Sakamichi no Apollon

Let's do a trivia here! Are you someone who wants to know what it is like back in the 1960's? Ever wanted to build an escapism from the harsh reality of today's world? Want to just sit back and enjoy some old school music after a stressful day? Well, perhaps you've found a series worthy to invest your time into because Kids on the Slope is there and sure to give you something to think about.

Kids on the Slope (also known as Sakamichi no Apollon) is a story taking place in the beginning of summer, 1966. It stars the protagonist Kaoru Nishimi, an honor student ... who tends to keep to himself. He has a rather reserved personality and hard to open up. That is until he meets the bad boy and future best friend Sentaro Kawabuchi. While mistakenly getting to a bad start, these two soon develop an unforgettable friendship based on respect, forgiveness, and of course, music. Later comes into picture is Ritsuko Mukae, a friendly girl who plays intriguing roles in the story ranging from music, friendship, and later love. The series follows three friends as they create unforgettable memories of the 1960s in the age of jazz music, friendship, and melody.

Now, you're probably asking yourself “why should I watch this series?”

Well, first of all this series contains the unification of icons Watanabe Shinichi (Series Director of Cowboy Bebop) and music composer Yoko Kanno. That alone can be seen as a good reason to start watching. While labeled as a coming-of-age drama, this series also contains a bit of the romance theme and of course, drama. So for those interested into the intertwined story arcs mixed in with misunderstandings, jazz critique, and love trials, then this could be a little added bonus.

[ - Story - ]
Kids on the Slope details friendship and is one of the most important element of the series and should not be just seen as an aspect of the anime but in real life as well. Kaoru, Sentaro, Ritsuko forge friendship through one common passion: the love of music and the bond that they share.

This series does not have a strong impression at first. From the first episode, there's not much to say besides the typical high school drama and music setting. Furthermore, for those carving for action and psychological twists or for some who call it “mindfucks”, then this is the wrong series to look into. Thankfully, there's an old saying that goes “never judge a book by its cover”. Damn right, you shouldn't because this coming-of-age drama is sure to give you a surprising twist.

In the beginning, there is the common theme. Kaoru falls for the friendly girl, Sentaro falls for the graceful girl, and Ritsuko is already in love with the childhood bad boy. Then comes even more characters that makes the already complicated geometric love shape even more complicated later on.

Kids on the Slope moves at a relative pace that can be considered neither slow or fast. Ironically, it starts off slow even though it's kids on the SLOPE. Anything that flows down a slope relatively moves fast but in this case retains a relatively average pace. So I'll say this again, this series is not for the fans who carves the fast paced action and psychological twists. If you want that, try Jormungand or something.

[ - Characters ]
While the characters are animated plainly and simple, their inner character and style is what drives this series as why it's ranked into the #100 of MAL. Beyond the romance polygon are characters that balances out the series.

First we have Kaoru, the middleman who has the reserved personality. He is smart, he is reserved, and he has the talents to become a real star. Thankfully with some fate, he finds someone who also share a similar love for the age of music. That brings us to Sentaro. Like the opposite of ying and yang, Sentaro is seen as the tough guy with the soft spot, the one that picks fights but also the guy who protects and values his friendship with the other characters from the bottom of his heart. His outer image covers up the fact that he is a deep down guy and cares for the people and things he truly loves; his friends, his family, and the children that respects him so much and of course, music. Finally, there's Ritsuko. She is the cheerful girl, the one that builds bridges of friendship with friends and generally well-liked. Yet behind her outer image lies a somewhat insecure girl and sometimes jealous of others' ability to be so outright themselves.

Later on of course, there are other characters that enter the scene that have stark personalities and also not who they appear to be. I'd love to go on and on about these characters but this isn't an summary is, it? This is a review so I'll leave you to find out. But trust me, you'll love to get to know them once you see the realism behind their outer characters.

And speaking of realism, it is noticeable that the characters' personal lives are conveyed in a way that can be seen and defined as quite real. Whether tragic, sad, or cheerful, we see the histories of the main characters that can be related to most of us. They all have background histories that brings the overall realism into the 1960's and even towards today.

[ - Animation/Art -]
If there's one thing to forget, it might be the art. I'll say this in the most honest way as possible:

It is too plain and simple.

The animation is not rich and series airing this Spring Season like Fate/Zero puts it to shame in the art department. The animation however brings out a powerful feeling of nature and refines the 1960s style in its finest form. While plain and simple (Karou's glasses, Sentaro's shirt, etc), we can see that the culture it tries to convey of the 1960s is successful. Culture has indeed changed from the past to present day as we can clearly see the lesser technology and more general and sophisticated themes. It is simple and not detailed just like how high school should be. It doesn't need to be something special that makes us go “wow!” After all, the precise of an entire series is not always judged by art solely. At one point of watching over 100 series, it's just down right common sense.

[ - Sound/Music - ]
Ah yes, this is the main event, if for any reason to watch this series at all, it is this.

Music and life plays a key role in this series and thus, one could expect the melancholy and drama the music lyrics conveys and delivers. With the ultra talented Yoko Kanno in charge, one can expect a blockbuster hit and smash of the season. And she does not disappoint, neither her skills or the characters' that plays both artistically and beautifully in the series.

In fact, the music in the series plays well, even in rhythm with the main characters. If you take careful notice, the way and style they play their instruments systemically match their art and moments. The way the characters play the music is natural and in the ways they are of themselves, not for a popularity contest. To play music and bring pleasure to the ears is something to respect and take notice of. These kids really do have talent.

[ - Enjoyment - ]
This story is of the old school coming-of-age style so the pleasure of enjoying this series can vary. At first glance, one might decide to drop or put on-hold at its relative pace as well as its lack of the typical “shounen action”. But with so many of those airing these days (including this season), why not give something new a try?

It's more than just a high school story of kids falling in painful geometric shapes of love or the “friendship conquers all”. And of course, despite being hard to make it into the mainstream, it's one of those series that takes an unique and cultural approach of the coming-of-age genre mixing in with jazz music, friendship, and love all in a wonderful little package. The characters are unique and real with their backgrounds, contrasting personalities, and style. The story is easy to follow despite its intertwined arcs. The art (despite plain and simple) brings out the naturalism and culture of the 1960s. It's something not as complicated as the real world we face today because it's so damn right simple. Honestly, I miss it. And who can forget the relaxing music? Without it, this series would be dead. But with it, the series comes to life through realism and gives viewers something to talk about.

Again for those who are so into the shounen style battles, the fan-service of ecchi shows, or psychological mindfucks, this series can be something new to look forward to.

After all, there's an old saying that goes, “life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're gonna get." And once you open that box, you'll be surprised what you'll find. In this case, it's Kids on the Slope.

Okay, the first episode of this wonderful show with tons of potential popped up about an hour ago, and I just had to write a review. (This is my first so cut me some slack, pl0x.)

First of all, I'd like to say that I have been anticipating the airing of this show for a while now, and so far, it has surpassed my expectations. The story begins with our main dude Kaoru who apparently moves around a lot due to his father's job, but I won't get too into that to avoid any accidental spoilers. Instead, let me fill the gaps what you can be ... expecting.

From the get-go, it goes straight to the opening sequence showing off some of the most vibrant and fluid visuals I have seen to date. The characters are very well drawn, the scenery is just beautiful. and everything just gives off this overall "jazzy" atmosphere. When I was around 10 minutes in, I nearly forgot this was part of a show because it was just so polished, I'd expect that sort of quality in a decently budgeted movie.

The other MAJOR thing this series excels in is the sound. From the voices of the characters to the random chatter, it really immerses you into the environment of that time. If you're looking for some time to kill, hell, even if you have barely any time at all, I suggest you take a peak at this creation, and restore your hope in anime.

First of all, I must say it's been a while since I've enjoyed a series as much as I enjoyed Sakamichi no Apollon.

