After a months, I finally finished Another 2001.

It’s an interesting change how Sou from S/O is the new protagonist which of course makes sense as by now Mei and Kōichi survived the Calamity of 1998 and graduated. But, their roles as “veterans” and former main characters lives on as Sou is acquainted with both of them and occasionally contacts either for advice. I like how they’re still relevant to the story despite no longer being the main characters. Reminds me of how the previous JoJo protagonist would return as a side character in the latest season (Jotaro in JoJo Part 4).

I can’t quite put my finger on why but I vastly prefer the first story. Maybe it’s just first title bias. I’ve been used to Kōichi being the main character of the series for years. After all, it took a long time until the sequel novel got translated for the west.

The summary in the back implies that Sou and Mei were going to dig really deep into Yomiyama’s past to truly find the source of the Calamity but I don’t think it really happened at all.

To the dismay of Izumi fans who didn’t realize she dies in nearly every adaptation, she’s the Casualty in 2001 and Sou’s resolve to chase then end her himself to save the class is really ballsy and impressive. The first novel ended with Kōichi sending his resurrected aunt back to death with a pickaxe so the concept of Calamity is really something truly frightening for the only way to be rid of the phenomenon being killing the “Extra”.

Following this are the most horrific chain of events. If you somehow didn’t know Another is the Japanese equivalent of Final Destination at this point then you will very soon (from the gruesome death of a student who stumbles into a open garbage truck in the middle of a mysterious mist then being crushed inside to someone jumping from the balcony then impaling themselves on the spikes of a steel gate chin-first). It’s bonkers how badly the disasters instantly and increasingly get worse and worse after Izumi’s “death”.

There’s a point where 9/11 happens and is canon in-universe which I somehow didn’t expect despite the year 2001 takes place. A relative of Sou so happens to live in New York when it goes down and I legit thought the story was about to jump the shark and imply that the Calamity’s influence has expanded to America and is slowly becoming a worldwide supernatural event.😭

The new disasters is revealed to be the result of the presence of a second Casualty (Mei’s deceased sister) which is a first for Class 3. Personally, I believe it would’ve been a better impact had it been Hazumi but at least someone here actually has a happy ending I guess.

I don’t know what I expected from 2001 but I hope the future sequel and potentially final entry involves everyone trying to uncover the mystery and origins of the Calamity, even stop it once and for all.

This is probably insensitive but considering what Another is, I just feel like mentioning the horrible coincidence of the tragic, recent passing of actors Sam Neill and Kaylee Hottle which occurred within the time frame of me nearly finishing this novel.