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The first Shiki episode starts off with an intense search for a missing person during the middle of the night by the local towns’ people of Sotobamura (say that three times fast). This is to prelude the dark overtone that the series is expected to eventually take once it comes into form. The search ends on a cliffhanger that leads into the opening series credits, but is intended to arc back at the end of the episode.

The story starts off on a typical sunny day in a small town, centering on a 10th grade student named Megumi, who happens to be a stereotypical self absorbed ... girl that wants nothing to do with the town or its inhabitants. Her one and only desire is to leave for the big city, party, be a model, and hang out at clubs all night long. This dream is only overshadowed by two things, her crush on another student named Yuuki, who happens to do everything in his power to avoid her, and a new European style mansion that was recently built on top of a hill overlooking the town.

The mansion peaks her interest after a mysterious ‘family’ moves into it during the middle of the night. A rumor is floating around that the people who moved in must be abnormal to have come so late at night. This gossip is spun into Megumi’s ears by another fellow student named Kaori, causing her to storm off towards the mansion determined to prove the people are a bunch of backwards, old fashioned, nitwits, who should be ashamed of themselves for looking down on more sophisticated people.

Needless to say, Megumi ends up being reported missing a few hours later, which causes a panic in the town, transforming the viewer back to the start of the episode. Once the people have exerted a minimal effort running through the forest to find her, she is found in a withered, zombie like state. This mysterious condition causes her to end up dying just before the close of the first Shiki episode.

Shiki Episode 1 Overview:

· Japanese Voice – 3/5 (Audio is in 2.1)

· English Voice – 4/5 (Some English dubs tend to find extremely whiny people to play voices for these type of characters, so far Megumi’s voice sounds a bit more mature and less annoying than expected.) (5.1 Audio surround sound)

· Video – 4/5

· Extras – 4/5 (Some commentary by the Director, Producer, some Voice Actors for the episode)

· Music – 5/5 (The music during search for Megumi peaked my interest.)

· Story – 3/5

You can read more at jbrumett.hubpages.com/hub/Shiki-Episode-2-Review