be in vein however as their enemies are simply too numerous to count, leaving Takashi and Saeko to take desperate measures before another rescuer appears out of the blue to do the job for them - not before they find themselves stranded from safety and the rest of the group however...

While the previous episode of Highschool of the Dead mismatched its blend of action and fan service in my mind, this episode managed to restore the balance largely by making the entire second half of the episode a slug-fest of gunning down zombies in a way that held plenty of tension and impending doom while still finding time for feats of impossible fan service (breasts can't do that Saeko, they just can't). Yes, it's utterly ridiculous (not to mention a decade too late) in its use of bullet time before throwing in a last moment saviour out of the blue, but it's fun and it's tense which is exactly what the series is aiming for. Given that it achieves those goals, this time around I was quite happy to give the bouncing, rolling, rippling breasts a free pass again despite their physically impossible feats.

Kishida Kyoudan & The Akeboshi Rockets - Highschool of the Dead

An anime which is simply but efficiently focused on entertaining the masses with boobs and blood arguably needs a similarly positioned opening theme, and as fitting tracks go Kishida Kyoudan & The Akeboshi Rockets' eponymous opening single fits the bill - It's simple, ear catching (and indeed catchy) and with sufficient pace and energy to match the action quotiant of the series it accompanies.


Stretched out into its full-blown form, Highschool of the Dead goes find itself with more opportunities to take a breather from its usual energetic blend of guitars, drums and insistent lyrics, but never lets up the pace too often, instead relentless following its own simple calls with surprisingly effective results. I have to confess that I wasn't a huge fan of the song in its TV-sized form (also thankfully present on the single alongside instrumental versions of both A and B-sides) the first time I heard it, but repeated listens have softened me to its approach to the point where it frequently gets stuck in my head for no particular reason. As soundtracks for driving like a mad person go, it does a pretty good job; I imagine listening to it while riding a Humvee dressed in only an apron would probably make it even more appreciable.

To be honest there's little real let-up between this titular song and its B-side, Ripple - If it weren't for the few seconds of silent between the two tracks, you'd be in danger of barely noticing they were different songs at all, so similar is the tone and treatment afforded it. Luckily, this means that if you like the mainstay of the single then you'll probably enjoy this just as much - if anything, it's a slightly more consistent song in its flow and application, even if it doesn't stick in the brain quite as easily.

While some opening and ending themes are a disappointment when strung out beyond those golden and oh-so precious ninety seconds, luckily Highschool of the Dead isn't one of them. Assuming you like the song as seen in the anime, chances are you'll find little to complain about once said song is extended to its three-and-a-half-minute duration.

Highschool of the Dead - Episode 7

After taking a fair bit of time out to concentrate on its fan service elements last time around, episode seven of Highschool of the Dead... well, carries right on with the fan service and all-round lack of clothing.

Once both ourselves and the series manage to drag their gaze from our sleeping (and wide-awake) beauties however, we're once again greeted with the harsh realities of this new, post-apocalyptic world; a place where the thought of saving others is akin to suicide, and where nobody is willing to take a chance on assisting another. This is graphically illustrated via a surviving man and his daughter, with the former banging on a door and shouting for help, if only for his little girl, only to find himself stabbed by the home's terrified occupants.


However, our bunch of heroes and heroines haven't completely lost their humanity just yet, and thus a plot is hatched to save the surviving girl from the zombie hordes. Cue Hirano's precision with a sniper rifle, Takashi's bravery which borders upon stupidity (and his handy abilities with a bike) and a Humvee full of half-naked girls to save the day and make their break from the "safe house" they had been using.

While I've broadly accepted the levels and frequency of fan service throughout this series so far, I have to confess that this felt like the closest Highschool of the Dead had got to getting the balance wrong, coming dangerously close to (and perhaps even crossing) the line where the action and tension of the series was dissipated or otherwise dampened by opting for a dose of fan service and/or comedy. Perhaps the worst example of that is Takashi's audacious attempt to rescue the little girl by walking precariously along the tops of available walls to avoid the zombies - the whole "I need to pee" routine complete breaks the tension here in what was a broadly nerve-inducing moment, and it's something which happens a little too often this time around for my liking.

Still, that gripe aside the action we did get was as over-the-top yet awesome as ever, and you can never say no to the introduction of a MELL insert song, right? Hopefully we'll be seeing more of both of those elements next week, and less of the bouncing boobs and nose bleeds encroaching upon it.

