Halfadeckshort on July 20, 2010 · in Highschool of the Dead

Summary Infomercial of the Dead part Deux:

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Fine print:
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Thirty second spot version:

Still watching the news, Takashi and company learn that the zombie problem is an worldwide epidemic. Opting not to wait until the zombies to die off due to natural causes, they make their move toward the school bus. Along the way they pick up five four three additional schoolmates, who inadvertently alert the zombies to the group’s presence. Fighting their way through, they arrive at the bus only to see Mr. Shido and another group of students running toward them. Once a reasonable portion of the group is safely on board and they clear the parking lot, Mr. Shido proposes that they elect a leader. With the support of zombie fodder girl A and B, sycophant boy C and D, and a lack of an opposing candidate, he sweeps the election. This angers Rei and she disembarks, only to be followed by Takashi. Before he can talk her into getting back on the bus, however, they are separated from the larger group by a giant flaming can of zombie whoop-ass. Shouting over the flames, Takashi tells Saeko to meet them at the police station, and both groups retreat to make their way there.

Reaction:

First off, what was up with the guy who had the towel around his neck? Anyone with any kind of sense knows that loose-fitting clothing and dangling accessories are total no-nos when faced with a zombie invasion (or a band saw). He might have been going for the fresh-from-the-gym look, but he should have known that he just didn’t have the assets to pull it off. Fortunately, someone learns from his example, as Mr. Shido opts to ditch his skinny tie shortly after zombie fodder boy A bites the dust. And speaking of Mr. Shido, what’s up with the teachers at this school? Shizuka forgetting the name of her human shield last episode was a somewhat forgivable error (for a great pair of reasons), but Mr. Shido’s face stomp takes disregard for the student body to new depths. While he initially seemed to be too pretty to survive, his ruthlessness and underhanded (perhaps underskirt, if I’m judging Rei’s reaction correctly) tactics make it clear that he is far more dangerous than the zombies THEMselves. His addition to the group seems to be seriously bad news for anyone not named Mr. Shido, as he has proven that he is more than willing to sacrifice someone else to save his own skin. Despite this newest hurdle, however, there was a lot of good teamwork this time around from the core group.

While Saeko is quick to dismiss Shido’s assumption that she is the leader of the group, she has been the one offering suggestions, mediating arguments and meltdowns, and negotiating with other groups. Takashi may be on point slightly more often, but it’s Saeko who counsels them to conserve their strength, using the same thinking that she applies against the zombies to handle the minor squabbles that break out between the members of the group. While she may not declare herself the leader, it’s obvious to me, as it was to Mr. Shido, that she is a calm, natural guiding force for the group. We find her opposite in Rei, who continues to let her emotions guide her, and though she may have perfectly valid reasons for not wanting to save Mr. Shido, her impromptu departure from the bus prolonged the already dangerous stop that they had made. Though she is becoming more effective as a fighter, she is still somewhat of a liability for the group unless she can overcome her emotions. Saya did better in this episode in that regard, and contributes to the team with her insight on zombie behavior. Similarly, Kohta seems to have taken Saeko’s words to heart, and is more carefully considering his targets and ammunition while continuing to keep Saya out of trouble. And while Shizuka may have seemed to be a liability up to this point, she drives a bus like it’s a rally car, and in the fine tradition of Frankenstein and Machine Gun Joe, mows down pedestrians zombies like nobody’s business. Finally, Takashi continues to prove that he is willing to take risks for the overall good of the group, but is prone to leaving himself open to attack, especially where Rei is involved.

They may be vulnerable when they’re apart, but together the six have shown that they’re extremely capable of surviving as a group. They’re still not entirely used to one another, but they do a good job of watching one another’s backs and working together toward a common goal. It will be interesting to see how Shido’s influence, and the addition of more students who aren’t combat capable, affects their dynamic, especially now that part of the core group has been separated from the rest. While Takahi and Saeko want to save everyone that they can, the concept of survival of the fittest, cruelly illustrated by Mr. Shido, is a reality that they are eventually going to have to come to terms with. Given that the outbreak is worldwide, it doesn’t look like there’s going to be much help coming their direction from any external sources, either, but we’ll get a better feel for that as the group heads for the police station: a symbol of order and the location of Rei’s father. While what they discover may destabilize Rei even further, the preview makes it seem like they’re going to be far too busy surviving to have much time for personal issues.

Oh, and while the bus full of zombies barreling down the road may be even less probable than the papier-mâché helmets that Japanese motorcyclists seem to wear, that was definitely one of my favorite moments this time around. Competing for the top spot was Shizuka’s driving, of course, which reminded me of Yukari from Azumanga Daioh. Definitely looking forward to more of the same. Until next week.