The story itself has an amazing pace, and in my opinion, has the perfect combination of romance, drama and music. The developments feel very natural and there are no fillers. The only "complain" I can have from the story is that the ending might feel a little unsatisfying. Luckily, if you end up feeling unsatisfied like me, you can read the extra volume from the manga and I can assure you that you'll feel a lot better after reading it.

The art is okay, ... I guess. It has a very realistic vibe, and fits the story really well. I didn't see any error in the animation either, which is always appreciated. Also, the animation during the musical scenes was particularly good. The soundtrack fits every scene perfectly, so kudos to the studio. It is always nice to have consistently good animation as well as a good soundtrack throughout a whole series.

There are two main characters in the series, and they are best friends even though they make an odd couple. I feel that the two main characters are really well developed. You can see how the two of them grow up as characters as the story moves on. On the other hand, except for one specific character, most secondary characters don't get a proper development. I mention this because there are a couple of secondary characters that I'm sure most viewers would've loved for them to have more screen time.

The series in general is very enjoyable. If you're into jazz music (or good music in general), you're definitely gonna love watching this series. Also, this is one of the few anime where the English singing is actually pretty good. I had a really good time listening to every single music piece played, as well as with the tons of drama generated from the different love situations that develop.

I gave the series an 8/10. I loved it, but I felt there were some things that could've been told better, especially the ending. I recommend this series a 100%. Actually, I'd say this is a must watch series. Also, don't forget to read the extra volume from the manga once you finish the series.

Have a great time watching Sakamichi no Apollon!

I usually don't watch josei but I decided to give this one a shot. Got tired of all that shounen crap some time ago.

Well, what can I say, there is a certain beauty about this anime.

The story: Certainly the cliched motifs of love triangles and rectangles and all the overused dynamics are in there BUT I was shocked to find that I actually enjoyed everything quite well.
For one, the relationships have much verisimilitude and show a more inexplicable human aspect rather than the KISS THAT SOLVES IT ALL type stuff. The thing with Sentaro, Yurika, and Jun-ni is definitely a BIG PLUS to the Ritsuko ... Nishimi main plot. It's not just a side dish romance to make sure everyone's got their love life covered. It's a deep human experience full of inexplicable emotions and time that is needed for love to blossom.

(Ahhh.... I'm sounding like a josei fan now. Ok maybe I am becoming one.)

The characters: Ehhh Nishimi was one of those new student stereotypes played out in many other animes but he's still good. The true striker with this anime is that the character's backgrounds are revealed in a very subtle way... It's not full of lengthy flashbacks and background story time-wasters... Sakamichi really does well in that it delves into each character's past and background as the anime progresses in a not in your face manner. The inexplicable actions of Ritsuko, the Yurika Jun-ni sub-plot ahhh it's beautiful. Apart from the jazz of Ritsuko's basement, there is a quiet beauty that speaks to the heart in this anime.

Music: This is one anime where music speaks louder than words a lot of times. Jazz is such a freeform expression and I'm not a big fan of it but it is done so well. It's Nishimi's language of love, remorse, each clash on the cymbal is Sentaro's inner pain and struggles released. Jun-ni's trumpet arpeggios are too good. Not to mention Mukae san's upbeat bass.

Voice: It's solid and good work. Ritsuko's voice can get annoying but it has it's charm But the music overshadows it IMO.

Enjoyment: You'll be surprised. I'm a guy and I connected from the first episode. It's strangely good. I don't know exactly how to explain it. But aside from the jazzy improvisations and sounds there is a quiet beauty to this anime. go watch it now.

As someone who hasn't good much background on both Jazz music and Japan during the 1960s, I was wary of watching it at first.

And yet it succeeds in its combination of josei, drama and high school slice of life. The show features Kaoru, the socially-anxious new kid in a quiet, rather remote town, who has been blessed with piano-playing skills. Through jazz, he finds the greatest of comrades, a family and even romance.

The story, as most josei goes, isn't anything too intense. It just shows the life of a jazz-playing boy as he goes through high school with his friends. I love, though, its ... take on that part of life. It's so realistic, I managed to relate to it despite the fact that I wasn't even part of band back in high school. The series starts as strongly and ends, if possible, even more.

Romance and melodrama is thrown here and there, and while it wasn't its strongest point, it just felt very REAL. I've been there, through all the confusion and inability to communicate feelings. At times I found myself wondering if it's odd for me to be able to relate so much to Japanese highschoolers in the 1960s when it's 2013 and I live in the Philippines.

The pace of the story is rather relaxed, as there really isn't much going on. But that's fine as you obviously wouldn't be looking for action here (it's an anime about high school jazz-players for chrissake). The leisurely pace it has is very refreshing.

The characters were all well-rounded. It makes use of archetypes but never just relies on it. Everyone feels amazingly real. It also helps that there is a very limited cast of characters and they were all given time to develop. They all have layers to them and are much much more than what can be considered their outer personality. Everyone is likable and unlikable in their own ways, just like everyone is. Another thing that I like is that there are quirks as easter eggs placed everywhere that they didn't feel the need to put out in the open, such as the fact that Sen is left-handed (I took note of this when they are studying for his make-up test!).

The art is rather... vintage. At times I wasn't particularly fond of it-- it sometimes came off as someone who just recently discovered the gradient and smudge tool on Photoshop-- but it did manage to set the tone for the show. It can come off as plain but it worked. It gave off a nostalgic vibe from which the show benefited greatly. The backgrounds at times, like when it showed the church or Kaoru's house, were exceptional. I wonder if it was rotoscoped because it looked so amazing. How I wish they could have kept it constant all through out though. Wonderful lighting direction was present all throughout the show.

You would expect music to be the strongest part but I wouldn't say so. It was fine, but not exceptional. The opening and ending themes were rather disappointing for a music anime but it wasn't horrible. Just not what I had in mind, I guess. The choice of music was good for the most part, making use of various jazz artists and the Beatles to make it feel more like the 60s. The jam sessions scenes were amazing, obviously.

Overall, if you want a simple show with solid character and story development, with good music and pretty art, then this show is for you. It is extremely well-made, a perfect example of a josei anime done properly. The ending didn't leave me disappointed which was what I expected at the first sign of the love polygon. It's worth a shot, at any rate, if you want a break from all the heavy action and overly cheesy harem animes.

Treasure your Friends, Unlike Love Affairs, Friendship is for Life.

Kids on the Slope follow the story of Nishimi, Kaoru as he started a new life in the far countryside of japan. Kaoru has been struggling to form meaningful relationships with peers of his age, due to his constant switching school because of family circumstances. This unfortunate lifestyle is the sole reason why he felt alienated when encountering new people. He develops “Anxiety Nausea” as a coping mechanism whenever he becomes socially stress or nervous when people approach him. But everything changes once he forms an unlikely friendship with Mukae, Ritsuko, and Kawabuchi, Sentarou.

The story ... by itself is simple and down to earth but it excels in handling most of its genre elements. It focuses more on the coming of age slice of life aspect than romance and music. The plot values the importance of forming and preserving personal relationships. It teaches us to have the perspective that not everybody can be interpreted easily by just looking at them on the surface. Kids on the Slope have balance spacing when it comes to school drama and romance even though it is rather slow.

When it comes to the romance aspect of the show, it was never the primary focus. The romance part is used as a means of the narrative to tour our main character's internal feelings that would be very hard to show without any timed triggers. Romantic relationships exist in the show, as a form of subplot. Ultimately the purpose of romance is to strengthen the bonds of our main characters. Sometimes true love is not always about hugs, kisses, and sex but rather about the mature acceptance and respect, seeking the best for the person we love even it is painful.

