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.