One thing is for sure, horror anime are few and far between but can be some of the best uses of the medium if done correctly. My interest was instantly piqued upon seeing the synopsis and studio (the always talented, if sometimes mechanically so, P.A. Works) behind Another.
A good horror show has lots of ambiance and mood building. A great one can maintain it, too. Keeping a consistent and balanced feeling of intrigue, suspense, and eerie isn't easy to do but boy is it exhilarating when they pull it off. When most shows are resorting to slapstick and fanservice to break up the drama due to a lack of ability or confidence to stay on target, well… it's refreshing to get a show that can ignore a lot of the usual dumb tropes in favor of sticking with the plot and dark themes.
Looking too much like the creepy girl from The Ring movies, our heroine Sawako is timid and shy and naïve to say the least. But after starting a new semester of school a gregarious and kind popular boy befriends her and starts a ripple effect of positive changes in her life. Yes, it is another one of those typical shoujo stories again, but for all of its cliché bits (and there are many) it has a good heart behind it all.