Sakamichi no Apollon

Sakamichi No Apollon became one of my favorite animes. He is one of those anime that starts a silly smile your while makes you happy. It is simply amazing how the animation has a wonderful harmony, which gives you the feeling of watching an instrumental jazz.
It's amazing how the author managed to make an anime with a beautiful harmony. In which tells the story of three young people who have something in public, music. It was time that no one watched the anime different like this, which happens to adolência them like unrequited loves, fights best friends, laughter and high adventure, but more importantly ... their union when it comes to music, even after long time no meet each with their profession, but with the same feeling for music. He is a lovely anime ^^

Special.
That's the only word to describe Kids on the Slope.

Watanabe's works are always one of a kind. Better if Yoko Kanno is responsible for the soundtracks.
Jazz,or jaz-zi,is the backbone of the anime. So good that this is the first anime I watched while wearing my headphones all of the time.
It's just pure eargasm.
Watch it with a pair of good cans definitely will cure cancer and ebola.

The plot is full of twists, and emotional turns, as you can expect from a slice of life genre anime. Due to the pace of the anime ( Watanabe-sensei magic ) , everything just come and go, while leaving ... an impact in your heart.
Developments are there, but you won't feel the drag, which is a major flaw of the genre.

Characters are brilliantly designed. This anime is an adaption from a manga. So main characters and side characters shouldn't have any major flaws.
The plot is set in sixties, at the time where Beatles were still rolling and taking acids everyday.
So the characters might get a bit outdated, in the sense of conversations and actions. Which is great because the ACG industry doesn't give a lot of attention of details to the social status and environment when they try to make something that set in motion in other era other than modern times.

Art wise it follows the manga. So no mindbending eye candy instead of something you can imagine from the sixties. Again Watanabe-sensei's magic. YOU CAN EVEN SEE MINOR BLURRING ON THE SCREEN .
The artstyle fits the story perfectly. That's what I can say.

Watch it with a pair of good headphone. Or good hi-fi.
The random pop-out, or insertion of jazz is amazing and staggering.
These are a few of my favorite things~

After watching the Nodame Cantabile series, I was really looking forward to watching more music-related animes and just so happened to stumble upon Sakamichi no Apollon.
It is a story about Kaoru aka "Richie", a timid young man living in 1960s Japan. He lives with his relatives and has transferred to a seaport town, one of many transfers as he is always transferring schools and therefore never develops lasting relationships with anyone. He actually at times becomes sick as a result of classroom conflicts or interactions. However this all changes when he meets the class rep, Ritsuko, and her childhood friend Sentarou, who is notorious ... for his trouble-making and tough exterior. Although they appear to be polar opposites, Sentarou and Kaoru share a talent for music. Sakamichi no Apollon shows the development of the relationship between these 3 characters as Sentarou introduces Kaoru to jazz music and develops Kaoru's overall love of life and friendship.


Story: 9/10
Not overly complex, but short, fascinating and effective. It is definitely unique as it explores an aspect of Japan I never knew existed; Japanese culture and jazz music. The story was very relate-able, as it touched on common issues of loneliness, poverty/being broke and unrequited love. At times the situations did feel a little over-exaggerated but based on the personality types of the characters, it was not completely out of place. The anime is classified under drama and romance but I did find that there was perfect placement of humor and fun as well, especially with Sentarou and Kaoru.
Without giving anything away, the ending was, in my opinion, near perfection. It did not feel at all rushed but quite natural and really quite satisfying. It is rare for me to not feel a longing for more at the end of an anime but in this case, I truly felt the story needed to end there. This is not to say that I would not have appreciated more story, but it was just so perfectly wrapped up that it would seem unnecessary.

Art: 10/10- I have no real reason to explain why but I just think it was beautiful.

Sound: 10/10- The jazz pieces in this anime are beautiful, catchy and exciting to watch. A special mention goes to one performance by a character named Junichi, who without spoiling anything, surprised and drew me in so deeply that I instantly fell for him :P

Character: 9/10- All the main characters are very well developed and multidimensional. The good and the bad points of each character really made me like and relate to them more. The relationship between Sentarou and Kaoru is something special and was a privilege to watch. Even secondary characters that I started off not liking , like Yurika (a classmate and future love interest of one of the characters), I ended up rooting for at the end. The only character I had a problem with is Ritsuko, just because I did not find much interesting about her personality. But I still found myself liking her and cheering for her anyway!

Enjoyment: 10/10
Overall: 9/10
I think this is a great anime for people who like music but also those who like and appreciate history. I do not know how accurate some of the events are that are portrayed but it does show another side of Japan not usually seen in anime; in the time where the world was struggling with segregation, racism and in many countries, political unrest. For anyone who has watched Samurai Champloo or Cowboy Bebop, this is a great one to watch also. It was made by the same team that worked on Cowboy Bebop, and I believe although all 3 stories differ greatly in the plot, the quality of the storytelling is comparable.
Really to summarize, the bromance between Sentarou and Kaoru was so enjoyable and touching that I think there is an appeal for anyone (with a heart :P).

Sakamichi no Apollon (Kids on the Slope, or simply KotS) is a heartfelt, realistic look at a group of high-school kids and the effect that friendship, love and jazz has on their development. It is hard to describe in a short review; people write essays on the impact of music on someone's life, or the importance of friendship. It's much more enjoyable to watch a fully-realized, self-contained story complimented by beautiful art and simply incredible music, though.

Story: At the start of the series, it was tough to guess how the story would progress. The experience of watching the story play out over 12 episodes was ... wonderful. The story moved at a slow enough pace that you could feel the weight of a character's actions, or the emotional uncertainty that someone was experiencing. These dramatic moments are not rushed, and offer a chance to really connect with the characters. However, the story does not drag; even at a short 12 episodes, the story is fully realized and finished.