For Character Relationship, the only thing worth mentioning is Bon (Kaoru’s nickname) and Sentarou interaction. Their relationship is the deciding factor whether you will like the series or not. It can be interpreted some sort of homosexual relationship for the attraction of female demographics, understandably because this show is “Josei”, or a remarkable example of a brotherly bond between two close friends. As a guy, I chose the latter interpretation. Bon and Sentarou are the complete opposite of each other when it comes to strengths and specialty. What establishes their relationship is the deep admiration for a certain music genre as a form of escapism in their daily lives, a special bond they both share. As Bon and Sentarou's friendship grew over time with a little help from Ritsuko, they both realize they share more common characteristics and weaknesses.

So far there isn’t much to say to the supporting cast, most interactions, character exposition, and development are focus on Bon, Sentarou, and Ritsuko. Some characters do have a fair share of exposition and development.

Another thing I see in the narrative that was handled incredibly well is the “conflict”. Sure the conflict and stake are most of the time are misunderstandings and sometimes 1st world problems. For me as an adult, I see the first world problem is quite common for teenagers, based on experience. But it is nice that these conflicts wouldn’t last for more than at least 2 episodes and not longer than 3 episodes. This is an amazing tactic the story uses to flesh out and develops our main characters. For every problem they encounter and every simple squabble, they manage to fix, it is a reflection that they are still innocent kids but willing to accept mistakes to maturely grow. They learn from their mistakes and they are willing to help each other out unconditional which I love to see in a slice of life anime. It’s well written and natural. The conflict presented is not too overdramatic and grey. It interprets problems as a part of our life that we must engage it forward than running away from it. It is a nice message that the story has to offer.

For the technical stuff like Music and Animation, I say this anime did an amazing job adapting the source of the highest quality. First of all the background and character design is great, special mention when it comes to lightning and shadowing. The anime has a good soundtrack. The OST’s is incredible in setting the mood. Musical performance is off the roof! The animation for performance accuracy is outstanding, that’s one amazing drum roll! There is a passion put on it. The direction with the music I say well-thought-out in the story narrative. Using music as a medium to express essential character emotion and resolve is something to credit the show for.

(Final Thoughts)

To Me Kids in the Slope, not a groundbreaking anime when it comes to the story especially for a slice of life, school drama romances type, I think it did what it wanted to accomplish, it has a good story and satisfying characters. I liked how the characters grow and develop over time. The main characters interaction and solid bond make me keep on watching the anime. I always like how the story explores Bon and Sentarou's struggles in life. Their friendship, I say the most remarkable thing the anime has to offer and the music is a good bonus. If people are looking for a simple, relaxing, and not too long coming of age slice of life, I will gladly recommend this anime.

Are you ready for a bromance so strong, you’ll feel friendship tingles down the shaft of your peen? For romance elements so complex, they are no longer love triangles--but instead, terrifying, ever-growing love polygons of doom? For jam sessions so boppin’ they could make the late, great, Sun Ra tap his foot in his grave? Then my friend, you are prepared for Kids on the Slope.

At a glance Kids on the Slope is nothing more than a high school drama, akin to the hundreds which flood contemporary media. While I’ll admit that I do enjoy a show that makes me feel my proverbial ovaries rubbing ... against each other (it’s a guilty pleasure of sorts that I’ve acquired over the years) as well as the occasional bitch-tear from some of the more well put together dramas/slice-of-lifes that catch my eye, I often find the angst ridden filth which is commonly regarded as ‘adolescence in a nutshell’ to be utterly vexatious.

While easily misinterpreted as complaining, I do understand that I’m not a member of the target demographic for at least 90% of the series’ mentioned above and as a result of this I just tend to walk past that hypothetical garden of pubescent depression as opposed to trampling upon it and it’s eternally cherished flowers, despite people’s affection towards them being baffling to a man such as myself. With that being said, I’m also not a part of the target demographic for Kids on the Slope but that does not mean that I was unable to enjoy the fuck out of it. To put it bluntly, this is, at the moment, my favourite slice-of-life anime of all time.

And how could it not be? Set in the quiescent period of 1960s Japan, with a serene art-style and ataractic soundtrack, I often found myself lost in a sense of euphoria. While the pacing at first may seem quite slow, I believe that this is part of the series’ charm and works well to accentuate the insouciant nature of both the series and the era in which it’s set.

Accompanying its unmatched poise is the maturity (I’m sorry guys, but this translates to no prolonged gratuitous ass/panty/cleavage shots, unfortunately) in which the story is presented and a great set of characters. Not only could I compare almost every character to someone I’ve met in in the course of my life, I was also able to relate certain elements of each character’s personality to myself. Similarly, no character was your average cardboard cutout. Instead, each and every character had a very human feeling associated with them. Over the course of this journey, we’ll observe each of the main character’s flaws, attributes and eventual evolution into adulthood.

The premise for this slice-of-life drama was also quite refreshing, in the sense that the relationship which receives the most limelight is that of two males as opposed to a primarily romantic relationship. This unlikely bond between Sentarou and Richie will oftentimes amaze me when I think that this is the first bro-drama of it’s kind to cross my path. While for the most part, their friendship does reflect that of a lot of close friends; do expect some moments which gracefully tread the thin line between bromance and romance.

The animation in this series really is admirable, and this is most evident during the jam sessions. While concert performances and the like are no new occurrence in anime (especially as of late), in Kids on the Slope every drum hit, every piano note, every pluck of the upright double bass happens in time with the music and looks magnificent. The accurate animation of the instruments really helps bring home the notion that the musically orientated segments of this anime are not a gimmick but rather, help bring the characters together as a group while at the same time aids the characters in growing as individuals--as I daresay music does in everyone’s lives.

For those of you who feel as if you’re the paragon of masculinity but may want to try a slice-of-life, then look no further (there are multiple physical altercations in this anime, which is why I believe it’s a great starting point for those new to the genre). Similarly, those who merely enjoy jazz but find the genre a bit too intimidating to delve into will find some great artists and songs to add to your essential private shower performance repertoire. All in all, this anime is heartwarming, bitch-tear inducing and a must watch for any and all anime fans.


TL;DR? This may be a josei. However, it is a bro-tastic josei which can be enjoyed by anyone. I give this anime a 10/10 and while this is a highly subjective score, this anime objectifies everything I'm seeking when I make the infrequent trip to tear-jerker town. Its stylish aesthetic coupled with its awe-inspiring soundtrack serve to create arguably one of the best slice-of-life experiences I could imagine.

This was an anime that popped up in my recommendations for a while based off various other's I watched. I simply didn't believe it would be anything close to what I wanted and became frustrated seeing the same cover page over and over of which I wasn't to fond of. I refused to watch it time and time again based on my own superficial reasons until I finally said to myself "it's 20 minutes of my life, I'll watch just one episode." It wasn't just 20 minutes, it ended up being a good portion of the season before I had to finally ... get some sleep.

Story- The story of Sakamichi no Apollon is one of the strongest I've ever seen in only 12 episodes. It gives a great back story as to why the main character (Kaoru) is where he is now and immerses you in the time frame of the story immediately. Although it's in the 60's and I was very skeptical of such a time frame, it's essential for the jazz fueled story of friendship that takes place. The story is truly touching and special as it addresses the great value of a deep bond of friendship as well as coming of age into your own person. There's certainly romance as well, although the most prevalent romance lies not with the main characters but with two supporting ones who in truth, really have their own amazing chemistry and story unfolding. This was one of the few plots that kept me invested, thinking and connected to everything happening at all times, it made you feel really heavy and then full of joy the next episode because of how much meaning the plot held.

Art- The art I was sorely mistaken on. I went in thinking for some reason it was going to have outdated animation purely because it was based in the 60's. In reality it was great quality animation, though I can't really pick out any instance where I was amazed by its creativity or colors. It does what it needs to do in this anime and depicts the time period of the 60's amazingly well, although it wasn't the brightest of times in Japan so I can see why it wasn't trying to be something it wasn't. The best part is the character designs as they're all crisp and perfectly fit their respective personalities. All in all the art compliments the story really well, but it's nothing to really to gaze at in itself.

