Another – 02
Nope. Not creepy at all…
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And it’s Episode 2! I’ve been avoiding my schoolwork all day, so this episode is another way for me to do that! Hehe, see what I did there? Seriously though, there’s no better way to start your week off than with a good ol’ dose of creepiness! …Ok so I don’t exactly prescribe to that notion at ALL, but this show is quickly proving to be the exception to the rule. |
The episode begins as Mei and Kouichi talk outside. She warns him to be careful, stating that “it” has already begun. As to what “it” is, I have no clue… We cut to art class where Mochizuki has painted his own interpretation of the still life they’re supposed to be working on. He refers to it as the “Lemon’s Scream,” as it’s a reflection of a lemon terrified at the world that is screaming around it. Kouichi talks to him in more detail about this and Mochizuki talks about his feelings and how he’s comfortable with uneasiness. This discussion prompts Teshigawara to come into the conversation, thinking that they’re talking about their (hot) teacher. When asked about what he feels uneasy about, Teshigawara talks about how nervous he was to end up in the cursed Class 3. Mochizuki cuts him off before anything more can be said.
Just then, Kouichi sees Mei in the library. She’s drawing and he expresses interest in what she’s sketching out. He then inquires as to her eye patch and what it covers, but she doesn’t tell him. He’s interrupted by Chibiki, the librarian, who tells him to leave. When he goes home, he talks to his aunt about the librarian, whose creepiness, hilariously enough, has not changed in the least. He then discusses his aspirations to go to a fine arts school and become a sculptor. Reiko warns him that it’ll be difficult, but encourages him to pursue his dreams.
“Hi there. I’m creepy. I also look like a lizard. Nice to meet you.”
“My shirt? Short? Well, I have had it since I was 12 years old…”
Back at the hospital, Kouichi visits the nurse, Mizuno, and asks her if any girls, fitting the description of Misaki Mei, had died recently. Mizuno can’t think of any who died recently, but does remember that, a while back, a girl died under similar circumstances. She offers to find out what happened for Kouichi, telling him that she’ll call if she finds out anything. Meanwhile, the elevator closes ominously…
The next day in class, Kouichi notes that the Izumi is glaring at him. She confronts him after class, inquiring as to his history with Yomiyama, once again. He tells her that he was born there and that his mother died after he was born. She’s still suspicious as she feels as though she’s met him before. It turns out that she’s head of countermeasures for Class 3, which means that she has to figure out how to protect them all. The question here, though, is – from what?
Judging you. Very hard.
Before Izumi can talk to Kouichi any further, however, he’s already gone as he has spotted Mei walking away from the school. He tails her for a while but, unfortunately, loses sight of her. On his way he finds a doll shop but before he can enter he receives a phone call from Mizuno. She tells him that she found out about a girl who died a while back, whose name was something similar to “Misaki.” Before she can say anything else, however, the phone cuts off. Kouichi then decides to enter the shop, Studio M, which is run by an unsettling old lady. He explores the shop where he finds a doll that looks exactly like Mei. Just then she walks up, noting that the doll looks like her. She points out her favorite dolls in the shop and then asks Kouichi if he would like to see what’s under her eye patch. The episode ends as she takes it off and we are left to wonder just what the hell she’s hiding under there.
#21 on the horror checklist: Ominous phone call. Check!
“Damn it. Your boobs are bigger than mine are…” “Sucks to suck.”
…Oh. My. God. I hate cliffhangers…
This was an amazing episode. Of course, I didn’t expect anything less than such, but it was still a relief to find that Another’s high quality remained untouched. I was a little more perturbed this time around, seeing as the creepiness factor was upped significantly – Studio M wasn’t particularly pleasant. The dolls were frightening, their facial expressions haunting. In the last post, I expressed my wish for the dolls to serve as more than aesthetic touches and it was fulfilled much faster than I had anticipated. As a reoccurring motif the dolls are a useful plot device, representing a number of key points and setting specific moods. In Kouichi’s first encounter with her, Mei is seen holding a blindfolded doll, which seems to represent a sense of warped innocence, suggestive of a childhood jarringly brought to a halt. Another such example is that of Mei’s musings about the conjoined dolls. In her discussion of their supposed calmness to be joined together, she hints towards her own inherent, and thus far obscured, nature.