Highschool of the Dead - Episode 6

The beginning of Highschool of the Dead's sixth episode gives us an intriguing test of our priorities as viewers of this series - Do we focus upon the TV broadcast reporting over two million dead in Japan and the evacuation of even television station personnel to an off-shore location? Or, do we concentrate on the various heroines of this series getting undressed for a bath?

Even if you weren't concentrating on the girls getting naked, you'll soon be able to as we're treated to a bath scene complete with the expected dose of nudity, boob groping, squealing and all of the other stuff you'd expect from a bunch of anime girls taking a bath, even if it is in the middle of some kind of zombie apocalypse. Not that the guys are missing out on their own dose of fun however, as Hirano and Takashi rifle through their teacher's friends home only to find a stash of ammunition and an impressive arsenal of weapons. Hirano in particular is delighted by this, and we learn here that he was actually trained in using live weapons for a month by a Blackwater employee, which is pretty handy it has to be said.


At least it would be if Hirano weren't so easily disabled by a kiss from Marikawa, as it appears that at least some of the girls have been a drop or five of alcohol to relax after a hard day's zombie-splattering, and their subsequent intoxication turns Marikawa into an impossibly flirty individual while Rei turns into an impossibly whiny one... actually she's always like that come to think of, so maybe the alcohol hasn't gone to her head. Still, Rei's current state of mind does eventually change the dynamic of her relationship with Takashi rapidly, from calling him boring and accusing him of not listening to her to being all over the guy who killed her boyfriend barely hours before. Is it the alcohol speaking or not? Either way, it makes for an interesting and potentially problematic development.

Not that this is the only development here, as this episode also keeps an eye on the goings-on at the main bridge crossing nearby, where things escalate out of hand at a frightening pace, from protesters gathering to accuse the current situation as a conspiracy caused by biological weapons through to the police receiving orders to do "whatever is necessary" to maintain order ads the situation worsens. Needless to say, "whatever is necessary" is not only very subjective, but decidedly brutal too as the world goes to Hell in a handbasket.

I have to confess that normally I'd roll my eyes as an episode of any series so dripping in blatant fan service, but to fair to Highschool of the Dead this was an expected development which was also not allowed to dominate the episode entirely as the plot continued to move forwards, even if the bulk of that progress was arguably away from the main group of characters and out in the wider world. Still, with the zombies finding a renewed interest in our heroes and that same bunch of characters now in possession of a ridiculous arsenal of weapons, the next episode has the potential to bring us back to that ridiculously over-the-top yet enjoyable action that has been the hallmark of the show thus far. It's that kind of action that I signed up to this show for, so I shall be awaiting episode seven with renewed anticipation.

Highschool of the Dead - Episode 5

With so much going on in the previous episode of Highschool of the Dead, it's time for a recap this week.... only kidding, even this series isn't quite that crazy.

Anyhow, as this instalment begins we actually leave our bunch of main characters for a little while, in time to see a commercial jet loaded with passengers who are confirmed to be uninfected taking off, courtesy of a little help from a sniper clearing the runway of zombies first. It appears that the sniper in question will have a part to play later in the series (indeed, she appears to be playing a part by the end of the episode, if only for her choice of home and vehicle), but seeing the plan takes off also gets Takagi thinking about possible safe havens to flee too, and whether they'd even be allowed in.


In short, Takagi has realised that the world in which they live is quickly going to Hell in a hand-basket; a madness that we see on the streets as Rei and Takashi find themselves fleeing shotgun fire while Shido is peddling his own brand of insanity on the group's bus. With all of the bridges chock-a-block with traffic and people desperately trying to escape, it's clear that another way of moving forward is required - Thus, our main group of characters leave Shido and his "cult" and abandon the safety of the bus for an alternative route. Here, they fortuitously meet up with Takashi and Rei, allowing them to move together as a single unit once again as the decision is made to stop off at the home of a friend of Marikawa's for some much-needed rest (and, for the series itself, some much needed bathing scenes).

As if the tone of this series hasn't already been set, this fifth episode of Highschool of the Dead does everything it can to keep things ticking along at a steady pace, whether it's in terms of fan service, noise-making boobs or stylish action. Ignoring those first two facets of the show for a moment, the latter certainly delivers to an almost ridiculous degree, with a couple of action scenes that are frankly preposterous, bringing some Hollywood-style show-boating to our bunch of high schoolers - It's utterly nonsensical, but boy is it fantastic nonsense to watch, leaving me literally giggling with glee at the over-the-top zombie carnage wreaked by our group of central characters.