Sound- This is what makes the anime other than the plot. I'll come right out and say it, I just couldn't handle jazz before, it didn't please my ears you could say. However, the second I heard Sentarou and Kaoru's first jam session together I was not only moved at how this music brought together the two most unlikely friends, it really gave me a new outlook on the music. Jazz is the driving force of this anime and this is easily the most important section of the review as there are so many situations that these characters must get through with their music. They even communicate with each other simply by being in the same room and playing their improv jazz, pouring out all their emotions to each other in instrumental song. For anyone who hates jazz, this show will at the very least make you tolerate it, they bring meaning to the genre for people who don't care about it in the least. Not to mention the theme song is the most fitting I've ever heard and the soundtrack is really something so unique and beautiful it needs to be experienced. I can rant on about how great the sound is for an entire review's length so I'll leave it at this.

Character- The characters are very well developed especially for a series that only spans 12 episodes. All of the main characters are very different but they all become bound by one similar interest in Jazz. While the typical delinquent meeting the quiet exchange student has been done before, both of these characters are far from common beneath the surface. Sentarou is one of the deepest characters in any show, and you can tell this almost right after meeting him, he had a feel to him that compelled you to be drawn to his story as well as the pure friendship between him and Kaoru. The seiyuu really bring these characters to life and add a great sense of realism to them to. Even the supporting characters play vital roles and all help the main characters along in their own way, as well as progressing their own stories in the time they have. What can be said overall is that there is not one annoying character or overly common one either. Every single character whether it be main or supporting has their own unique personality and goals that sets them all apart yet binds them together and that's what I find so impressive about the,.

Enjoyment- As you can all tell I thoroughly enjoyed this anime. It truly impacted me on a few different levels and really makes you think because there are so many real situations and desires you can relate to, despite it taking place in 1966. It just goes to show you that no matter the time or place, people will always have these issues to go through, and this show goes to show you how valuable having a deeply bonded friendship can be through that.

Overall- I highly recommend this to anyone who has even a slight interest in romance/comedy/drama/slice of life or even music. People who actually go into this liking Jazz beforehand will be on cloud 9 the entire way through. It drives home a message that I believe resonates with the majority that it will definitely leave you thinking deeply about it after you've finished. The only reason I did not give it a ten is because (and this is nitpicking now) even with these wonderful aspects I just couldn't put it on the same level as Steins;Gate, Honey and Clover, or Bakemonogatari. That being said it's extremely close to Honey and Clover, however H+C had amazing art while Sakamichi no Apollon had enough to convey its message.

The story consists of a lot of romance tropes, and really tends to play up it's character drama. I didn't enjoy the romance stuff very much, but I feel like the show worked remarkably well in portraying the tension of the relationship between characters through music. When the characters are playing music together, you really can feel their emotions come through, and I thought that was really impressive. The characters, and their interactions with each other were really the best part of the story, despite the otherwise pretty boilerplate storyline.

The art was very nice as well. Everything had a very detailed, realistic look to it ... and there was a lot of really impressive animation as well. Things moved really fluidly in most cases, especially when the characters are playing their instruments, and really getting into it. Lighting and colors are used really effectively, too, and it sets a great mood. The only thing I didn't like about the art was the character design. Most of the characters appearances were kind of standard and uninteresting. The designs fit their personalities well, but there just isn't much visual appeal to the way they look. Taken at face value, they just end up looking like very generic anime characters, despite being more than that once you factor in the writing & their actual character depth.

The music is fantastic, Yoko Kanno does a fantastic job of re-creating these classic jazz tracks, and the whole show just has an incredible tone to it because of this. The music is the heart of this show, for sure, and it's what I feel really makes the show something special, and pushes it from "above average" into "really good". I watched it in Japanese, and the voice acting is also very well done. The actors have realistic, convincing performances that accurately portray their characters. Nothing sounds cheesy or over-acted, and it adds to the realism of the show. The overall mix of the audio is also professionally done, and the whole show just sounds great.

Overall, Kids on the Slope doesn't have much at it's core. The story or characters don't seem very interesting at first, and both are full of tropes. However, with some very nice presentation, and some quality writing, the characters actually become somewhat more interesting. couple that with some impressive art, and some fantastic, atmospheric jazz music, and what you're left with is a truly enjoyable show that surprisingly ends up being more than the sum of it's parts.

Once again we are encountering a great anime. Kids on the slope is another combo between Shinichiro Watanabe and Yoko Kanno. I can't imagine now if someone else did a screen version of Kids on the slope. But lets get to the point.

The story focuses around Kaoru, who is your normal geek, straight up alone and unexperienced when it comes to real life. He loves studying and playing on instruments. Because of that he apparently can't fight and stand by himself, and this is where another character is introduced to help Kaoru. Sentarou on the other hand is your typical badass character, who doesn't give ... a shit about studying and can stand by himself. Both of them become friends and this is where things get interesting. For the whole 12 episodes we are watching how these two are growing on their friendship and how they deal with their problems. Kaoru is in love with Ritsuko, but Ritsuko isn't. She loves Sentarou. Yes, it creates a love triangle, but its so well done you won't be dissapointed.


The art of this anime is just amazing, not only its crispy looking, but the ACTUAL MOVES of the characters when it comes to playing drums and piano is animated. Yes, you can learn from it if you pay enough attention.

The sound doesn't need introduction, cmon guys its Yoko Kanno and the famous piece they play at the end of the anime is called Moanin, a jazz classic.

The characters are alive and never feel undeveloped or unoriginal. Every character is likeable and differ one from another, which doesn't make this series boring to watch.

Overall, this a great addition to anyones list and should be seen imediately. I enjoyed it and wanted more, srsly. If it wasn't for shows like this, i wouldn't even watch anime in the first place.

This is my first time writing a review here and I tried my hardest to leave out any real spoilers. So, here we go:

Sakamichi no Apollon started out with a powerful episode and ended with a powerful episode, but seemed to get lost in a tangle of badly handled and clichéd romance and some unneeded melodrama. The series also suffered from bad pacing, though that only really started to show itself toward the middle-end of the run, this was when the fast pacing became a double edged sword and affected not only the plot, but the characters as well.

So now, let me look at the ... characters: I liked all of them individually a whole lot with the exception of Kaoru and one other character I will bring up later. He was a bit annoying and frustrating as a main character (he also did quite a few things that I would label as right out jerk-ish), but he was still very realistic and better than the usual generic main lead guy. Nevertheless, I felt that his best sides came out when he was hanging out with the other characters as friends.

But this is when the fast pacing comes it, it may have made the usual love triangle melodrama less prolonged and annoying, but at the same time it really didn’t allow me to see any of the romantic relationships build up. There was no good transitions from acquaintances to friends to lovers. It made it very difficult for me to care about the relationships found within this series.

Outside of relationships, the characters themselves suffered from the fast pacing. It made it hard for me to really connect to them, since I saw realistic characters, but I never really saw them evolve. They stayed within their character types and never really moved above and beyond them in any real significant way. Kaoru got some character development, but not as much as some other main characters have gotten this season. And the two other characters that got the most character development were side characters whose subplot gets rushed and they are gone before I could even really fully appreciate them.

Two other things that bothered me a bit in this anime was that one “accidently walked into the bathroom” scene, which was handled better than most of those types of fanservice scenes are, but felt like something that was unfitting for the type of series Sakamichi no Apollon was; the same goes for the character of Seiji Matsuoka. Generally I am usually fond of characters who are like him, but here he just felt so out of place, not only for the series but for the time period as well.