Continuing on this note, I wish to touch upon the duplexity that Misaki Mei appears to possess. It’s apparent that Mei has more than one side to her character. We were explicitly told so in the first episode when she expressed a desire to go see her “poor other half,” and in a morgue, no less. As to what this “other half,” is, I can only speculate. In Studio M, as she observed her favorite doll, Mei noted that the two parts appeared calm when they were conjoined. Coupled with the fact that the most distinctive characteristic of the Misaki Mei that Kouichi knows is her distinct air of emotional detachment, I am lead to believe that her “other half,” is some sort of manifestation of her feelings of ill-content towards her unfortunate fate, perhaps in the form of the curse that has befallen Class 3. They are not united, this Misaki Mei and her possible alter-ego. Thus, the sense of peace witnessed in the doll is not present, which suggests that her “other half” is…not-so-pleasant.
On an entirely different tangent, this episode was satisfying as we were given deeper and more thorough introductions to characters who we had only caught glimpses of in the previous episode. Mizuno, the nurse, is quickly proving to be an unlikely ally to Kouichi in his search for the truth behind Misaki Mei. Her upbeat personality is a nice contrast to the rest of the somber cast (with the possible exceptions of Reiko and Teshigawara). Akazawa Izumi made another appearance as well, and, though I wasn’t surprised that it was her in the position, it was interesting to find out that Class 3 has a head of countermeasures. This just goes to show how serious the “cursed Class 3” issue is. I still don’t understand, however, why Kouichi is being left out of the loop, but I suppose we’ll find that out in due time. Two more of Kouichi’s classmates, Teshigawara and Mochizuki, were also given their moments this episode and I hope to see more of them in the future. Finally, we met Chibiki, the librarian, who is just as creepy, if not more so, than the dolls. Though he was given less than one minute of screen time, he has an ominous aura about him that suggests that he’ll be playing a larger role in things in the future.
So, really, Kouichi’s venture into Studio M was the most pivotal scene in this episode. It was, all at once, chilling and enlightening, as we, the viewers, were exposed, albeit barely, to Misaki Mei’s true nature. Furthermore, the episode culminated in, perhaps, the most nerve wracking of cliffhangers I’ve ever seen. I am pretty damn desperate to find out what the HELL is under that eye patch. At the same time, however, I’m a little wary because Mei’s smile wasn’t pretty, that’s for sure…
Preview:
He doesn’t look too happy…
About Zabobinator
Doesn't get enough sleep. Dork with a rather eclectic taste in manga and anime. Adores Studio Ghibli films.
POWUH: Lovely-pyon~ with 338 comments
WHY! Would someone willingly go into a creepy shop full of dolls! Regardless awesome episodes with more questions that I want answers to. And yes horrible cliffhanger!!!
POWUH: Meta Resident and Yōko Fanboy with 1246 comments
The guy’s a horror lover, what can you say? xD I know I for one WOULDN’T! ><"
POWUH: Lovely-pyon~ with 323 comments
I KNOW RIGHT? I was just like “WHY. WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT?!” as I watched. It was just like…wow. Kouichi has balls.
POWUH: 400-499 with 428 comments
Well, now the mystery hasn’t let up yet! Though I’m seeing the cracks starting to show up with people like Teshigawara wanting to at least let Sakakibara know what the whole plot is (:D) I wonder what Sakakibara thinks of the whole mystery from his own POV, from the very suspicious acting of his classmates around him, to his own interests, like art and human dolls, the former surprising me a lot; don’t see many male protagonists appreciating art, which is refreshingly different. As for the little snippets, they’re punishing us with the little information, like Akazawa’s faint memory of supposedly meeting Sakakibara before, or the librarian(?), and the nurse’s revelation of some girl named Misaki/Masaki dying the day he was discharged. Also, I wonder why Sakakibara hasn’t asked Reiko about the mystery of Misaki…she’d have to know something about it, but whilst he asks around his class, he doesn’t ask her…hmm, Cliffhanger-kun, please solve all this now!
