Sankarea: Undying Love Sets a New Standard for Zombie Horror Anime

Brittany Vincent February 27, 2016

On the surface, Sankarea: Undying Love seems like a completely throwaway, cutesy anime. In fact, it’s perfectly natural if you hesitate before taking the plunge with the manga or giving the anime series a chance. There are enough “weirdo guy falls for cute girl who happens to be X” yarns out there to know how patronizing and horrible they usually end up, but there’s something about Sankarea: Undying Love that sets it apart from the massive amount of fluff in the sea of romance series.

Maybe it’s cat-hair weirdo Furuya’s fascination with all things horror or the ethereal look of Rea herself. Maybe it’s because it’s a heartfelt tale that truly does level out the constant onslaught of hackneyed zombie movie plots hurled at audiences month after month. Whatever the reason, Sankarea is an excellent watch; a palate-cleanser that’s desperately needed in this day and age to stand up against the abominations of zombie and horror anime that simply fail to innovate.

She’s Got Red on Her

This modest 13-episode series introduces you to a likable male protagonist whose shyness mixed with perversion isn’t cloying but more of an attractive quality. For those who belong to the school of “if you want it, go out and get it!” he’s a welcome change for an anime protagonist, and one that doesn’t talk down to viewers or give them a reason to hate him off the bat. Fans who don’t have time for games or demure flirtfests should be able to appreciated him as well. Indeed, there’s something sincere and earnest about Chihiro, whether it’s his cat-eared hairstyle or his unwillingness to compromise Rea’s modesty throughout the weird journey they both find themselves in after a particularly bizarre turn of events.

You see, Chihiro Furuya is obsessed with horror. His dream girl? A zombie. They’re as inexplicably desirable to him as One Direction is to young girls. It’s hard to understand for sure, but at least he knows what he likes, and you’ve gotta respect that. One day, his beloved cat Babu dies after being struck by a car. The loss is understandably devastating to him, so he does what any normal teenager would: he endeavors to bring the animal back to life by way of a dusty old spellbook. It’s got a list of ingredients to create a potion that will bring the dead back to life. Off he goes to perfect his potion in an abandoned building, until Rea Sanka comes along.

He finds the wealthiest girl in school screaming into a well about how her parents are controlling her life, namely her father, and how it’s not okay that he’s still taking naked pictures of her on every birthday. Wait, hold up—what, exactly? It’s at this point you’ll want to sit up and pay close attention. We’ve got the setup for a slapstick comedy that’ll find some way to pair the main character with a zombie girl and plenty of room for fanservice. So why is this girl dredging up personal issues like these? Inevitably, you’ll want to know more. You’re going to get hooked—there’s no way around it. Best to buckle up and settle in for the ride.

Chihiro is fascinated by the girl and they eventually begin speaking, with Rea becoming invested in his efforts to bring back Babu. They grow ever closer as it’s revealed the poor girl has a disgusting and rather disturbing relationship with her father, who appears to believe he owns her, mind, body, and soul. The campaign to bring Babu back to the land of the living continues to fail, until one night they perfect a special potion created with deadly hydrangeas. It doesn’t work, but Rea is seen secretly pocketing some, asking Furuya if he’ll take care of her if she becomes a zombie.

After a few depressing events that won’t be spoiled here for the sake of new viewers, Babu is brought back to life, as is Rea herself, thanks to the potion—but they’re zombies now. Furuya’s dream girl is finally right in his grasp, but how is he going to keep her “alive” as her body is decomposing right before his eyes? And now that Rea is supposedly free of her father’s tyranny, what lengths will he go to so he can have her all to himself?

It’s a fascinating ride from start to finish, which you’ll endure with gusto, even when some minor characters are given entire episodes that do little to serve the main plot line. Rea’s father is a lecherous, possessive creepster who deserves every bit of pain that comes his way, and Rea’s mother? Well, let’s just say she’s a waste of oxygen. Still, they offer a meatier plot than Sankarea would have otherwise offered and for that you’ll be grateful.

A Love of the Horrifying

What many viewers will come to appreciate is Chihiro’s unabashed love of the horror genre and surrounding media. He collects zombie films, has recognizable figures in his bedroom, and even gets Rea in on the fun. Cousin Ranko doesn’t exactly understand the fixation, but it’s refreshing to see a character who isn’t constantly harassed because of the things he loves. Anime fans who get enough of that ribbing should be able to appreciate his personality as well. It’s also admirable that Chihiro’s family doesn’t have it in for him despite knowing the types of interests he has.

That’s what’s so refreshing about Sankarea as a whole. It has a delightful way of making readers really care about its main characters. And despite its insistence in some episodes on a few tired tropes and bland fillers, it’s a gorgeous and effervescent change of pace, ironically breathing life into a genre that needs resuscitation just as Babu the cat does. It’s a touching tale of love that transcends the bounds of mortality and it is engaging from episode to episode, with sprinkles of darkness that make it much more than just a pretty face. Give it a look and be pleasantly surprised by how different (and noncreepy!) it actually is.

This story was original published in the April 2015 issue of Otaku USA Magazine.