Shiki

[mechana2015]

Hey guy's anybody caught the first two episodes of this? Any theories? The series is delightfully unsettling and wierd and is doing a good job in my opinion, sofar, of keeping the watchers off balance. The art is odd but not entirely out of place either, at least for me so I'm definately going to be watching episode 3. I already have some big questions, but I'll save them until people are showing interest in the show.

[TheSubtleDoctor]

I'm not sure how I feel about it yet. There are other shows this season that I'm enjoying a bit more right now, but I am still going to stick w/ Shiki for the time being.

I definitely enjoyed this week's episode more than the first. The scene in which the doctor, the monk and the government official/record keeper (?) we talking in the rain was excellent in disseminating mood/atmosphere. Also, the Yuki's window bit is getting creepy.

[blkmage]

I'm really looking forward to the rest of this, although I can't say I have any theories quite yet. I have been told that it has a fairly slow buildup, but will be worth it.

[mechana2015]

Anybody know what the significance of the japanese words after the dates are?

[blkmage]

I got curious and looked it up and I feel like it might come into play later on.
Basically, it's a Japanese calendar cycle thing that determines the fortune for that day.

[Atria35]

Withholding judgement. It didn't grab my attention like Higurashi did, but I'm definately going to give it a chance.

But I have to say, that first episode... Someone got a little crazy with the special effects XD

[blkmage]

I think Higurashi has an unfair advantage in terms of pacing in the way it's set up. What's more is that the effect is compounded by the anime pacing. If it were paced as in the visual novel, I bet its opening episodes would be much more like Shiki's.

[Atria35]

... True. Regardless, I'm still excited about watching more.

[mechana2015]

I got curious and looked it up and I feel like it might come into play later on.
Basically, it's a Japanese calendar cycle thing that determines the fortune for that day.

I think those may play a big part actually... why include them otherwise?

[Atria35]

^ I agree. I actually hear the fortune forcasts all the time in Anime (they're usually playing on the tv in the background), but this is one of the few that puts it prominently.

[goldenspines]

I have not been able to form any worthwhile theories on this series yet and that's part of the reason I want to watch more. It's interesting and it gives you enough information to keep wanting to know more.
The oddly placed sound effects and singing add to the creepiness, I think. (this may also be because I'm watching the episodes at night for some reason XD) And Yuuki's window is indeed getting creepy.

I am guessing that maybe the "wild dog" that we saw at the first may have a bigger role later on. And the occupants of the European house (cat ear dude and the lady with the freaky dark eyes) definitely hold some answers.

Yuuki's hair is the best in the show, next to his father's.

[ich1990]

So I watched the first ten minutes of the first episode before I decided I would rather be watching something else. I might pick it up again, though, depending on what I hear from you guys.

For now, though, I only have one question: is the whole vampire boyfriend thing as stereotypical as it seems, or is it just a setup for a subversion of the trope (like Higurashi did with the moe harem theme)?

[blkmage]

I don't recall anything being mentioned about vampires over the two episodes, much less vampire romantic interests.

Secondly, Shiki was published in 1998.

EDIT: So to satiate my (and I guess your) questions about the series, I decided to read through a bunch of chapters of the manga. Shiki is definitely creepy. It is not Higurashi. It is not Twilight. The manga has the exact same art and character designs and say what you will about those, but the manga still manages to be unsettling through its art. It is definitely worth watching.

[mechana2015]

For now, though, I only have one question: is the whole vampire boyfriend thing as stereotypical as it seems, or is it just a setup for a subversion of the trope (like Higurashi did with the moe harem theme)?

Where did you get vampire boyfriend out of the first episode, let alone the first 10 minutes of the episode?

[ich1990]

Where did you get vampire boyfriend out of the first episode, let alone the first 10 minutes of the episode?

Well, I watched the rest of the episode, which pretty much answered my question. To answer yours: I could have sworn I stumbled across a spoiler about him being a vampire when I was looking into the basic premise (but now I can't seem to find it). Add to that the fact that a guy who looks like a girl moves into a recently built castle in a remote location, and is way too cool to talk to a girl who has a crush on him... well, I assumed he was the vampire.

As I have said, I watched the rest of the episode, which kind of, ah, kills their relationship. Also, I can't find where I heard about him being a vampire, so I guess I must have imagined it.

EDIT: Oh, and I forgot to mention that I really like the opening. Not as creepy as it could have been but very artistic.

[goldenspines]

Well, I watched the rest of the episode, which pretty much answered my question. To answer yours: I could have sworn I stumbled across a spoiler about him being a vampire when I was looking into the basic premise (but now I can't seem to find it). Add to that the fact that a guy who looks like a girl moves into a recently built castle in a remote location, and is way too cool to talk to a girl who has a crush on him... well, I assumed he was the vampire.

You seem to be implying that it was Yuuki that moved into the castle/European house (the dude the pink haired girl had/has a crush on)] As I have said, I watched the rest of the episode, which kind of, ah, kills their relationship. Also, I can't find where I heard about him being a vampire, so I guess I must have imagined it.

