Full Moon wo Sagashite

Full Moon wo Sagashite was one of those animes I started on a whim. I had already read the manga, and decided to give the anime a try to see how much I liked it in comparison. To my surprise, I <i>loved</i> it, possibly even more than the manga version. The changes it makes from the manga were actually ones I (for the most part) preferred.

---Story---

While Full Moon wo Sagashite may not see like much on the surface -- little girl has a life-threatening disease, wants to sing, and becomes sixteen years old with the help of two friendly shinigami -- it ... becomes so much more deeper as the series move on. This anime doesn\'t shrink away from the uncomfortable subjects of death and suicide, and that is wonderfully refreshing. While initially cutesy on the surface, Full Moon wo Sagashite has a deep, moving storyline that touches upon every human emotion. I don\'t think I\'ve ever cried so much while watching an anime, and I doubt any other can truly touch me as much as Full Moon wo Sagashite did.

Many people complain that the first half of the series is comprised of filler episodes. While this may be true when first watching them, I don\'t think the second half would come off nearly as well without those \"fillers\". They developed the characters, showed you who they really were and what they were looking for, and prepared you for the emotional roller coaster that is the second half of Full Moon wo Sagashite. So, even if you\'re bored during the first half, I implore you to see the series to the end. You won\'t regret it.

---Animation---

I initially didn\'t like the character designs all that much, particularly that of Full Moon. After a while, however, the art smoothed out and became even pleasing. So, not the best, but not the worst either.

---Sound---

There\'s only one way to describe the music of Full Moon wo Sagashite: absolutely astounding. Every song (most of which were sung by myco, Mitsuki\'s seiyuu) was wonderful in its own way. While I didn\'t particularly like the two OPs, they grew on me after a while. Still, nothing can touch the four EDs this show has. My personal favorite is New Future, although Eternal Snow is heartbreakingly beautiful.

---Character---

Another plus of Full Moon wo Sagashite are the characters. Meroko and Izumi have become two of my favorite characters, although Izumi doesn\'t really come into his own in the anime. His soft side is only shown in the last episode, but that moment is definitely worth it.

The one quibble I have concerning the characters is that their back stories aren\'t as fully explained as they were in the manga. Meroko and Izumi\'s pasts are barely brushed upon, which is a real disappointment. Still, Meroko comes off as one of the best -- if not THE best -- characters in the entire series.

---Enjoyment---

I will never forget watching Full Moon wo Sagashite. It is certainly an experience, especially for the last fifteen or so episodes.

One thing that really struck me was the ending. I\'ve never come across an anime with such a perfect ending. Everything was tied up, and the emotions that came across were just... mind-blowing. I think I actually sobbed the entire last episode.

So, as a parting note, I urge you to give Full Moon wo Sagashite a try. I did, and it became one of my top five anime.

Pros: Incredible story, characters, and music; best anime ending EVER

Cons: So-so character design at times, not enough back story

Suitable for all audiences, young and new. Contains some bloodless violence.


Story - 10/10

At first, this looks like the typical shoujo series directed at young girls, thanks to all the bright colours and cute characters. From the synopsis, it looks like a sad and depressing anime about death. But it's so much more than that.

We meet the main character, Mitsuki, who is a young girl with throat cancer and whose biggest dream is to become a great singer and maybe one day meet the boy she loves, but who left for America two years ago. One day she is visited by two death gods (the Shinigami) ... - Takuto and Meroko, who tell her she only has one year to live. But instead of sulking and feeling sorry for herself, Mitsuki decides that since she only has one year, she'll make the best of it. Instead of being stuck at home, always worrying about her health, she'll give it all and try to achieve her dream of a singing career. When she goes to audition, the shinigami Takuto decides to help her a little bit, by transforming her body into a healthy 16-year-old. Against all odds, Mitsuki is chosen at the audition. In that moment, even going against the Shinigami rules, Takuto and Meroko decide to help her with her dream, in the time that she has left.

This series is slightly similar to the "magical girl" genre (examples: Fancy Lala, Kamikaze Kaitou Jeanne or Pretear), but not exactly. Takuto has the ability to transform Mitsuki's body into a healthy 16-year-old's, but she doesn't gain magical powers. Even though this is a show about a dying girl, it manages to be very positive and inspiring. There's a very good mixture of comedy and drama, with some scenes that will make you laugh hard and others that will make you cry like a baby.
In the first half of the series there are a lot of filler episodes. I guess they contribute to the development of the characters and to add realism to the story. As Mitsuki progresses in her career, she has to go through photoshoots, sound checks, clothes' design, interviews, autograph sessions, etc. If you're patient and watch that, you'll get to the good stuff.
In the later half, there are considerably less filler episodes. The plot gets much more complex and interesting. The mood changes to a darker tone. The last 13 episodes are really the best ones and will make you stick to the screen waiting to see what happens. There are a few plot twists.
At last, the ending. I'd say it's the BEST ending in anime that I've ever watched. There are no loose ends. Everything gets explained.

Visuals - 8/10

The light colours really make it look like an anime for young kids. I'd compare the overall visuals of this anime to those of Kamikaze Kaitou Jeanne. The characters were appealing and the shading was well done. Don't expect something 3D-like. There is little computer animation, only present in a few scenes. But although simple, I though it had good visuals.

