Did you just watch the new horror hit, M3GAN, or finish Wednesday, and now you’re in need of a new horror binge-watch? While anime might not be your first thought for scares, 2021's twelve episode Mieruko-Chan may be the perfect thing for you. Mieruko-Chan is a horror comedy that uses the aesthetic of anime to create many unsettling and humorous scenes that will please hardcore and casual horror fans alike.
What Is 'Mieruko-Chan' About?
Mieruko-Chan follows Miko (Alexis Tipton), a seemingly typical high school girl. Miko spends her time studying, hanging out with her friend Hana (Sarah Wiedenheft), and navigating her teenage home life. We follow Miko doing everyday tasks like brushing her teeth, walking through the halls, and taking the bus to school. In the morning, Miko notices an odd mark on her mirror but cleans it without a second thought. At night the mark has reappeared, and when she attempts to clean it again, a ghost that looks like a rotting corpse appears behind her. Petrified, she decides to continue getting ready for bed while ignoring the monster. Eventually the creature leaves and Miko continues on with her life, until more horrors start showing up. Now, during the most mundane moments of her life, monsters appear.
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The next day at school, these ghosts continue to pop up and Miko tries to ignore them. At first, they seem to just want to scare her, but soon they attach to Hana and other people. Some of them exist totally separate from Miko, and others try their best to scare her. Their persistence forces Miko to come up with different kinds of lies to keep her friends out of harm's way. Eventually Miko starts to investigate the ghosts, trying to understand what they want and if others can see them as well. At the same time, the monsters continue to grow more irritated when Miko refuses to acknowledge them. Eventually we see creatures that take a liking to individual people. If a person is bad, they may have multiple ghosts following them around at all times. The monsters that follow Miko change in every situation, but you start to wonder if they are following her for a specific reason. What could the most normal teenage girl do to deserve all of these monstrosities taking an interest in her? Will these things actually do any harm to anyone or do they just want attention from people? That question starts to encompass the story and the answer to it is up to the audience to decide.
Mieruko-Chan uses the mundane situations of Miko's day-to-day life to bring out its most horrifying moments. No matter where she is, alone or with others, there may be a ghost around the corner. Since she is the only one who can see them, she doesn't have anyone to help her when new ones appear. This setup makes a fun twist for any seasoned horror fans. Horror media uses the isolation of its characters to create a lot of scares, but in Mieruko-Chan, the most heart pumping moments happen when she is with other people who aren't able to protect themselves from the ghosts.
The Horror Is Off-Set By Humor
While Mieruko-Chan does present many unsettling scenes, the wild situations Miko finds herself in create a lot of humor, which really adds to the binge-ability to the show. The ghosts tend to appear inconveniently for Miko, forcing the lies that she tells Hana to increase in their absurdity. The lies escalate from faking a sickness to buying spiritual beads in hopes it will keep the ghosts away. Hana is gullible enough to never question Miko's lies but wants to hang out with Miko so much that she is constantly putting herself in danger. When Miko gets away from the ghosts, she feels a sense of relief, while the people around her are just confused about why she is acting so weird. The more the monsters show up, the better opportunities the series has for some great humor through the absurdity of the situations that Miko has to lie her way through.
The Monsters are a Must-See!
The designs of the monsters themselves is a big reason to check the series out. Monster designs are a hallmark of good horror, and fans will certainly enjoy the varied takes you get in Mieruko-Chan. Ranging from humanoid corpses to small men hiding under vending machines, each creature design will make you feel uncomfortable. This aspect of the show really shows the potential for animation in the horror genre, as anything you can think up can come to life. The disturbing creatures are contrasted with the cute way Miko and Hana are drawn. The anime aesthetic is used to trap the audience in a sense of familiarity while at any moment a monster could appear to haunt our characters. This leaves the audience on edge even during the seemingly calm moments of the show.
Self-awareness is another key element to why Mieruko-Chan is a must-watch for any fan of horror. Miko recognizes that she continues to find herself in cheesy horror situations. Whether she is changing in the locker room, riding the bus, or out to get some food, the horrors appear. Miko understands that all the monsters want is for her to scream and show them she is terrified, but she never gives in. Even if someone tries to call out her ability to see ghosts, she will refuse to acknowledge it. In her head she knows it is a silly approach but through her understanding of horror tropes, she is able to keep a straight face. Beyond that, Miko watches an in-world horror show that centers around the idea that monsters could always be around the corner. This meta narrative is like a fun game for seasoned horror fans to catch all the references to the genre.
There is a lot of potential for anime to continue exploring the horror genre. Animation allows animators to draw heart stopping monsters and play with horror fans’ expectations for the genre. If you are looking for your fix of horror in the form of a binge-able and humorous show that uses animation to its advantage, Mieruko-Chan is the perfect place to start.
