First Impressions / HIGHSCHOOL OF THE DEAD

「Democracy under the DEAD」

The beginning news report had an English speaking reporter, and though it still sounded weird, it was almost perfect. If you ask me, there was some kind of computer-ish lisp to the voice. Anyway, after the news report, Shizuka suggests that the zombies may die from decomposition, a la 28 days later style. Alas, Takagi retorts that since the idea of a zombie doesn’t make sense in the first place, why apply any logic to it? And so, they decide to head to their respective houses to check on their families first, marking the direction the series will head from here on. Since they can’t get out except through the front gate of the school, there’s only one way out, and that way is filled with zombies. The scene where Takashi tests if the zombies only react to sound was awesome, but if it were live action, it’d be even more awesome. I mean, that’s kind of an unavoidable fault of animated apocalypse films/series. Perhaps that’s why there hasn’t been much of the apocalypse genre in the animated medium. Speaking of action, the animation just never seems to let up. I think the question some of us want to ask now is, “when will Madhouse stop being awesome?”

As a zombie series should be, a bunch more people were eaten this episode, but the towel guy takes the cake. Of all things to hamper your survival, the guy puts a towel around his neck and gets owned. That’s a shameful death. The next victim, who tripped and sprained his ankle in slow motion (which was hilarious btw with his echoing scream/moan), gets his face severely stomped on by Shido Koichi (Taniyama Kisho), a teacher that surprisingly only Rei knows is evil. With the entrance of Shido-sensei, who pretty much grasps at any chance of making himself the leader, the evil nature of humans that was only seen in the background has finally confronted them. Somehow he gathered a bunch of survivors who seem to follow him rather blindly, and almost ecstatically, desperately clinging onto him for survival. This is natural human instinct at its best folks. I could go on, but this is no editorial.

I suppose the ecchi does have some weird placement during the episode, but whenever it appears, I just chuckle a bit. It’s like a reminder that this is at its heart just an anime, and that you shouldn’t get too serious about the subject at hand. Of course, many people would think this defeats the main point of the show, which they believe is to completely immerse you into a serious zombie apocalypse, but that’s just not the style or direction the mangaka intends to go with. As such, I’m not going to mention the ecchi any longer in future impressions.

Cross referencing the manga again, there’s not much difference between them except locations. The hall filled with zombies weren’t actually the typical school lockers hallway you see in Japanese schools, but only just a hall. The bus trapping Takashi and Rei in a tunnel was also anime original as the manga only had the bus itself as the separation. The changes are rather trivial, and in the case of the bus, adding the tunnel just gives them more of a reason to split up at that point. Besides a couple of dialogue missing here and there, this has been a really faithful adaptation so far. It’s funny because I can say I enjoy watching the show, but after preparing a blog about it (which requires several rewatches and breaking down the show), it’s hard to remember where that enjoyment was.

Note: They had another new ED this time, and it was much more fitting to the desolate tone of the show, but I’m assuming it will change yet again next episode.
Also, Takagi is totally tsundere for Hirano. 😛

 

ED3 Sequence

ED3: 「Return to Destiny」 by 黒崎真音 (Kurosaki Maon)
Watch the 3rd ED!: Download, Streaming ▼

Preview

86 Comments

  1. I wonder if at some point they discover that Takashi is inmune to the virus. Or something like that. Meaning he would need to 1. Be bitten and some dramatic escene. 2. He’s the key to save everyone.

    kuroir
    Reply

  2. Don’t you think the quality is going down?
    And in this episode they followed chapter 3 and this is only 13 episodes, then it means they’re just doing only up to chapter 13?

    marke
    Reply

  3. The way episodes finish in this series is perfect, and having a new ending every week to fit what previously happened is great. This probably means the series is only going to get a 12/13 episode adaption because I doubt that they’d make 24/26 different endings, but Lucky Star might have to come in a prove me wrong. Is there any conformation yet on the number of episodes we’re going to get yet?

    lHyDrAl
    Reply

  5. First?! xD I wanted t odo that sorry
    this show is just awesome, I hope they don’t try to make up the story in the manga sor accelerate the ending.
    sorry for the bad english

    Skam
    Reply

  6. I just hate that Shido bastard. You sorta always need a prick like him to make a situation feel even worse. I didn’t really see any let down in the animation nor in the art work thou. I’ve watched the release this morning before going to work and I remembered it being just fine. Good action again!