Audio - 9/10

Full Moon wo Sagashite has one of the best anime soundtracks ever. Even though you'll hear many, many times songs like "Myself" or "Eternal Snow", you'll never grow tired of them. "Myself", "Eternal Snow", "New Future", "Smile" and "Love Chronicle", by the band Changin' My Life, are sang by Myco, who is Mitsuki's voice actress. So you don't have to worry about Mitsuki's 12-year-old voice being different from the 16-year-old... because they were done by the same person.
I absolutely hated the openings. "I Love You" and "Rock'n'Roll Princess" by The*Scanty. Why? First because they don't sound good. Second because they make the whole anime look so childish that only 4-year-olds would watch it. Ignore the openings! The anime isn't THAT childish!
And, best for last, the voice actor for Takuto, Yasuo Saitou. He has a really nice voice and can be very expressive. But best of all, there are scenes where he has to sing... and he does it perfectly.

Characters - 9/10

This anime has all kinds of characters. Some that you'll instantly fall in love with, others that you'll instantly hate. And you might even change your opinion on a few of them, once you get to know them better. I really like the character development in this anime. You'll progressively learn more about each character... it's motivations or even it's past. You'll be impressed! Each character is unique in it's own way and you can't apply a stereotype to it. They interact extremely well with each other and you'll definitely feel connected to them.

Overall - 9/10

I absolutely loved this anime. At first I thought it was really childish, but my friends ASSURED me it was worth watching... so I endured the more boring parts and kept watching... and it was totally worth it. It has become my favourite one. You'll want to re-watch it many times, even if it does have 52 episodes. I've watched the whole thing 3 times, in 6 months.
The anime is very different from the manga, but it's still faithful. And you'll find this intersting: when they made the ending for this anime, the manga still hadn't ended. But still, they made an extremely good ending.
Give it a try! It'll be worth it! No matter how old you are or even if you're a guy or a girl, it can be appreciated by anyone!

I watched "Full Moon wo Sagashite" because it had one of the highest average user ratings at one point on this other anime site that I visit. So it probably comes as no surprise that I was sorely disappointed to find that it's only good, but nothing special. So the main purpose of this review is to provide a different viewpoint from all those other rave reviews that can be found for this series.

"Full Moon wo Sagashite" is quite a heart warming anime about a little girl who wants to become a singer, but only has one year to live because of the ... tumour in her throat. Spanning 52 episodes, it was one of the longest anime I watched at the time. To be honest, I think it could have been amazing if it was reduced to half its length - I found the series as a whole to be a bit of a struggle to get through, as most of the episodes up until about episode 40 are actually disposable, girly fluff. Watching "Full Moon wo Sagashite" will pretty much give you the very definition of what a "filler" episode is, because it contains so many of them. I disagree with people who say that these fillers are necessary for character developments purposes - most of them they don't really reveal much beyond the fact that Mitsuki is a boringly nice person. I've seen anime that's done waaay more and waaaay better character development in its first THIRTEEN episodes than this anime's done in its first THIRTY *cough*SeikaiNoMonshou*cough*, which just goes to show you don't need a mass of filler episodes to do a decent a job. Most of these fillers aren't even very enjoyable to watch. They're mostly very generic shoujo material and generally fall somewhere between the "dull" and the "mediocre" sections of the scale in terms of entertainment. This is not to say the first 40 episodes of "Full Moon wo Sagashite" is totally worthless. Some of those episodes do progress the storyline a bit (like, a couple of inches) and there are some pretty good standalone episodes as well, but they tend to be few and far in between.

Another thing I found odd is why everyone seem to rate the music from "Full Moon wo Sagashite" so highly - just because it's an anime about music doesn't automatically make the music on it good. To me, the music production for "Full Moon wo Sagashite" is very good at best and awkward at worst. For starters, what's up with Mitsuki's singing voice? Her voice sounds nice when she talks, and fits that pure and innocent image that she plays, but when she sings, she sounds completely different, and not in a good way. For one thing, she sounds about 10 years older, and her voice has an irritating sandy quality to it. For another, she sounds like she's trying too hard to inject emotions into the songs, to the point where she starts to sound really fake and unnatural. I'm really surprised to hear the person who does Mitsuki's voice is a pop star - I'd never have guessed from her singing. It really says a lot when I much prefer the music box version of "Eternal Snow" to the proper vocal version. In fact I don't think much of the vocal tracks in general. Normally, it is expected that that music in an anime would supplement the show by enhancing the atmosphere. But some of the vocal songs in this series are so bland that at times, it feels like it's the anime that's supplementing *them*, causing them to sound better than they actually are by playing them during emotional moments. In addition to this, a lot songs are criminally overplayed... especially the more mediocre ones, which might have been a good thing in a way, because it took quite a few hearings before I got used to the grating vocals. The background music proved to be far superior than the vocal tracks. From the gentle, warm moments to the occasional eerie, chilling ones, it consistently does the job perfectly whenever called upon.