While the story revolves around high-school-aged kids, there is a refreshing lack of melodrama. While Kaoru sometimes overreacts, he will often talk with Sen and Ritsuko and try to work out their problems. It is nice to see teens portrayed in a more realistic light, rather than seeing them get in to trouble because no one wants to share their problems or issues.

Art: A soft, natural color palette for the backgrounds and crisp colors and lines on the characters makes the show very easy on the eyes. The character designs are realistic, and varied enough so that it is easy to remember who is who. The animation was very smooth, and I enjoyed that fact that when the boys are playing their instruments, it seems like they are _really_ playing. The hand movements match the rhythm and pitches on the instruments; it is not a stock animation of someone simply banging on piano keys.

Sound: The most outstanding aspect of the show is the music. Jazz is a major theme of the show, and it is used perfectly. The boys' jam sessions, performances and even just listening to the record players is a toe-tapping treat. The musical selections match the development of the characters and their relationships, and are perfect complements to the story.

The opening and closing songs seem oddly out of place, because they are not jazz tunes. Personally, I didn't care for them and skipped them.

I listened to the English dub, and found no faults with it. It was a little strange when the main female character started singing "My Favorite Things" in English with a Japanese accent, which seemed like a carry-over from the Japanese dub, but other than that instant the voice acting was great.

Character: The other outstanding aspect of KotS is the characters and their developing relationships. The unlikely friendship between Kaoru and Sentarou is a constant during years of crushes, falling-outs and make-ups. Kaoru and Sen's bromance is the one thing that seems to bring everyone back together, but the boys are no strangers to tough situations. As they learn more about each other and their troubled pasts, they grow closer to each other, and also grow as adults. It was very easy to relate to most characters, and the situations they found themselves in.

The minor characters are all memorable, and have major effects on the story and main characters' developments. The supporting characters really drive the story forward, and keep the story from being stagnant. Without them, we would be stuck in a love-triangle pit that many romance shows find themselves in.

Overall: KotS is an excellent recommendation if you like jazz, drama and a great story. It is light but still engaging, and not bogged down by unnecessary melodrama that so often accompanies high-school settings.

TL;DR 5 words/phrases to describe Kids on the Slope
GOOD JAZZ, emotional, great art, not rushed, GREAT JAZZ

Sakamichi no Apollon is in a genre of its own. I've never watched an anime that touched me quite like this one. Not only is the animation breath taking, at least for me, but I really enjoyed the tying in of the music with a day in the life.

I give the story a 9, simply because it's a cute story. I loved the development with interpersonal relationships, the real emotion, and how the story actually progresses in relation to time passing.

I give the art a 10, because the style appeals to me aesthetically. The movements of Sentarou and Kaoru when playing their corresponding instruments matches ... up beautifully with how someone actually plays it. The little details within the anime are especially appreciated.

I give the sound a 10 without a doubt. The songs are beautiful, hands down. How they pair all the instruments throughout the anime flow beautifully.

Characters get a 10. They all have their own personalities, and although I felt that the same thing kept happening between the main character and others, I think it shows the consistency with situations and people's behavior.

Enjoyment also gets a 10. I feel like I was an onlooker to them living their life and I was friends with them and was in the background. It was easy for me to relate to them, partially because I'm currently in high school, but I enjoyed seeing their emotions and having them react to outside influence.

Overall, I give it 9. I enjoyed the anime completely until it was the last episode. I felt the ending was a disappointment, and I felt cheated out of a potentially good anime ending, but I don't think it should sway you from watching the anime anyway. Overall, the story was excellent, and I'd absolutely recommend it, but just take the anime with a grain of salt.

回 Super Brief Anime Review:

To the Jazz head this is a 10/10 must see, but if you're not acquainted with jazz yet this anime is a great way to get into the genre. Tied together by a decent dramatic plot Yoko Kanno breaths fresh-life into classic jazz pieces that haven't received a good new rendition in half a century.
Filled with references to the jazz era various characters in the series symbolize famous musicians and the lives they lead – a big plus for the anime, however this element will be lost on most not familiar with jazz.

If you enjoy jazz yet don't ... care for the romantic slice of life plot you'll still find the 20 minuets well worth the 4 minutes of fresh (and exceptionally well animated) jazz riffs.
If you've never listened to much jazz but like a good S.o.L. plot you'll find yourself loving jazz by the end.

“I do my thing and you do yours. I am not in this world to live up to your expectations, and you are not in this world to live up to mine. (Frederick Perls)

Sakamichi no Apollon was a series that I, like a lot of people had high expectations for, when I first heard that Shinichirō Watanabe and Yoko Kanno would be working on this, their first project together since Cowboy Bebop I nearly wet myself, especially when I heard it was going to be set in 60s Japan and be about jazz. It goes without saying that as a huge fan of Bebop ... I couldn’t wait to see this. And for the most part it was a very good series that I enjoyed watching, but I was disappointed overall, it was not the classic I thought it was going to be, it was still good but not what I had been expecting and a good degree of that is because of how high my expectations had been set...

Sakamichi no Apollon is based on a manga by Kodama Yuki and tells the story of a boy named Nishimi Kaoru who has moved from school to school because of his father’s job. Constantly moving has caused him to become shut off from other people as he doesn’t see the point in making friends. But things change when he starts to get close to the class president, Mukae Ritsuko, and becomes friends with Kawabuchi Sentaro who is infamous for getting into fights and skipping class. The three of them find they have a common interest in music, namely jazz which helps bring them together.

While the story is interesting enough it was not an original written by Watanabe, this meant that he was limited in what he could do with the story and so we weren’t going to get another Bebop. Also the story of a kid who’s closed off but joins a new school and makes unlikely friends also falls in love is nothing new, but to the shows credit it takes this standard setting and turns it into something truly interesting to watch. Through its use of detailed and beautiful art, fantastic music and most importantly interesting characters which are the driving force behind it this series its able to shine.

