Shiki simulwatch [RS] (15th September)

[Geriatric hedgehog]

Was at least one death in this one, and it was central to the episode as well, Toru-chan. He dead at the hands of the best yandere going, Megumi. "Yuuukkkii..."

I was rooting for someone to kill Masao though, he was annoying! Fortunately it looks like I may have gotten my wish, with tree camper-kun at the end of the episode

You had me properly cracking up with these two punchlines! Brilliant heheheh. Just caught up on episodes 5&6.

Side note: I wonder what laws govern the "turned" people, interested to see. It's almost like one person gets turned and goes off to kill someone else before ultimately dying. But I did note that some of the vamps have been around for a while. From previous vampire things I've seen there are sometimes different tiers of vampires, so maybe some are just temporary and don't last.

I believe the turned get sucked dry and die first, before coming back from the dead to prey on others from what we've seen so far. In terms of varying tiers or whether the turned victims are just mindless thralls of the originals, we've only really had focus on Megumi so far and she seems pretty much to have her own conscience and will. Though the other victims quitting their jobs whilst still alive is suggestive of some level of manipulation or mind-control. One lore element I was reminded of, was of victims potentially returning to their families and loved ones to create more victims, though in this case we seem to have victims' families "moving out" of the area in the dead of the night - or is that really just the same thing?

Today I learnt that Sunako is voiced by Aoi Yuuki in the sub version, so looking forward to hearing more of her work, she's very good in everything I've seen her in, and was practically carrying the Spider isekai herself.

Subs for me all the way too and Sunako certainly sounded very familiar of a very competent VA though I cannot place her by name so will be looking up to see her other roles (and I haven't seen the Spider Isekai - would you recommend it?)

I like Ritsoku's hair, how does this even work?

London fashion week eat your heart out! Essential attire for nursing staff heh.

Clearly the Shiki one! you know you want the whacky hair-do and vampires...

Of course, as per my last point also!

Masao dying was the big one today, he kind of looks like he'd make a creepy vampire so I'm hoping he comes back as one soon

Goodness, I can just imagine him be more far more irritating & creepy than scary! He is such a caricature though heh.

I want to know more about Sunako and her willingness to converse with the priest, the others seem more interested in making victims, but she could probably have killed the priest 10 times over and seems to prefer his company to killing him, perhaps she is just showing him favour because she likes the books he writes.

I think likewise, and she is certainly an enigmatic and fascinating character and very regal in her manner. Not had much else on her quirky parents apart from that one scene in episode 2 I think, so would be interesting to see the family dynamic there as they certainly didn't seem to mind giving in to the munchies.


I think you've covered everything so far that I wanted to mention so not much that I can remember, whilst currently very sleepy, to add. Interesting how Priest-kun has discovered the real issue with the epidemic being everyone seeing the light and quitting their jobs! Junior/Chief?? Doctor-kun lashes out thinking that's a waste of time but he is clearly buckling under the strain of the endless work and austerity measures. But the ball finally drops with the conversation with Yuuuukiii!!! at the end. Things starting to dawn on the villagers now and the kids are certainly getting the pitchforks ready now!

 

[Neil.T]

Sunako certainly sounded very familiar of a very competent VA though I cannot place her by name so will be looking up to see her other roles

Madoka in Puella Magi Madoka Magica for starters:

Aoi Yuuki

Looking for information on Aoi Yuuki? On MyAnimeList you can learn more about their role in the anime and manga industry.

myanimelist.net

 

[Lordhippos]

I'm going to watch next ep in a min, will do the write up in the day tomorrow, been busy sorting out some docker bits and pieces this evening so not gotten around to watching it yet

You had me properly cracking up with these two punchlines! Brilliant heheheh. Just caught up on episodes 5&6.

Glad you liked

(and I haven't seen the Spider Isekai - would you recommend it?)

Honestly? for the anime itself not really, I think if a better studio handled it, it could have been really good.

But for Aoi Yuuki playing the spider? Hell yes! She's really good, and carries it.