Regardless of these negative aspects of the series, Sakamichi no Apollon does have some extremely well done and beautiful parts too. First and foremost, the music is fantastic and it is utilized perfectly. The animation is also lovely and the art style is very nice to look at in general, especially when the jazz scenes are on screen. Next, when the series focused on aspects other than romance it tended to be very powerful. There was also the added aspect of Christianity, being portrayed accurately (at least in Japan and in comparison to other anime) and the fact that accents were kept in were great, too, since it really helped to make the anime feel like it wasn’t taking place in Tokyo.

These other issues that I mentioned above were all really great to see in an anime, but sadly they got pushed aside or brushed over quickly in favor of the romance, the time restraint and pacing didn’t help either. These issues came up and then passed so quickly that I didn’t even have time to properly digest them before they were already done and over.

This bugged me a bit, that romance got so much attention, when one of the themes of the series itself is that friendship is more powerful and important than that of a love affair, yet love affairs are what take up most of the series. Nevertheless, the ending scenes of this anime are still very powerful. This series didn't have the strongest or most fulfilling ending of the spring season, but it was still very poignant and on level with the first episode when it comes to impact.

As it stands, Sakamichi no Apollon is a perfect anime to watch with someone who normally doesn’t watch anime, since many of the usual things that make anime seem “weird” are not present. It is also a very well done and solid teenage romance drama, but it is still just that: a teenage romance drama. I thought it was going to focus more on the jazz and music aspects (and I actually thought I was not going to like it because of that, but in the end that was one of the strongest parts of the series), but then it divulged into the romantic aspect more than I thought it was going to.

This series was good, but not great, and I am actually a bit disappointed by that.

Set in 1966, Sakamichi no Apollon is centered on Kaoru Nishimi as he moves to Sasebo to live with relatives due to his father’s job. Naturally, he’s a loner, a great student, and completely isolated from people since he’s always been moving around; he doesn't try to get attached to people in case he must leave them again. But there’s something in the air in Sasebo, and it’s not just love or friendship, it’s a new sound (to Japan at least) known as jazz. Music isn't new to Kaoru as he’s a classically trained pianist, but jazz is certainly new and interesting to him, as ... it takes him some time to ‘get it’. All the while he’s studying school and jazz, he’s also developing a social life with the school bad boy Sentarou, and his friend Ritsuko. Not breaking trope norms, Sentarou isn't a brute as his size implies, he’s actually a kind-hearted, caring young man. Ritsuko is in love with Sentarou, which obviously causes problems with Kaoru, as he loves Ritsuko. I know, I know, love stories and slice of life series are not usually my thing. I don’t often go for the dramas and similar ideas, but Sakamichi no Apollon does it so well, in every episode, that it’s hard to step away.

Watanabe’s direction, storytelling, and pacing are just so excellent, and there’s rarely a dull moment in the entire 12 episode run. Everything is well planned out, and leads to a satisfying climax. There are a few moments and questionable plot devices that get thrown in near the end that aren't really for the best, but looking back, they weren't too pivotal and quickly forgotten anyway. Sakamichi no Apollon is a strong long at not only a new sound in Japan, but religion in Japan also. Something rarely discussed or mentioned in many of the series I’ve seen; at least, something besides Buddhism or Shintoism. Sentarou and Ritsuko are both devoted Catholics, and while it’s not impossible for Kaoru to understand this, it is still a little bewildering for him. It’s never the focus of the main story, and there are a handful of moments about it, so it’s never force-fed or heavy-handed, but it’s still a prevalent component to Sentarou and Ritsuko’s characters. The series starts to show some weakness just before the finale, but it quickly pulls itself together by the end to produce an ending that’s not to be ranked ‘one of the best, or most original, but it’s satisfying and gives nice closure to the entire story.

Now accompanying every scene and poignant moment, Watanabe got the best Japan has to offer in the composition department and tasked Yoko Kanno in the role of handling it. And she absolutely killed it in the end. Sakamichi no Apollon’s soundtrack is gripping, but subtle, aware, but hidden. It’s all there, and even when you do not want it to, it will knock on the door to your feelings and come inside and affect everything found within. There are perhaps a few tracks that may seem out of place due to their sound Rosario is one that stands out for me), but they’re still exceptional tracks and they help make the scenes they’re used in so much more powerful. Yoko Kanno and the team she collaborated with to not only make the tracks for scenes, but for the jazz pieces too; they’re incredible. I usually don’t care for jazz, in fact, I really don’t like it, but this series, and the sounds and implementations of it, made me care (at least while watching the series). Yoko Kanno has always been on point with her soundtracks, and Sakamichi no Apollon ranks up there as another glorified treat for fans.

Another feast for the senses comes from the animation teams over at MAPPA and Tezuka Productions and their brilliant (and likely expensive) use of rotoscoping to animate several scenes in Sakamichi no Apollon. Rotoscoping is the process of tracing over live-action footage, then animating it for a more fluid, life-like presentation. A lot of Disney films used this over the years, and a few anime studios have done so too, but it’s a time-intensive and expensive process, so very few studios will opt-in to using it. For Sakamichi no Apollon though, it works, because the minute details of keys strikes, drum patterns, and plucking of the bass matters, and with the help of this animation style, they nail it. It’s used sparingly, and in other instances when not overtly necessary, but its uses never distract or hinder the rest of the show. Rotoscoping is truly a treat for the eyes, and I wish more animation were still done this way, because it invokes a natural, almost realistic production that pulls me in more.

Sakamichi no Apollon is still relatively new to the anime a few years to see if it stands out as one of Watanabe’s best, or sit on the shelves as just another series that exists. If you’ve read this far already, you’ll know what I think: you should be watching Sakamichi no Apollon. It’s likely unlike anything you've seen if you’ve never delved into romance or coming-of-age series, but it is well worth the venture.

OK, so before I say what makes Kids on the Slope good, I'm going tell you the reason why you might want to watch something else.

It's a highschool-romance-X-music-anime, set in a time period you probably don't care about, featuring a music genre you probably don't care about. The only conflict in the show develops from the characters not being able to fucking say what they are actually fucking thinking to each other.

There's three kinds of people in this world, Type A; the kind of person that thinks "yeah, this probably isn't for me". That's totally cool, there's heaps of good shows out there, go watch ... something else.

There's type B, who think "no cheese852, you're wrong, I actually do like [jazz/highschool romance/the 60's/poor communication]". Congratualations, you're a special unicorn, go watch the anime, you'll probably enjoy it.

Then there's Type C, who read what I've written and think "if that's what he thinks about the show, why did he give it a 10?". Well for you Type C kiddies out there, I write this review.

Sakamichi no Apollon is beautiful because of the way that the characters forgive each other. It sounds sort of dumb, but every time it happens, you get this warm fuzzy feeling through your entire body. These amazingly genuine feel-good moments actually made me care about jazz music. They made me care about the characters, the bully, the nerd and the goody two shoes. I'm writing this review from a bed in Sasebo, Japan, because I liked the show enough to spend seven and a half hours to train to bum-fuck nowhere to see the city that the show was set in.

10/10, would recommend to anyone who is looking for something to watch without action/fighting. It's also the only show that's brought tears to my eyes. If you're looking for those warm magical moments, this is where you'll find them.

Sakamichi no Apollon (or Kids on The Slope) is like a breath of fresh air from recent anime developments and definitely stands out from the rest. I don't think a show could have impressed me this much just by watching the first episode, and it left me with a better feeling than any anime I've ever watched ever has.

The animation is super unique as well, and far different from the cutsie pop-art style that's used so often to the point where you can't tell one anime from another. To summarize it briefly, it's the summer of 1966, and a really reserved kid named Kaoru Nishimi ... transfers from Yokosuka to Kyushu to a new school. I can't say too much without giving it away, but rather than the typical slice-of-life type of show, this story is pretty damn quality and unorthodox. I can't say much in this review, because everything basically starts in the first episode and doesn't wait too long to get into it.

