Short Summary:
Flashback episode.
In 1995, a string of brutal murders in which victims’ bodies are desecrated and severely mutilated, serves as the backdrop and eventual driving force behind Shiki and Mikiya’s relationship: a first encounter on a snowy night, which Shiki later forgets, and later on, their days together at the same high school.
At school, everyone seems to be aware of Shiki as being different, aloof and cold; in a word: abnormal. Everyone, that is, except the kind, perhaps over-friendly Mikiya. But Shiki is far from flattered by Mikiya’s attentions, and Mikiya, before he knows it, comes face to face with two Shikis, one who wants to kill, and the other who just wants to kill him. Could Shiki be the culprit behind the string of brutal murders? And if so, will Mikiya be her next victim?
Impressions:
This episode was practically screenshot heaven…. proving once again that God really does answer the prayers of heathens.
Compared to the first episode, the pacing was certainly slower and the episode itself, somehow bloodier, but once again, the theme of Shiki and her inability to stay away from recurring murders is at the center.
On a sidenote, do the Japanese have no fear of AIDS? Since when is rolling around in other folks blood as if it’s cherry-flavored body paint cool? But somehow, Shiki escapes HIV free this episode. For that I am thankful, I guess.
So Shiki has two personalities, one of which is a mean, but not necessarily green, killing machine. (How bloody original.) Just as in Tsukihime, there’s even a difference in the way their names are written, with normal aloof Shiki written as 式, and killing machine SHIKI as 織. Or better yet:
Shiki’s two sides in plushie form.
Personally, the only thing that interested me this episode was Shiki/SHIKI and Mikiya’s relationship. Lol, poor Mikiya, I can’t see him
getting some action romantically involved with Shiki at all. Still, it seems she’s warmed up to him a bit, so as long as Mikiya doesn’t screw up… I think things’ll be all right. Maybe.
MANGA