Worth watching the first few eps and see what you think maybe, CGI got proper ropey for me and I couldn't finish it, but watching the spider antics was entertaining.

Goodness, I can just imagine him be more far more irritating & creepy than scary! He is such a caricature though heh.

Gonna be so good I'm sure! bad human = good vampire maybe...

Things starting to dawn on the villagers now and the kids are certainly getting the pitchforks ready now!

They need more than pitchforks, portable UV lamps, garlic, holy water, crosses, all the usual stuff. I wonder if these are the kinds of vampires that have weaknesses beyond sunlight? we shall have to see

 

[Lordhippos]

Alright gonna do a double whammy here

I think we've broken the cycle of at least one death per episode in these two, but maybe someone knows better than me?

Episode 7

So Masao starts us off with everyone's favourite phobia, being buried alive. I would absolutely not want this one bit, no thanks!

I thought for sure the kids were gonna get done in after being stalked at the end of last episode, but Yuuki saves them, and then they plan a good old fashioned grave robbing.

It was pretty cool seeing how the vampires systematically wear their food victims down until they die. A Sheppard sheers his flock, he does not kill them. I wonder why they don't go True Blood style and try and have free range humans who they don't kill?

We also learn that some people come back, some don't, and the chance of that or the reason for it is not yet revealed. I'd assume they'd not want to keep adding more and more vampires though? More mouths to feed and more killings to cover up.

Masao strangely kept the same sort of temperament despite being a vampire, where Megumi is like a totally different person, he feels like he's much the same as he was before.

The priest and the doc are kind of on the same wave length now with regards to the situation.

Episode 8

I liked the discussion between Sunako and the priest again, it feels like she really does like him and doesn't want to kill him like you'd expect. In the absence of a more appealing choice, and the fact that I really do want to pick an avatar before the end of the watch, I went with one of Sunako in the end

I get Kaori's reluctance to dig up her friend, but the greater need to get to the bottom of the mystery comes first. Would not want to be in her shoes. They also broke the cardinal rule of horror, staying out digging graves even as it got dark.

Was it just me or did the vampire react to the charm she had? It seemed so, but the spade interrupted the confirmation.

Best place to hide a tree? forest? Best place to hide a corpse? Grave in a forest. Didn't do a great job of hiding the body though

OK why is that kid sleeping in a giant cot? Vampire dude wakes up and calls the kids brats, but really matey, they could have killed you. You got off lightly considering!

Who is that creepy ventriloquist girl I wonder? perhaps she isn't necessarily evil, she seems to be taking the direct approach to meeting Yuuki. Maybe she wants to help him somehow or warn him against prying into things.

 

[Lordhippos]

Episode 9

I think the vampires got @Geriatric hedgehog !

Nice to see Megumi embracing the gothic vampire chic look.

I thought the telling of the Shiki story was pretty cool, want to see more of where that goes. The priest and the doc on night vigil, determined to save at least one person.

Ritsuko walking about in the dark on her own, I liked her motive to feed them, but I was convinced she was going to meet a bad end. Surprised me a little that she didn't.

Funny that even though the doc and the priest are ready for it, the fairly numerous vampire swarm are more than their match, and we have a new death (finally!!)

The last time we see the docs wife she's just about to have a run in with the male vampire who can walk in the daylight, can't recall his name right now. I think she is kinda suspect though as well in all of this somehow.

Nice ending with the doc going all Dragonball-Z on us!

 

[Geriatric hedgehog]

I think the vampires got @Geriatric hedgehog !

Hahaha, yup it's now vampire hedgehog! Though my generally being active at odd hours of the night is a bit telling. Sorry dude, work nuttiness takes me out of commission for at least a few days of the week (not helped but the TV being hogged in my limited free time on such days heh).

