Episode 1: Final Episode
Plot: A man who studies urban legends heads to a village where all of the inhabitants seemingly vanished after watching an altered version of the final episode of a kids’ TV show.
Breakdown: ANIMATING HALLOWEEN!!
NEW SEASONS OF YAMI SHIBAI!!
So we start off by giving me a heart attack with that title. Seriously, Yami Shibai? Don’t do that to me. I get way too much mileage out of you during October. I can’t take that hit. There are only so many animated Halloweeny things in the world to review. I need you. You need me.
The actual opener to this season is rather drab. It’s just the Storyteller calling the kids to watch the show as always. There’s some slight alteration to the audio to make it creepier, but it’s very blah.
As for the episode itself, it feels straight out of a creepypasta, and I am here for it.
The art style for this one is so good. It’s simplistic but also eerily detailed to give it a real uncanny valley vibe. The setup is interesting and creepy, and I was gripped the entire time.
My lone issue is that the episode could have cut off the final shot. I think it makes the episode just a bit too goofy. But it’s not that bad.
The ED for this season is okay. YS has a habit of me not really being into their ED of the season until I’m nearly done with it, but I dunno if it will happen here. The accompanying animation is just the Storyteller hanging out in a park waiting for kids to gather round, and they do, and they just sit there waiting for hours and hours and hours, with one girl spinning the entire time, and then the trademark clock falls and breaks. It’s okay.
Really solid start to the season, and I’m jazzed for what’s coming.
Episode 2: Research Results
Plot: After returning from summer break, Naoki has to turn in his independent research project. But all he writes is “He won’t come back to life.” After investigating at Naoki’s house, his teacher realizes Naoki has done something horrible, and the ramifications of his actions continue to plague him.
Breakdown: “Sometimes, dead is better.”
Okay, so this isn’t just Pet Sematary. It is different. But I wanted to make that quote so nyah.
Hahah, get it? Nyah?
You’ll get it.
This episode wasted no time on getting to the creepy part, but it was also one of those episodes where you spend more time going “Wtf?” than being actually scared or creeped out. It’s definitely a decent episode with some creepy artwork, but it wasn’t a top tier YS episode.
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