POWUH: Novice (36-50) with 48 comments
The scene in the hospital was particularly creepy for me, mostly because of the BGM. It was definitely haunting. Also, what’s up with that old lady in studio M?
POWUH: and Yaoi Fangirl~ with 2320 comments
I have a feeling that she’s somehow related to Misaki
POWUH: Novice (36-50) with 37 comments
Yes! As if hospitals weren’t so often unpleasant enough! :s Defo the creepiest anime of the season so far.
POWUH: Metanorn Lover with 192 comments
Something tells me dark rituals and murder are involved…or is that just Fatal Frame getting to me?
Btw, that cliffhanger was totally unexpected.
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
The plot is slow but moving nicely to create suspense. Whether it’s the students, the librarian or the nurse, everyone has a sense of suspiscion on them. Just when you thought things couldn’t get any creepier, Sakakibara walks into a store that is stocked up with disturbing looking dolls and an even freakier shop owner. Even her eyes seemed to be glowing.
I didn’t think Misaki would reveal the part about her eye patch so soon. Even though I haven’t read the manga, I thought she’d tell it later on but we got cut off by the cliffhanger. This is exactly how I felt when Shiki was airing. The really good moments always get cut by cliffhangers.
POWUH: Metanorn Lover with 243 comments
Nice to see the Hippocrate’s Oath being thoroughly disregarded. Good on you, Mizuno.
POWUH: 1000-1099 and Critique with 1024 comments
Never before has the hauntingly raw despair of the common lemon been so eerily captured by meer paint, or brought to life by the fragile hand of some poofy-haired side character. Truely, Edvard Munch would be proud.
POWUH: Novice (36-50) with 50 comments
Definitely the creepiest part of the show was the doll store. I thought I was good after seeing that kid draw the creepy lemon, but then he walks into that store and holy shiz WHY? He even went into the basement.
On another note. I wished they’d just tell him the story about Mei. It’s not as if the nurse didn’t already give him a humongous hint (btw am i the only who thinks she got killed off?). He seems to have figured it out himself though.
POWUH: and Yaoi Fangirl~ with 2320 comments
I totally didn’t think about this anime when I was in the lift today
I totally didn’t freak out when I remember that my lift has apartment has no floor 4 or 13
I totally didn’t check my back just to make sure that a girl with eye patch was behind me. Nope, just looking at the mirror. Seriously
POWUH: Meta Team and PreCure Mastah with 9203 comments
Damn that eye patch! What is under it…I joked with my brother like under the eye patch…is…another eye patch! Trolololol or maybe Miska is like that kid off Air gear? Like the personality switches depending on which eye is actually covered? I still think she is a ghost xD
That yellow shirt! Ahahah that made me laugh! Seriously wear a shirt that fits…then again all the girls are really skinny O_o
Twin tails girl WHY SO ANGRY! Then again she is trying to hide “it” from getting found out…
POWUH: Meta Resident and Metanorn's Hime-chan~ with 1758 comments
Wow, I almost forgot how to be left with a cliffhanger xDD As I expected, I am loving this *~* Though the dolls really creep me out. Who would want to make a Siamese twins doll? -____- that’s creepy
POWUH: iLurker with 1 comments
[…] to her physical self, in the morgue of the hospital, or another alter ego, as suggested by Zabobinator on her post. The episode ends with a gripping cliffhanger of Misaki taking off her […]
POWUH: Lovely-pyon~ with 323 comments
make’s no sense
POWUH: Lovely-pyon~ with 323 comments
What makes no sense?
POWUH: iLurker with 1 comments
[…] referring to her physical self, in the morgue of the hospital, or another alter ego, as suggested byZabobinator on her post. The episode ends with a gripping cliffhanger of Misaki taking off her […]