The story is fun to watch but I couldn’t help but be a little disappointed that so much of it is dedicated to the romance and bromance, not that I didn’t enjoy it but its just that we've seen all this before. The problem I had with this series is that at it's core sakamichi no apollo is just another high school drama anime that we've seen a million times. That doesn't make it bad, in fact it's one of the best I've seen in a long time, but this could have been so much more. I mean you had jazz and 60s Japan as a setting, there was so much room for creativity and awesomeness but instead it got bogged down in high school drama. And there is a lot of drama in this series, it seems like every other scene is someone crying or slapping some one. Also the jazz elements of this series took second place to the drama most of the time which was very under-used. Again I must stress I don’t think this was a bad series in fact I really enjoyed it, I just didn’t get why there had to be so much drama and so little “60s Japan jazz” in a series that’s supposed to be about a group of people discovering their love of jazz.

As I mentioned before the characters are defiantly this shows strongest element, and despite the limitations of the story they are very depth-full and surprisingly interesting to watch and grow, especially my favourite Sentaro whose unpredictability and simple minded niceness make him extremely likeable and fun to watch. The slow pace of this series allows much time for the main characters to develop which was perfect as this is very much a character driven story, the many twists and turns that the characters go through as they grow is fun to watch if a little melodramatic at times but still very good. While some characters where given good development some where also virtually ignored such as Kaoru`s family or Ritsuko's father who I would liked to have seen be worked into the story more. But then again this was only a 12 episode adaptation of a 9 volume manga so maybe if there is a sequel they could work that in there.


Visually this series was very nicely done, and an all round pleasure to watch, nothing looked boring or badly drawn and virtually every scene looked excellent and so full of life and energy. The art was kind of simple but that was supposed to reflect the fact that they where simpler times back then and it really captured the feel of this time period and the characters well, with the series looking every bit as good as one might expect under Watanabe`s direction.

It impossible to write a review for this series without mentioning the music, the series features many great blues classics such as Moanin by Art Blakey and the jazz messengers and Chet Baker's But Not For Me and it was great to hear actual jazz music in an anime for once. Sentaro and Kaoru`s` jam sessions where also a pleasure to listen too but again there where far to few of them in a series that was supposed to have a central theme of jazz. I was also disappointed that that the opening and ending themes where not jazz, this surprised me as I was hoping for something similar to “Tank” from Cowboy Bebop but they were still good in their own right and did fit the series well . There where a few scenes where you could really feel that Yoko Kanno was composing the music with her influence being felt strongly at these times and this was when the music was at its best, when Yoko was just doing what she does best make awesome music for good shows.

So overall this was a very good series that when taken at face value is fun to watch with great music and interesting characters, it may have had a done to death story and not have been the classic some people where expecting but when you put that aside this is still a must watch and one of the best anime of 2012 so far and I would recommend it to anyone who wants an anime with a simple story, interesting characters and some really good music.

Sakamichi no Apollon, or Kids on the Slope, has generated a lot of buzz for all the right reasons. Even before it started airing, many were already heralding the new anime to be something great because of its director and music composer. I'm glad to say that Kids on the Slope lived up to those high expectations.

In a story set in the days of our parents' youths, a group of friends bond over music, complete with a love triangle sort of set-up, a megane, and a loveable Tough Guy. The main focus of Kids on the Slope is the growth and life-changing experiences of the ... protagonists. The characters are all particularly likeable in this series, with quirks and hidden hardships alike. Their relationships feel very real and tangible, which is helped along by some character asides or inner thoughts. They do have traits of their respective character archetypes (Tough Guy, Nerdy Glasses Guy, and the more-or-less Every-woman), but they can diverge from these archetypes into one unique character.

There is not really one set story, but it is more an accumulation of the events happening in the characters' lives. At one point the plot may just make you purely angry or sad at the characters' actions, but that is totally what it's supposed to do-- evoke emotion. Seeing these relatively complex and developing characters experience normal aspects of adolescence proves quite interesting.

I'm not one who is able to critique art, but as far as I can tell, everything in the series looks great; with extra attention to the main characters. Who of which are incredibly beautiful and detailed. One big exception, however, is the opening sequence with a bunch of off-model characters; where a running Kaoru doesn't have as much more than two boxes for glasses and a line for a mouth. Still, this can be overlooked compared to the rest of the art in the OP and the anime.

While I don't really know much about art, I MUST talk about the sound-- Oh my goodness. Where can I start? The promise of Yoko Kanno as music composer is what first enticed me to start Kids on the Slope. And when I heard it was music-oriented, I was already in love. I'm a big sucker for great OSTs, and Kids on the Slope has just that. I'm also a sucker for jazz. The sound is exemplary at integrating jazz and swing into the soundtrack without making it sound too foreign or out of place in a Spring 2012 anime.

Not only the OST, but the voice actors were great choices too. Each character's distinct voice suits them perfectly. I'd like to commend the actors' English too-- the CD had pretty good English for the vocal jazz pieces, and most likely a native speaker was hired for one of the more recent episodes.

All in all, Kids on the Slope is a definite favorite of mine for the Spring 2012 season. I deeply recommend this show for everyone; in particular, music junkies like myself, lovers of school drama/slice-of-life, and those just looking for a good show to watch. I look forward to it every week now, and I hope lots of others do too.

"Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens, Bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens,Brown paper packages tied up with strings, These are a few of my favorite things."

Okay people I'm just going to come out with it right now...Kids on the Slope is hands down one of the greatest animes I have seen not of just this year but in a long long long while...and I have seen some pretty great anime recently. Let me tell you from the moment this anime was announced having both Shinichiro Watanabe and Yoko Kanno working on the project, my heart filled up with glee and yours should've as ... well. Even before, I didn't realize how much expectations were going to be surpassed from this anime. Everything about this show is just beautiful.