    Shinjiro
    Reply

  8. So they figured out that if they stay quiet they can pass through crowds of zombies. Then everyone continues to yell. *facepalm There was a moment in the episode when I believe the show might be better if no one talked at all.

    unlisted
    Reply

  13. i want to see more gun, weapon,resident evil stuff. or maybe some boomer,charger,jocker, left 4 dead stuff. well i love all zombie stuff, i play all the game inclu the quantine mode in combat arm.

    Justin2010
    Reply

    1. I’m totally against incorporating that stuff into the anime. I would probably lose all respect for this show. They should just present the drama that comes with zombie infection instead of having it become a videogame. I like the way they keep it leaning toward realism.

      If they are going to pull from any other video game or movie it should be Dead Rising and/or 28 Days Later. The fact that the zombies can’t move faster makes the show less scary.

      They shouldn’t alter the source material to being with. I want to see what the author had in mind.

      unlisted
      Reply

      2. I mean I know there’s going to be a certain amount of combat involved but if it starts turning out to be (a new) monster of the week or whatever, I might just drop it eventually.

        I would rather they pursue the story such as finding out if their families are okay, how the infection spread, relationships, etc in this apocalypse.

        unlisted
        Reply

  14. A flamethrower would be a good idea for these guys but then again where can you find one in the middle of a city?

    Well, unless they sell it in a near convenience store, I guess.

    Anyway, I am definitely on-board with this series now.

    Jaden
    Reply

      2. In re. to spicyricochet I have no idea how to do that here. If someone’s willing to take down the post that’s fine with me, although I don’t think it’s that huge of a spoiler. The plot isn’t changed at all as a result.

        Grant
        Reply

  17. You forgot to mention the Shaun of the the Dead reference, kiiragi. The clerk at the convenience store is Shaun (it’d be cool if you added a screencap). I didn’t see it in the anime, but in the manga they also picture his cricket bat. I need to go back and watch again, lol.

    Me
    Reply

  18. Twelve episodes with twelve different ED is what I have read on Wiki, seeing how there are only twelve episodes there could be possible rushed parts, I hope the series ends to appeal the viewers to buy the manga, that will give Madhouse a win button maybe?

    Bluance
    Reply

    1. It’s there. I was actually actively looking for Shaun because I read the manga, but he only appears for a second before the zombie gets run over from the view inside the convenience store.

      Annyms
      Reply

  19. so far they have only found “Normal” zombies, and only humans… they still have to found DOG ZOMBIES and all the like, maybe we will get some mutations, since only humans zombies its kinda boring

    Trejon
    Reply

  20. I actually found 2 things here quite tense..

    -He was testing the zombies
    -The helmeted zombie suddenly grabbing the dude.

    Overall great ep. Miles better than the 2nd.

    megalith
    Reply

  22. Not my favorite episode but that’s simply because I really hated it whenever Shido showed up, in terms of execution it was well done. Can’t wait for the next where it gets much better (although I am worried that they’ll simply go too fast and past the manga).

    Grant
    Reply

  23. Shido Koichi YES.. havent read the manga but i saw this guy and just knew he was twisted.. The kind of guy thats just been waitin to cast away the morals and decency of society.. the type that that is kinda of “At home” in this choas.. yeah he is gonna deliver some awesome lines and sail everyone up Shit’s creek.. i know it..

    royceHOLLERED
    Reply

  24. I love the concept of this show/manga (reminds me of the game Dead Rising and a slew of other zombie movies) but it’s becoming more difficult for me to enjoy the show with the type of characters it has.

    So far, there are three realistic characters (main character hero, otaku nail gun shooter, and wooden-sword-wielding kickass girl in a miniskirt). The rest of the characters are just getting plain annoying.