The original idea behind story's was good, especially with twists building up towards the end, but it is diluted by the massive amounts of filler episodes and took too long to get going. There are times when any resemblance of realism goes out of the window. Normally this happens when Mitsuki's talking to her shinigumi friends in a dead loud voice - even shouting at times - with other people standing around. She could at least pretend to whisper, but no, she has to talk in her normal voice and it seems that hardly anyone notices, which really bugs me. An example of how it could have been done better would be in "Hikaru no Go", where people would actually look at Hikaru weirdly when he gets too noisy interacting with the spirit. There's also the cancer aspect that's so wrapped up in sugar coating that it's totally unconvincing. Like many people, I've experienced the pain of losing someone close to me to cancer, and the fact that this anime completely failed to connect to me on this front is saying an awful lot. All they've done is have Mitsuki clutch at her throat every 10 episodes or so, and occasionally fall ill at the storyline's convenience, for the most part there is no sense of urgency, no resemblance of the terrifying progression that's so typical of the condition. All I'm left with is a sense that it's just essentially used as a plot device, and not much more than that.

"Full Moon wo Sagashite" has got some good characters, but again, they're no where near as good as they're hyped up to be, and they don't really do much in the early part of the series (when there's a downpour of the supposedly character developing filler episodes, ironically), and only broke out of their 2D personalities when the plot got going later on. I also have major issues with the relationships that goes on in the anime, specifically with the romance aspect of it. I'm surprised that not many people have said anything about this, but hasn't anyone else noticed that when Eichi, the boy Mitsuki's in love with, made his "declaration of love" to her, he was about 15-16 and Mitsuki was about 10?! Is it just me that finds this a "tad" unrealistic, not to mention a "tad" dodgy as well?! I can kind of imagine where Mitsuki's feelings might come from, but Eichi should know better at his age than to try and seduce a 10 year old :P Perhaps Eichi should change his name to "Ecchi", as that's more inline with the kind of things he seems to be into. I don't know why they insisted on making this a romantic relationship - it would have been far more appropriate to play the relationship off as a big brother and little sister one rather than this sickening "ooooh Mitsuki, I love you! Even though I'm nearly a young adult now and you've barely entered double figures in terms of age" cack. Those scenes never failed to make me cringe. Also, Takuto was supposed to be 12 when he was in a band (yeah this seems a bit young too, considering his band didn't exactly look like a kids band), so why is he seen riding a motorbike during one of the flashbacks? Now, the explanation may be because he was in the band for a number of years during which time he'd grown up into an adult and was able to learn to ride a motorbike... but this raises the question of why he started falling for a 12 year old girl if he was already so old when he became a shinigumi?!? I wasn't under any impression that the anime is trying to portray all the boys in it as perverts. What is this obsession with shoehorning romance into absolutely everything these days? Is it really so hard making a shoujo without resorting to this? It's because of this apparent obligation to make a love story that we're stuck with these plot holes and rather contrived relationships.

This otherwise stale series is salvaged from mediocrity by the sheer brilliance of its final ten or so episodes that really breathed life into the show. I always thought there was too much sunshine in the early episodes given the premises of the story, but here, the anime rectifies the situation by taking a darker and more depressing turn. With the previously pedestrian story suddenly breaking into a sprint, and the character interactions suddenly becoming interesting, it's here that the anime really starts to earn its praise. It's so good that it's probably worth wading through the previous 40 episodes just so you can watch the last 10. With so many compelling twists happening in the last part of the story, I was actually expecting something more original than the most cliched ending imaginable that I got, especially considering that it's so often touted to be "the best ending ever". Still, I'll admit it is a very good ending - they've taken something pretty predictable and executed it pretty much to perfection - but like the rest of the anime, it's just no where near deserving its "best" label.

Overall, I think "Full Moon wo Sagashite" is an enjoyable, "feel-good" anime, even if it did need the last ten or so episodes to drag it kicking and screaming up to this level of praise. I think the makers made a pretty cunning decision to save those best parts till last - I suspect the strength of those later episodes made people forget how unremarkable most of the rest of the series is. I however, haven't forgotten, and I stand by my claim that this should really have been condensed down to 26 episodes, not left at 52.

Full Moon wo Sagashite: Searching for a full moon

I guess most people who are anime fans just constantly look for those anime that really leave a deep impact on you, lift you up, and help you gain a further appreciation for anime. Sometimes we wonder if that special one will ever come, that one that is so special to us on a personal level that we will forever remember it as long as we continue to watch anime or even think about it. This time for me, I think I found one of those in full moon wo sagashite.

On the surface full moon wo sagashite ... is a very (very) cute story of a young twelve year old girl(Kouyama Mitsuki) who develops a cancerous tumor in her throat despite the fact that she desires to sing(with all of her heart) in order to keep a promise with a childhood friend and lover. She then encounters two shinigami(death gods-Takuto and Meroko) who tell her that she only has one year left to live and they help her fulfill her last wish to become a singer by transforming her into a sixteen year old girl and allowing her to successfully go to an audition. The story then tells of Mitsuki's adventures in the idol industry(There are some pretty hilarious events and cliffhangers that will keep you upright in your seat) and her battle against the fate that was predetermined from the very beginning. There is a huge emphasis on Mitsuki's strength of character and her ability to change people's attitudes for the better with her energy and enthusiasm.

All in all I think that this is such a heartwarming story. Mitsuki's voice and her songs really do speak to people. I for one was really amazed and awed by the powerful and beautiful songs that were featured in the anime, and her songs are so great to listen to that I would love to continue listening to them in the future. At the start of the story when Mitsuki goes to the audition, her voice immediately astounds all the judges with it's power and beauty. I swear I was sitting right alongside with them with my jaw wide open. What's even more is all the emotion she stacks on top of her voice with each and every song. Just by listening, one can tell that Mitsuki truly does enjoy singing and that she wants her songs to reach the hearts of all those who listen to them.

