Nov 12, 2013
When I first came across this anime, I thought, zombies? In an anime? I had never heard of using these creatures as a main plot feature. So I immediately added it to my watching list and begun.
The first thing I noticed and loved about this anime is its setting. A family living in the temple grounds in a country area, much more relaxed than the bustle of a busy city. Each of the character's in the family play their roles perfectly, and contrast each other nicely. There isn't any fooling around with the extreme anime cliches, such as the 'horror' of openly talking to
...
a girl or touching them, and there are many nice hints to a peaceful family life.
Now, down to the good stuff.
Sankarea introduces the three main characters off the bat, Saouji Ranko, Furuya Chihiro, and of course, Sanka Rea. It's obvious enough that these two will fight for Chihrio's love (with Rea being the 'true' route). I feel that the characters are developed at a well timed, gradual rate, beginning with 'Wanko' ( XD) and Chihiro's playfull nature, and Chihiro witnessing Rea's stress release at the abandoned hotel. As we learn more about these two girls and their relationship to Chihiro, his own traits are revealed. So without going into specific details, if you are sick of characters acting extremely tsundere, shy, or down-right annoying, this anime is a refreshing break that will leave you feeling concerned and engaged with its characters, instead of knitpicking at the tiny annoying things that many anime characters can get up to (I know I do when a character gets on my nerves). Overall; Character: 8.5/10.
In accordance with the seeming Laws of the Anime Universe, this series sports a love triangle, with questionable outcomes for the characters, and comedic side characters that occasionally steal the spotlight for a good laugh (which are actually very funny, take note of the grandpa and Chihiro's best friend, Yasuda). However, one thing makes this anime stand out in the crowd, its plot device. I have never, never, heard of a zombie in an anime before. I feel this one one of the main reasons I started, and finished this show. I also love that they don't get absolutely side tracked on trivial matters, and instead choose to deal with practical issues (such as Rea's body rotting, instead of random beach and pool trips and losing bikinis etc). Overall, I found the plot to be quite original and witty, in the sense that addressed issues relevant to many watchers lives (such as horrible parents, lazy high school students, and chores/jobs/work). Overall; Plot: 9/10. (Another point to make is the minimal fan-service. No one looks tits shoved in their face allll the time).
I believe that many anime's are based off their appearance, (and a quick synopsis read) which can immensely benefit a well drawn series compared to a crappy quick handed sketch. In my opinion, Sankarea sits a notch about the average. Its art isn't anything to rave about, however there are some beautiful scenes when the characters either go for a walk up a hill and look over the town at sunset (a scene which I rarely dislike), or a bird's eye view shot of the town at night ( I also love a good city-scape). However, the characters are quite attractive, and are definitely not an eye-sore. So if you aren't a super art fanatic and need everything is 10 million HD then there will be no problem. Overall; Art: 7/10
The biggest problem I had with this series was its OST. The soundtrack annoyed me. The OP song seemed to be just a throw away that they tacked on at the end of production. It appeared to me that minimal thought had gone into its selection. The soundtrack for a change of scene was also nothing special (Even though this is an area that most animes don't attempt to explore). If the OST for this series had more effort applied to it, I feel the show would improve dramatically. Overall; Sound: 5.5/10.
On the whole this series is DEFINITELY worth watching. I could even say it's one of those shows I wish I hadn't seen, so I could re-watch it and experience it again. If you haven't already, add it to your list, and start watching :3.
Overall; Sankarea: 9/10.
Thank you for reading my first ever review on MAL. (*ﾟ▽ﾟ*)
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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