Highschool of the Dead (OVA) – Drifters of the Dead
After fighting and running, fighting and running, and fighting and running some more, they found themselves on a deserted island off the beach of Tokonosu. Maybe, they’ll get to relax for a little while!
Highschool of the Dead (OVA) – Drifters of the Dead
What did you watch?
Well, here we are – the last ever episode of Highschool of the Dead… Obviously, I hope that isn’t the case, but it is increasingly unlikely. Does that make this one that much more enjoyable or does it just add fuel to the fire of misery? The hardest thing about this is that the first season ended with a clear teaser for the second season and then this OVA was no doubt released to appease the rampant fans demanding more. It’s only eighteen minutes long, but they manage to squeeze as much into it as possible.
What happened?
As they escaped from the undead, Takashi and the others came across a rowboat and started rowing. Since the undead couldn’t swim, they assumed they would be safe. It seemed to be working too. Then, they landed on a small deserted island off the coast of Tokonosu. A beautiful sandy beach lined the island, surrounding the dense tropical forest. It seemed like paradise, however, were there any supplies or even somewhere to shelter? Luckily, Alice spotted a beach cabin so they all went to investigate.
There was plenty of bottled water, but no food. The only other thing the cabin had was a supply of beachwear. Well, why not? They had been on the run for ages so it seemed like the perfect chance for them to let off some steam. Unfortunately, the options for the guys were fairly limited, leaving Takashi in a tiny pair of Speedos and Kouta in a school one-piece that was clearly designed for girls. The girls, however, emerged in various stunning swimsuits, although it was clear they weren’t exactly designed for swimming in…
Since they had their first chance to unwind in ages, the girls gave Takashi and Kouta the task of gathering some food. They jumped at the chance to prove themselves useful and quickly began to search the island. While that went on, the girls took to the beach and made the most of it. They got to play beach volleyball, splash around in the sea, laze on lilos and generally have a great time. Takashi, however, was having it rough. He hadn’t found anything they could eat and even fell out of a coconut tree. Kouta, on the other hand, had utilised his training to fashion a spear out of a knife and long stick.
As the girls looked at Takashi with disappointment, Kouta arrived with a net full of seafood. At least, Takashi had been able to gather some leaves to start a fire. They sat around the fire waiting for the fish to cook. That was when they noticed a strange smell. Suddenly, Shizuka jumped up and told them to get away from the fire. They were burning hydrangea leaves which can make you hallucinate. It was too late, however, as she lost control and jumped on Takashi. He squirmed away only for Saya and Rei to follow up. Then, Saeko grabbed his wrist and pulled him free. They needed to get away until the effects had worn off.
Saeko and Takashi ran as fast as they could and soon found themselves alone in the forest. Takashi turned to Saeko about to thank her for her help, but then she turned to him all doe-eyed and jumped on him. She told him that she had wanted him for ages, but hadn’t acted because of the others. Now that they were alone, however, she wasn’t going to miss the opportunity. At first, Takashi resisted, but then the effects of the hydrangea leaves hit him and he gave in, pushing her to the ground and kissing her.
Back at the campfire, Shizuka saw Rika and was quick to embrace her friend. Saya had turned her attention to her mother. They cuddled and made up for lost time together. Without any concern for the undead, they both enjoyed their reunions and spent the night rolling around on the sand together.
However, once the hydrangea wore off, Saya was first to realise what was going on. The person she saw as her mother was Shizuka. The person Shizuka had seen as Rika was Saya. They found themselves on the beach, their bodies entwined and naked. Saya screamed. Then, she saw Saeko and Rei standing in the shallows, kissing and cuddling, both naked, both murmuring about Takashi. Finally, she saw Kouta talking about peace and love while dry-humping a broom. She screamed once more.
That was when Alice returned and told them that Takashi was in trouble. They followed Alice and found him lying on the floor still under the effects of the hydrangea leaves as he held off four zombie girls. Then, one slipped and landed with her face against his Speedos. He seemed to sober up pretty quickly after that. Anyhow, it turned out there was a secret passage that led to the mainland, meaning that the island wasn’t as safe as they thought. Guess it’s time to move on and forget about everything that happened here!
What did you think?
That was eighteen minutes of pure joy. Of course, there was a distinct lack of zombies, but it was fun all the same. It also helps that I’m a big fan of the gratuitous beach episodes. Now, I know that this isn’t canon, but I think it made some very interesting observations. The main one is that Takashi likes Saeko. I’ve been saying all along that she is the main love interest and I think the producers of this OVA also believed that to be true. The fact that he ran away with Saeko and not someone else says everything. Not only that, but he acted on his feelings. They may have been hallucinating, but this showed their true desires. Anyhow, it was a great episode and one that I will always enjoy.
What was your favourite moment?
Seeing the girls goofing off on the beach was brilliant. There’s something about the bright blue skies and crystal clear seas that always puts me in a good mood. The fact that the girls all made some incredible bikini choices has absolutely nothing to do with it… Seriously, Saeko in that white bikini is something to behold. It almost stood up to some of her other fashion choices. Anyhow, give me an episode of my favourite characters enjoying the beach and I’ll be happy.
Who was the most impactful character?
One thing that really made me laugh in this episode was how it tackled the usual criticism of fan service and how it exploits the female characters. Well, Takashi’s cock sock, banana hammock, budgie smuggle, or whatever you want to call it definitely made an impact. Then, when you throw in Kouta’s school swimsuit, there was more than enough to counter the idea that one gender was being exploited over the other. I applaud the animators for taking this bold step, however, if you watch the series again, I think you’ll see that the weird angles so often employed in anime are used on the guys too.
What have you learned?
I love the idea of writing OVAs for my stories. The idea that you can take the characters and drop them into a side story that has absolutely no bearing on the main story sounds like a lot of fun. It’s also a nice way to keep the interest going between book releases, especially if you can give away a short story here and there. Of course, they can all be compiled into an anthology at a later date too. Like I said earlier, if you can give me more time with my favourite characters, I’m going to be there no matter what they are doing. I think we can learn a lot from this approach to storytelling.
Series Information
| English Title | Highschool of the Dead |
| Japanese Title | Gakuen Mokushiroku: Haisukūru obu za Deddo |
| Genres | Action, Apocalyptic, Ecchi, Harem, Horror, Supernatural, Zombies |
| Demographic | Seinen |
Anime
OVA
| Title | Drifters of the Dead |
| Released | Spring 2011 |
| Animation Studios | Madhouse |
Bonus Posts
| Analysis | Introduction – A Killer Opening! |
| Saturday Spinoff | Sniper of the Dead |
| Saturday Spinoff | Meet the Takagis |
| Fan Fiction | Isekai of the Dead |
The OVA that said: what if we made it even more slutty.
You say that like it’s a bad thing…😉
Too bad we won’t see season 2. Also, gotta love the Muttley cameo at the end.
It’s even more frustrating watching the ending and seeing that they were really gearing up for a second season. Zero really set this episode up with the leaves. Good dog!!!