The Summer 2010 Anime Preview Guide : High School of the Dead episode 2

High School of the Dead episode 2 

Rating: 4.5 (of 5) 

Review: Aside from establishing the setting and circumstances, the first episode mostly concentrated on Takashi (the guy with the bat) Rei (spear girl), and their friend/boyfriend who ultimately got zombified, but it did also give us brief glimpses of other potential survivors. The second episode focuses at least as much on them and on bringing the eventual sextet together. Arrogant, pink-haired “genius” Saya finds herself accompanying chubby otaku Kota, while champion kendo student Saeko comes to the rescue of busty, clumsy Dr. Marikawa, the one surviving adult. Along the way they discover some potentially useful things about the zombies but also learn that the scale of the problem is as great as they had feared.

A common complaint leveled against the first episode is that it's pretty stereotypical zombie fare. A good amount of what happens in this episode is unlikely to change that impression, but there are a few surprises along the way. The personalities, for instance, don't shake out quite the expected way, especially in the cases of Kota (who shows surprising mettle in a tight spot) and Saeko (who is far milder in nature than her fierce disposition might suggest). Saya might also offer a surprise or two if watched closely in the scenes where the group finally assembled. Fan services comes in a mix of the occasional panty shot and the emphasis on Dr. Marikawa's jiggling bust, and minor snippets of humor pop up, too. Those looking for action and bloodshed will find no shortage of that, though the goriest scene, which seems to involve the application of a sawlike power tool to a zombie, gets censored by shading.

Although the first episode looked pretty good, the second episode outdoes it in both the crispness of its artistry and its satisfying animation; viewing it in HD is highly recommended if your system can handle it. Combined with strong writing and a solid musical score, episode 2 is another winner, one which starts to show signs that this one could have a bit more substance than just a typical zombie flick.

Highschool of the Dead is available streaming on Anime Network