Hokay finally caught up on the last three days' episodes. Episode 7 has Masao the Cringeula (no wait don't leave, I have more of those and they only get worse!) getting a quick vampire biology lesson from Neko-boy (it was between that, Neko-chan & Neko-vamp: okay yes I know they're all equally terrible... I'll stop now... Maybe heh), whose very existence is a not commonly used (if ever?) gender reversal of what seems to clearly be a much loved anime trope. Maybe his Neko powers are what help him be a daywalker but his abilities are certainly interesting in what you'd mentioned @Lordhippos about varying abilities & hierarchies, and serve a very useful purpose as the vampires' daytime guard dog - ah wait, is he a werewolf then and not a Neko-vamp after all?... Sigh, okay I really will stop now..

A Sheppard sheers his flock, he does not kill them. I wonder why they don't go True Blood style and try and have free range humans who they don't kill?

I was thinking exactly that, in how unsustainable it is to just consume/turn all humans in a village. But maybe it's meant as a metaphor for human behaviour in general. Also, as you said the revelation they're don't all turn is certainly interesting and helps limit an exponential rise in the predator levels. Regardless, that was one aspect of True Blood I quite liked where it steered vampire lore from convention in a more practical way, though I'm guessing it's unlikely to have been the first to do so.

Masao strangely kept the same sort of temperament despite being a vampire, where Megumi is like a totally different person

Ah do you think she's that different? I was actually thinking she was exactly the same personality based on her obsession with Yuuuukiii, though focus on her had been pretty limited with so much else going on.

Episode 8 I agree starts with another fascinating discourse between Sunako (of course in my opinion a great avatar choice heh) & Toshio, which, as per his stated motif, looks like it ties in nicely with the story he's currently writing as touched on in the next episode.

I get Kaori's reluctance to dig up her friend, but the greater need to get to the bottom of the mystery comes first.

Her reluctance definitely understandable, but didn't her brother mention a perfectly valid alternative in the other dude who's back from the dead, or did they not know where he is buried?? Surely there's only one graveyard in the village, conveniently located in the forest.

They also broke the cardinal rule of horror, staying out digging graves even as it got dark.

That's because unlike other anime slackers these kids were probably hard at work at school during the day and likely felt a tad bit overconfident when their hand shovels got upgraded to the scary spades.

 

[Geriatric hedgehog]

Ugh hit the post button on the last one by mistake...

OK why is that kid sleeping in a giant cot?

I was more surprised it didn't veer off into forbidden incest romance territory... Speaking of mixing in genres, surely there's a slice of life comedy somewhere in here for doctor-kun's wife & mother...

Who is that creepy ventriloquist girl I wonder? perhaps she isn't necessarily evil,

She is very creepy indeed and with those scary eyes and candid request to have her brother (or was it friends?) tag along later, I'm not hopeful of the family's prospects! Perhaps Megumi has competition given how she was rushing off at the end of episode 9, presumably to Yuuki's place.

Ritsuko walking about in the dark on her own, I liked her motive to feed them, but I was convinced she was going to meet a bad end. Surprised me a little that she didn't.

Heheh especially with the alarm bells ringing when the dog didn't want to go for a walk!

Nice ending with the doc going all Dragonball-Z on us!

Heheh I was thinking about how to describe that but yours is a very apt description indeed. One thing I liked about the doc & priest, with their clearly long-standing relationship, is how they bring their scientific and theological backgrounds respectively to the table when analysing their predicament. Though based on his discussions with Sunako, it will be interesting to see exactly what the priest's inner thought processes really are.

 

[Geriatric hedgehog]

Episode 10 mixes in some sci-fi time-shifting business for the heck of it. So creepy ventriloquist girl was up to no good, Megumi not much impressed with the plans for Yuuki, but surprise guest appearance/return was of Toru-chan (how is Masao not nipping at his heels...actually he's still probably going through his introductory course to life as a vamp) - Neko-boy certainly is every bit the sadist Megumi claims. Yuuki is more or less done for (or will Dragonball oZaki be able to save the day?!) and it doesn't even seem that any supernatural charming was required to tempt him out, just plain old human tactics.

