zbatz - 2015-08-12 20:55:51

Sankarea is an extremely touching anime with a really interesting plot. The anime also has its funny moments, mostly in connection with the protagonists Zombie-fetish. Still the very emotional story about a boy and his zombie friend is very profound and does not exaggerate too much. I also recommend reading the Manga because it goes a little more into detail in some parts.

isidro.runolfsson - 2015-06-30 07:27:50

Waiting 5ever for Season 2!

iconsidine - 2015-03-18 17:39:40

the story is great.

the animation is stale, average but better than your average moeblob.

the music in this is k, the opening sounds like indie-rock kinda, which is nice.

characters are great.

the enjoyment is spatacular.

wheres my season 2?

fuck you.

hfeest - 2015-02-14 11:34:39

Anime Review Sankarea YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JbpN-Rx3mmY

linnie.fay - 2014-04-25 19:05:50

I've wanted to write a review on this anime for a long time now. I normally like to write my reviews on my blog and then post them here afterwards, but this time I decided to go straight to Hummingbird. So, enough time wasting, let's get onto the review.

Sankarea is an interesting take on a zombie romance story. It's kind of an opposite to Warm Bodies, that movie from Winter 2013 about a zombie falling in love with a human during a zombie apocalypse; Sankarea is about a boy who loves zombies who basically creates a zombie girlfriend. If you haven't heard of Warm Bodies…well, I don't blame you. So, while its concept is definitely interesting, why is it that most people don't know about this anime? Well, it's because this anime is only average at best and this anime also has an "ecci" label. It's like Sword Art Online; you enjoy it while you watch it, but when you look at it critically, it's absolutely terrible. The story has close to no true focus throughout, the characters are flat and clichéd (with the exception of one), and I'm here to explain why. There will be spoilers in this review.

So, Sankarea begins with our main protagonist Chihiro (Spirited Away much?), a zombie-addict who has no interest in real-life girls; instead, he wants a zombie girlfriend. Then one day, his cat dies, and he tries to bring it back to life (apparently his family had some book concerning stuff like that…interesting family hobby, if not too convenient). In the process, he meets a girl named Rea Sanka, a girl who's fed up with her life as the "perfect role-model" and wants to be a normal girl. It also doesn't help that her father (who is the most developed character in the show by the way) is a sadistic maniac. To make a long story short (or three episodes short), Rea drinks the potion that will bring you back to life and dies, turning into a zombie and living with Chihiro. I'm pretty sure you can tell why this anime has an "ecci" label.

Onto the problems. Firstly, the characters were pretty boring and generic. Chihiro is a bland, lazy, and indifferent protagonist whose only true defining quality is that he loves zombies. And, of course, just because he does something nice for the girls in this show they fall head over heels for him. Rea was originally a pretty interesting character, but then falls into the generic love interest category, being weak and simple-minded for the majority of the show. Let's not mention how many times she has to save Chihiro from danger; it's absurd. My wish-furfilment senses are tingling! Then there's Chihiro's cousin Ranko, but let's be honest here; she's just there for fanservice. They do try to give her depth, but there are two problems with that:

a) The way they tell her backstory is completely out of place. I'll explain this more when I focus on the story.

And...

b) It's completely overshadowed by her true purpose in the story, which is to be the fanservice girl. It's overshadowed because that's where all the focus is when it comes to her character; nothing more, nothing less.

There were only two redeemable characters: Merro and Dan Ichiro Sanka. Merro, while not the most complex character, was the only one who was fairly unique. Her personality was that of a hard-working adult, even though she's only 12 years old. I guess some might say that she's just pandering to the lolicon fanbase, but I still thought she was able to hold up as her own character. Dan Ichiro is the villain of the story, and by far the most interesting character. My only real problem with him was that he got very little screen time.

The story is pretty much a disaster. There are so many subplots going on that I was having trouble keeping up with them. First it's a romance story, then it's a zombie story, then it's a dramatic story, then it's a horror story, then it's ecci comedy, then it tries to make you take it seriously…it's just a huge mess. I don't mind this many ideas being tossed around in a show, but you need to have enough time to flesh them all out, and the story never really focuses on one singular plot that it has going on. Then there are the filler episodes. I don't know exactly what the screenwriters and storyboard directors were thinking, but you do not put FILLER episodes between episodes that actually have a flowing story! I'm not kidding; there's an episode where Chihiro gets captured by Dan Ichiro at the end, and then the next episode doesn't take place within the same timeline as it focuses on Merro! What the hell, guys? The anime has two of these completely out-of-place filler episodes, and they make no sense whatsoever. I guess it was to try and develop character, but if you're focusing on one story, then flipping to another story is just going to frustrate the audience.

