Aku no Hana

DISCLAIMER: FOR THE SAKE OF THIS REVIEW I WILL BE OPERATING UNDER THE ASSUMTION THAT THERE IS AN UPCOMING SECOND SEASON. The anime said there would be a part two and I’ll trust that for now. If there is no season two then I'd have problems with the conclusion and the score would have to be lowered. But the anime created interest in the manga, they haven't exhausted the budget, they previewed pt. 2 scenes that they've supposedly finished, some of the most powerful scenes have yet to come, etc. At this point, it seems very safe to assume there will be a second season ... even if the anime sales haven't been great.

Ah, adaptions. The bane of all manga readers. Understandably, this is simultaneously claimed to be one of the best and worst anime adaptions there is. It has attracted much criticism and ridicule due to the huge change in character design, but this change was actually approved by the mangaka and I would tend to agree with him that it was good stylistic choice.

For some reason, fans think all anime characters, besides the comic relief ones, must be attractive. They can’t take ugly characters seriously or treat them like humans, but they have no problem falling in love with cute bug-eyed alien creatures. That’s superficial to a disgusting degree.

The characters are often ugly, but why does that matter? Do you hate all movies with unattractive actors? Not all actresses look like supermodels, nor do the vast majority of women, so why should all anime characters be beautiful? I actually didn't like how, in the manga, Nakamura was meant to be ugly or plain, but the mangaka drew her attractive. It's like the manga version of "Hollywood Homely." When I read the manga, I was kind of annoyed that something like that tried to evoke a masterpiece like "Les Fleurs Du Mals." In the anime, I wasn't offended by the reference, and it heightened my appreciation instead.

Aku no Hana is a work about descent into decadence, libertinism, and the meaning of freedom; mental and physical. Should the characters really be moe? Is it really important that their eyes cover half of their face? This adaption took advantage of all of the manga's squandered potential. This is exactly what a good adaption does, rather than following in every folly of its predecessor.

One thing that should be noted about the realistic nature of the character’s faces is sometimes they look better than others. Like a real person, some of the screenshots will make a character look ugly and some will make a character look normal, although normal is ugly by anime standards. The point is that you shouldn’t assume all the characters are ugly based on a couple unflattering screenshots. They’re not poorly designed, they’re real.

I love the collision between realism and minimalism in the character designs, additionally contrasting with the fact that the city is one of the most realistic I've seen in anime; kind of emphasizing the insignificance of humanity more subtly than the manga ever did. It should be noted that the fact that the city seems to be "decaying" or in poor shape is a reference to a major theme of Les Fleurs du Mal. This animation captures the atmosphere really well and if it was done differently it would have flopped thematically. It had an interesting and creative artistic direction that had a clear purpose to it.

There is much of symbolism and depth to the art, just as there is in the general plot, and it is arguably the best aspect of the show. The animation seemed a bit choppy at times, but the art was generally flawless.

The atmosphere created by the art was enhanced by the incredible OST. The first OP perfectly captured Kasuga’s character, the second OP Nakamura’s, the third Saeki’s, and the fourth was like a victory lap that captured the very essence of the anime. The BGM complimented and accented the atmosphere perfectly while the ED always kicked in with genius timing, changing subtly as the series progresses, culminating in it playing for half of the finale and a new ED coming on at the end. The ED is one of the creepiest things I’ve ever heard. All in all I’d say this is the one of the best and most fitting anime OSTs out there. It certainly has to be the only OST I’ve heard that’s influenced the atmosphere of a series and my opinion of it to this extent.

The plot seems a bit generic in the description, but unlike similarly premised titles, it is not a hentai or a comedy and it plays out very differently. The show is more about presentation than plot, but the plot is still engaging, unpredictable, and unique.

The characters were among the stronger points. Kasuga’s development was the entire point of the show (it appears to be a bildungsroman) and it was very well done. Under the guidance of Nakamura (a great character in her own right) we see him go from a mindless puppet who can only spout out the thoughts of others, but longs to be unique, to a free individual. At first he can only express himself in Baudelaire poems, poems he clearly doesn’t really understand, but looks down on others for not getting although he doesn’t really want anyone else to read them either. This whole concept infuriates Nakamura and she tries to “break down his walls.” Later, even in the classroom scene, he’s just writing what Nakamura says. It isn’t until he faces the prospect of losing her that he really manages to form a thought of his own, in an incredible scene and finale episode.