    We got the bimbo blonde bombshell nurse that seems to complain about not being able to operate a vehicle that doesn’t resemble her own car. She unnecessarily stands idle saying “oh I’d rather die with the person I love” crap when they’re supposed to be running off to safety. And those blushed cheeks and moeness she keeps having every time her boobs get in the way is getting old.

    The pink-haired super genius also needs to start doing something. Three episodes in and she’s still just complaining about every little thing and can only provide criticism. Geez, she should shut the hell up and do something instead if she’s so perfect.

    And then the dumb naive love interest that needs to learn how to control her emotions. She’s just going emo every corner thinking her emotions will save the day when really she can’t even do anything on her own without a good slap across the face. She needs a good wakeup call that her dead boytoy isn’t coming back alive and that the disaster is reality.

    Also, why is there always some retarded student that messes everything up? Sure, everyone is panicking, but when a plan is made you would think everyone in on it would be careful and not an accident prone dork.

    I’ve read some of the manga and it’s entertaining, but I would never had thought the characters in the anime-version would be so awfully annoying. I’ll still watch the season for the fan service, but I think I’ll need to tune some of those characters out.

    leiwei
    Reply

    1. While the bombshell nurse is definitely unnecessary, the other characters being annoying is somewhat realistic if you think about it. People ARE annoying. When faced with danger, most people lose their stance and become even more annoying. Takagi before the disaster was just your typical smart girl. When shit hits the fan, she just becomes locked into what she knows, and complains. It’s not as if she knows she’s being annoying, it’s just how she is when she’s panicking. Humans are the same.

      ..yeah that’s just what I wanted to say about that lol.

      Kiiragi
      Reply

      1. I’m gonna have to second Kiiragi on this. Humans have their flaws, did you actually want everyone to be clear cut and has no glaring flaws? That’s not really human – what you’re probably looking for is the typical/cliche Mary Sue/Gary Stu characters.

        I mean if they didn’t have those flaws, everyone would be flat out boring. You can’t be seriously telling me that there’s no people in the world that act like them. But there is.

        Anjiro
        Reply

  25. I feel strangely connected with the Hirano character, being myself slightly overweight megane-wearing guy who knows at first sight difference between AR-10 and AR-15, M-4 and M-16, G-11 and G-36 😛

    ewok40k
    Reply

      1. Despite being “blind”, the zombies in this series react to sound. Considering “Towel-kun’s” situation, the sound of his shallow breathing and his eventual agonized scream finally did him in. Also, remember that the zombie was also feeling around for living victims with its outstretched hands.

        I had a pet theory that the HSOTD zombies can also hear excited heartbeats, but Takashi walking through the zombie horde kinda disproved it… (Either that or Takashi really knows how to calm himself despite a tense situation.)

        Incognito
        Reply

  31. I agree with leiwei. Some of the characters are just really annoying. Though I have to say that I like Rei. She might be over the top with her emotions but c’mon. She just lost her boyfriend. Takagi is annoying. She knows that the zombies react to sound, yet three eps in, is STILL yelling at everyone that they’re idiots and that she’s the smartest. If she was really that smart, she wouldn’t be yelling. The nurse: she is purely there for fanservice. I’m still waiting to see if she becomes kick ass through some sort of revelation that she shouldn’t be so ignorant to the situation at hand. The teacher….i think he will be an interesting character. You always do need that sadistic son-of-a-B that is going to really stir up the story.

    Saitka18
    Reply

  33. Anyone else getting the vibe that Shido-sensei raeped or sexually harassed Rei, and that’s why she knows he’s evil from the start? That’s pretty cold-blooded of her to tell him to shut the doors on ALL of them, though, even Useless Towel Guy. Storming off the bus in the middle of a zombie apocalypse is definately one of the more moronic things we’ve ever seen her do, though buses don’t necessarily seem all that secure from what happened to the one at the end …

    Fortunately, the party is split at this point, so we can keep up with gun otaku while learning more about Shido’s evil plan (probably involves setting up his own colony of harem-slaves), and the main hero gets to flounce around with his girlfriend and kill zombies. Looking forward to the next ep. One bad thing about watching new anime, you have to wait a week for each episode. :/