The animation and sound are okay. The art was great, with nice coloring and pretty backgrounds, but the character designs were nothing truly new. I guess my main problem with the animation is that I had no idea why Chihiro had cat ears. It serves no purpose to the story. The music was nothing truly special. The opening is nice the first time you listen to it, but it gets old pretty quickly. As for Japanese or English…with this one you should go with your personal preference. I've watched this anime in both Japanese and English, and you won't be disappointed by either of them.

So, how does Sankarea hold up? Well, from a critical standpoint, it sucks. From an opinionated standpoint, it's a fun watch if you just want to watch something for the enjoyment factor. I give Sankarea a 2.5 out of 5, and a recommendation to stay away from it if you can't stand critical flops but to watch it if you just want something to pass the time. But, like always, it is up to you to decide your own opinion.

qjerde - 2013-12-25 06:52:41

Mechas..tick! Youkais…tick! Vampires…tick! Card demons…tick! Zombies….? Jumping on Hollywood’s “Zombie hype” bandwagon,Sankarea (2012) is one of Japan’s contemporary anime that has welcomed zombies with fresh blood and open arms. Literally. Produced by Studio Deen — aka the creators of Fate/Stay Night (2006) and Vampire Knight (2008) — have they done zombies justice and satisfied the inner geek within us?

Meet Chihiro Furuya, a high school student who has an unusually bizarre interest in zombies. Yes, zombies. And it’s no casual interest in zombies. We’re talking collecting zombie films, videogames, books, and even to the point of desiring a ‘zombie girlfriend’.

Sankarea has nailed all the elements of a brilliant geekfest. Most anime usually aim for a certain direction with their storytelling butSankarea boldly falls in several categories including ecchi, romance, comedy, horror, gothic, sci-fi and slice of life. With this strangely obscure direction; Sankarea should have no problem in delighting its audience, especially fans who favour a range of genres.

In true Frankenstein style, Chihiro attempts to revive his family cat, Babu, using an old temple manuscript that describes the process of creating a resurrection potion. At this time, he encounters a girl named Rea, who has run away from her confined home and abusive parents. In the moment of spontaneous curiosity, Rea attempts suicide by drinking a sample of Chihiro’s ‘poisoned’ potion but it fails to kill her. After being ambushed by her father to return home, she accidentally falls off the cliff and dies. But to their surprise, Rea revives as a zombie who eats hydrangea plants to survive.

Sankarea might classify itself as a horror-gothic anime but it’s not exactly on the same wavelength as its hardcore horror rivals like Hellsing (2001) and Attack on Titans (2013). Sankarea sells itself as a faultless package that is transparently simple yet wonderfully directed. Directed by Mamoru Hatakeyama, the anime impeccably captures the spirit of horror-gothic storytelling that should entertain viewers of all ages. Its occasional use of flashbacks, different shades and inversions of colours like black and red, eerie organ music and shaky camera-animation techniques …honestly, it cannot satisfy the audience even further as it has already reached its potential of a successful series.

For an indie series, it has done a remarkable job in attracting and luring viewers with its zombie material. But Sankarea has its own quirky twist going on with its comedic elements. It has guts to satirize the genre whilst mocking geeks in a light-hearted manner and this is majorly evident through Chihiro’s obsession with zombies.

However, as soon as the audience has settled themselves into the pace of the show, viewers will be surprised to discover that first impressions of Sankarea can be quite deceiving. Many would say that the anime gives off an air of romantic-comedy than a horror anime but we slowly come to realise that the horror undertone has always lurking in the shadows.

Sankarea is a gloomy, unsettling anime that dares to confront viewers about death and indirect sexual child abuse. With their decision not to go overboard with the intensity, the anime is to be commended for exploring the issues in a simple yet menacing manner. What better villain than Dan’ichirō Sanka himself? Rea’s father is an absolute madman and his abnormal parental love for Rea doesn’t go unnoticed — the daughter knows it, the wife knows it, everyone knows it, and nothing can stop him from holding Rea hostage.