Nakamura helps him, and seems to treat him like dirt, but she also needs him. Her character is very interesting and the changes to how the audience views her over time were well done. Saeki is a foil to her character and there are many parallels and contrasts between them, both subtle and overt. She wants to understand Kasuga, but she can’t. She would accept him no matter how he is. Some of her character developments towards the end and alluded to in the preview/flash-forward were very unexpected and her character is as complex as any. All of the side characters are also interesting and serve their purpose well.

Enjoyment would be the hardest category to score. I enjoyed it more like I would enjoy a horror movie than a thriller, romance, or comedy. My eyes were not glued to the screen and sometimes it was hard to watch. I couldn't take it in more than one episode at a time, which is a testament to how powerful the atmosphere is. The whole thing was slow paced and tense and chock-full of second-hand embarrassment and humiliation. You really feel for the characters, and as they are dejected for most of the anime, you will be too.

This anime is arguably the best of its season and the best in years, but I wouldn’t recommend it to most people. If you appreciate the decadent literary movement, if you thought the manga could be better, if you aren’t bothered by unattractive characters, if you’re looking for something different or more realistic, or if you are just open minded then this anime is for you.

I normally don't write reviews, but because this series got so much hate, I felt obligated to say something. I thoroughly enjoyed this series for many reasons. First I'll address the elephant in the room that got this series so much hate: the art style. At first I couldn't stand the art style myself. I thought it was going to ruin the series the minute I saw it, but to my own surprise I was completely wrong. After getting into the story, I felt the art style fir the show perfectly. By not having cartoon-looking characters, it made the show much more believable that these ... characters could possibly exist, which only makes the show even more troubling.
Next thing I want to address is the story. Right after the first episode, this show had me hooked. I found myself eager to watch the next episode right after the last. Even though it is not categorized as one, the first few episodes disturbed me more than any "horror" anime ever has. And don't even get me started on the creepy music when the end credits roll. Throughout the story, we see a boy who tries to be different from everyone else because he feels like he does not fit in anywhere. This made me feel like I was going to be faced with a boring protagonist and little to no character development. Once again, I was wrong. After Kasuga spends so much time with Nakamura, we get that hint that these two may slowly be falling for each other. I enjoy how the mood of the show changes along with the opening credits music throughout the series. At first, everything seems very troubling and eventually changes into a story of a boy who is trying to find himself. Because of Nakamura, he questions everything he has ever known, and even later admits he has been lying to himself for his entire life. Because of one girl, Kasuga's entire perception on life is changed and that is what I found so appealing about the story. I must admit, the last episode did kind of disappoint me and I'm really hoping for a part two. One of the only problems I had with this series was some of the dragging scenes. No, I do not want to watch a five-minute animation of Kasuga walking through the streets accompanied by sad music. Besides these minor problems, I really enjoyed this series and recommend to anyone who likes psychological anime.

Aku no Hana is by far the most controversial Anime of the Spring Season 2013, receiving by far the most hate and still having quite a big fan base that does like it. Which one of the two sides arguing against each other is right?

Story: The story of Aku no Hana takes place in Japan and revolves around Kasuga Takao, a quite normal boy, who goes to school, loves books (especially Baudelaire's "Aku no Hana") and has a crush on what is supposed to be the beauty of the class. One day he finds her sport clothes as he wants to get the book ... he accidentally forgot in the classroom. He takes them out and hears a sound. In the hurry he just takes them and leaves quickly. Later on the psycho child of the class, being Nakamura Sawa tells him she saw him stealing the clothes. From then on she makes him do things that...well are kind of awkward. The whole story is really well executed and as far as I know follows the Manga quite well (didn't read it). It is really enjoyable to watch and it keeps unfolding in directions that the viewer doesn't expect to go to. It was a good story, but no masterpiece! 8/10

