Art:
I noticed some figure poses were drawn awkwardly - noticed in the first scene with the boy running. The series uses CGI background juxtaposed against the drawn characters. At first, this contrast seemed strange, but I got used to it. The CGI itself reminds me of playing a point-and-click game that tries to make itself appear realistic; those end up being quite beautiful. The actual character art appears to be unpolished shoujo art style. The drawings give the impression of a casual webcomic - the lines are not thick or dark-coloured. The shading (especially on characters' hair) seems very rough and quick. It almost looks like original art found on a social media website (DeviantArt, Tumblr). I was surprised when I found out the show was made in 2008, as the art style seemed very old with its unpolishedness. The comedy "chibi" characters are amusing.
Music:
The OP is great. I never skip it. It's so upbeat and happy, although some might not appreciate the use of autotune. I, however, think it's awesome.
The background music is soothing. I was surprised to learn it was variations of classical pieces! The first time, it distracted me from the scene, as I was trying to figure out if it was actually the classical piece or not!
Story:
I enjoyed the humour. "I have powerful connections [to help you get a job]. Ramen shop, ramen shop, or ramen shop!"
Antique Bakery is one of those anime where they don't fully close with the final episodes. It's subtle and not jarring, just like the characters in the series, just like the episodes and the stories of each. This is okay, because as the theme song says, life goes on.