A couple of other thoughts on this episode: Yuuki really wanted to live up the rat race lifestyle - damned hippie parents, how dare they scupper his dreams (and invite in randoms into their home)?! The poor aspiring office-worker was just begging for an emancipation! Secondly, these Kirishikis are definitely not underestimating their human prey, given Tatsumi's comments on the vampire numbers not being enough yet to let the threat of the "hunters" just be. Though oddly from the last episode, their orders were not to do away with Ozaki at present... We're nearing the halfway mark and the next episode is looking interesting with the Kirishikis potentially in more focus, as well as a far more threatening Sunako than we have so far seen.

 

[Lordhippos]

Masao the Cringeula

But maybe it's meant as a metaphor for human behaviour in general

I may or may not have this issue of consumerism

Ah do you think she's that different?

I just saw Episode 10 this morning, and this is definitely the most screen time she has had, I think she's more like her normal self here than we've seen in previous episodes so far.

Sunako (of course in my opinion a great avatar choice heh)

It was indeed a great choice, I definitely want to see more of her antics, I suspect she is only chatting to the priest out of a sense of fascination and curiosity, and that facade would not help the other villagers against her.

One thing I liked about the doc & priest, with their clearly long-standing relationship, is how they bring their scientific and theological backgrounds respectively to the table when analysing their predicament

Yes you have the fact vs fiction camps working together on this one, and I think it takes a bit of compromising on both sides to believe that vampires exist, and work out how to fight them

Megumi not much impressed with the plans for Yuuki, but surprise guest appearance/return was of Toru-chan (how is Masao not nipping at his heels...actually he's still probably going through his introductory course to life as a vamp)

I kind of expected he might show up when we learnt the others could rise again! who else is hiding in the wood works I wonder?

Neko-boy certainly is every bit the sadist Megumi claims

I get the feeling from him that Neko-boy is kind of like an enforcer for the mafia, smart enough to run ops, but not smart (or powerful) enough to be a leader of things. He definitely seems to have people above him level wise.

Yuuki is more or less done for (or will Dragonball oZaki be able to save the day?!)

We do learn that one feeding isn't enough to kill him, but I do wonder what this means now, I am kind of sure he'll be OK for at least another episode or two, somehow

Kirishikis potentially in more focus, as well as a far more threatening Sunako than we have so far seen.

I'm very much looking forward to seeing it

I had a banging headache last night so went to bed early instead of watching episode 10. I will post my Episode 10 and Episode 11 double-whopper later on today!

Out of interest @Geriatric hedgehog what do you do for a living? seems to have you working crazy vampiric hours?

 

[Neil.T]

Neko-boy (it was between that, Neko-chan & Neko-vamp: okay yes I know they're all equally terrible... I'll stop now... Maybe heh), whose very existence is a not commonly used (if ever?) gender reversal of what seems to clearly be a much loved anime trope.

Gonna go briefly off topic to chime in on this.

It is indeed a rarity, yeah. One prominent example of an anime catboy from a show that I've seen is main character Naota in episode 3 of Gainax's FLCL:

Spoiler: image

Series director Kazuya Tsurumaki explains in the episode commentary that he wanted to try it to see the reaction. It turns out that it wasn't anywhere near as popular as a catgirl.

Then there's also Re:Zero, I believe, but I've yet to see that.

 

[Lordhippos]

Then there's also Re:Zero, I believe, but I've yet to see that.

Is that referring to Garfiel in Re:Zero? he kind of is neko-chan, but also I consider him more feral/beast-chan, unlike in Shiki who is more controlled. In Re:zero he's really more of a lion than a cat as far as I'm concerned.

 

[Neil.T]

Is that referring to Garfiel in Re:Zero?

Actually, no, this is the character I had in mind:

Felix Argyle

Looking for information on the anime or manga character Felix Argyle? On MyAnimeList you can learn more about their role in the anime and manga industry.

myanimelist.net

 

[Lordhippos]

Ah been a while since I saw it, but that character was kind of forgettable to me!

 

[Lordhippos]

Double whammy on episode 10 and 11

Episode 10

I enjoyed the back tracking in this episode, which filled in some details as well. It was also good to see more of Megumi not in her vampiric mode like we've seem her before.