Characters: The characters are the shining point of the show. Even though the only ones that get any focus at all are the three main characters that everything revolves around, they are that good developed that that is no problem at all! Kasuga Takao seems to be one of the most normal students we've seen in a while in Anime. He likes books, has a crush on a girl and doesn't have any powers or things he is really good in. That is until he gets seen by Nakamura stealing the clothes and his life gets more and more messed up, just as his mind. Nakamura Sawa is a psycho. That's what everyone agrees upon. But it is a kind of psycho, that seems more pleasant than the "I'll kill you all" type, and rather is someone that is claims himself to be a deviant and searches for people that are the same as she is. Saeki Nanako is the girl Kasuga has a crush on. She is a kind and good looking girl. I am not gonna talk a lot about her since I'd just end up spoiling. One must be said: The characters aren't likable at all! It is hard to really like them, but that is the point the series wants you to be in. It's a point were you can look down on the show from a spot a lot higher, which makes every single character a lot more human and makes their built up incredibly well done. 10/10

Art: Well....the first thing that comes to your mind while watching Aku no Hana is the character design, which looks to say it in a polite way different. It is not a bad thing to make them look this way, since it is just another point that makes you feel more distant to the characters. The point were the art fails is the animation itself. The characters suffer from either to much movement at the same time and you just can't seem to concentrate because the characters look as if they would tremble without a reason or they don't move at all. The amount of still screens in this show is incredibly high and makes the show feel as if it was something based on an incredibly low budget, which it probably is. Later on the Animation gets a lot better but still not good enough to make up for what they did within the first episodes, which makes the enjoyment go down by far and the hate level rise in the same way. 4/10

Sound: The Soundtrack of Aku no Hana is incredibly simple. It mostly consists of tones getting louder and louder which creates a suspense that really fits the show as something dark and awkward. Aku no Hana has one of the most memorable endings ever created. A song only sung by a computer voice singing about the flowers of evil definitely is really creepy and fits the whole show really well. Just as the 4 Openings do. Every single one of them is weird in it's own way but still it fits the show so well that by now I really enjoy hearing them on their own. The voice acting is nothing that really stands out. While it definitely is not horrible, it is nothing I do love. 8/10

Enjoyment: I have no idea how to score this...honestly! This show is nothing you will enjoy! However it is something that makes you want to shut down your browser and never open it again. At parts I couldn't watch an episode in a single sitting, but had to constantly pause it to calm down a bit, since my nerves were blank, but this is what makes this show so good! 9/10

Aku no Hana is not a show everyone will enjoy, that is for sure. It is hard to watch and if you aren't into thrillers or that kind of stuff you really should stay away from this, but if you like them or if it even interests you a little, go watch this and make your own picture of it.

This is not an anime for the fainthearted. It is the single most disturbing piece of fiction I have ever been witness to, and rightly deserves to be named a psychological horror.

But this is not an easy anime to watch, as it is broken and incoherent at times. What you can expect is a lot of cringe worthy moments which build an incredible tension that borders on fetishism. The protagonist is placed in a position of utter despair contrasted with sheer bliss. He goes from one to the other at a moments notice, further adding to the tension we are witness to.

Animation: ... 10
The drawing and animation style is difficult to adapt to at first. However, it is perhaps the primary reason to watch this incredible anime. The simple lines and faded colors are inherent to the surrealist style which this anime pays homage to. The animation allows the unease of the story to truly materialize and overwhelm the audience. It is the only animation style fitting for this great work, and should not deter viewers from watching it.

Story: 9
The story is difficult to follow at times, and may seem stagnant at others. However this is done with the very specific purpose of disorienting those who watch the anime. You experience the anime as a whole, the story is merely a tool used to alter the experience the viewer is subject to. The story manages to do what it was intended for beautifully.

Characters: 10
The characters have incredible depth. Each character is crafted as a riddle which refuses to be solved. They each have fetishes, perversions, imperfections, and desires. Few animes can claim to fully explore the psychological depth of their characters.

Enjoyment:0
This is an incredible anime, but it is truly painful to watch. I wanted to rip my hair out, tear at my skin and gouge my own eyes out. The anime has such a profound affect on the viewer that they cannot but help constantly feeling uneasy. And this feeling continuously builds, never letting up. If at any point it lets up, that is merely to betray you moments later with a feeling that is much much worse.

TLDR; Don't watch it if you can't appreciate a masterpiece. This is not some silly plot driven flowery anime that does nothing to explore its characters. This is dark and real. If you decide to pick it up, push through a little bit at a time. Otherwise you will be overwhelmed and scared to continue.