And of course, it’s difficult not to forget that Sankarea is a perfect appropriation of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein where Chihiro acts as God and tries to defy the laws of life by bringing things back from the dead. Luck seems to be on Chihiro’s side as his ‘zombie creation’ doesn’t go haywire like the original Frankenstein story, but unfortunately, we do later see the after-effects of the potion

Even when things seem ‘settled’ in the end, life doesn’t go back to normal. Chihiro faces the obligation and pressure to do everything he can to preserve Rea’s body before it officially rots away — and with his promise to Rea that he will free and treat her as a normal girl (and somehow prolong her life and time on Earth), Chihiro is even more determined to save her. And because of this, it’s hard not to admire his character from afar as he isn’t that ignorant, geeky character that we thought he would be.

Speaking of Rea, it’s very uncommon for viewers to admire and sympathise with the leading female character of any anime series. Leading ladies generally possess qualities that are rather annoying, bland, dumb, selfish and/or ignorant. Rea on the other hand, is a kind-hearted, innocent girl who wishes to live her life like a normal girl. Despite her lively and easygoing nature, for a girl who suffers hardship and living in an unstable household where everything is taken away from her, we immediately fall in love with her. The fact that she also attempted suicide so early in the series, this compels the audience to be drawn to the emotionally-complex character which is a feat that not many characters can achieve.

Verdict: Sankarea is the perfectly ideal horror-gothic anime for geeks. With a brilliantly composed disturbing plot of hybrid genres and unique characters, it’s great entertainment that doesn’t take things too seriously. Yet, it tests the audience’s patience by continuously proving to us that it can play the dark card as well. By having this attitude, we are immersed in its confident storytelling as it knows how to work the horror genre in its uniquely mysterious way. A must-watch for anime viewers out there!

eloy96 - 2013-07-24 03:57:29

Sankarea is an interesting take on the genre of ecchi romance. It dares to do something different by adding the main character, Chihiro's, zombie fetish, which may be strange but is original. The show is a little better than your average ecchi romance and I would put its importance on your "Plan to Watch" section a little above those that you want to watch because you are bored but no above those that you definitely should watch.Story: The story of Sankarea revolves around Chihiro, a high schooler that has a strange infatuation with zombies. As I said before, pretty original. The show brought up what it needed to and I don't think that there was more that needed to be added. At times it seemed a little slow, and at first I thought that they were avoiding the goals that they set forth but eventually Sankarea got around to them. It finishes strong and was pretty enjoyable, but since some episodes included a little filler here and there I will give it an 8/10Art: The art was very nice, nothing original but I really liked its look. It was consistent and had no problems. However, I have seen better. The character design was very nice as well. Since it doesn't go above and beyond though, I will give it 9/10Sound: Nothing noticeably good in this section, the intro and outro were good but nothing too special. As far as the background music, nothing that I can quite remember. I'm gonna stick this section with a 7/10Enjoyment: Although parts of my review might seem like I thought of this series as an average anime, that is not how I feel. I enjoyed the anime at all times even when some episodes were slow, I kept moving forward without break out of enjoyment and wondering what would happen next. Although I cannot ignore that some of the aspects of the show were not to my liking. I'm going to put this at an 8/10Overall: The anime was well done, could have been better but still well done. By how it ended I would expect to see a season two if the show does well enough. It was a good addition to the list of 2012 anime and the show has made me interested enough to look into the manga. As I said earlier, put this show above shows that you just want to watch in your free time. This show is not a waste of time like some other shows end up being but it is not going to make it into one of the anime that I look back on and say that I really enjoyed a ton despite not being a favorite unless they improve with the second season, which is definitely a possibility. For this section I will give the first season a solid 8/10

dickinson.hillard - 2013-03-18 03:08:12

Sankarea is not a bad series, but it had so much potential. One has to wonder exactly where the plot went; I was amazed at the fact that "Rea becoming a zombie" turned into a subplot and the focus went to her relationship with her father (which was creepy more than anything). And let's not forget our stereotypical childhood friend, and a bland, practically useless main character. Other than that, the series is somewhat good; it has great animation, fanservice, and a good female heroine. A great watch if you're looking for some ecchi. 

gwendolyn10 - 2013-03-17 17:46:23

Originality: It's not hard to find the pieces of Sankarea's concept in other things. Zombies seem to be the new monster craze, strained family situations are everywhere, and romance has been around forever. But you'd be hard pressed to find anything else that puts those elements together like Sankarea. While the plot devices and twists used are far from revolutionary, it still fells unique and one of a kind. 