Despite the very lighthearted and happy beginning, some stronger, more emotional themes do come up later in the anime. Some of these themes include: the broken thoughts of those who attempt to take their own lives, the concept of predetermined fate, the despair of losing a loved one, and the struggles of those who are unable to do the very things they love to do the most.

A major theme that comes up is the importance of living life to its fullest. There is infinite joy one can obtain by just living to see another day and we should enjoy life while we still can.

Returning to the theme of music, there really is a certain beauty to music, the messages it can carry, and the impact it can have on people. Mitsuki's voice is surely strong, beautiful and powerful enough to reach the heavens, to the people who now watch over her from above.

*discrete spoilers*

Endings are often the toughest part to create when writing a story, yet here we get a beautifully and masterfully written ending that manages to make the audience smile even as the tears form in their eyes. The longing feelings of being separated from companions that you have so long taken for granted is a feeling that is really hard to understand fully unless you have experienced something similar. But even if you haven't, it's hard not to feel anything as you take a look at this powerful, tear-jerking ending. Viewers experinece sheer joy and sadness at the same time as we see a happy reunion along with the farewell of a very close friend (who has grown so incredibly beautiful and more mature looking :')

Full Moon wo Sagashite really is a timeless tale that people of all ages are able to enjoy
My rating: Very good 8/10

I know that for me personally, the story of full moon wo sagashite will always remain in my heart because it was just so beautifully and masterfully written. In the end, I think that it really did end up being something special.

There's nothing wrong with living each day like it's the last~!

Let’s sing a song…

Studio Deen pulled off another heartwarming and emotional anime that will tug at the strings of your heart.

The story of Full Moon O Sagashite is very unique. Sure that it falls under the magical shoujo, typical idol-singer genre, but there existed an aura, an unmistakable atmosphere that persisted throughout the show—There’s a build up of emotions waiting to explode, and it felt like a time bomb the entire time. This definitely cannot be considered the normal stereotypical anime, regardless of what it may seem initially. It also has its own share of drama and slice of life theme – exploring life and ... death that adds up to the twists and turns of the story, making it a somewhat deep-themed , but not a complex kind of anime.

Comprising of 52 episodes, I can’t say that it has an excellent pacing because there are some filler episodes. It started slow, but gradually develops thoroughly as the series progresses. It definitely has a HUGE plot twists, around ¾ , that turns up the drama to really high levels. For every cute and funny scenes, there is an equivalent sad and emotional scene. It’s amazing how Full Moon pulls off both comedic and dramatic elements at the same time. It doesn’t go from a happy, goofy anime to a depressing drama with little transition, but rather the change in the mood/ genre is very smooth. As the series comes to an end, the mixed emotions accumulated throughout the anime blooms into an ending that is far from what you can expect. Honestly, it’s one of the best endings for an anime in its genre.

When it comes to art and animation, it seem to fall between mediocrity and excellent. The character designs are cute and nicely done. The voice acting matches each character perfectly, and the music is downright awesome and addicting. Both 2 OP songs are upbeat while the ED songs are mellow. One minor quirk is that youn might get tired of hearing the same songs in the anime over and over again.

The characters are what make this series stand out. At first, they start out very stereotypical and generic. Mitsuki, who leads a boring life and has a throat cancer, uses music to escape from the harsh world she lives in. takuto starts off as an antisocial and rude guy, unwilling to help Mitsuki achieve her dream, and Meroko, is clingy to Takuto and wants him all for herself. But as the series unfold, they slowly emerge into amazing characters with intricate and delicate relationships. One notable factor is that there remains no antagonist throughout the anime. The fact that the characters drove the entire series without a central villain speaks volumes.

Full Moon o Sagashite is an anime that is not afraid to tug at your emotions. Having recently watched the anime, I can say that it’s an anime that won’t be outdated. I highly recommend this emotionally powerful anime to those who are looking for a different and unpredictable magical shoujo and idol-singer themed anime with well rounded characters coupled with superb soundtrack. Definitely a unique classic series that is a must see for people of all ages.

Spoilers in the second part.

I love, love, love this anime so much. The main character Mitsuki is this adorable character who thinks and cares about the feelings of everyone else. Even though she is weakened by illness and /has/ to care for herself more. She's not selfish, and isn't an annoyingly, over-the-top "cutesy, clumsy" kind of girl. Not at all. And she's not some self-pitying, cowardly, 'I have no friends so I'm going to cry all day' character either. Music is her motivation, and she uses that to be a better, self-dependent, self-motivated, cheerful version of herself. Because of this factor, I was able to ... really sympathize and follow along with her story in this anime. Which is good, since the plot itself is plenty interesting and fun to make small side-theories with. A young girl who has just one year left to live, as told by a couple of shinigami she can suddenly see. Instead of freaking out, she reacts by making a bigger effort to reconnect with a special someone from her past. She made a promise with this person, and will do everything in her power to carry it out with the small time she has left. Very admirable, for a girl her age, to have so much determination to reach towards this goal.

!Spoilers!
I really felt that emotional part, where they build up to Mitsuki finally finding Eichi's house, and then finding out the unfortunate news that he passed away with his parents in a car accident. Not even a full year of him leaving Mitsuki, and he died. Not even a year, but a few months. On top of that, Mitsuki found out that her feelings were returned, as she reads a love letter Eichi wrote for her. That was just brutally sad, I was in T E A R S. Everything about the episode was emotional. Especially the scene where Mitsuki finds his grave and lays on it, letting the snow almost bury her there with him... All she wanted was to be with him, as they carried out their dreams together.