OVERALL-realistic plot, art and characters where everything is comprehensible, fitting music during the anime, unusual but cool end-theme
what does it make interesting? the realism combined with good characters, which make you experience intense emotions

STORY-I have to say that as far as I've seen it, the story is very good. It shows in a realistic scenario how a simple, impulsive action can bring one in a very ugly situation. There is an atmosphere of despair and hopelessness throughout the whole anime and you can basically feel the emotions of the characters.

ART-Well, the Art. What to say about it. It definitely is unusual. I wouldn't say that ... it's bad, but I'm sure it's not everyone's taste. There are not many typical anime characteristics and it is, like the plot, very realistic. Sometimes it even looks like a movie and not an anime. But I think, that this style is appropriate considering the story. It just fits.

CHARACTERS-As I already mentioned in the Story-part, you can feel their emotions, which makes it easier to find a connection with the characters. I personally think the character development is good, so far. With every episode you get to know them a little better. But also here, they go with the rest of the anime, realistic. No totally unexpected reactions or behaviour. Till now there are many clichés. However not Anime-clichés but real world-clichés.

SOUND-I like the opening and the end-theme. The end-theme is some electronic bad ass voice, which would probably creep you out if you listened too long to it. The rest of the music fits the anime, it supports the atmosphere. Nothing special, though.

ENJOYMENT-I think this is a matter of opinion. Since the story is realistic, it's somehow like the real life and not everything turns out well. So if you want to watch an Anime with an intense and realistic slice-of-life plot, you will enjoy this one.

"You piece of shit!" " Eat shit and die!" Nakamura constantly screams these words, or some variation of it. To whom, you ask? Mostly to Kasuga, the ever spineless and submissive male protagonist in the midst of awkward, budding puberty, who struggles to see into Nakamura's soul and innermost desires. To the audience as well, who judge and silently watch Nakamura wither away in a boring, stagnant town, in which she chooses to embrace all that is depraved and immoral. Twisted, perverted, unnatural, yet oddly beautiful. Loathed by all who know her; loved by those who think they understand her. These are feelings towards Nakamura, ... or perhaps befitting of the anime itself. It's awkward. It's dark. Frustrating and cringe-worthy at times. But more than anything, there is beauty beneath the decayed surface. This is Aku no Hana, a dark and perverse take on the classic adolescence story.

Aku no Hana is the end product of artistic vision seldom experienced in the medium of anime. A masterpiece, some will say. Still others, a laughable, steaming pile of excrement. The verdict? Straddling the lines of masterclass and tragically missed opportunity. Aku no Hana is a veritable master of atmosphere. Standing alone among the heap of high school harems and bland isekai novel adaptations. The haunting and minimalistic music, the morbidly gray yet excruciatingly detailed art, the omnipresent feeling of dread and anticipation. An orgasm of the eyes and ears that can leave you limp, wheezing and gasping for air and salvation. Aku no Hana lies submersing and drowning in its own pool of narcissism and sheer artistic ambition. This is the dualistic beauty of Aku no Hana.

Rotoscoping: the animation style of Aku no Hana. It's a daring and ambitious adaptation of an otherwise plain and forgettable looking drawn manga of the same name and story. It expresses in animation what mere pen and paper can only dream of, yet the very source of this series's extreme scrutiny. An animation style that few know of and even less appreciate, relegated to the knowledge banks of basement dwelling movie nerds and glinty-eyed hipsters begging for recognition. It defies all the clichés and identifiable traits Japanese animation has come to represent. No big eyes. No panty shots. No flashing lights. It's anime only in the sense that was made in Japan. Love, or hate. No middle ground. Many struggle with the rotoscope. "I reject this!" many say. This was not what I expected, the second thought of the masses. For the few, then comes acceptance. Then appreciation. And now? I see a bold choice by the director to visualize the heart and soul that Aku no Hana as a narrative seeks to tell. And what is that narrative? Watch it. Bask in its insufferable ego and glory!

