Best of the Rest: Anime of 2010

Ah, 2010...I remember it as the year of the Haruhi movie and good times were had. As I get closer and closer to 2013, it will be harder to pick an anime that is good and yet not on everyone's radar. Should I pick Arakawa under the bridge for its pure absurdity? Katanagatari for its uniqueness? Durarara because it's fun to say Durarara? These were difficult questions that kept me up at night... but the show I picked could also keep you up at night if you aren't careful. Often overlooked, and fitting in well with Halloween in a couple days...

 I give you my choice for Best of the Rest '10.

 

 

 

Shiki

Shiki was made by Daume. It was one of the last series' made by the studio on its own.

The series' is set in a small rural town in the 1990's. It starts off innocently enough with a new family moving into a mansion on the hill. You meet some characters that would be in your typical romance anime and everything is right as rain. Just when you think you have the premise down... the murder starts happening. That's right, murder. This is not one for the kids folks. Is the cause of death an epidemic run wild in this idyllic secluded village, or is it something more sinister? What will they do? Who is behind it? From that point on the game is, as they say, afoot.

Why pick Shiki, especially over the other perfectly respectable choices I listed before? Well, this show is one that is rarely talked about or mentioned and should be mentioned more often. Today, when psychological/horror anime just get weaker and weaker, it stands as an example of something than can get really... creepy. The music sets the mood well, the animation is just good enough without looking dated, and some of the scenes can and will give you chills. It was one of the first anime I saw where I had no idea what would happen next, and that was refreshing. Even though the show has its share of faults, it literally, and I do mean literally, screams Halloween. Because of those reasons, it is worth a watch and I name it the Best of the Rest '10...

...Durarara...yep, still fun to say.