The second thing you should know is that it's really music-centered. Specifically jazz-centered. If that's not your thing, turn back now. The OST is all jazz, the characters play jazz. The aspect of love is also explored as an underlying theme in this anime, and complicates things a bit, but that's all I'm going to say. Needless to say, I'm super excited about this anime and it's getting in the way of this review and I should wait to do it, but what the Hell.

Now the main characters are very ordinary looking. Apart from a few distinctions like glasses or a scar, they look like anybody you'd see on the street. You're not going to get any ridiculous hairstyles or clothes. They're also relatable and well-writen as actual human beings.

I'm not going to spend much more time on this. But I really suggest you watch it. This anime is just so extremely quality.

It’s not gay if it’s a three way.

As always, my reviews are spoiler free.

Jokes aside, looking at the surface of Kids on the Slope, one might think that it is a just another music SOL anime such as K-On! or Tari Tari. After all, each of these series is about a number of high school students living out their normal lives, all brought together by music. Look a bit deeper however, and you will see that Kids on the Slope, directed by the famous Shinichiro Watanabe of Cowboy Bebop and Samurai Champloo, is a totally different entity entirely.

Story - ... 7/10

Kids on a Slope is set in 1960s Japan, a time when American Jazz was a powerful part of Japan’s musical culture. During this time, an unlikely group of students gather together, united by this one common interest. From here their story unfolds, and in some ways the anime changes form entirely; for at its heart, Kids on a Slope is not a SOL. It is, in fact, a romance through and through.

The series often forgoes the focus on jazz that it presents in the first episodes of the series to focus on the relationships between the characters. That’s not to say that the viewer isn’t treated to frequent jam sessions throughout the series, but it becomes obvious that the character’s connections are now the main point of the series. I’ll go into this a bit more later.

As far as the setting goes, it’s pretty easy to forget that you are in 1960s Japan. There are indications, of course; mainly music references, but also the cars, record players, etc. However, the series uses its setting almost entirely for the music, and I feel a bit of potential is lost where it could have brought out a bit more character of the era.

Animation - 8/10

The animation in the show is well above average. Gradients are used to great effect, and shadows on the characters faces and backgrounds show great attention to detail. Character designs are unique, perhaps even polarizing. While the character designs are well done, the backgrounds can be a bit plain, and the frequently revisited areas are disappointingly plain.

Animation itself is beautiful. Everything is very fluid, especially the scenes in which instruments are played. The level of detail during these scenes is absolutely fantastic, but it makes me wish they would have used a bit of the animation budget on more detailed sets.

Sound - 8/10

Despite my insistence that this is a romance anime at heart, that doesn’t mean that a huge amount of attention went towards the music. Famous jazz makes up the majority of the music focused scenes, and this is where Kids on a Slope truly shines. However, its original soundtrack is average at best, relying on popular music of the time to keep the viewer entertained. Aside from the jazz, early rock begins to make its way into Japan (and therefore the series) as well, and becomes a source of contention among the characters.

Characters – 7/10

Kids on a Slope has a main cast of three characters: Sentarou, Ritsuko, and Kaoru. Sentarou and Ritsuko are childhood friends, with Kaoru having started attending the same school as them. Being new and rich, he quickly finds himself a social outcast. However, when looking for the key to the roof, he finds himself getting along strangely well with the short-tempered Sentarou. When Kaoru reveals he is a classical pianist, they find themselves playing jazz together often.

However, Kaoru soon develops feelings for the overly kind Ritsuko, who is the embodiment of indecisiveness when it comes to her feelings. The relationship between them, with the complication of Ritsuko’s maybe-not-so-sure feelings for Sentarou, makes up the vast majority of the series.

The supporting cast is more of the same. Yurika, a brief love interest of Sentarou’s, finds herself involved with Junichi, an older friend of Sentarou’s, and her life begins to change as well.

The characters are a mixed bag, really. In one respect, the indecisiveness when it comes to romantic feelings in the teenage years is accurately portrayed, and the characters realistic and likable. On the other hand, this indecisiveness and the classic “misunderstandings” starts to get old after some time, and I found Yurika and Junichi’s relationship a bit exhausting. Your enjoyment of the characters in this series will largely depend on how well you can handle the usual tropes that comes with a romantic anime. A surprising level of backstory is given for relevant characters in a series of this length.

Enjoyment - 7/10

If you go into this series expecting a light-hearted comedy with a music focus, you may be disappointed. What it does present is a slow romance with a musical base drawing the characters together. A nice collection of jazz music, good animation, and a solid romance between the main cast was all tied up together nicely for a twelve episode series.

Other Thoughts

Some say there may be some gay undertones between the two male leads. I didn’t really see this, but it is Josei after all, so men aren’t at their manliest.

Jazz.
I'm not quite a fan of it but, it's an "okay" music for me.

Josei?
Rarely read any manga of it, especially watch any of it.

These two factors gave me a very strong reason not to like this series, and yet here i am, writing this very sentence in front of my computer. Why is that? Let me escort you to the very "Realistically Enjoyable" series called Sakamichi no Apollon.

The story was set in the 60's when people would remember one of the biggest musician of all time, The Beatles. Their captivating staging while doing their concert, their youth, their wide musical genre which is known from ... Pop-rock to Jazz(not many know this, though), had made them a worldwide superstars, almost everyone( Including my Dad&Mum) went crazy for them.

And of course where the story takes place, Japan, is no different.

There was Nishimi Kaoru, a richie-rich boy type, who was immature because of his family and his surroundings.
Kawabuchi Sentarou, a tough-looking dude who's known as a feared deliquent in school, but unbeknownst to almost everybody, plays drum.
Mukae Ritsuko, Sentarou's childhood friend whose dad owns a Jazz shop with a Session Room for Sentarou to practice his drumming and having Jazz session.

These main characters were intertwined in those-you-call-cliche story and conflicts like heartbreak, miss communication, even Love Triangle(Sounds very cliche now isn't it?).
But why would i call it one of the best anime this year?

It's pretty simple.
It's enjoyable.

This series that makes 23 minutes seem very very very, short. You were seeing the opening theme (which is very good), watch the episode and in a blink of eye you will say," What, ending theme already?", making you eager and wondering what would the next episode be.

Not that this series perfect. Cliches. Sometimes you get annoyed because of this. Cleverly solved with adding JAZZ into it. Yup, without jazz this series would be the same as the other cliche slice-of-life. I must say, jazz was not my kind of tea in music, but i was smiling all the way every time jazz session was held in this series.

Some person that would say, "I don't like the art, it's not my taste."
Again, that kind of problem is solved with jazz session.
If there's one thing that is almost superb as the sound, it was the animation, NOT the artwork.
You see, in this series, we get to see how cymbals and snare get hit beautifully, how a fretless bass played harmonically, how majestic trumpet is played, and how magnificent piano is played.

This is what's most important, the title. Sakamichi no Apollon has English Title Kids on the Slope.
This anime is not only about love, friendship, or music. It's about a journey of growing mature in life. Kids on the slope will always find their "Slope" in life, troubled by those "slope", get through it, and find another "slopes" after the previous "slope". This is what every Slice-of-Life anime should be.

When anime fans see the name Shinichiro Watanabe attached to an anime they usually get excited due to his excellent work making Cowboy Bebop. So going into Sakamichi no Apollon there is a certain expectation given to the show. Unlike Watanabe's previous animes, this one does not have any action in it at all. Instead, the focus is on romance and drama.

Sakamichi no Apollon captures the setting of 1966 Japan well from the classroom to the clothes the characters wear to the style of music that is played. The backdrop for the story is great and unique as it is very rare to ever see ... an anime based on 60s Japan and jazz. However, while the setting may be unique, the story itself isn't. The romance is cilched with the usual misunderstandings, melodrama and love triangles. This detracts from the quality of the show as the romance becomes the focus of the plot. Nevertheless, Sakamichi no Apollon portrays the tension and emotion involved with love triangles well.

