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High School of the Dead Episode 7 Review – Quick Summary
In High School of the Dead Episode 7, “Dead Night and the Dead Ruck,” Kouta Hirano and Takashi Komuro stood on the balcony of Rika Minami’s apartment and could only watch as the world died. At one point, Takashi could not take anymore and moved to try to rescue even a few people. Saeko Busujima intercepted him and asked just what he intended to do. The world had become a “place where being manly is no longer good enough to survive,” she told him. He knew she was right, but he still fumed. Then Kouta saw that a father and his child were trapped. With the zombies closing in and a little girl in danger, what would Takashi do? Could he live with the consequences?
Note: This post may include spoilers, so be cautious.
Favorite Quote from High School of the Dead Episode 7
Saya was only looking out for the doctor’s safety and comfort! Capture from the HIDIVE stream.
This episode had a very high quotes to favorites ratio. It’s great when I have to pick from among multiple potential favorite quotes!
Among the candidates for favorite quote, I’m going to choose a humorous one, because there’s a lot of dark in this episode! HOTD knows how to use humor to amp up the horror’s punch, and this quote is a perfect example of that.
Takashi had gone to rescue Alice Maresato. Saya Takagi had to put enormous effort into waking up the doctor, Shizuka Marikawa. Shizuka gathered up the medical supplies she needed to load into the Humvee. Unfortunately (for her, anyway) she forgot something important.
Saya looked up from loading supplies into the Humvee to see Shizuka clutching her supplies to her chest. A chest which spilled out all around the supplies. The good doctor had forgotten clothes.
This series showed enough self-awareness to have Saya say (13:49), “Miss Shizuka, for the love of god, just put something on.” That’s the subbed version.
Let’s face it: It’s not good to go into battle against zombies if you’re stark naked. Kudos to Saya for looking out for the doctor!
Best in Show Moment for High School of the Dead Episode 7
Rei felt elated that they were going to save the little girl. It was the human thing to do. Capture from the HIDIVE stream.
Setup: The Shot Heard All Through the House
Kouta started it all with a single shot.
Saeko had convinced him and Takashi that just rushing out and trying to save individuals would only get them all killed. Both of them knew Saeko was right. At the same time, both of them fumed. Having to watch zombies tear live humans apart sickened them.
But discretion seemed the right way to go. Still, Kouta watched. He seems like a very honest young man. He’s also honorable. I got a sense that if he couldn’t save anyone, he could at least ensure they didn’t die alone, even if all he could do was watch from a distance. Am I making that up? Does the narrative really support that? I’m not sure. But the idea appeals to me.
Everything changed when Kouta saw a father leading his daughter down the street. The father demanded to be let into a random home, but they told him to get lost. He threatened to beat down the door with his pipe wrench. The owners opened the door just enough to stab the man in the stomach. They left him outside to bleed out while his daughter watched.
He’d tried to be a good dad. With his last words, he told her to hide. Capture from the HIDIVE stream.
And while Kouta watched, zombies began crowding in through the open gate. He’d seen enough. He toggled the safety on his rifle and opened fire. He cleared an area around her.
When Takashi asked what he was doing making so much noise, he answered (08:55), “But it’s a little girl we’re talking about! We’re going to save her, right?”
But Kouta didn’t have unlimited magazines, and the stream of zombies seemed endless.
Delivery: Going on the Offensive
Takashi headed for the door. Rei Miyamoto tried to stop him before realizing what he was trying to do. Then she handed him the police pistol.
Saeko, rapidly becoming the group’s alpha warrior, sternly announced, “I’ll protect this place no matter what. So, don’t worry and go.” Somehow, even though she only wore an apron and a thong, I had no doubt she could do what she said.
Rei and Saeko got ready to open the gate. Takashi made sure the little motorcycle was in working order, then exploded through the opening that Rei and Saeko shut behind him. As he tore down the street, Kouta killed the zombies nearest his path. It looked like he’d make it to the little girl in time.
The gunfire and motorcycle engine had jolted Saya awake. She came outside to ask what in the world was going on.
Saya wasn’t in the best mood after the gunfire woke her up. Talk about an iconic shot… Capture from the HIDIVE stream.
“Something good happened,” Rei said, smiling broadly (11:03). “I realized we’re still human!”
Until now, they’d only been reacting. Even when they fought their way into Rika’s apartment, they’d been fighting a powered retreat to a protected position. Now, for the first time since the rise of the zombies, they went on the offensive, on their terms. The progression from victims to survivors to actors took seven episodes and remained perfectly in character for each of them. Moments like this are why I so love this series.
What did you think of Alice’s rescue? What were your favorite moments from this episode? Feel free to let me know in the comments!
High School of the Dead Episode 7: Other Posts
Other Anime Sites
- My Anime List: Highschool of the Dead Episode 7 Discussion (Requires Login)
- Random Curiosity: HIGHSCHOOL OF THE DEAD – 07
- EcchiHunter: Highschool of the Dead (Episode 7) – Dead Night and the Dead Ruck
This Site (Crow’s World of Anime!)
- High School of the Dead Episode 1: Spring of the Dead
- High School of the Dead Episode 2: Escape from the Dead
- High School of the Dead Episode 3: Democracy under the Dead
- High School of the Dead Episode 4: Running in the Dead
- High School of the Dead Episode 5: Streets of the Dead
- High School of the Dead Episode 6: In the DEAD of the Night
- High School of the Dead Episode 7: Dead Night and the Dead Ruck
- High School of the Dead Episode 8: The Dead Way Home
- High School of the Dead Episode 9: The Sword and the Dead
- High School of the Dead Episode 10: The Dead’s House Rules
- High School of the Dead Episode 11: Dead Storm Rising
- High School of the Dead Episode 12: All Dead’s Attack
Agreed, seeing them become proactive and fight back was a great moment and was something they’d worked towards.
I love that Saeko asks the tough questions and seems to play devil’s advocate. It’s as if she’s testing Takashi to see if he is the man she thinks he is.
It’s another great moment as Takashi races through the zombies as Hirano picks them off with the sniper rifle.
Saeko really started coming into her own in this episode. She was never passive, of course! But here, you could just see her thinking things through.
I think you’re right — I think she was testing Takashi! She seemed approving there towards the end!
Of course the highlight of the episode, if not the whole season, is Busujima Saeko riding half-naked on top of the HMMV, holding her sword in one hand and her hair in the other, against all the laws of physics and common sense. It is the essence of what makes anime great.
It’s like the scene in episode 5 where Takashi takes Rei and the motorcycle flying onto the bridge. Completely irrational and just as completely enjoyable!
The scene you mentioned is so memorable that I can’t hear the song “fuss fuzz” without thinking of Saeko and Saya!
https://youtu.be/PqAG-wNYR14