'Gakkou No Kaidan': Kids Show or Not So?

Have you ever accidentally watched a show you have not intended to watch? See, that was an easy one. It happens to everyone.

Let's swiftly move towards a less common problem: have you ever watched the series you were convinced was a different show? Now you might be asking yourself, how is this even possible, or probably what kind of a nonce could even manage such stupidity? The answer is currently typing this review.

For about two years, I have been planning to watch an anime called Kaidan Restaurant, and eventually its turn came. Unfortunately, I struggled finding a living torrent for the series, and just when I was to give up, one of the anime sites reacted to the keyword 'Kaidan.' I was filled with joy and downloaded the series called Gakkou no Kaidan, for some reason convinced it must have been the Japanese name of it, at the time suspecting no folly.

As it happens, the theme of both animes is also similar—school children, ghosts, and urban legends. Both also target the same audience: children of middle school age, and so even as I've started the show and remembered the basics of description, I was still clueless it was not the show I was after.

Knowing it's a show aimed at children, I did not expect all this much. And Gakkou no Kaidan, indeed, did not offer much. Every episode was covering a different ghost story, either traditional or urban, and there wasn't an actual story line. On the other hand, you could see there was something to keep the series together as a continuous story rather than 20 unrelated episodes featuring same characters. Although the link was very small, shaped as a demon possessed cat, I must say it did fulfill its duty. Not too splendidly, but it did. Plus, Amanojaku is my by far favourite character.

However, now that I brought this up, I must say there wasn't any other character I liked. All of them were bland. Not even generic, just bland. Shells with no personality, unique traits or anything that makes viewers fond of the characters. I imagine this is why the humorously dubbed version of the series (the one I've discovered after completion of the series) has more success. Although an open mock, it actually gave those boring characters some.... Erm, character.

What peeved me the most was the drawing style. As an anime artist myself, I always get sensitive about anatomy, and while the body structure of characters was alright, it's often the size of their heads that concerned me. On the other hand, I reminded myself (or was rather reminded by a particular episode featuring the very first computers) the anime is nearly 20 years old and, for its time, it was great. I have checked its age on MyAnimeList, and even after checking the series on the database I have not realized that's not the show I thought I was watching. Although I admit that's when a hint of doubt flashed, as I distantly recalled the series being newer.

Now, my main enquiry with Gakkou no Kaidan is whether it is truly aimed at children or not. Once upon a time, I thought Narutaru was a lovely kid's show, but with each episode growing darker and creepier, I was soon stripped of my sweet delusions. This show, on the other hand, is not as obvious.

As I've first started watching it, I could hardly hold back a smile. As a kid I loved everything to do with ghosts, and whenever a cartoon had an episode with ghosts, mummies, or anything of the kind, it was my instant favourite. Up until the final five episodes, I was convinced a younger me would have had absolutely loved Gakkou no Kaidan.

However, I must admit, a few things about it did not seem so childish from the start. The ending theme "Sexy Sexy," seeing its translation and very sexual context, in my opinion, was not too suitable for a children's show. But actually it wasn't a big deal, and I only laughed about it. I've even showed it to my boyfriend, and both of us chuckled how cringe Japanese are.

Another thing I found mildly disturbing was Hajime's obsession with Satsuki's panties. Ecchi themes are not uncommon in anime, and probably can be seen as an essential part of it, but I have not yet seen another kid's show to have it. If it was just a single insert for the sake of laugh, I would understand it. Yet, it was a repeating theme and what was the most unsettling is that the characters are no older than 11.

As I have previously mentioned, it's the last few episodes that made me doubt. Episode 15, "Ritual of Darkness," was the first that gave me a spook and I have long stopped being a child. The next episode, on the other hand, had nothing significantly scary in it and I once again wrote it off as a simple mistake.

However, the mistake was mine. Starting episode 17, "The Horror of Bloodstained Lake," I swore that whenever my mother instincts kick in and I decide to reproduce, my children will not be introduced to this anime. As an adult, I found the following episodes scary and can only wonder how far would have my imagination gone had I seen them as a child.

A few goosebumps attacks is what made me double check the age category of this anime on MyAnimeList, just when I was two episodes away from completion. I swear my face was as scary as any ghost when the recommendation tab suggested if I like Gakkou no Kaidan, I will also like... Kaidan Restaurant. I will skip all the words I spewed out in shock, along the gasp attack I've had upon my discovery, and will simply voice my verdict.

It's not a bad show, and it does not deserve as much hate as other reviewers give it. It is quite entertaining, easy to watch, and not too demanding. There are plenty of logical mistakes an adult spots straight away, yet to children, at whom this anime is aimed, would not really notice it. However, the problem is I'm not convinced it's a kids how. In my opinion, it had too many sexual themes. Some may argue they were hardly any, but I strongly believe a children's show must not contain any. Plus, some episodes were actually scary and can give some adults (namely me) nightmares. I imagine those would scar children for life.

Oh, and I must add: I have eventually found Kaidan Restaurant and this time I'm downloading the right show.