31 Days of Halloween - High School of the Dead - Episode 12 "All Deads Attack"

I come into the last episode, hoping that the pace would pick up. In the last two episodes, there was a lot of talking (which has run about 50/50 interesting/repetitive) and not much action. But, we do have a number of plot-lines that need to be wrapped up - the nuclear strikes, Shido's sex bus, the evacuation of the compound, the rise of a "we love zombies" movement among the refugees, and, most importantly, whether our heroes head off on their own again.

The episode starts with the nukes in flight. But, not all is lost. A flotilla of US and Japanese warships are positioned to shoot down a group of Chinese ICBMs (Dong Feng 21s). Three of the missiles are intercepted; however, the ship that was supposed to shoot down the fourth has been overrun by zombie sailors. The weapon detonates over Japan, a high-altitude burst designed to generate a crippling electromagnetic pulse (EMP). This entire sequence, is extremely well-done. It is tense, well-animated and makes me wish more of the series had this serious tone to it.

The EMP destroys electrical equipment and electronic devices across the Japan. At Kansai Airport, Rika (remember her?) immediately realizes what has happened and says "all of our nights are going to be darkness itself." That's cheery.

At the compound, a few minutes before the bomb goes off, Shizuka remembers Rika's phone number. She jumps around a lot and almost smothers Alice with her boobs. There's a very odd moment where she has a hard time using a cell phone. I know she's been portrayed as kind of a bimbo, but here she seems mentally challenged. She gets through to Rika just as the nuke detonates.

Saya knows what's happening immediately, because Saya knows...everything. Shido's bus slams into one of the barricades. He survives, but the bus is surrounded by zombies heading for the compound. This is the last we see of Shido, his fate unknown, although when we see the bus later in the episode, it is empty.

Back in the compound, Saya provides an explanation of what an EMP is and the effects it has, along with helpful graphics. Before this gets to be too much like a physics class, a horde of zombies attacks the compound. They overwhelm the front gate and flood inside.

The refugees are quickly slaughtered. The survivors try to rush through the undead mob, while our heroes load up in the Humvee and take off, to continue the search for Rei and Takashi's parents. Soichiro and Yuriko are last seen surrounded by zombies.

Our heroes are last seen on foot, approaching a mall. The end.

This episode is definitely better than the last two. The actions scenes are exciting, the characters jettison the dead weight - the under-developed characters in the compound - and the series ends as it began, with our heroes on their own, trying to survive.

I really enjoy the series as a whole. The animation is top notch. The action scenes are exciting and creatively constructed. The characters are well-developed, even if, near the end of the series, there is a tendency to repeat character traits already established. The themes of the series - growing up and getting out into the world on your own, examining how different people deal with trauma, the fragile nature of civilization - are looked at in thoughtful ways, through both action and dialogue. The tonal shifts can be a little jarring; however, for the most part the mix of humor and horror is well-balanced. Check the series out. If you are a fan of zombies or action/horror anime you'll enjoy it.

Best Line: The leader of the Zombie Benevolent Society as she chops up an attacking undead. "It's all your fault...I was trying very ahrd to help you."

Best Kill: Discovering the effect a bundle of dynamite has on the undead (see right).

Fan Service: Although we have a couple of candidates, I have to go with Shizuka jumping on down...and up and down...and up and down. If she's not careful, she could give herself a boob related concussion.

Bonus: There is an OVA ("Drifters of the Dead") which you can check out below. It's not very good; 22 minutes of our gang on a desert island, wearing skimpy swimsuits, hallucinating because of some leaves they burn, engaging various sexual pairings...oh, and Takashi has sex with a couple of zombies. The end.