EDIT: Oh, and I forgot to mention that I really like the opening. Not as creepy as it could have been but very artistic.[/quote]
Not as creepy? People turning into skulls along with trippy colors is not as creepy? I'd hate to see what it could have been. XD

Though, just as a thought, I wouldn't be surprised if we did get a vampire in this series (the idea is not that far fetched), but I doubt it's Yuuki.

[ich1990]

You seem to be implying that it was Yuuki that moved into the castle/European house (the dude the pink haired girl had/has a crush on)]Like I said, I only watched the first ten minutes. I hadn't gotten to the part with the cat ears/hair guy yet. I am also quite aware of the guys looking like girls theme, but ten minutes in he seemed to be the only guy in the whole series who liked a girl: this implied he was something special. Later we see the priest dude (at least, I think he is a dude?) so I guess it is just an art thing rather than a clue.

As for him disliking her or thinking he was too cool. Can't they pretty much be the same thing?

Not as creepy? People turning into skulls along with trippy colors is not as creepy? I'd hate to see what it could have been. XD

Though, just as a thought, I wouldn't be surprised if we did get a vampire in this series (the idea is not that far fetched), but I doubt it's Yuuki.

Well, the trippy colors kind of soften things and make it look like an artistic work rather than something that is trying to be scary. I would link to the Higurashi opening for an example of colors being used to an unsettling affect, but there is some nudity in it.

As for Yuuki being a vampire, I should also point out that just about every time he is on-screen in the opening, there is also blood of some sort being shown.

[mechana2015]

The second episode clarifies quite a bit about who is what.

[blkmage]

Here's a really good blog post about the setting of Shiki and the cultural implications that may be lost on us.

[blkmage]

So it looks like Funimation is having trouble with Shiki. I'm highly skeptical that a "technical problem" delayed Shiki by one week and continues to do so.

I mentioned before that I read ahead in the manga, so now I know where everything's going. That said, episode 3 was a lot more interesting to me this time around.

[blkmage]

Hey everyone, Funimation has finally "fixed" their casts so that it's current with airing now (episode 5). You will want to watch these, as there will be some interesting things you might learn that may or may not confirm your theories and speculation!

[ich1990]

I am only up to episode 5, but I thought I would bump this thread to let everyone know that Shiki does indeed get better. Blkmage does not lie.

Guy you are not supposed to like at any cost:



Monster under the bed. Unoriginal? Yes. Effective? Always (especially if you douse the scene with a weird color palette):

[mechana2015]

Oh goodness yes it does get EVEN better. I'm up to 6 and the level of creepy is amazing.

[minakichan]

Whoa people are watching Shiki?

People are watching a Fujisaki Ryu anime?

People are watching an anime drawn by MY FAVORITE MANGAKA EVER (for the art, not the story, sorry FujiRyu)?!

Go read the manga!! His art is so amazing~~~

[mechana2015]

So guys, I've caught up with 8, now. This thing is amazing. Creepy to the extreme, bizarre and tense. A horror show in all senses to the point where it makes you nervous of shadows and nervous to sleep.

For extra foreboding http://www.seiyaku.com/customs/rokuyo.html will tell you what the names mean that they mentioned on the beginning of each day in show.

[goldenspines]

Creepy hardly begins to describe this anime. Don't watch at night. D:

I've only caught up to episode 6 so far (because of school taking my life away and such), but

[spoiler] It can't be VAMPIRES.

That's just too easy, isn't it?

Isn't it? D8 [/spoiler]

I'll try to catch up on 7 and 8 this weekend so I can add a bit more to this thread~

[blkmage]

Things are getting down right now with many OH SHOOT moments and all the major players taking action. After next week (episode 11), there'll be a few weeks break since, for some reason that eludes me, Fuji TV likes to air 11 episodes per cours during the noitaminA timeslot.

[MightiMidget]

Alright, I completely and utterly adore Shiki officially. but Ack! break?! that's a bummer. I'm not going to get any sleep for those few weeks now for a new reason.

[ich1990]

So how is everyone liking the new episode?

For me, it was the best so far in the series. I am really liking the Yuuki and Toro (is that who he is) angle. Hopefully that will be more developed later on and this might not turn into the anticipated all-out war. The only downside is that the new OP is even less creepy than the last. More pretty, perhaps, but even farther from the tone of the series.

EDIT: Heads-up, the new ED is all naked people.

[MightiMidget]

So how is everyone liking the new episode?

For me, it was the best so far in the series. I am really liking the Yuuki and Toro (is that who he is) angle. Hopefully that will be more developed later on and this might not turn into the anticipated all-out war. The only downside is that the new OP is even less creepy than the last. More pretty, perhaps, but even farther from the tone of the series.

EDIT: Heads-up, the new ED is all naked people.

I don't mind the new opening song, though I am slightly bummed that it's been like "This is one of the cleanest anime I've seen! I can recommend it---gah never mind." xD @ your Heads Up.

Episode 11? Most excellent. B) I love Natsuno, and well, most people. I also am loving the artwork, it just took me a while to decide if I did or not. The eyes are so trippy and cool.

I am curious though how [spoiler]Natsuno is going to handle potentially being turned into a vampire.[/spoiler]