!More Spoilers!
I suppose my questions would be answered if I read the manga, but I was always curious as to how Takuto became a shinigami. Someone revealed that he was in a coma, rather than dead. If this is true, I wanna know how. I was also curious if Izumi purposefully backed down from being Meroko's partner, had her and Takuto pair up, and had Takuto near Mitsuki (which eventually brings Takuto's memories of his past life back). Did Izumi do all of this, knowing that Takuto would have another chance to live? And if so, then did he back down from being Meroko's partner, so that she wouldn't be able to see through his plan? Could he actually looking out for these characters, more than he allows himself to give off?

The manga most likely will answer those ahaha

!End of Spoilers!
This is definitely an anime worth re-watching. You notice different things you haven't before, and it's just as enjoyable as it was when you first viewed it. If you haven't seen this yet, I highly recommend it! Such a heart-warming one, and I really want to know what happens next- so I will get started on reading the manga soon!!

Either you are reading this because:
1# You want to know what the anime is about or basic scores
OR
2# You want to see if anyone else loved this anime as much as you did.

Whichever one of the two reasons, I hope you enjoy my review ^_^

I finished Full Moon Wo Sagashite [Searching for a full moon] a few months back and only realised recently I had not recommended it.
SO here is my long overdue review-

... [STORY]

10/10

At a first glance this may seem to be a girly, shoujo anime that is about as deep as a paddling pool, but the story revolves around trust, forgotten memories, death and love.
It is a very emotional story line, that young children can enjoy the basic story, while older more mature audiences can relate to the hurt and pain that some of the characters feel.

A whole arc of the anime is spent on the empty emotions and mental scars left by death and loss, which makes the anime more emotional.

But do not think that this anime is all doom and gloom, it is sweet and tender and at some points, even laughable.

[Art]

9/10

The art is perfectly suited for this anime, and I am very happy with this style of anime. Though I am not usually a fan on this kind of drawing, the story line and characters mixed well with the art, and I don't think I would have enjoyed it as much as I did if the art was different.

[Sound]

10/10

The sound track used for this anime is the best I have experienced so far. I got the song onto my ipod and now listen to them alot.

The intro and credit songs are absolutely terrible, but the songs that Mizuki herself sings [when I say Mizuki I mean her voice actress and band: Changin' my life] are infact stupendous.

At first I was unsure whether I thought Mizuki to be a good or bad singer, but I guess that was only because we first hear her sing without a backing track, and every one sounds better with a backing track.

The voices are amazing and beautiful, and perfectly suited for each character.

[Characters]

10/10

The characters of Full Moon, are easy to relate to, as each one of them has experienced a different loss:
Friendship
Childhood
Love
Loved ones

They are each their own person, and the main characters all have a riveting past.

Enjoyment:

10/10

I simply loved this anime, purely unique and it's own anime

Overall:

10/10

A superb anime, which I thoroughly recommend for you to watch.

I discovered this anime via the song "Eternal Snow" (I wouldn't recommend listening to it before watching thoug). It directly catched my attention. And I wasn't dissapointed.
Full Moon wo Sagashite is a must watch if you like the shoujo style. A more well know anime in the same style is Card Captor Sakura (CCS). If you liked CCS then you should watch Full Moon wo sagashite. As you could imagine from the synopsis, the story has a serious and sad note although the characters can be funny.

I liked the song of the anime a lot. Characters were awesome and likeable.
Once I ... started watching it, I couldn't stop watching.

Also the anime version is very different plot wise than the manga. But I think the anime plot is better and makes more sense than the plot from the manga.

It was only in March 2013 that I started watching this Anime after finishing a few other Animes on Youtube. I was on Youtube and I clicked on it. At first, I didn't really like Full Moon, but I gave it another chance and I'm glad I did.

Story: 10/10

This is just my opinion, but I believe this story is amazing. No story is completely flawless but this was close to it. Twelve year old Mitsuki has lung cancer and two shinigami show up granting her one life to live. If I was Mitsuki I would be crying and upset, but she wasn't upset she ... wanted to live to achieve her dream of being a singer making Eichi, her childhood love, notice her. Mitsuki isn't a little whiny little kid that wants what she wants either she is very kind and helps out everyone. As the story proceeds, you'll notice a cute setting fade away into a dark very depression one.

Art: 10/10

I enjoy cute drawings. The art was really good. Mitsuki is drawn very cute and so is her older self, Full Moon. I wouldn't say it's perfect but just the look of the characters made me fall in love with them even more. I'm not all that ''I'll only watch an Anime if it has good art" but the better the art the better I'd not drop it and turn away. The bright colors just add on to the Shoujo genre.

Sound: 10/10

I think the sound, or in other words music was the main reason the story touched me. Mitsuki gets granted a wish from Takuto to become a singer until a year later when her fate comes, and her voice is so amazing when she sings. The deepness of her voice and the sound of the music stays in your heart. Whenever you hear it and listen, you will get those sad moments playing in your head like you're back watching it over again. The music plays at the saddest moments of the Anime making it even sadder than it appeared to be. Imagine being a secret 16-year-old singer that nobody knows is actually 12 years old and has lung cancer.