It's these moments of utter, base enjoyment that continues to make this series, and the fact that it's all delivered with such a straight face (aside from its genuine comic moments which also work well more often than not) somehow makes it even more pleasing. This is popcorn anime at its finest - It's brash, colourful and utterly daft, but it still leaves me swooning by doing everything that is required of it to excess and with plenty of memorable moments.

Highschool of the Dead - Episode 4

We might only be three episodes in to Highschool of the Dead as this instalment kicks off, but that doesn't stop us entering recap territory (interspersed with a couple of new scenes) for much of the first half of this episode. Of course, I suppose that's the only way we could possibly comprehend all of the subtle nuances and plot points of this incredibly highbrow show, right?

Anyhow, with that out of the way we rejoin Takashi and Rei on the day after the whole world fell apart from a zombie apocalypse as they continue to make their way forward both to check on their parents and meet up with the rest of the group from which they were separated. It soon becomes obvious that the relationship between these two are as strained as ever, but Rei proves herself to be almost brutally resourceful in looting weaponry from a couple of dead police officers (and some handcuffs? Oo-er missus) while Takashi takes the lead when it comes to refilling heir stolen moped with fuel, albeit after another argument.

However, we're quickly reminded that zombies aren't necessarily the only problem roaming the city in the ensuing chaos of current events, as Rei finds herself kidnapped and groped at knife point by some crazed thug, leading to a stand-off between himself and Takashi that all ends rather unapologetically violently.


To be fair, despite my poking fun at Highschool of the Dead for not being highbrow, it does at least work in throwing up the odd moral question here and there - Is shooting a living, non-zombie guy and leaving him to the undead hordes okay when he's a thug who tried to kidnap "your girl"? Answers on a postcard, but this series has no hesitation about allowing its major characters to become embroiled in behaviour that would be pretty questionable if society hadn't broken down. That is, of course, half the fun, and while this episode certainly didn't have the pacing, action or outright excitement of previous episodes it did once again manage to build some palpable tension during Rei and Takashi's predicament, which was suitably moody and no-holds barred. If only the remaining time available to this instalment had been used for something other than an unnecessary recap, I'd probably have been even more impressed by it, but said recap left it with little time to grab our attention beyond that single set piece.

Highschool of the Dead - Episode 3

By the end of the previous episode of Highschool of the Dead we were already well aware that the current zombie apocalypse reached some way beyond the high school which has been its centrepiece thus far, but come the beginning of this episode we're quickly treated with a round the world view that shows that this particular "pandemic" (if that's what you wish to call it) is a global one. Apart from London of course, where order was restored thanks to the liberal use of Jammy Dodgers and Earl Grey.


Anyhow, this leaves our survivors within the school to decide on their next plan of action, where it's agreed that the best way forward is to check on their various families before finding a safe place to move to from there. On their way to the front gate and the school's car park, we meet another bunch of survivors but don't learn any of their names - This is zombie movie code for "don't get comfortable, you're just meat popsicles here". So it goes that one member of this group almost gets everyone killed by making a lot of noise clattering his weapon of choice around before biting (see what I did there?) the bullet himself, leaving the others to fight and run their way to the safety of the school coach. This sees yet another bunch of survivors appear, including a teacher named Shido who might as well have worn a tie with "Don't save me, I'm evil" embroidered on it - Sadly, he wears no such thing and thus he's allowed onto the coach, much to Rei's disgust.

It's this disgust that leads to Rei and Takashi being split up from the rest of the group after a simple argument is interrupted by the two things that this series has been lacking so far - Explosions and zombies on fire. This scenario leaves the aforementioned duo to make their own way into the centre of the city while the remainder continue by coach, hopefully leaving us with twice as much awesome fun to concentrate on next time around.

To be honest, I've probably covered the most pertinent point of this particular episode in terms of its quality - In case you missed it, this instalment includes big explosions and zombies on fire. That aside, Highschool of the Dead continues to do everything right within its limited scope, ramping up the tension where it can while still serving up intense bursts of zombie (or occasionally human) splattering action, before throwing in the requisite nasty guy who wants to take charge and topping the whole experience with one lingering underwear shot before everyone forgets about the fan service. All of this makes for a rip-roaring dollop of tense excitement that doesn't suffer in the slightest from its predictable characters, quite simply because when the world is turned on its head it doesn't matter if you're smart or dumb, fat or thin, nice or nasty - If you get caught, you're dead meat, pure and simple. It's that basic rule that makes this show so scintillating to watch... oh, and did I mention the zombies on fire?