Kids on the Slope follows the standard Slice of Life formula of having no central plot but rather show excerpts of life as it is displaying dramatic moments, and this show definitely delivers in the drama aspect of things. I mean it every episode of this show delivers, even when an episode starts out slow, it picks up leading to ending that fills you with goosebumps all over. Whether it is a serious or happy moment, you will enjoy this show from start to finish.

I think what I like about this show the most and what Shinichiro Watanabe is good at doing is making relationships between unlikely people. If you have seen Cowboy Bebop or Samurai Champloo (and if you haven't shame on you for not being a real anime fan), then you probably understand what I'm talking about. In this we have Kaoru Nishimi, who is a rich boy who likes to only keep to himself more the like the anti-social archetype. Then there's Ritsuko Mukae, who is the cute naive type. Finally, there's Sentaro Kawabuchi, who's the tough bad boy archetype. However, the beauty of all this is that all these characteristics change through the course of the show and suddenly the characters that you thought were not going to get along end up becoming the best friends...two of them even more than that. The beauty gets even better as these characters start becoming likable and change in the second episode of the show exhibiting the excellent pacing this show brings. I myself was afraid that the show was not going to be interesting considering how fast things evolve and it turned out it kept me interested every week plus love it even more than I already did. I think what I love most about this show is that doesn't rely on forced manipulation. In other words, it doesn't try to be too cute (such as Usagi Drop) or be too melodramatic (like AnoHana). It all comes out naturally and realistically, the way real life drama is like. Unscripted and improvised all throughout.

On the technical side of things, the animation will throw people off. For me, I love it being that it's animated by the same person who did Paradise Kiss, another favorite of mine. However, a lot of people not used to this art style will be swayed a bit, but then again I think that you'll love it even if you don't like the art style. Plus, if anything this is probably one of the more accurate depictions of Japanese people than most anime in general. I think however another huge strength of this show would be it's music. Once again, the music of Kids On the Slope is done by none other than the great Yoko Kanno. The OP and ED are good but they don't really go with the Jazz feel of the show, but they are great nonetheless. The soundtrack is great with classic Jazz hits such Art Blakley's Moanin and Lullaby of Birdland, and when these tracks are played, you remain silent and are breathless at the cinematography of the scenes.

Once again Shinchiro Watanabe brings us another show that not only is a masterpiece of it's own right, but is also something that can be appreciated by the Xenophobic type. Really, Bebop, Champloo, and now this are among the shows that I believe any person can watch to get into anime. I cannot recommend this show highly enough. GO WATCH IT NOW!

This is quite easily my personal favorite title that I seen for the Spring 2012 season. Taking place in late-1960s Japan, Kids on the Slope believably depicts the major norms and events of the time period mixed with the complicated developments that take place in the bonds between Kaoru, Sentaro and Ritsuko. Spanning the length of three years, Kids on the Slope explores the developing relationships between the three friends as they have their quarrels, develop friendship and even some romantic developments as Kaoru finds himself smitten with Ritsuko. A major part of this bond comes from Sentaro's love of jazz, which is strongly emphasized ... through the songs that Sentaro and others usually perform with him coming from famous musicians like Bill Evans, Rodgers and Hammerstein, Chet Baker and Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers. Yoko Kanno offers up her music composure talents in pulling off these Western musical pieces for Kids on the Slope and as usual, they are quite excellent to listen to.

The major characters of Kids on the Slope are well fleshed-out as you become familiar with their upbringings, personalities and backgrounds. Characters make foolish decisions that can be risky or risk a rift in the bonds established which occur naturally and could actually happen with anyone in real life. In particular, the actions of one of the major characters in the series relates to the student protests taking place in Japan during the late 1960s connected to the country's relations with America which were still touchy following Japan's loss in World War II to the West, a nice touch in believably depicting the events of the time period.

The only flaw I could find with Kids on the Slope came in the form of its final episode where events felt rushed and it left some details on the developments of some characters rather unclear, especially in the case of Sentaro.

In terms of animation, the series features beautiful and well-detailed settings of the various Kyushu locales that the characters settle or go through and features fluid animation in many instances from anything like high school students walking to school to close-up shots of characters playing different musical instruments. Character designs are well-designed and detailed as well, though the facial designs of characters looked a bit rough in close-up shots.

Overall, I'm quite glad that I had a chance of seeing Kids on the Slope as its excellent fleshing out of characters, accurate portrayal of 1960s Japan and Yoko Kanno's musical presence definitely stuck out for me. This is quite easily one of my favorite titles of 2012 thus far.

Sakamichi No Apollon is, to put it simply, a taste of life.

I watched it on a whim when I was looking for a show to watch and ate through all the episodes in one night.

The story is realistic, I feel. It touches upon some really human emotions, the simple ones. The ones we deal with in our everyday lives: the happiness we acquire from those around us, confusion, misunderstanding, love (not necessarily romantic love). The plot sucks you in and by the second episode you are attached to the characters completely. The ups and downs they have, you feel too.

The art is simply stunning. Simple, ... yet effective. The characters have distinct features that are unique and interesting. While there are the occasional sausage hands and some odd blobs, usually even down to the fingernails are done in a very tactile way. The animation is smooth and clean.

Sound, well it has to be good for a show with a music theme! And it was. I enjoyed listening to both the jazz the characters played as well as the jazz that was in the bg music. It moved from classical to jazz appropriately based on the mood. Even though the singing was mediocre, I actually quite enjoyed the cover of "My Favorite Things".

Character is the only place where this show lost a pinch of its greatness. And its only because of the relationship between Nishimi and Ritsu. I felt that them never having a real good romantic moment was a bit of a letdown. It was always one or the other in a bad mood or misunderstanding. I feel like all the other characters got their "happy ending" except these two. Even Sen is happy despite vanishing after he crashed his bike. But the ending made up for most of it. I was left feeling like "everything is ok and is going to be ok in the future" which is how i like to feel at the end of a show. So only 1 point lost here!