Aku no Hana's inconsistencies? It's a daring vision that, within the confines of a 13 episode series, struggles to strike an effective balance with the atmosphere, story pacing, and character progression. Begrudgingly, it drowns in the very narcissistic pool that birthed it. Story progression and pacing suffers considerably. Arguably, its slow progression is an aspect of the entire artistic package, but a sometimes unnecessary burden. The art? Background art aside, the character line art would fade as distance increased. Missing anatomy. It's hard to distinguish whether the art is sublime and infused with meaning, a flaw of rotoscope, or a result of rushed deadlines. One other point of contention is the ending. It cuts off and ends prematurely with clips and visions of what is to come in the manga. Is this a sign of a second season? Who knows. I see the ending as an artistic device. Like a clairvoyant seeing the future but the prophecy of it not yet realized in reality. The prophecy of what's to come is more powerful than the actual occurrence of those events, to continue the logic. Or, perhaps equally so, a vainglorious art project not given enough time, money, and resources.

The music, art style, pacing, symbolism, all these elements are deliberate. All meant to coalesce with the holistic message that Aku no Hana visually and aurally represents: the darkness and perverse depravity that society shuns and refuses to embrace in the light of day. A state of pure craft that pen, paper, and manga panels could only ever dream of expressing. Driving hipsters wet with rabid, throbbing excitement, thirsty for the torrent of juicy ecstasy and lustful desire. Kasuga's dark and twisted story of awkward adolescence, of squeamish sexual tension, and of crossing the boundaries of morality, is not one from the bottle. It is the special one. Standing tall with arrogance among the anonymous pile of Japanese anime of years past, present, and future. Art, for art's sake. Yet in the shadow of its many highlights, enough maddening errors of omission (continuing the story) and seeming art and production problems gnaw away and detract from the experience. It has the atmospheric ambition rivaling any Coppola movie. The execution has enough pitfalls that mimics the fumbling of an awkward teenager. If it had ended in the right place, this production would be among the greatest works of sublime and self-worshiping art to have ever come from Japan. Instead it came up short and wanting. A masterpiece, a disaster and dirty stain among anime, or just one hell of a wild ride. Your mileage may vary. Some parting words: just watch it. Seriously. And if you're still meandering, try it out—for Nakamura's sake. If not, you may very well be one: a "shithead." Her words to you, not mine.

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Disclaimer: At the time of the review's writing, there has been no official press release for a second season. This review assumes that there will not be a second season. If there is a second season, I have no intention of writing another review that includes the first season or a review of the second season alone. This is a stand-alone review for the Aku no Hana animation project.

In most cases the manga for a story is better than the anime. What most people don't realize is how difficult it is to interpret a manga into an anime and still stay true to the story. Scenery in a manga doesn't translate very well into anime and most readers of manga could care less about how long it takes them to read a chapter.

Aku no Hana has received a lot of mixed ratings due to its slow pace and long annoying scenery shots. Most people comment about the rotoscoped animation or the fact that the characters don't have big ... eyes and colorful hair. I think most people have a hard time watching this anime because it highlights just how much boredom effects our daily lives. Humans tend to mentally dwell on pointless things simply because we have nothing else with which to occupy our minds. Maybe this anime is a very good portrayal of what many people suffer with on a day to day basis. After reading the manga and then watching the anime, I am content to accept the theory that the director wanted as little glamour or fan service as possible in order to stay true to the story.

Many reviews wrongly comment on how deeply disturbing this anime is. It isn't, not really. I'm going to go out on a limb here and consider that most of the people who use this site have never had the ardent pressure of conforming to society the way Japanese teenagers do. Sure, we have our morals and the golden rule, but a few documentaries and some research about Japan should really shed some light on how mentally draining it can be to suppress your individualism at an early age. So why do many consider it to be something so psychologically deep when many of us enjoy our free spirit and unique behavior? The best way to hide something is in plain sight, where everyone sees it so much that they grow tired of it and just excuse the thing as a regular occurrence.

Maybe you have personally shelved something in your life or kept it under wraps for fear of what others might think or say about you. Continuously throughout the anime there are classmates teasing Kasuga for being shy or reclusive. They tease him even though he goes to so many lengths to conceal his inner thoughts. Those who have read "Ningen Shikkaku" will notice that there are similarities in behavior for the young version of the protagonist in the novel and Kasuga. Where the protagonist in Ningen Shikkaku tends to be a class clown in order to disguise the empty feeling inside him, Kasuga tends to go with the flow and agree passively with everyone. I brought up Ningen Shikkaku simply because it is mentioned (or rather read in class) in the manga; so obviously the mangaka was influenced by this book.