Characters: 10/10

Mitsuki is brave. She doesn't cry, she doesn't even frown. Her smile shows on her face when these shinigami are telling her she'll die in a year. All she wants to do is become a singer, finish off her dream, and then she said she'll be happy. Mitsuki gets sad at some parts in the Anime but she really just deserved the human nature moment to be sad. Takuto is a really nice guy. He always looks out for Mitsuki. If I had a Shinigami, I wish he was mine. Meroko, yes I agree, can be annoying at some parts of the Anime but overall she's just too cute!

Enjoyment: 10/10

Like I said, at first, I didn't enjoy this Anime. Once I got into it the Anime was the best thing I ever watched. I couldn't take my eyes away from it. Just one more episode... I whispered while clicking until the last episode. I got so into to it and so attached to the characters I never wanted it to end! You know that feeling when you want to see how it ends but you don't want it to end? Well I had that awful feeling. When it ended, I lied in bed brokenhearted, I guess you could I say I was a little Anime depressed. I finally got over this but Full moon will always be in my heart.

Overall: 10/10

Overall, this Anime gave me the ride of a lifetime. It has a lot to offer and will make you cry. If you don't believe me, why don't you watch it yourself? You'll see. The characters will make you get so attached you'll want them to become real and talk to you. I know it sounds crazy but they are just that well made.

This is my first review so it's not that good. I apologize.

Full Moon wo Sagashite was such an amazing trip to re-experience. I read the manga years ago as a kid and really enjoyed it, but I didn't know there was an anime until recently. I was so drawn in that watched the entire thing in a few days! Mixing such beautiful and fun moments with bitter ones is really what got me the most.

This is really an anime for all audiences. The characters are lovable with great chemistry. The story is bittersweet and inspiring. The music is just phenomenal! (The openings aren't what I would prefer, but everything else is just astounding!) I really don't ... regret watching this and I highly recommend this anime for everyone.

The anime does differ from the manga quite a bit. There are similar courses of actions and the same premise, but each take it in different ways. The first episode is pretty similar to the beginning of the manga, but that's about where the stories diverge. The manga definitely has more darker tones, so it's slightly more mature than the anime.

I think I prefer the anime over the manga for how naturally the anime flows. I think both endings and versions are good, but the anime pulled my heartstrings more and the ending felt more complete. I do wish there was more exploration of different characters in the anime like there was in the manga, but it was still a really fun ride! <3

Story: 10/10
A girl and boy promises each other to fulfil their dreams. Her dream is to become a singer, however, unfortunately, she suffers from throat cancer. But, with the help of two shinigamis, she is able to sing once again.

Art: 10/10
The art is cute, but has its flaws. This type of art was often common during the 2000s. The character designs were appealing and unique.

Sound: 10/10
The anime's soundtrack is amazing, you get so absorbed into the music and it helps set the mood even more when someone happy or sad happens.

Characters: 10/10
The characters develop over time and they are characters you will love, ... or hate, or sometimes you'll change your opinion. They are all unique and you can connect with them, especially with 52 episodes.

Enjoyment/Overall: 10/10
It's spectacular, an anime I watched in my childhood and made me cry like a baby. There are times where it is boring, but I assure you, it is worth enduring til the end. It's heartwarming and an anime that makes you wish for more than 52 episodes.

i'm going make this review short and sweet

this anime is about a young girl name Miriko searching for her destiny to somehow become a singer after finding out she has cancer in the throat, with out of the blue two death gods show up and that she somehow can see she finds it by magically becoming a full moon out of a promise she made..

this anime is heartwarming and puts a lot of emotional feelings to a test from death to wanting to have Miriko to live on with both her altered-ego called Full Moon to herself, and searching for her great friend which ... moved to America with his adopted family to times she was in the orphanage after her dad dies spending time with eichi-kun.

the battle of full moon and Modoka jealous feelings and full moon making friends along the way, which is pretty much a tear to your heart, but having a grandmother distain of music and gripping her past of losing her daughter Miriko's mother and blaming music on her losts gives gratitude of special passion to this anime.

I Loved watching this I couldn't stop I watched every heartwarming tearjerking sometimes comical episode in few days and if I couldn't help but watch there pretty much a great something going on in the anime to keep me stuck on the anime, as much anime i try to watch and gave up on lately, but this one had some special grip that emotionally pushed me forward through the 12 year old Miriko, to the magical created full moon something was especially created with passion and heart , loved the anime and the songs too.

full moon wo sagashite, is a heartwarming series.
about a girl who has throat cancer. she is visited by 2 shinigamis, they tell her that she only has 1 year left to live in. Both shinigamis becomes surprised when she tells them that she is not afraid to die and to lose her voice is much worse. she has a dream of becoming a singer, so she runs away from Shinigami to take an audition, but is then captured by the 2 shinigamier. she gets frustrated and tells them, If she only has 1 year left to do, so she could just as well carry out ... her dream.
one of the 2 shinigami get sympathy for her and let her audition. the second shihigami is very against it.the shinigamies are called Takuto and Meroko.they talk about it, and agree that she probably is not as good anyway. but they are wrong.

not very far indside the story, feelings begins to shoe between the characters, and it quickly becomes very touching.

you cry, laugh, listen to really good music and sometimes you get very annoyed.
there are many emotions that play in the series, both for the characters and your self. ( I cried a lot sometimes, and that is NOT a secret ).

it is very good series, and i would definitely recommend it. especially for those who like emotional, romantic, and music-filled series.
I would also say that there is very decent action in the series.