I thoroughly enjoyed this show! It felt real - relate-able. Visually and sound-wise, yummy. Good characters. Cliff hangers at ends of episodes were perfect and made me want more. Its a melancholy show that fluctuates between heartache and simple but wholesome happiness. You go up and down, but you are sure to feel good at the end! A must watch!

Kaoru and Sentarou become best friends, meet girls, fall in love, and play music, portrayed as a turbulent ride in the 60’s.

Kids on a Slope is character driven, the MC’s friendship grows, diminishes, and relit repeatedly like a rollercoaster ride. The MC’s are in middle school. They fall in love innocently but are new to the concept. Viewers will feel sympathetic to their naivety and will be irritated by their lack of confidence. The drama lies in complicated romance triangles, betrayals, jealousy and doubts, but most heavily on friendship. These aspects reveal different sides to the characters' personalities.

Kaoru is physically vulnerable but is academically intelligent, ... a weak hearted and self-centred protagonist; he runs away instead of apologising after hurting others in order to protect himself. Sentarou does the best for those around him. He is tall, scar-faced and is feared by his school mates. He, unselfishly, places others’ well-beings above his own, and does what he wants.

The supporting characters are vital to prevent stagnation to the plot. They are not there to provide comic-relief; they are multi-dimensional persons with their own lives and strong roles in the series.

The art is refreshing, toned to fit its environment. The animation is crisp but fluid, with movements well matched to the beats and dialogue. VA’s are excellent in expressing a mix of emotions. The soundtracks are pleasing to the ears. Its opening song is happy with hints of angst, which reflects the series very well.

It doesn’t take much effort to dive into the series’ setting because it’s very atmospheric. The music, the art style, the characters’ clothes and behaviours make this feel like the 1960s. Do not expect hearing jazz in every scene as this is not a musical; the music is mixed in to incite and compliment the drama, having said that, whenever the characters do play music, they give off plenty of energy and passion. Their distinctive actions match the beats, the camera angles give us different perspectives, and the licensed pieces themselves are dynamic, easily making these moments the highlights of the series.

Although, Sakamichi no Apollon has some predictable twists and foreshadow, they are very well executed. The tears and laughs don't feel forced. The pace might appear slow at the start and fast towards the end, but it is creditable to the director for setting up the characters and plots sufficiently to allow the viewers to keep up with the follow-throughs that approach the finale.

Kids on the Slope will leave you wanting more but satisfied without the need for more. At time of writing, it is available to stream legally on Crunchyroll.

It took me 9 months to finish this series because it was very hard for me to stay on this. So why am I giving this an 8?

Story: It's a simple-yet-not-so-simple coming-of-age story of three friends and a connection with music, which is a big underlying theme. If you're a music lover (especially jazz), you'll very much enjoy this series as some conflicts are resolved with music rather than words. While the story isn't groundbreaking and has a conflict (and in some cases, predictable), it became much more enjoyable as the series continued. So if you're stuck in the first few ... episodes, keep at it. It certainly feels like a really dry drama at times but becomes more enjoyable and has a decent ending.

Art: The animation is unique, though a bit more shoujo style yet slightly retro look. It definitely tries to keep with the late 60's/70's rural Japan feel. The opening introduction is animated beautifully.

Sound: The jazz is very well done, with Yoko Kanno doing the intro theme and some of the piano throughout the series, generally very consistent with the theme. It doesn't stray away from the music-based show. Both the English and Japanese dubs are spot on and well done (except Seiji, which I'll explain later).

Character: This is the only part I felt the series was weak. You really can't like any of the characters except Sentaro, and even then, he's more of a supporting character. I'm not sure why some shows insist on having a main character that is not likeable nor someone you can sympathize for. Ritsuko is a stereotypical shy girl that can't decide on what she wants, Sentaro is almost the stereotypical muscle-bound blockhead, and Kaoru is an anti-social nerd. They're mostly flat characters with no ambition to develop them in 12 episodes. As a slice-of-life show, that might be fine but because this show works to evolve the character relationships and school life, it especially makes it hard to really want to get into the show. Also, I have a small problem with how the English adaptation pretty much made one of characters more ridiculously flamboyantly gay rather than effeminate and a bit more subtle. Going back and forth from the original material, it felt like the ADR wanted him to stand out more than he needed to for the English dub, which in turn made him more obnoxious (and in some cases, made him comedy relief where it wasn't needed).

Enjoyment: Flaws aside, by the time I got to the 6th episode, it got more fun to watch and I really started to enjoy the show. Again, the music kept the show going and always fun to listen to the performances throughout the shows.

Overall: The music drew me into the series. The animation was wonderful and the way they tie in the story, characters, and music together was well done. The show finishes on a high note (no pun intended) and keeps consistent throughout the entire series. I don't consider this a show for everyone in fact, I'd say it's more for classical and jazz lovers and targeted for an older and a bit more mature demographic because of the pacing and themes throughout the show. Again, if you've only seen a few episodes, keep going and bear with the pacing. The characters do have their annoying human moments but again they don't get their moments without a reason or personal revolution.