    Guardian
    Reply

  34. Madhouse has really done a spectacular job with this one. HOSD keeps me on the edge of my seat wanting to know what happens next and how they’ll survive. I really was scared for Takashi when he stood in the middle of those zombies…

    Dictators often arise as a person who provides solutions in a crisis. That teacher may be thinking of doing the same thing and gaining power. They should have just taken Rei’s advice and ditched him, especially since he STEPPED ON A STUDENT’S FACE AND LEFT HIM BEHIND JUST BECAUSE HE TRIPPED.

    akani
    Reply

  35. The Shido guy is an evil character but an exceptional one as well. It’s difficult for me to like Rei after her telling the team not to save ‘him’ hence pretty much also the other guys that were escaping. Not to mention she decides to just storm off the shuttle after Shido declares leadership. Again, emo girl at the most extreme. You just can’t help but slap the b!tch and tell her “hello! zombies! you wanna die or something be my guest” But sadly someone ‘has’ to go after her which often [in reality] ends up with two birds dying off of one stone. Of course this *never* happens in the anime world especially when it involves two main characters. I applaud Aliens vs Predators Requiem for allowing the Jesse girl a quick death. That was unexpected. She was afterall … the main character’s love interest.

    Going back to the Shido guy. He’s evil. Easy to want to hate him. But in a realistic world, he may also be the most realistically portrayed. In an apocalypse, it’s every man for himself. You don’t go out of your way to save a stranger. The desire to survive is a primal instinct. Take those riots in various cities across the world. People killed each other for instant ramen at the supermarkets. Others raped because they felt they could. So realistically, although Shido kicked the student in the face, the student was indeed an accident prone dork (who the eff carries his books while running away from zombies?) and was pretty much a hindrance to the effectiveness of the team at that point.

    Sure, it’s not a good idea of saving Shido. He’s a sadist. A bad guy. But instead of *not* saving him, why not just use him instead? He’s an extra fighting hand. That sounds more reasonable than Rei’s emo alternative.

    leiwei
    Reply

    1. Well, the main problem is that Shido doesn’t listen to anyone. Shido listens only to himself. All hail Shido! But yeah, you couldn’t use him even if you tried. Rei left the bus because she knew the place would turn ugly fast. Who wouldn’t? Shido kills people. If you ask me, I’d rather stick to my chances against zombies.

      Kiiragi
      Reply

      1. Shido kills people, but by leaving the bus you just upped your chances of being killed by a zombie lurking in the darkness. At least with Shido, you know he’s there calculating. And yes you could use Shido. You can’t command him, but you could ‘use’ him. Rei leaving the bus on a whim based off her emotions is just that: Emo chick.

        And people don’t have the time to be annoying in a disaster and survive through it. How many victims of riots and terrorist attacks do you know that just stood there during an explosion and complained to a stranger “you stupid idiot you shoulda stole the ramen in the convenient store before we left!”? They usually just scatter.

        Again, the natural instinct of all living organisms is to survive. Leaving the bus on your own without assurance that someone else might follow you (in Rei’s case she has the main character wrapped around her fingers) is pretty much an emo move. In a real scenario and assuming everyone in the world has turned to zombies [excluding the team], her likelihood of surviving [longer] will have dropped even if Shido is known to kill.

        You don’t raid instances alone. You die. You don’t raid naked. You die. And judging by those zombie simulator java-games on the net, a lone survivor in an area populated with zombies die or convert quickly. The little dots that stick together tend to fight back.

        leiwei
        Reply

      2. I see the situation as leaving the town of witch killers, or staying and hoping you don’t get accused. It’s majority rules, and thinking that you can sit around to “use” him is a pretty big risk. He’ll target you and throw you out to the zombies in no time, without even giving you a chance to escape. I won’t deny that Rei is controlled by her emotions, but the only reason any of them stayed or left is because they still comprise of half the majority, and they know this. Rei could have stayed, but obviously she just hates his guts. It just comes down to the question of, would you work with your enemy for a bigger cause? There’s no right answer to this, but Rei’s decision is something that you obviously don’t like. But yes, sticking together is “the best decision hands down, it should be obvious”, but Rei would rather die alone than be under the control of someone she absolutely despises (or possibly even cause her death), and that takes some serious balls to do. You could even commend her for that. Would you throw away your dignity to survive, or die a hero’s death?