The appearance of Toru-chan was sort of expected as mentioned earlier, but wasn't a certainty. It goes to show that even though Yuuki was fully prepared, at the same time he was also not really prepared, and he got lured out and cornered without much of a hope.

We see Toru be the one to step up and do his duty, but I am left wondering if he actually bit Yuuki here. To me it's also possible he pretended to do it to save Yuuki, but also make it look like he's done his task.

Episode 11

The focus of this episode is very much on the vigilante crew, in fact the absence of the outcome of the previous confrontation was also notable.

The situation with Sunako and the Priest is getting more tense, there are certainly parallels being drawn between the current situation they find themselves in, and the Shiki story the priest is coming up with.

That crazy lady managed to persuade half the villagers to follow her up to the castle which was quite a feat.

The doctor knows that they won't get anywhere with this haphazard approach, and ultimately the count guy is seemingly able to go outside like neko-boy can.

In the end, she has painted herself as the next target, and I think she has foretold her own doom.

 

[RadFemHedonist]

Don't forget Ito from Real Girl! The BEST cat-eared boy!

The Blu-ray menus for Shiki on the S.A.V.E. Edition are sooo spooky btw I almost found them more unsettling than the show itself Maybe I will (and guys I know this is crazy XD) actually watch Shiki (again) and comment on it in this thread? What do you think? (yes I'm taking the mick out of myself lol). I'm trying to remember if the thing I wanted to comment on in particular happens in a main ep or one of the x.y eps? I'll wiki it so I know when I'll be chiming in the most XP

 

[Lordhippos]

Episode 12

So we have a new OP/ED as we've gone past the halfway mark. I did quite like the old OP and didn't usually skip it

The temps in the office at the start are vamps right? wonder why they don't just deal with the last guy alive in the office if they are planning to take him out. Guess it's only kill on Tatsumi's orders being the order of the day?

Yuuki not doing so good, I guessed last episode that maybe Toru pretended to bite him, but nope, how wrong I was! Kaori and that other kid whose name I don't remember were very brave to want to stick around, makes you wonder, what would you do in the same situation? Me, I'd get the hell out of there!

It seems that Toru does have a sense of guilt about things, but as Sunako said, the hunger they feel is an empty one, and at that point reason probably goes out of the window. What I find interesting is that the vampires don't seem to be all that strong supernaturally, Toru was really kind of struggling running after Yuuki.

Yuuki suggested the same kind of thing I said before, some kind of co-existence, but Toru thinks it's not possible, and I believe him when he says that's the case.

Poor Megumi, she is even more in the sticks than ever despite her new found vampire powers.

Natsuno's mother does not seem like herself, I'd guess she is also become food. Natsuno's dad thinks he's doing the right thing by playing along, but I think he'll be in for a rude awakening soon. Seems that he isn't ready to believe it's an infectious disease, but neither can he explain what is going on, even ignoring the signs in front of him where his own family are in trouble.

I did chuckle at the Megumi greeting near the end, almost as is if she never died!

Don't forget Ito from Real Girl! The BEST cat-eared boy!

Honestly I'm not that crazy about cat girls or boys in most of the shows I watch, the one exception being Neko-Hanekawa in Monogatari.

Maybe I will (and guys I know this is crazy XD) actually watch Shiki (again) and comment on it in this thread? What do you think?

I'll believe it when I see it!

 

[RadFemHedonist]

I'll believe it when I see it!

Ye that's fair

 

[Geriatric hedgehog]

I may or may not have this issue of consumerism

I most certainly have this issue as evidenced by my overflowing shelves to which I keep adding items before even having finished watching/listening/reading countless others that are collecting dust on them...

I suspect she is only chatting to the priest out of a sense of fascination and curiosity, and that facade would not help the other villagers against her.

Certainly fascinating there, and I do wonder how much of all this is actually on the priest himself for potentially having "attracted" the Shiki, as he calls them, to the village with his writing stories they relate to (though so far Sunako is the only Shiki demonstrated as having an overt interest in him).