My first ever review on this site! And my first 10!.
In all honesty this show forced me to write a review, I enjoyed it that much. What makes the plot so good is it's characters, they are all enjoyable in their own way as well as being extremely relate-able. The characters grow on you very quickly and you feel all the pain and happiness that they feel within the first few episodes. The show also made my laugh out loud many times throughout the 12 episodes even though the specific moments were not necessarily meant to be funny, i was laughing with the characters ... on many occasions instead of laughing at them like in many comedy shows. I also realized that i was smiling at times without realizing it simply because of the love for the characters, however the anime is not all fun and games as it takes a refreshingly realistic stance in terms of the romance in a similar way to "5 centimeters per second". The story pics and chooses it's moments perfectly to tug at your heart strings perfectly with many moments causing me to choke up (Big deal as I don't cry at all) while also being packed with memorable moments that make my hairs stand on end. The story completely drew me in and this tale of friendship was an absolute masterclass. 10/10

The story was accompanied by beautiful animation and outstanding music thanks to Yoko Kanno and a plethora of well chosen jazz pieces that are played throughout the show. The opening is delightful and the ending equally great, songs are perfectly suited to their moments whether it be happiness or heartbreak.
The animation is also top quality with excellent shading and crisp lines that are extremely realistic and make the characters so life like and contribute greatly to the realism of the show. In terms of animation when Kaoru, Sentaro and co where jamming out it was outstanding again. The animation quality was fantastic and you really felt like they where playing the instruments with such fluid and life like animations. Big acclaims to MAPPA and Tezuka Productions. 10/10

Overall I think it's easy to see my love of this show and my reason for writing a review. The show is perfect in every way with interesting and lovable characters, excellent and fluid animation as well as truly beautiful music. Really urge you all to watch this show as it was a thoroughly enjoyable roller coaster of emotions as I followed these friends in an excellent coming of age story. What seems like a love story is ultimately overshadowed by true friendship. Masterpiece.

I don't know too many anime but I would definitely tell you to check out 5 centimeters per second if you liked this show. I'll leave you with my favorite quote from the show. Thanks for reading!

"Treasure him. Unlike love affairs, friendship is for life."

This series could be easily summarized in just a few words. Serious, Deep Friendship, and Jazz. Kids on the slope is an incredibly good anime about a nerd becoming a friend with a school gangster. Later on playing musics together, deepening their relationship and passing through obstacles together. Such as love and trust.

You know, an anime this serious that you could even call it a Japanese series is extraordinary. I love anime and the fact that it exploits its potential by making the impossible become reality. But seeing just reality itself sometimes can be very entertaining.

Well, sure. Its an anime so it couldn't ... possibly be REAL. But it does really show a great deal of realism. Thus why I said it could even be a Japanese series ( talking about the real life made ones ).

This anime is very, very, very good. I like the music. I like the romance. I like the friendship. I like the seriousness. This anime is highly recommended for those who are Josei lovers. But hey. I ain't that much of a Josei lover myself so this anime is recommended to EVERYONE. Find a free time in your life and try this, mates. You don't regret it.

Kids on a Slope/Sakamichi no Apollon/坂道のアポロン Review


Story (7/10) Good
More Specifically (7.5/10) Good+

The story for Sakamichi no Apollon was good, seeing that this is obviously just a slice of life and nothing more I felt it did it's job good enough for to keep my interest. It's not like I don't like Slice of life but I definitely don't go out of my way to watch any of them. And with that being said I don't regret watching this one as it definitely hit all the right pros of being a slice of life and if there's a key word that does come ... to mind it's laid back. The story stayed at a great pace for the first few episodes around the end it did speed up quite a bit especially in the last two with the accident and the 8 year time-skip conclusion. I'm not sure if this anime adapted everything that the mangaka has created in her manga adaptation I wouldn't be surprised if it didn't. But nonetheless as an anime only watcher I felt it was done well. As I didn't feel any sort of unsatisfaction by the time it concluded.


Art and Animation (7/10) Good
More Specifically (7.5/10) Good+

I can tell just by looking at the cover and a couple of pages of the manga that MAPPA tried to keep the art style of Yuki's manga adaptation authentic to some degree when it came to adapting her work. Her art style isn't the best in my opinion but it's definitely unique. The animation seemed fine not much in a slice of life to show off anything that would require heavy animation for other than the small fight scenes that the character Sentaro got and them running down the slope. So MAPPA did a good job there also nothing to mind blowing but definitely nothing to really complain about.


Sound (9/10) Great

The sound was great for Sakamichi No Apollon and seeing that this anime does has music as one of it's key elements, it's a given. It was nice to hear the Jazz and Classic music that the main characters played during the anime. And the voice acting was pretty good also (English Dub) there were some background characters that had voices actors that I felt didn't put any effort into their lines but background characters are irrelevant in the grand scheme of things but it did stand out for those split moments, other than that no real issues sound was great.


Characters (8/10) Very Good

The characters in Sakamichi no Apollon were very good. They did all have good, reasonable and believable personalities for the most part which is what I think you should shrive to create when you make a good slice of life it should be close to realism when it comes to your characters which I felt this series did a very good job on. It there's one issue that did stand out to me when it came to the characters is firstly they are around the ages of 15-16 which it considered Teen or Pre-teen the least not kids which it the name of the anime (nitpicking! SURE WHATEVER IT'S FORGIVEN) point is the new found emotion of "love" is introduced to both the main character Sakamichi and Sentaro as apparently they've never had this feeling before. I can only speak for myself but I do feel it was rather unrealistic and took me out of the mood asking questions like "wait they are 15-16 just getting these types of feelings?". Like I said I can only speak for myself since you know I've only lived one life so far (the one I'm living now) and I had my first crush or what ever as early as the 2nd grade which should be around the ages of 6-7. So hopefully you can understand how it can be hard for me to find this believable when the age differences between 6-7 and 15-16 when it comes to having such emotions for the first time. Like I said I can only speak for myself but if you are reading this you tell me who was your first crush and how old were you? Because I was around 6-7 and I can only speak for myself if you were around their age when u experience the same and good for you but I couldn't relate. On the other hand the characters did give off other emotions later in the anime that are indeed relate-able which I do give them credit for but the specific one I can't.


