Gakkatsu!

[Final Update: Finished Watching the Series]
Never underestimate a childish anime. From beginning to end "Gakkatsu" kept me entertained. Each character had their own charisma and made the show more fun to watch. In terms of short anime I have watched before, this really stands among the top. My only complaint is that it was too short.

Story: 9
The idea of a curious classmate leading a class in a discussion, made me curious. She leads the class not in discussing things in textbooks or about what they should be doing, but rather learning about life. They are not bound by the ideals of man and with their ... innocent hearts come to conclusions about various things. This often leads to hilarious conclusions to perhaps complicated thoughts. That is one of the reasons this show is enjoyable. I would have liked it if this actually happened when I was in high school. I would have never had a boring day if homeroom was like that every day.

Art: 9
The thing that originally hooked me on to this anime is the unique art it had. A sort of rock & roll animation with some grunge art. Right off the bat I knew this was going to be a unique anime. Also the chibi-esque animation of the characters made it speak to the rebellious mind of a teen. "I reject your reality, and replace it with my own". That's what this art screamed to me and that why I started watching this anime.

Sound: 8
Considering this was a short anime show, I didn't expect much from this anime in terms of sound. Well I was right, and my expectations were met, nothing bad or good to say about the sound. Of course, it's nowhere close to Beethoven's Symphonies, but it was a good fit for the show.

Character: 9
The thing that stood out most about the anime were the characters. Each was so unique that you forgot what the unique really meant. The energetic class president that brings up amazing debates with conclusions that sometimes confounded me (as well as made me laugh), and the classmates which include: the class rebel, the smartest guy in the class, a random bunny as a mascot, two foreigners (one from space), the nice girl in the class, the wise one, the quiet guy with a motorcycle helmet, and etc. The way they interact with each other makes the show what it is: "Gakkatsu", otherwise known as "Homeroom". The time which they spent discussing would be very boring if they weren't so unique.

Enjoyment: 9
The anime overall was great. It may not be a masterpiece, but I sure as hell enjoyed it. The comedy in this anime is great. Even though it's only five minutes long, it feels like I watched a 20 minute episode. I'm looking forward to future episodes. Every single one so far was great.

Overall I liked this anime a lot, and I'm sure others will as well. Therefore I will give it a 9 out of 10.
___
After watching those wonderful extra episodes I can say this. If you would like to watch an anime with a smile on your face then this is the one for you. From beginning to end it was a great anime despite it being short. I would recommend this to anyone of any age group.

If you're looking for a quick laugh this Spring, Gakkatsu! is pretty much that. With only 5 minutes per episode, there's not much to expect, but if giving the audience a good laugh is their aim, Gakkatsu! does what it was made to do.

STORY: 5
At Chiho Takachiho's middle school, Homeroom is a time for the class to do whatever they want with their time. Being the class president, Takachiho uses the time to debate a certain topic every episode. That's basically it. No character development, no plot, just a class discussing one topic for one day, and another the next day.

Art: 6
I gave it a ... 6 just because it adds to the humor. Nothing to flashy, but not horrible. The animation reminds me of Paper Mario for some reason.

Sound: 8
The opening is you're generic, 3-chord, punk rock riff for about 15 seconds and then the school bell rings. Simple, and that's why I like it. Throughout each episode, a pop rock riff plays in the background and unexpectedly helps set up each joke and punchline. The BGM kinda reminded me of FLCL, although obviously not as complex as "The Pillows". Voice acting match each character as well as any other 5 minute, plot-less, comedy.

Character: 7
Main character is just a middle-school girl with glasses curious about the world around her and her classmates. Seeming to be a pretty smart girl and being the class-president makes her more likeable than most girls her age.

Enjoyment: 8
Made me laugh each episode with its ridiculous points and random topics. That paired with the BGM (that I personally dig) makes for a nice refreshing break from the more serious plots we're following this Spring 2012.

Overall: 7
Plain and simple, this anime does what it was made to do. It gives you a nice chuckle and a little insight of what everyday life can be like for middle-schoolers with lots of time on their hands. For less than 5 minutes per episode, they know randomness and relate-able topics is what some people need sometimes, and the deliver it with this short anime.