Out of interest @Geriatric hedgehog what do you do for a living? seems to have you working crazy vampiric hours?

Heheh I am fortunate not to be working vampiric hours, just voluntarily staying up until vampiric hours when feasible (or more accurately trying to in vain...) to fulfil my anime escapist cravings! Work schedule can be full on on certain days (I'm a medic) but family life probably feels just as busy, if not busier, and as I'm the only anime nut in the household, I usually have to wait until after everyone's bedtime before I can watch, especially if I need to watch any of my physical media (like Shiki!).

Actually, no, this is the character I had in mind:

Felix Argyle

Looking for information on the anime or manga character Felix Argyle? On MyAnimeList you can learn more about their role in the anime and manga industry.

myanimelist.net

Yeah, I wouldn't really say that Felix really breaks from the catgirl trope as he comes across very feminine, thereby being mistaken by anyone not in the know for a girl. Neko-boy for me felt a bit like litmus test to see if those attracted to men would like to see cat-ears on them as much as those attracted to females go loopy by the cat-ear accessories!

Watched episode 11 late yesterday but dozed right off before I could catch up here heh. Unfortunately won't be able to watch the next one today so will aim to combine two tomorrow.

The focus of this episode is very much on the vigilante crew, in fact the absence of the outcome of the previous confrontation was also notable.

Nice how things are slowly shifting with the hilarious mystic lady (her VA sounds very familiar). Her character providing a great demonstration of the power of fear.

The doctor knows that they won't get anywhere with this haphazard approach, and ultimately the count guy is seemingly able to go outside like neko-boy can.

Doctor-kun being surprisingly restrained and not Dragonballing some vamps when given the opportunity with the mini-mob! I was not expecting the count to be a daywalker as well, especially given his only other appearance so far having been at night with his wife. How many daywalkers are actually around and even if it was just these two they would surely have hired muscle to protect themselves in the daytime?

Don't forget Ito from Real Girl! The BEST cat-eared boy!

Heh another set I've acquired but yet to see!

The Blu-ray menus for Shiki on the S.A.V.E. Edition are sooo spooky btw I almost found them more unsettling than the show itself

They are fantastic! I was going to comment on them at the end but yeah, on my very first watch I saw those and got buckled in for the ride, only to be left totally confused with the wacky hairstyles heh. In a similar vein, I thought the menus for the current AL Future Diary set are great and spooky (better than the anime for me heh). You should definitely join in in this rebel simulwatch if you can/want, the more the merrier!

 

[Lordhippos]

Certainly fascinating there, and I do wonder how much of all this is actually on the priest himself for potentially having "attracted" the Shiki, as he calls them, to the village with his writing stories they relate to

I could see how that could be possible, like where they are is in the middle of nowhere, so maybe she read his stories and decided it would be good feeding ground!

Heheh I am fortunate not to be working vampiric hours, just voluntarily staying up until vampiric hours when feasible (or more accurately trying to in vain...) to fulfil my anime escapist cravings! Work schedule can be full on on certain days (I'm a medic) but family life probably feels just as busy, if not busier, and as I'm the only anime nut in the household, I usually have to wait until after everyone's bedtime before I can watch, especially if I need to watch any of my physical media (like Shiki!).

I'm sorry that doesn't sound ideal, I am lucky as I can watch stuff whenever I want without issue!

Watched episode 11 late yesterday but dozed right off before I could catch up here heh. Unfortunately won't be able to watch the next one today so will aim to combine two tomorrow.

No problem sir, I shall post episode 13 later apparently. It's an unlucky number for some of these victims I reckon.

I was not expecting the count to be a daywalker as well

I'd wondered if they had developed some really good suncream

I'd like to see a reverse vampire, where they can only operate in the light, and if it gets too dark they melt

 

[Neil.T]

I'm a medic

Tip of the cap to you, man.

And for being able to still fit in some anime viewing around it as well!