Enjoyment (8/10) Very Good

I was able to finish this in one sitting, which should show that it did keep my interest enough for me not to say "Ok I'll finish the rest of the episodes later". One could say "oh it's because you just finish getting caught up with One Piece (which I have) 12 episodes ain't shit in comparison (which is true)" BUT I don't remember ever being able to finish a 12 episode anime in one sitting usually not matter how intrigued I am I'll always end up saying "Alright I'll finish the rest later". (Or maybe it's because One Piece has increase my tolerance when it comes to saying that WHO KNOWS). All I know is All I know, and what I know is that I fairly enjoyed this anime enough to binge the whole thing end of story.


Overall (8/10) Very Good

For a slice of life anime this was a very good one, if anyone ever asked what slice of life anime have I watch I can indeed say this anime proudly as the first one with I were to name a list of Slice of life anime that I've seen and enjoyed.

Although I really love both anime and music, music-themed anime has always seemed to let me down. From over-dramatic and sappy Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso (which I absolutely loathe) to all-flash-and-no-substance idol series like Uta no Prince-Sama and Love! Live The School Idol Project (as well as shows like Kiniro no Corda which fall somewhere in-between), music anime often fails to convey what music is really all about. Regardless of how many times I've heard all these characters say how much they love music and how it brings them together, I've always had a really hard time believing them. Until now, that is.

Since ... Sakamichi no Apollon is a music-themed anime which relishes in its simplicity and realism, its story is far easier to believe and its characters are far easier to relate to (compared to all the other shows in this category). Although I grew up loving the magical girl genre (and other crazy supernatural stuff like vampires), I can definitely appreciate anime that is far more grounded in reality when it is done as masterfully as Kids on the Slope.

From the unique and understated art and animation to a color palette that is extremely vibrant yet also realistic, everything about this anime is beautifully subtle. Although the emphasis on a more traditional Japanese lifestyle as well as a setting involving a slope and a seaside town in the 1960s initially reminded me of Studio Ghibli's "From up on Poppy Hill", Kids on the Slope is far more complex and interesting, hence also far more entertaining.

Despite being able to draw this comparison, I still found the setting of the story to be extremely refreshing, for there are only so many slice-of-life shows set in city schools you can take before getting bored. Additionally, this anime did not revolve around idols (like UtaPri and Love! Live) or classical music (like Kiniro no Corda or Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso), but instead decided to focus on jazz - a music genre that is often underrated and somewhat neglected in our day and age. While I would personally listen to classical music, JPOP, rock, or any other genre before jazz on any given day, I know not to judge a book by its cover and to always keep an open mind (especially when it comes to anime).

It is perhaps for this reason that I was pleasantly surprised by the actual jazz music used in this show as well as the fact that I enjoyed an anime focusing on my least favorite music genre way more than I did those that focused on genres I actually like. As such, I think it's safe to say that you don't need to know anything about jazz (or even be a fan of it in the slightest) to be able to enjoy and appreciate this series. Furthermore, this anime is super inclusive when it comes to music and features classical pieces like "Clair de Lune" from Debussy as well as songs from The Beatles and even The Sound of Music. Additionally, the use of JPOP is almost inevitable when it comes to anime openings and endings. While I wasn't a fan of the opening initially, it did grow on me over time and seemed rather fitting for the general mood and tone of the series. The ending, on the other hand, made me happy from the first time I heard it, for I immediately recognized Motohiro Hata's voice (which I first heard in Kotonoha no Niwa and have been in love with ever since).

Another positive aspect involving the sound of this series is of course the voice acting. Although none of my personal favorites were featured here, I still think that all of the seiyuu did a pretty good job and managed to convey the emotions and personalities of their characters really well. I could also hear some regional accents going on (which are always hard to pull off in any language) and I can only presume that they were done well, for if a foreigner with no knowledge of Japanese can recognize them, then so can the actual Japanese.

As mentioned above, this anime is rather subtle and understated in many ways (especially when compared to most of the other shows we've had recently). However, even if there are no crazy hair colors or fancy special effects, the animation still feels pretty sleek and modern. Despite being initially skeptical about it given how the flying music notes in the opening seemed to resemble those from Your Lie in April and the somewhat flat character designs seemed to echo Studio Ghibli (both of which things I actually hate), I was pleasantly surprised by how great and unique the animation actually was. Although at times it seemed more like a Western style of animation rather than a Japanese one, this would obviously fit with the more "Western" music genres (like jazz and rock) that the anime was supposed to portray really well, so it also felt appropriate and refreshing.

Perhaps the only thing more accurate than the pacing of the animation and the "camera angles" was the actual pacing of the story. While seemingly simplistic and relaxed, the plot does have plenty of drama here and there (which almost always seems believable and never over-the-top) and often delves into darker topics involving family issues and personal struggles. If you also happen to like love triangles then you're in for a treat, as there is not only one but two of them, with both eventually transforming into some sort of hexagon. While I don't normally care for such complicated relationships, it was definitely a nice break from the generic harem and reverse-harem setups which are lacking both in purpose and imagination and unfortunately also happen to be pretty much everywhere today.

From its clever use of music and animation to its enthralling pacing and storytelling, it's been a while since I've seen an anime that combines tradition and nostalgia with modernity and innovation quite so well. It's been even longer, however, since I've watched an anime that could actually make me believe its not-so-ridiculous setups and plot devices and therefore also often make me feel "warm and fuzzy" inside.

While I understand that the themes of music and relative realism may not be for everyone, I still think that everyone should give this anime a try. As someone who had almost completely given up on music anime and then suddenly found this little gem and fell in love with it, I think there's definitely hope left not only for the genre itself, but also for anyone who watches it expecting to fall in love with it (or at least enjoy it) too.

Nishimi Kaoru just joined a new school. He is used to move regularly but still feels uncomfortable. To fight against this stress, he found refuge on the school roof. This time, he will come up against Sentarō, the brawler feared by all the students. These two boys who appear to be of opposite character succeed in understanding each other and find common ground, especially through music.