Highschool of the Dead - Episode 2

After setting out its stall well and truly from its fast-paced opening instalment, things quieten down a little for episode two of Highschool of the Dead - Well, for ten minutes or so anyhow.

After concentrating largely on the short-lived love triangle between Rei, Takashi and Hisashi, the opening half of this episode spends a fair amount of time introducing us a little more to other characters. For starters, it pairs up self-confessed (and decidedly bossy) genius Takagi with lardy otaku Hirano, while elsewhere school nurse Marikawa spends most of the episode as a walking breast gag as she finds herself defended by kendo club champion Saeko Busujima. Throughout the episode we flit between these oddball pairings (as well as Takashi and Rei) as they try to compose their plans for escape and beyond, finding that they're all rather effective in their own unique ways.


It's once these three duets begin their dance with death that the real fun of this episode begins, with a sequence of brief but high intensity bursts of action that are exhilarating to watch while still managing to carry with them the tension of the wider situation as a whole - A tension which is suitably ramped up in spine-chilling fashion come the end of the episode, as it becomes crystal clear that simply escaping the school grounds isn't going to be enough to survive.

If the first episode grabbed my attention, dumped me on the edge of my seat and wouldn't let go, then this second instalment certainly managed to do likewise - Yes, it started a little slowly, and Marikawa's appearance threatened to drag the whole thing into farce for a minute or two, but as soon as Takagi and Hirano started rifling through the school workshop for weapons while Rei and Takashi put a fire hose to good use we knew what we were going to get, and we got it in spades. Indeed, the action came so thick and fast for the second half of the episode that there was barely time for any underwear shots, leaving us with pure, unadulterated and captivating zombie slashing action that made perfect use of its characters to complement and even accentuate that action. There's nothing smart or original about Highschool of the Dead, that much is clear - But when watching this intensely visceral experience is so breath-taking, who cares?

Highschool of the Dead - Episode 1

Zombies. Blood. Breasts. Gore. Panties. Right, that's Highschool of the Dead 'blogged about, what's next in line?


Hmm, what's that? You want more? Oh, alright then... As if you haven't guessed from the show's title, Highschool of the Dead brings us a zombie apocalypse, anime style, with style aplenty from production studio Madhouse. After starting with a burst of the aforementioned blood, gore and panties, we rewind to the beginning of it all, which turns out to be not too much earlier in this world's timeline - Here, we see the dejected loser Takashi skipping class and bemoaning his life after seeing the girl he loves end up with another guy, giving us a love triangle which looks set to define the series before only lasting about twenty minutes.

Anyhow, while hiding away from class he sees a man at the school gate, relentlessly shaking it until a bunch of teachers turn up to turn him away. One of these teachers gets bitten, and the rest is history... Before we know it, Takashi, his unrequited love Rei and her boyfriend Hisashi are up on the school roof, fighting for their lives against a backdrop of a city in flames and chaos. Just when it seems as though things can't get any worse for this trio... things get worse. Yep, this is definitely the zombie apocalypse.

If you're expecting highbrow entertainment or anything of the sort from this series, then allow me to show you the door.... Right, are they gone yet? Okay, now it's just us more well-rounded types left, let's be honest about this - The opening episode of Highschool of the Dead is all sorts of adrenaline-pumping fun. Sure, the fan service is overblown and unnecessary, but it fits in perfectly with the decadent feel of the series, and throughout this first instalment the pacing and tension are almost perfect; perfect being mile a minute with no time for nuances such as establishing the reasons for this zombie outbreak or anything of the sort. This care-free, tightly focused scripting works perfectly to drag us along for the ride as society breaks down and morals go out the window within minutes of the action kicking off, to the point where we almost applaud one girl for kicking her friend down to the mercy of zombies in a (futile, naturally) attempt to save herself.

Just as you'd expect if you were to find yourself in such a situation, there's no time to consider what happens next or think about what's going on - Highschool of the Dead is all about surviving for the next five seconds and little more, and I already love it for taking that angle and running at it with well-produced, fantastically sound-tracked gusto. If you're looking for a summer blockbuster of an anime series, it looks like you might have just found it if this episode is anything to go by.