I love this series, and it is one of my Favorites.
the end is also very good, you will feel very satisfied, and you get the feeling that you want to see it again.

hope you liked it. And hope it helped a litte ^.^

One of my most favourite shoujo anime of all time, Full Moon shows us the importance of wanting to hang on to what we hold dear in life, to regain what has been lost and hold on to it no matter the price. Human love and compassion portrayed on a realistic level, Full Moon is simply a classic anime that will never be outdated.

The story line is pretty flushed out but unfortunately, it falls into the magical girl story line. I say unfortunately because it was something I was hoping this would keep out. It didn’t need her turning into a 16-year-old to have the plot moving, just make her look somewhat 16 at the start of it! Another problem I had with the whole 12 to 16 aspect is that, how will her love actually know that its her when she is much older and her songs are pretty much generic to any girl in that age? It doesn’t magically work… like… *facepalm* you know what, all ... logic is thrown out the window in magical girl shows, don’t they?

Throughout the story, I was about ready to shout out, ‘JUST GET WITH TAKUTO ALREADY!’ I like how she is so dedicated to this one guy but not hearing from him in that freaken long time, I’m with Takuto on what he tells her. She should just get on with her life if she had not seen him in so long. There is also the fact that most of the episodes feel more like playing around then getting to the point. The show was pretty much mostly episodic and some didn’t even have a point to her actual goal.

The characters are fun and entertaining; I especially love the silliness of Meroko who is always getting in the way of most things. She’s most of the comedy that is given to the story I feel and you can tell a lot about her even if you can’t see her past. Actually, I would be very happy if I was able to see her past as well as Takuto’s a little earlier in the show, and not have to learn way late or look it up.

The Animation is really pretty, and showing the love and spirit the characters put into it. Studio Deen seems to always have a rather grainy look but it and it seems to fit this story. It keeps it feeling like a dream and touches the heart, even if it feels somewhat un-realistic how sweet and innocent it is.

The voices for the Japanese dub are done well, capturing the spirit of the characters. The English voices… well they are a little too high pitched for my ears, especially Mitsuki. When Mitsuki sings, she sounds different if you’re watching the English version. It’s because they still sing it in Japanese which… even if it’s good singing for that style, it makes it feel somewhat detached from the rest of the show. I am happy they didn’t try to get the English voice actor to sing because she probably would of broken my ears if she tried to match the Japanese voice but still, its jarring. The quality really feels like it’s from Sailor moon and so feels lack luster. The opening music is cute and I think works out nicely with the animation.

Full moon wo sagashite is about a 12 year old girl who has throat cancer but wants to become a singer. One day she is visited by two shinigami or death gods who tell her she has one year left to live, so instead of being depressed she is determind to acheive her dream and meet the one she loves before time runs out, which is made possible with the help of the two shinigami, however, feelings soon develop and this becomes a problem for the shinigami.

The story is very intersting involving several different elements, namely, Fantasy, Romance, Drama, Comedy and music. The story has ... a slighlty realistic feel as the romance is not your typical happy ending with just one couple, but it is more complex and the choices the characters make influences the stor greatly. It is quite unpredictable especially at the ends of some of the later episodes, so you never know what can happen. However, there is something lacking in this anime, perhaps it is that it is a bit contradictory as they try to make a serious romance story out f a playful fantasy, but other than that the story is pretty good.

The art was ok, and since it is a romantc comedy, th art does not have to be perfect as the style can be more slack or playful to bring out the comic relief. However, i found it a bit cattonish at points which resembles that of a kiddy show, so the art was a bit of a turn off for me.

The sund was quite good since its an anime being about music, but the openings were a bit childish and uninteresting. However, the songs sung by the female lead are not bad at all, though you can get a bit sick of it after hearing it quite often. Also ther was a lot of insert songs and themes incorporated which brings out the mood and enhances the atmosphere in the anime which is what i found good, but it wasn't perfect hence 9 not 10 for sound.

The characters were vivid and each contained a good deal of depth as we get to know the beackground of most of the characters and even the supporting charactrs have considerablysignificant roles in the story and are not just there for comic relief, at times the supporting characters also bring about significant changes or twists to the story and help to bring out the kindness that the maain character displays through the many encounters with each character. Thus even the episodes you think as &quot;fillers&quot; are actually quite important and are not really fillers as they may be related to later in the anime.

I really enjoyed the anime which contained a lot of comedy, though it was a bit slow moving at the start of the show, the pace increased towards the end and it gets quite interesting like 15 episodes towards the end of the series. However, the begining may be a bit boring for those who like animes that carry out the story thoroughly in each episode instead of dragging it out. However, it gives a slice of life kind of feel and depicts the life of an ordinary person with a little supernatural feel yhanks to the shinigami.