The anime does a decent job of revealing the human component which the manga leaves to imagination. So, if you are looking for an anime with moe characters or special powers in a fantasy land, this is not the work of fiction for you. However, if you want to experience something that might be floating on the surface of your own conscience, this might be a story to which you can relate.

Aku no Hana's been the Spring season's most controversial title among anime fans and a great deal of that has to do with the anime's choice of animation style coming in the form of rotoscoping. I might as well address this issue before remarking on other aspects of the anime. Rotoscoping's been a controversial style of animation for years. While the style allows for one to animate more lifelike characters and movements, there are acclaimed animators that don't consider it a legitimate form of animation since live-action shots are animated over in order to accomplish the style and such animators think it kills creativity in ... the medium. Personally, I think rotoscoping made for an excellent fit for Aku no Hana considering the mundane story it depicts with Kasuga's ordeals with Nakamura and Saeki. The style helps to better depict the dull routines of everyday life seen through Kasuga's eyes and allows the viewer to become immersed in the experience with him. The style also helps enhance a number of the title's uncomfortable moments with Kasuga and Nakamura's interactions. Going for a more conventional style of animation would have killed much of the effect this series would have to immerse the viewer in its story.

Backgrounds are depicted to be photo-realistic with realistic details and color that are quite pleasing on the eyes. Character designs are just as realistic with believable facial details on characters that make them actually look Japanese instead of the typical doe-eyed, rainbow-color hair designs of conventional Japanese animated titles. The designs are a bit rough in early episodes, but gradually improve throughout the span of the series. The animation, though, is a bit of a mixed bag. It's clear the makers of Aku no Hana are working with a TV budget as there are points where character designs are rendered still in movement, particularly during classroom scenes. However in major moments of the series involving Kasuga and the two girls, movement is quite fluid and there aren't too many instances of this leading to degradation of quality from the rotoscoped characters.

Moving on to the title's story, Aku no Hana is prominently focused on Kasuga's interactions with Nakamura and Saeki pushing his fragile teen mind to the breaking point. The kid behaves much like any teen would at his age as he tries fitting in with friends, yet is feeling out of place with what society considers "normal" as he retreats to reading books. The series is pretty much a psychological drama that gets into Kasuga's head as he thinks about his interactions with the two girls, each representing a different world that he considers to be out of his grasp with Nakamura being the deviant outcast and Saeki being the popular girl of the class he has a crush on. The former plays enough of a big role in messing with Kasuga's head when she believes him to be a fellow deviant like herself and pushing him to do twisted acts involving Saeki after Kasuga steals her gym clothes in the title's second episode. I don't come across many recent titles that offer this level of depth in exploring the mental condition of a teenage boy getting ripped apart mentally by two girls his age. Only issue I have with the plot is that it looks like the series lacks a proper ending with the abrupt way it concluded and dropping hints that things would get worst for Kasuga in his present situation, likely teasing viewers for a possible second season.

Another major element of this series that was also somewhat controversial was its pacing and atmosphere. Aku no Hana devotes a good amount of time in some episodes to focus on the mood and atmosphere of a scene, mainly during major moments of the show or whenever Kasuga is in thought over whatever predicament he gets caught up in with Saeki or Nakamura. For the most part, the pacing and focus on atmosphere work rather well as they help enhance the discomfort and fear going through Kasuga's head as he contemplates things and shows how disconnected he is from "normal" people. However, the series usually gets in the bad habit of getting too focused on its atmosphere as it can unnecessarily focus on scenery shots for several minutes at a time at points and cause progression of the anime's plot to drag.

The music for Aku no Hana does very well at sticking out and flowing with the mood of the series. Its use in the series is minimalist, yet consists of haunting and tense insert tracks that go along well with the uncomfortable and mundane mood prevalent throughout the show's run. The OP and ED tracks are just as haunting with twisted lyrics accompanying the title's several OP songs meant to convey the mentalities of its main cast throughout Aku no Hana's run.