        As for Takagi, there weren’t any “explosions” that you would obviously get out of the way from, just a bunch of slow ass zombies. She would’ve gotten killed if Hirano didn’t save her ass at the entrance, but I mean, that’s the thing with zombies right? They’re actually often underestimated by people in films/series, and they get killed for it. If you think about it, it happens all the time. So her complaining when surrounded by zombies is while ridiculously stupid, but it’s not unrealistic.

        Kiiragi
        Reply

    2. So much criticism, I haven’t seen the movies that inspired Daisuke Sato and Shoji to take any characteristics and illustrate it in the Japanese culture, I respect to each their own but it seems harsh and cliche to stereotype a character, heck maybe this is a harem show full of tsundra and such. Rei was very weak in episode 1 you could compare her to the girl who left for the towel boy she has become a stronger character is what I see. You should watch Tokyo Magnitude 8.0 only a small comparison but survival isn’t always instinct but belief also.

      Bluance
      Reply

  36. @guardian: That’s what I thought too but actually the reason Rei hates him is kind of stupid. I mean, I’d be mad too but hello, zombie apocalypse going on right now! Plus, as you said, there were students trying to get on the bus as well, not just Shido.

    K
    Reply

  38. the only react to sound seem like some big bull shit, I mean the accuracy of the zombis while griping someone is ridiculous.
    I have 2 theory
    1- it is not well played by the author
    2- there is another factor that haven’t been revealed

    Secsuey
    Reply

  39. i know this isn’t a big deal but isn’t there a problem with consistency in this episode? i mean it wasn’t hard to notice. the group saved by takashi, rei, and others had 5 people. 3 guys, 2 girls. 1 guy (w/towel) and 1 girl were eaten out. the other girl with red hair made it to the bus. but what about the other 2? the guy that made the noise was never heard from…im assuming he was eaten as well but he could’ve made it across since takashi cleared the hall with the shoe…and the other generic guy wearing black, he was shown running to the bus with everyone else but just disappeared after that. what happened?? i know it doesnt matter much but you’d think if you’re in a group, you’d probably notice someone was getting eaten and hear their screaming at least. so now, there’s a a guy who’s m.i.a. just wish the eps was more consistent.

    fishies
    Reply

  40. “As such, I’m not going to mention the ecchi any longer in future impressions”

    I guess that means you’re going to skip a whole episode a little down the ways. 😉

    Anonymous
    Reply

  44. its a damn good thing that HOTD don’t have special zombies (maybe i’m wrong?)

    this anime will be at its end if there would be tanks, witches, smokers, spitters, etc. etc. and added for more cheese, running hell of zombies (since this anime have the zombies walking)

    2 rules of surviving a zombpocalypse, as what i learned in playing L4D2 for at least a nth time

    running zombies = do defense
    walking zombies = do offense

    Animeniac
    Reply

    1. If the anime follows the manga, there won’t be any special zombie hybird appear (yet). Also, it would appear that the louder the noise, the more aggressive (and faster) the zombie comes at, but we’ll have to see how they put that in the anime

      L2D3M
      Reply

  48. I have to agree that there were a few scenes, especially in the first half of the episode, where the character design of the characters was off. Something which might be fixed for the DVD/BR release. The action scenes, though, were very nicely done. Great and fluid animation there by Madhouse.

    boingman
    Reply

  49. Did anyone notice that each ending theme is different? Of course, it’s a different song playing each time, but the pictures are different too. It looks like they add,amongst others, photos of those people who end up getting killed in that particular episode. This episode’s ending included a picture of the towel-guy with his girlfriend, which wasn’t there in the first 2 EDs. There’s also a photo of Rei in that convenience store, with Shaun in the background. The second ED included the reporter that was killed in that news clip and a photo of Saya in a school swimsuit, with a teacher in the background. I’m guessing that teacher was killed in the second episode, though I don’t know for sure…? It was very subtle, I only just noticed it.

    Hikarub
    Reply

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