Overall, the anime is indeed quite touching and funny so if you are looking for an anime with a happy ending this one may be good but expect twists to it. If your a romance fan don't keep too high hopes for this as the romance is not very deep because of the timespan of the series(52 episodes a bit too long for a romance anime). Also for those who saw the manga, the anime takes on a different adaptation to the story though grasping a similar concept the story is quite different so you might want to give it a shot, though which one is better is subject to discussion.

full moon wo sagashite was one of my most loved animes. i was looking at animes that i could watch and i found my self looking at the title i really liked the sound of it also i like the moon and stars so i was interested.

story

Mitsuki is an ordinary Twelve year old girl that loves to sing but she was diagnosed with a malignant tumor of the throat that stopped her from singing. then two shinigami appear and tell her that she has one more year to live.long ago she made a promise to a boy she loved that ... she will work hard on becoming a singer sadly she has one more year to live.....

i really liked it the art especially the characters loved their outfits they were so cool.

characters

Mitsuki is a nice kind and shy girl that loves to sing she is the main character.
Takuto is one of the shinigami . he is a really determined person and he gets angry and jealous easily .
Meroko is a shinigami to . she is a very funny and always is happy. she sometimes gets grumpy.
Fuzuki is mitsukis grandma. she is very mean and bossy but a kind and caring person on the inside.
Keiichi is mitsukis doctor he is a very kind person .

overall i loved this anime.it was really dramatic and sad at the end i cried buckets of tears. for two reasons 1 the story 2 i loved the anime so much i did not want it to end.

thanks for reading

This is conflicting.

For starters, this anime is beautiful. The artwork, the music, the character development, the romance, the story - all of it is above and beyond. In fact, in most areas it even surpasses the manga. Although some episodes are clearly filler or fluff, overall the anime is really great and easy to keep interested in.

The main protagonist, Mitsuki, has a tumor in her throat, which makes her love for singing and music basically impossible to chase. Throw in the childhood love she lost as a kid and her promise to him that the next time they meet, they'd both be accomplished ... in their dreams...and well. You've got a beautiful, sad tale.

Then come the shinigami - Takuto and Meroko. They inform Mitsuki she only has a year left to live. This somehow results in Takuto using his shinigami magic to transform Mitsuki into a 16-year-old so she can meet the age requirement for a singing audition - plus the bonus of being able to sing without pain! This is because her transformed body doesn't have the tumor.

So that's the premise.

Mitsuki is trying to achieve her dream of becoming a famous singer and uses Takuto's magic and both of the shinigami's guidance and protection to help her achieve this, with the goal of making her childhood love proud. But then the sadness pushes in. There are a couple plot twists, some more characters are introduced, and the story takes a pretty deep turn to the tragic.

Of course, it wouldn't be a great shoujo without a happy ending. And the manga, although pretty rushed in general, did an amazing job with the ending. The anime did everything right. Except the ending. In fact, I'm pretty freaking pissed about the ending. They got the romance right. The kiss scenes. The character development. Even the ending to the story and tying up loose ends and unanswered questions.

Why was it so hard to continue copying the manga for the ending!?

It's not terrible enough to make the anime not worth watching. No. What I'd do is watch the anime and when you get over the terrible ending, go read the end of the manga at least. You will be much more satisfied.

This anime was recommended by my friend. Initially I thought it would be boring, lame moreover, the art did not looked good to me. However, it proved me wrong. This anime is now one of my favourite anime! The plot is fantastic, the best that i have come across so far! It totally worth my time watching this anime! Meanwhile watching this anime, I realised that the art was not what i thought the first time I saw it. Even though the anime itself was old, so is the art. However, it would not lose to the current art those anime has~ If you do ... not want any spoiler please do not read any further(: At the part that Takuto gave Full Moon her wings as an effect, the moment was beautiful! I love it when Full Moon has her own performance, concert, those parts that she was singing was truly beautiful, together with her music, it was totally fantastic! I love the songs that Full Moon sung, you can hear it at youtube or anywhere(: Personally, I love Eternal Snow the most! The anime made me cry numerous times too! The part when Mitsuki realised that Eichi has died was seriously sad. Especially when she lie on Eichi's grave! :( Tears keep flowing down my eyes ! :(

For those who are interested in the plot, read this part(: It is about a 12 year old girl, Mitsuki, has cancer, a tumour is growing at her throat. However, her dream is to become a singer, as she has promised her childhood crush, Eichi, that she would become a singer and Eichi would become an astronomer when they meet the next time. Her cancer prevents her from accomplishing her dream as she could not sing loud enough or her throat would hurt. At that time, two shinigami appeared! Meroko and Takuto. Mitsuki wanted to go for an audition but her grandmother just wont allow her to. The two shinigami told her that she only has 1 year left to live! She persist on accomplishing her dream on becoming a singer for the day to meet Eichi. But.. How can a 12 year old girl become a singer? Moreover, she also looks totally like a 12 year old, it would be impossible for her to bluff the judges that she is a 16 year old girl. Fortunately, Takuto helped her to transform into a girl that looks like 16 year old, after that namely, Full Moon.

I truly recommend this anime to those who are considering to watch or have not watched it! It really worth a try and worth your time! Btw~ I ship Mitsuki and Takuto !! Gogogo~ I also love Meroko! :D

A magical experience. Most likeable characters I've ever seen, amazing messages, studio Deen makes each performance look interesting and engaging, they add tons of personality to the scenes of lighthearted comedy, and also deliver with some stunning dramatic animation in its most intense moments. It's just all around an amazing anime to watch with great characters that have a ton of chemistry. It's themes are beautiful and at times heartbreaking and very interesting. It takes so many tropes that you've seen in other shows and completely flips them on their head and gives an experience like no other. This show has a million 10/10 moments, ... I could make a video series on everything it does right. It's my GOAT