Overall, Aku no Hana is quite easily my favorite title of the Spring season for being bold enough to be completely different in how it conveyed its story and overall presentation. Some elements of its approach on presentation have their issues, but they don't completely hurt the experience of exploring the complicated and twisted world of adolescence seen through Kasuga's eyes. Not to mention that the slow pacing, focus on atmosphere and rotoscoped animation won't be for everyone. But if you're looking for something that is completely out of the ordinary for an anime series, Aku no Hana would be a definite watch for you.

Well, frankly best psychological anime I have seen in years, though I am not a big watcher of the kind. I am out of words really, because anime tells so much I feel like telling any feeling, any detail would be a spoiler. I will attempt to summarize what I have seen in this anime that makes it different from the other stuff out there. Then I will try to touch more specific issuses like story, art etc.

What makes it different overall?

First things first, this anime is NOT for enjoying your leisure time; because they use visual imagery both as the narrator of the story ... and as the element that establishes the overall atmosphere, meaning you need to effectively concentrate on what the visuals tell you. For example, lighting of a room will tell about the character much more than his/her conversations. Most of the time you can see how the characters feel just by looking at their faces.
Secondly, this is NOT an anime you would want to watch in one go. Just like a good meal, you have to eat it slowly, bit by bit. Overall slow pace itself is obviously designed for this purpose.
Thirdly, what we have here belongs to the order of poetry, unlike most of the other anime which belong to the order of I would say novel, or compilation of stories. The title "Flowers of Evil" is already announcing such order, yet it is important to keep that in mind throughout the entire series.

Now let's pass on the more specific details:

Story 8/10

Well story is pretty simple actually. It takes place in a Japanese school in modern times. Broadly speaking, we see the change or the inability to change of Kasugi through his relation to Sawa and Saeki. But it is almost impossible to identify what the genre of the story is clearly; because they put so much emotion to it. It is as if looking at a simple object like a pen through a microscope. Thus seeing every coherent detail makes harder to identify clearly the genre of the story. Yet it does its job, which just like any other psychological work, is the depiction of characters. Let's say story in here is just an excuse for presenting the characters.

Art 10/10

Great. Some may like it, others may not. I loved it. Reality in drawing adds a lot to the reality of emotion. And as I said in the beginning the story and the characters are depicted with visuals not with dialogues. It is hard to describe it with words but I hope in your life, you have seen a scene, a frame in reality which is so poetic that it immediately evokes certain feelings. The art in this anime is designed for recreating that feeling. Visuals are filled with so much meaning that they are naturally poetic, which is also difficult to be in a completely fictitious environment. The art is, if I may call it justly, cathartic.

Sound 9/10

When the visuals are this much strong, the only thing left for the sound is not to kill the visuals and support it. This is exactly what sound does in this anime. It carries the visuals to the next level by creating the reality of the overall atmosphere. The credits music “Last Flower” by its form and content is a concentration of the story of the anime meaning if you compress the entire series into a song, you will probably get something like “Last Flower”. It is sadly weird.

Characters 10/10

I have never seen more real characters in anime, they are almost more real than the characters of some of the regular movies I have watched. We see three major axis on which the characters are built. One is ferocity towards the mediocrity of the town and its people. Two would be confounding lust with love, a typical trait for teens. Third is lack of courage, thus doing everything on impulse and trying not to face its consequences. Besides these foundations, we can also see the consequences of these foundations on the characters. A clear example would be the repetitions made by Sawa like “Boring boring boring”. These repetitions indicate a small autism which is a product of being shut out of the society which she lives in. Thus her ferocity towards the mediocrity of the town and its people, a trait which determines the nearly all of her actions, is based on her isolation from the society which manifest itself as a small autism indicated by such repetitions. There are other examples for other characters but I will not give them here, because I do not want ruin the fun of understanding such connections.

Enjoyment 9/10

I enjoyed the show because it has been a while since I've seen such genuine stuff. But this show is not designed for enjoyment.

Overall 10/10

As someone who did not read the manga, I feel like the show attained its purpose which was the portrayal of the characters for the 1 part. If the show ends here, I am OK with that because once you understand that the events are solely for the exposition of the characters, not much of an event is needed after you understood the characters. The possible next season will show us either how they change or how they stay the same, and the options to what they will change into are pretty limited, so in all cases what happens in the next season is not really important in terms of plot, because the general purpose of the plot is already designated, but the thing that will be important for the next season is the art for sure. Now that we can see where everything is going, what matters is how they are going to portray it. This firm establishement gained by an "ouverture" should be the purpose of every first season. That is why overall I give 10 to this anime. I recommend it not only to watchers but to the producers as well. As a first season, it has function, style, uniqueness, a key combination for establishing anything great.