The best part of the show is the jazz and music. With Yoko Kanno in charge of the soundtrack, it is expected that it will be high quality and she delivers in every way. Not only is the score great to amplify the emotion and tension in scenes, it also delivers when the characters are playing jazz together. This is what holds the show together. The scenes where the characters are in the basement playing their instruments not only entertains due to the high quality of the music, but gives a great insight to the characters as their emotions are connected to the music they play. It is here where we see the bonds between the characters grow and it is through music that the characters heal their wounds. The opening theme is excellent and sets the tone well while the ending theme seemed a bit out of place.

The art style is also a high point of the show. With a slightly older style of character design, the art style helps immerse the viewer into the 60s. The animation is fluid, especially during the music playing scenes as the anime is very accurate in showing each note played by the characters. There is also no fan service at all which for me is a bonus.

The downfall for Sakamichi no Apollon is the protagonist, Kaoru. In the early episodes where there was more comedy, it was more enjoyable to watch as Kaoru's internal struggles are countered by the antics of Sentaro. However once the anime changes focus to the romance, there is far less comedy making Kaoru difficult to watch. In most scenes he can be rude, selfish or melodramatic, and with no comedy to counter it, the audience isn't left with much to enjoy when he is on screen. The other characters are much more well rounded and entertaining. Their growth is more visible and their flaws were realistic. Perhaps this may be simply because their inner thoughts are rarely verbalised, unlike Kaoru who is usually repeating the same thoughts of self doubt and pain.

While this may seem like a negative review of Sakamichi no Apollon, it shouldn't be taken that way as there is a lot to enjoy. There are no filler episodes, the story is concise and the music is wonderful. The ending is perhaps a bit rushed, but that seems to be a case of there only being 12 episodes. Nevertheless, this anime is easily accessible for anyone, anime fan or not. The series may not be the most memorable, but it is worth a watch, even just to experience the nostalgic feeling of change during high school.

I think that there are certain anime that come along in our lives that make us rethink our current ratings. They make us rerate the decent shows and the above average shows. They make 7's turn into 6's, and 8's turn into 9's. Why? Because you really don't know where to put them. Here on MAL we can only choose a single number to represent how we feel about the anime. But sometimes I'm left feeling like, "Oh, this anime was better than so-and-so, so I have to rate it a 8. But it was worse than so-and-so so I have to rate it a ... 7." Sakamichi No Apollon is one of those anime that confused me. Reading this review means that you're opting to know why.

Story: 7
Basic story. I think that often times in anime, if it doesn't have a show-stopping mindfuck of a premise, people rate the story lowly. I think that the only thing that matters is if the story is one that I can read about and then want to watch it. That doesn't make the story anything amazing, but it means that it has potential. I've never watched an anime based in the 60s before. That was cool. I've never watched an anime about jazz music before. That was cool. What the show lacked in is what it became in the latter half of the series.

Art: 10
I've got nothing but praise for the art in this anime. I kid you not, reading the dialogue wasn't my top priority a lot of the time. To me, the art was impressive. Usually in anime (or at least the ones that I have watched) they use very many lines. In this anime, they use blends. There's no line differentiating the skin that is shaded between the skin that is facing the sun; there's a blended transition. The fluidity of this anime was shocking. If anyone knows anything about anime, they'll know how there's usually a lot of corners cut when it comes to the art and animation. There's usually a lot of loops, and certain angles aren't fucked with. In Sakamichi, especially during their music scenes, there was nothing but captivation and awe within me. Like I said before, I've got nothing but praise for the art.

Sound: 9
An anime dealing with jazz... that's incredibly cool to me in itself. All this anime got me wanting to do is listen to Moanin' on a endless loop. The beginning theme is one of those themes that I will doubtlessly be listening to over and over. Something about Yuki's voice paired with the lyrics of the song gets me in this audacious mood. Seriously. It makes me want to get off my ass, go outside and live. The ending theme though, I can't say the same for. It wasn't bad by any or all means, but it wasn't captivating. I'd stop listening after the first 5 seconds. Mostly though, the music was enjoyable.

Characters: 7
This is where the anime began to fall on its face. One minute, I love the characters. The next minute they're doing some horribly dramatic, unnecessary thing. The main character, Nishimi, is probably the worst of them all. He makes the same mistake over and over and over again and makes things a lot worse than they have to be. And it's all is over absolutely nothing and it often escalates too quickly. He needed a heavy dosage of plz calm the fuck down. Sen is a character that I liked for the most part. I think that he was too quick to throw a fist, but I liked him nonetheless. He was funny, carefree and a good friend for most of the series. But he wasn't immune to enticing very worthless drama. Besides his few minor offences of that though, he was a good character. Ri'ko... I'm on the fence about. I have this huge thing against lacklustre, personalitiless, docile females in anime. There are SO many and they're all SO boring. She was a nice character and she did have flaws, she was just a... I don't know, boring character.

Enjoyment: 7
12 episode anime that took me some like 3 days to finish. With that, I wouldn't say that it captured my attention that greatly. But it certainly held it. There are some anime that are just impossible to put down and there are some that are impossible to not finish, even if it's eventually. 3 days isn't bad, but considering that I'm out of college and all I've been doing is eating and working out, it's not good either. I think that in the middle of the series my interest dipped, just to peak again in the last episode. I kept watching though, which means that I enjoyed it enough.

Overall: 8
What happened when I watched this anime, is that I didn't know whether to rate it a 7 or a 8. It was better than Kaichou wa maid-sama, which I rated a 7, but it was worse than Nana, which I rated an 8. What did I do? Change my rating of Maid-sama to a 6 and Nana to a 9 (plus it's one of my favourite anime, I don't know why it wasn't a 9 anyway). I was so set on rating this anime a 7, but I was really impressed by the ending. If it weren't for that, this anime would have gotten a 7, no question. Judging by the posts on the last episode discussion board people are very up and down about the ending, but in my opinion it was the perfect way to finish of the series on a bittersweet note. It also had me feeling for the characters more than I thought that I would, since I was never 100% invested in them. I was very impressed.

So is 8 an inflation? Sure is. If I could be more specific with my ratings, this anime would probably get a 7.5. Worth the watch, impressive bits, and slightly over average.

Set in 1966, Sakamichi no Apollon tells the story of three close-knit teenagers growing up in small-town, seaside Japan. The main conflicts and problems in the plot involve the drama inside this group. Put simply, if you are not a fan of drama and romance (and jazz, but we'll talk about that later on), you most-likely won't enjoy this show.

The art and animation is fluid, smooth and detailed, especially during the performance scenes, where you can truly see it shine. The drumming scenes with Sentaro particularly impressed me, showing off a sheen characteristic of Tezuka Productions. Watching the sticks perform fills and rolls, flourishing on ... the drum kit was incredibly satisfying.

Jazz music in Sakamichi no Apollon is the butter to the drama's bread. All the music in the show compliments and most importantly, intensifies the emotions felt throughout the show. Classic jazz musicians are referenced throughout the show (Bill Evans, Miles Davis, Art Blakey, John Coltrane), and episodes are named after song titles (a practice that Shinichirō Watanabe does frequently, most popularly in Cowboy Bebop). It is somewhat disappointing that besides the opening and closing, there is no original jazz songs created for the show, as that would have been exciting.

The characters and their development throughout the episodes is great. There are many twists and turns in their relationships, a few that you won't see coming, and ''like jazz, unexpected.'' By the end of the show, I truly came to cherish the friendship between the three. A main concept I picked up from the show is ''love is temporary, friendship is forever.''