The zombies in Sankarea are like a blend of Is This a Zombie?'s and your regular zombie. They retain their humanity after death, but it's obvious that they are far from human. This allows for some unique scenes and situations which you're unlikely to find in other shows.

Plot: Everything is set up intriguingly, so you can't help but want to watch episode after episode in the beginning. But after that, the plot tends to move slowly until it lurches forward. This can make for a bumpy ride. When it does move forward, the plot twists are good, intriguing, and make sense (ie. don't come out of left field). The lagging between twists feels dull, but it's needed. It spaces out the twists enough that they're a surprise every time, provide character depth, and let us get more acquainted with the characters and setting. 

The ending is a cliffhanger. It sets up a second season, which is fine if a second season does indeed come out. However, a second season is not looking like a strong possibility, so I'm afraid this is another case of non-manga readers being screwed over. (In a vaguely related point, read the manga if you enjoyed the anime. It's just as good and goes farther. It was also recently license by Kodansha, so it'll be coming out in English soon.)

Characters: The main character, Chihiro Furuya, is far from the best main character I've seen, but he's also far from the worst. He does one notable, very douchy thing, but other than that he's a well meaning, realistic character. He's designed to look cat like (especially in chibi form) which I find strangely cute, but others have found off-putting. Rea is very easy to sympathize with, and you can't help but root for her. The other characters are likable enough, with the exception of the antagonist, whom we are suppose to dislike. You'll have no trouble telling who is who, because every character's design and personality are distinct from each other.

Barriers: Fanservice: When debating whether to watch this, the greatest deterrent to me was all the sites listing Sankarea as an ecchi and fanservice show. While there is the occasional bathing or changing scene, the series hardly deserves the label of ecchi. Virtually all of the obvious fanservice is limited to promotional art and chapter covers (which have little to do with the anime anyway). Except for those with almost no tolerance for sexual fanservice, most anime fans should find little here that is overly off putting.

Horror: Sankarea is about zombies, so obviously there's going to be some horror elements, but it is usually more lighthearted. It doesn't venture into it's darker elements very often. When it does get around to the horror, it's not overly graphic, but graphic enough that some caution should be exerted. I would suggest the squeamish stay away, but you could watch this if you don't mind some blood once in a while.

Special Mention: Tone: Sankarea is a black comedy. It has darker elements but usually feels lighthearted. Black comedy is something that's very hard to do, with disastrous consequence if not done well. Sankarea doesn't balance them well in many scenes, but it's not as bad as it could be. As a horror fan, I would have liked more gore, but I have a feeling I'm the minority. Most would probably be content with the tone.

Overall: 6/10 Enjoyable and above average quality wise, but far from a masterpiece.

This review was originally posted http://radiantserenechaos.deviantart.com/art/Anime-Review-Sankarea-313687765

osinski.euna - 2013-03-15 03:42:09

Sankarea seemed to have opened new doors for DEEN and helped the studio deviate from their bland customary style to a more creative and visually communicating approach.

ART
I honestly think the animated style of this was outstanding. As mentioned above, I loved the settings (mostly the abandoned building and all the scenic shots). At some points, I couldn't stop myself from pausing the episodes to simply stare at the sceneries, partly because they were so detailed that I honestly couldn't tell if it was animated or just a photograph! I liked the clear-cut character design/style. :)

SOUND
I didn't really hear a lot of background music in this anime. It's good though because it maintains the subtleness of the story. This anime is the example of where silence is best complementing music. That means, not much to tell here but i still did not enjoy the music.

STORY
Not much to tell here as I have watched only the first episode. However, I can tell that I am really enjoying it now. Characters are cleverly introduced in just a span of one episode. Their personas are already distinct and perhaps, viewers would already have sufficient familiarity to the characters in the second episode.
Sankarea’s story is, unlike the mainstream anime, subtle. It neither shouts nor boasts, it keeps a refined air in it that only targets viewers who know how to judge an anime by its artistry and creativity more than popularity. And I am not bashing Bleach and Naruto here (irony intended  ).

CHARACTERS
While the male lead, Furuya, is neither adorable nor striking enough to be memorable (rhyme not intended), his zombie fetish definitely made him stand out.
Sanka, on the other hand, has this captivating helplessness. Her seiyuu changes her tone between the emotions of sadness, anger, happy, curiosity and charismatic with sufficient distinction from each – and that is very good indeed.