K×Drop!! is a short animation by Shiori Mizutani, a person who I’m sure not many have yet heard about and that for a good reason—Mizutani has only been making self-produced animation projects since 2014. I happened to come across his debut work Ai wo Komete, found it intriguing and decided to explore his other works. K×Drop!! is his third self-produced animation and in my honest opinion his best work yet.

With a total length of only six minutes, it is hard to expect to get so invested in an anime, especially when most shows nowadays are considerably longer. However, this short anime takes full advantage of its short duration to bring its viewers a story they wouldn’t forget for a while. Its charm is in its length, had it been any longer it would have lost that feeling of suspense.

What kind of terrifying sight is he seeing?

The plot of K×Drop!! is rather simple. It follows the night guard Endou’s thrilling journey through the dimly lit mall. While doing his usual patrol duties with only a flashlight as his source of light, he comes across a pool of blood. Of course, at the sight of the red liquid smeared under the soles of his shoes, he is taken aback. Being surrounded by darkness, his senses are heightened and his adrenaline is through the roof. What mystery hides there under the cover of night? That is for you to find out!

The two characters, Endou and the other night guard on duty, in the empty mall in the dead of night, the lurking shadows, the close-ups of Endou’s shoes and the hesitation in his steps, as well as the fluid animation, the detailed backgrounds, the characters’ minimal dialogue, their clear expressions, and the ominous music coupled with the sound effects—these all together make up those six minutes of suspense.

Due to its short length, there is not much that can be said without spoiling the whole story, as it should be experienced first-hand. I have only tried giving a short overview of its setting and my emotions after watching it to bring more attention to this short and underappreciated work of a hopefully up-and-coming director in the anime industry. Mizutani (2017) has said that only through the making of this work did he realise that anime cannot be made alone, which makes me personally really hopeful about his future works.

K×Drop!! is the anime that in a way surprised me the most this year by coming from the most unexpected place from a practically unknown individual. Despite the creator’s inexperience in the field, I can guarantee you thrill, suspense, and perhaps even something a little extra. So, if you can spare a mere six minutes of your day then I urge you to give this a shot. You can thank me later.