Otherside Picnic (Episode 3) – Big-Head Village
Sorawo agrees to go exploring with Toriko again, even after the last time. For whatever reason, she struggles to say no to Toriko. This time they’re searching for an old shack that Satsuki used before.
What happened?
Something seemed to be on both of the girls’ minds as they headed to the Otherside. Toriko let her guard down on the elevator and almost let the creature on the fifth floor in. They eventually scrambled out into the Otherside and looked over the landscape. There’s a cabin that Satsuki took Toriko to before and it’s also where she found her gun, so refinding that may offer some clues to Satsuki’s whereabouts.
Travelling was slow now that they knew about the glitches. Sorawo could check the ground with her blue eye that allowed her to see things that others couldn’t, but even then it was hard to spot them all. Every few paces they would toss a rock ahead of them to check for more.
After a while, they came across a small village. It was like a ghost town. They searched the area looking for signs of anything and came across a table with an offering to a picture – three bowls of rice, one with three chopsticks in. The rice was dry but still fresh…
They decided to leave, but as soon as Sorawo stepped outside she lost sight of Toriko and ran off searching for her. She had almost given up hope when someone grabbed her and pulled her into a small shed. It was Toriko.
Toriko was confused as to why Sorawo ran off. They were both looking for each other, implying they both lost one another. Regardless, Toriko had seen something and that was why they were hiding. They were talking with hushed voices, trying to see what it was, but then Sorawo fell through the dilapidated wooden wall.
They saw a strange white humanoid-like creature with a large head and insect-like features. They ran! The big-head chased them, even taken two bullets to its head without flinching. Eventually, it died, but then many more emerged from the village. Sorawo and Toriko ran and ran, although there was too many and nowhere to run to.
Then Sorawo spotted a way back to their world – a shrine. She opened the door and made Toriko grab it with her transparent hand and they were pulled through the gateway.
What did you think?
I need to get this out of the way first. The CGI big-heads were not very good to look at. However, combined with the atmosphere and the amazingly bizarre sound effects, it worked. They were genuinely creepy and Sorawo and Toriko’s reactions were amazing. The voice actors were on top form and you really felt the terror and panic reaching from the screen.
This episode didn’t really tell us anything new, but it did go over what we’ve learnt so far, solidifying the situation. It also allowed us to see Sorawo and Toriko getting closer. I love that they complement one another and not just because of the blue eye and transparent hand. I’m hooked.
What have you learnt?
I’m absolutely loving the way this series is using angles to make you unsettled. It can be anything from awkward camera angles to sloped and uneven terrain. Every shot seems to go out of its way to really hammer home that this is a weird and creepy world. It puts you on edge constantly and considering that we know something is going to happen, we’re already tense.
I’m certainly curious to see if that’s possible to replicate with the written words. Obviously, it would be less about explaining the scene and more about how the characters are reacting to it. We need to show them weird things and let them feel it. This feels like an element that could be incredibly useful if done right. It’s always hard trying to take these clever tricks from one medium and bringing them to another.
Other reviews in the series
Anime
- Season One
- Episode 1 – Wiggle-Waggle Hunting
- Episode 2 – Surviving Lady Hasshaku
- Episode 3 – Big-Head Village
- Episode 4 – Space, Time, and a Middle-Aged Man
- Episode 5 – Station February
- Episode 6 – The Meat Train
- Episode 7 – Resort Night at the World’s Edge
- Episode 8 – Attack of the Ninja Cats
- Episode 9 – Mrs. Sannuki and Karateka
- Episode 10 – How to Get to the Barbeque Restaurant by Elevator
- Episode 11 – Operation Rescue U.S. Forces
- Episode 12 – Sorawo and Toriko
Manga
- Series Review
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Definitely this is how awkward camera angles & CGI should be used in an anime adaptation. This episode gave me the shivers to feel genuinely being scared.
Speaking of the two element mentioned above, I’ve seen them being used awful in that Spider Isekai series. I’ve stopped at ep 8 because I wasn’t willing to go through another torture of experiencing motion sickness made by the infamous anime director Shin Itagaki. Funny enough, I’ve watched Cop Craft but I gave a moderate high score mainly thanks to the scriptwriting.
As for Otherside Picnic, I’m glad the CGI squid(?) monsters aren’t that jarring like what Spider Isekai’s monsters did. To think Otherside Picnic still has a very low overall score on MAL (I say it’s unfair! 🙁), I say it’s a thrilling experience especially for those who are watching a horror genre the very first time.
Yeah, they managed to make the CGI look creepy and that’s all that matter there. I read somewhere that it was an anime original episode which I will confirm once I’ve finished the light novels.
I started Cop Craft and got five episodes in. It was fine, but I had other shows I was more invested in. Haven’t given Spider Isekai a chance yet. Need to watch season two of Slime first.