We meet Kaoru. immediately, we understand what kind of boy he is. He is solitary, unsociable and even very stressed. He has the perfect profile to be excluded or bullied. moreover, he is of good family and had good grades. ... So he will be cataloged from the first day. Then we discover Sentarō, he skips courses and never misses an opportunity to fight. Dynamic and jazz's passionate, Sentarō won my sympathy !!

These two characters have classic personalities. On one side, we have the good student, quiet and lonely. On the other, we have the great big guy, feisty but ultimately harmless. They seem diametrically opposed. Yet both are uncomfortable at school and both are passionate about music. Gradually they will come together, with the help of Ritsuko, the charming delegate of class. I enjoyed this rapprochement between these three characters. The enthusiasm of the girl and the feisty character of Sentarō will undoubtedly evolve Kaoru.

The animation is very good and gives the series its comic dimension.

Over the episodes, the budding friendship between Kaoru and Sentarō will evolve even if sometimes the romantic feelings they develop in parallel will interfere. A love triangle is created from the first episode between our three protagonists. Then, other characters enter the scene and are interfering in their relationship.

Besides romance, school life takes a significant place although it does serve as backdrops. The relationship with the other students are important because they can see how Kaoru managed to find his place in this school.

Music is also omnipresent. It allowed our two heroes to find each other and it will hold again this role several times in the series, especially in the final scene.

I rarely pay attention to the soundtrack of an anime. Nevertheless, in Kids on the slope, it is hard not to hear. This is obviously a lilting and causing jazz that accompanies every scene.

Kids on the Slope contains all the ingredients to make a series of quality: a compelling story, a successful animation, neat designs and lively music. Enjoy it, because it's free :-)

"My favorite things are the footsteps of a certain person heading towards the house, the sound of the piano and drums riffing in the basement, and the laughter of two boys."

Sakamichi no Appolon feels like a brief, gentle touch of those things most of us dream of: music band, hanging out with friends, being in love with a girl... But the one who really runs the show in this title is the one and only jazz.

Story: 7/10
The story is pretty good at the first half of anime, but at the second one all the characters get screwed over making too many mistakes. Same thing ... about drama: in one episode it feels unnatural and artificial while in the other one it really gets the hold of you.
The other thing I'm still complaining about is the ending. It has no logic, no common sense, nothing. If it would end right after the train scene, it would be pretty sad, but realistic at the very least. C'mon, Watanabe...

Art: 10/10
The art is one of the best pros of the title. It's really colorful and alive, plus, there's no typical moe elements, emoticons and other annoying stuff. The character's cheeks blushing never felt so real.

Sound: 10/10
Not much to say about that. Jazz is flowing through this title and I was personally screaming 'Let's jam!' everytime the guys started playing. Music in Sakamichi no Appolon connects people, starts competitions and generally makes everyone shake off the bad feelings much faster, then any magic in the world.

Character: 8/10
Characters fit in the anime pretty well.
Kaouru is a typical depressed individual, always feeling out of place and having noone to care about, at least, at first. Didn't expect him to get along with Sentarou at all.
His personality is quite contradictory. Today he keeps calm and teaches someone, how to date properly, tomorrow he cries like a psychopath. I personally find his sufferings pretty pathetic and childish at times, but his problems still feel really human.
Sentarou. Who would predict, that a typical school bully would be so kind-hearted and easy-going? He really makes contrast with Kaouru, but I still feel, that he is a bit to quick with making decisions.
Ritsuko is a pretty normal girl. The love story in Sakamichi no Appolon is far from being the best one in the world, and I still get a feeling, that it could end in a much better way if both characters acted a bit differently.
I personally liked the story of Yurika and Junichi. It really shows how far can people go, if they care about someone and it left quite a bit of stuff to think about as well.

Enjoyment: 9/10
The musical part of Sakamichi no Appolon is a real masterpiece. I enjoyed everything else too, despite the story and the characters personalities being really strange, at least, in my personal opinion.
I would still advice this title to everyone, who wants to dive in the world of jazz music, youth and little moments of human happiness.

Story: 9/10

A really short story about kids finding they way to enjoy their life in a simple and beautiful way - by playing Jazz music together. I personally loved the story because it really opened my eyes in that little time watching it. You don't need much to be happy and enjoy life, just be yourself and love the things you do, do the things you love, and do it with the ones you love. This short story shows so many different characters and different stories for each of them, with all their problems but also their personal enjoyment. You can actually feel how the ... characters are feeling, just by watching the anime and this fascinated me so much.
I wanted to see more of this anime, to enjoy it a little more, but i can't change that this is just a short story, but a really beautiful one.

Characters: 9/10

Already mentioned almost everything i wanted in the "story" part. I totally loved them, acting normal, sometimes being harsh to each other, sometimes really nice, sometimes disappointed and sometimes proud to be together as friends...that's all part of being human, not only human...but a person. This anime shows that clearly :)

Animation: 9/10

I loved the animation because of two things. First of all the typical stuff like the colors and the surroundings which are really really looking great, i fed my eyes by watching it ^^.
Second, the movement of the characters while playing their instruments, it was really fascinating. Go watch the anime and you will understand what i mean.

Music: 9/10

Love the OP theme
ED theme was nice but a bit of in my opinion
The in anime music...can't really complain because the anime is partly a music anime series and i totally enjoyed listening to the music played by the characters. This jazz music was so entertaining, full on energy and full of happiness. Every time they were playing, i felt like i'm playing with them and having fun with them.

Ending words:

I don't know about you, but I'm someone who can really enjoy an anime easily when I feel like i'm part of it, like i'm there with these characters and go along with them and their problems, their stories and their life, it really makes me feel like I'm somewhere else for a moment, to enjoy myself a little bit somewhere else, somewhere where i want to be.
And i had that feeling while watching this Anime and i'm really thankful for that and also glad i was able to watch this.