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My search began with Funimation for something horrific to watch with a compelling story; after finishing Higurashi, the intriguing storyline and characters made me wish to find another anime as good. Satisfying the need to watch a good horror as well as a plot that would keep viewers guessing until the very end. After completing Shiki, I felt the need to share my view.

When beginning the show it seemed slightly dull, as to be expected of some stories starting out. So I excused it a bit and continued to watch in hopes it would pick up yet, within the first two shows they redirect the ... path you assume you will be following completely. After this, only curiosity tempted me to continue in order to see how things would play out. Before you understand completely the reason any of the occurring events even matter, you have to watch at least into the eighth episode. The story's flow is painfully slow to the point of non-existent, yes, it goes back to the original view of vampires being evil. But, did not pay any focus on them long enough to bait you into caring. Over half of the show is watching cowering, or indifferent villagers, and could hardly be considered horror until the final quarter.

What kept me watching was the very nice artwork, fitting background music for each event, and the mystery shrouding everything in thick layers of darkness as expected of a good horror/thriller. Seeing as it was created by the makers of Kuroshitsuji, and after reading the synopsis I had high hopes this would be one of my favorite anime. Regretfully, it seems the layers were too thick.

Yet, my reasons for disliking it so strongly was the fact that it becomes very difficult to attach yourself to any of the characters seeing as there is so little to know about them, and so many different paths the story follows that once they finally collide, it still seems as though nothing coexists beyond the point of sharing grief or beliefs. That, and the fact that after enduring watching it to see the conclusion, the plot isn't even conclusive. I found the course of the idea seemed just, but a part of it completely rendered almost the entire show pointless.

In conclusion, the air of the horror genre and any sort of conclusive story is lost because the only thing this show seems to portray is profoundly depressing and hollow. As a person who gets attached to characters I was sad to see there was no feeling I felt, but disappointment in the fact there was no wholesomeness to make me care or hope. In that sense, Shiki truly captures the feeling of empty despair.