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this show, and would recommend it to any drama fan, jazz fan, or even better, both. It's a bittersweet and simple slice-of-life that expresses and soothes the pleasures and pains respectively, of growing up, and finding love, and it uses the medium of jazz music and performance to send these messages. The show gave me goosebumps, made me tear up, made me laugh, and reminded me to cherish my friendships and my youth.

We all walk the slope everyday, but someday, when we stop, we will realise how much we miss it...

Before you read. This anime was very personal to me so I am very honest in what I think and felt about this anime. I gave this a perfect, and I would of course understand if you disagree. Nevertheless, I hope you enjoy reading my reasons and please feel free to comment or talk about this great anime. Thank you in advance.
I normally don’t give personal stories when I write anime reviews, essays, or articles, but this anime invaded the walls I built against other people and made itself home inside my heart as if it is one of the few special friends I treasure ... with my life. Although I was skilled at the acoustic guitar, I wasn’t in a band or any musical clubs when I was in my high school, but I was close friends with a female drummer who knew what she was doing and who was the school band’s drummer. We had only one thing in common; we both improvised our music. Her drumming percussion style was jazz influenced while my guitar was more café, romantic style. She would begin a light tap on the cymbals and I would start with a light bass with my thumbs, as she laid the beat down, my fingers would strike the bottom strings, sliding my left fingers up and down along the frets, occasionally snapping my fingers to provide a sharp note, and you get the picture. She was the one who introduced me to jazz, according to her, Jazz stood for; Jealously, Ardor, Zeal, and times two the Zeal. High school isn’t just a school. It’s a building where you realize first love never prevails, the sharp pain of envy of what you can’t control and have, and a building where it challenges those who have the passion to fight for the fight of their lives. If you’re lucky, you might even lose your virginity. Sakamichi no Apollon is the anime that reflected this statement, only in an incredibly amusing way, ecstatic jazz music, and honest colors.

Story: 10
As I mentioned in my rather long introduction, high school is a place where many young boys and girls experience genuine love, inevitable envy, countless misunderstandings, and last but not least, the strength to pave your own path to desire. Sakamichi no Apollon does the perfect, impeccable job conveying this atmosphere and I am not exaggerating in the slightest. A young misunderstood boy transferred into the countryside where he meets another misunderstood boy which they begin a mutual connection of being different from other people. This connection grows deeper in trust and loyalty as the episodes flies by. Meanwhile, these boys learn to love, let go, understand, and most importantly express their true parts not only through music but by words, actions, and honesty. These lessons and events stack and pile up until they create their own pace, tempo, and style in life and music. Despite stating the storyline to blandly, Sakamichi no Apollon amuses watchers in the best way possible, makes us cringe in disappointment from the stupid actions from our favorite characters, and makes us smile so warmly as these brave characters venture their lives in search of their zeal. Dialogue is incredibly well written. Jokes are plentiful, teasing the other gender in the most childish way can be spotted here and there, and nostalgia is abundant as I reminisced my drummer friend as I watched this show. Another aspect that really made me love this anime is the pace. For those who doesn’t exactly what makes Jazz Jazz, there is only one word to describe the charm of Jazz; Eccentricity. Jazz tempo can change in a single instant, and the impact is like a slap across the face. Jazz allows Jazz musicians express everything they feel, from the dark destructive thoughts they harness inside their hearts to the bright smiles and laughs they only allow their children and wife see and hear, always fluctuating the beat like a pendulum ball. This anime pace was fast and slow, emphasizing the charm of Jazz even more. I personally really loved the pacing of it, I just couldn’t stop watching it. The story in Sakamichi no Apollon deserves a 10 due to the fitting pacing of a Jazz anime and a well blend of both dark and bright emotions within high school life and love.

Art: 10
There was nothing phenomenal about the art. The year it was made was in 2012, a time where animes actually began looking more polished and graphically impressive compared to the past. And yet, Sakamichi no Apollon deserves a 10 in art due to two reasons. One, the choreography was very well directed and drawn. One of the main characters is a drummer and the way, the art how his arms flexed and moved, how his head bobbed along with the complex pattern of snares and cymbals planned within his head, how his eyes were half closed, as if his body was being controlled by someone else, all of that was clearly visible during drumming scenes. And that, was quite impressive and also amusing for a fellow musician like myself to watch another musician enter his zone of his own personal music, be it real or 2D. The movement within the entire series were well developed and laid out. I never saw a scene where something was off place or any obvious mishap within the art both in background and foreground. The second reason is the usage of color in the anime. When I mention color, I might sound like an old man seeing colored anime for the first time, but if you notice carefully, you can see how honestly color was implemented in this anime. I first noticed this in the opening in the anime which was insanely well drawn with lingering shadows and prominent details and charms of every character. In the anime itself, the colors are respectively very well balanced and measured to the exact amount. The lighting which supplemented the color was perfect, and there was not a single shot where it was odd or uncomfortable in the eyes. From the cheeks blushing from embarrassment and love, from the heroine’s cute freckles to her skin color, the white veils in church scenes, every color had their boundaries and the artist had done a splendid job of respecting each color to their roles. For those reasons, I would give Sakamichi no Apollon a perfect for art.

Sound: 10
Allow me to repeat myself. Jazz’s charm is its eccentricity. The taps of the drums can fluctuate however the drummer wants it do, the crashes from the piano, the toots of the trumpet, the low bass cello, every instrument can bring their own beat, tempo, and rhythm. However, here is the tricky part; your style and tempo shouldn’t contradict others’, it should complement along it. You can play however you want. If there is a sudden feeling of improvising your music, you are more than welcome. Just keep in mind that your music should be in synch with your team’s music. If you want to change the atmosphere so you can play your unique solo, you can give them hints to indicate that you want to take the lead and that the members should be the one to follow you. Teamwork is always important in music, but Jazz bands take it up a notch because nothing is planned out. The pianist might have suddenly remembered an old promise he made to his dying mother during a performance and he could signal his team that he would like to take charge to express the emotions he felt from that memory. Thus, trust, loyalty, and connection is absolutely essential in a Jazz band. The music here exactly does that so well, which is why I love this anime. During a performance, the pianist notices how the drummer was not giving his fullest on the performance. As a signal to shake him up, he strikes consecutive tones to alert the other members that he is going to raise the tempo up a notch so that the drummer can focus back on providing the percussions. Another scene was when the pianist began the rhythm and tempo and the drummer joined in, complementing with the beat, making everything natural and planned while it never was. Such symbols that define the true meaning and charm of Jazz was plenty which is why I highly praise the directors for exactly knowing and understanding what they have to do. For the reason the directors understood the true essence of Jazz music, I give the sound a complete 10, for it had just leveled with my expectations when I hear the word ‘Jazz’.

Characters: 10
The characters were perfect. In fact, the entire cast acted as a Jazz band. Conflict against characters are bound to happen, just like misconceived signals from other members. But they reconcile in the end because there is more than just music behind their relationship. There is respect, and as I mentioned before, trust, loyalty, and connection between each characters. Even the minor characters played special roles in which conjured unique emotions or reactions from characters such as the multiple siblings of the drummer or the pianist’s mother. I loved every single character without spite or detest. I found everyone to be essential to the story (with the exception of unnecessary multiple thugs). The relationship links with one character to the other was neatly developed and was hardly confusing. With memorable characters with passionate motivations to move on to prove the world and themselves, I give the characters a perfect 10.

Enjoyment: 100
I know I am exaggerating a lot, but I really, really, really enjoyed Sakamichi no Apollon a lot. The moment I saw the drummer skillfully tap the hasty beat with twigs, I instantly knew I was attracted to this mischievous drummer. I loved every second of it, every episode was delightful for my eyes, ecstatic for my ears, and always put a smile of nostalgia and just pure happiness. This honest, amazing anime is definitely worth watching, I highly commend this work and appreciate the creators for constructing a masterpiece of love, Jazz, and life full of uncontrolled yet synchronized beats, melodies, rhythm, and amusement.