Confronted with this dark-realistic and melancholic Japan, i find myself somewhat comfortable and flowing. Pacing on the impulses that the story gives, it feels irresistible to try not to break through Kasuga's soliloquy and Nakamura's obsession.

So far the story fulfills the void in which we seem to fall and the music emphasizes it amazingly well.
the animation is, in my opinion, superb! though you may find a new depiction world in these lines and colors, one mirroring nearly reality, and many people will not be able to embrace it.
The characters definitely catch your eyes being something you see day after day. Erupting their emotions from a ... sweet smile and a brief moment of happiness, to a downfall in hopelessness and despair; to the very bottom when you feel like you're a piece of shit. Overall, i believe you can find a part of yourself in this anime, and i do have high hopes for Aku no Hana!

When it comes to the latest and greatest TV shows, sometimes I feel - as Nakamura would put it - like I'm "drowning in a sea of shit".

My 10/10 rating is ultimately based on this show's potential. Ah, what could have been. It's obvious from the final episode that the creators had every intention to make a second season. Based on the manga, the second season would have been earth-shattering. This first season was just laying the foundation for all that excitement - and what a great job it did!

Let me say, the flack this show gets totally goes over my head. Poor adaptation? Are ... you kidding me? This anime is about a million times better than the manga. Where the manga feels half-baked, this season did not shy away from or sugar-coat it's themes of isolation and boredom. And where the manga art does zero justice to it's dark and "alternative" themes, the anime is art is edgy and, yes, very "alternative". Why do people hate the animation so much? It's not cute because it's not supposed to be. I don't believe it's supposed to feel overly polished, either. The realistic proportions and movements of all the characters makes scenes that felt camp in the manga feel believably tense in the anime. And Nakamura's actress is just brilliant. I do agree with other fans, though, that the single best part of this season was the soundtrack. The ending theme has to be my favorite anime ending to date. And the rotating opening themes are super cool for expanding on one character at a time. The quiet background noise for sure also adds an interesting layer to Kasuga's day-to-day boredoms and almost an outer-body attitude to the mess that he is creating.

I have to say, this whole show is a brilliant character study. Kasuga, who prides himself on being "different" for reading classic poetry yet doesn't want to be called a deviant. Nakamura, who's sick of people like him wearing masks, yet deeply troubled and lonely because while she has a hunch that plenty of people share her views, none of them can admit to it. And even Saeki, who finally proves she's not just an angel or muse for Kasuga, but another lying "shit-face" tired of playing the part she's been assigned. I like the characters here much more than I EVER did in the manga. Interesting, since scene-by-scene it's very faithful to the manga. The animation, acting, and music really does make that big of a difference. It feels like a brand new story.

Finally, poor pacing? Okay, this complaint drives me crazy. Because obviously you're crazy to say such a thing. The pacing in this show is so, so, so consistent. That's more than I can say about the pacing for most anime. Consistency is the single most important aspect of pacing, and it takes effort to achieve. Yeah, this show is slow. Maybe that's not your style. But at least it was intentional. Everything about this show is very intentional, if experimental, and done with care and purpose. This show has vision. It's okay if you don't like it's vision or angle, but don't dare put it in the ranks of other thoughtless, forgettable shows. The director did say he wanted this show to make a strong impression, even if that impression is a bad one. I guess I shouldn't be so upset this show gets so much hate, because as they say, the opposite of love is not hate - it's indifference. Bad publicity is good publicity?

Still upset about this show's poor ratings. Forever pissed that we didn't get a second season.

People who flame this anime without even giving it a try are the kind of people Kasuga and Nakamura hate - boring people glued inside a comfort zone. Such experimental and creative anime should be celebrated and encouraged. I'd much rather watch a show that takes risks, even if some of those risks fall flat, than one with a dime-a-dozen formulaic plot and style. Take Nakamura's advice and embrace the deviant inside of you. Embrace the risque, embrace the abnormal. Embrace this show. And shows like it. Hopefully, next time something this unique rolls out, people will give it a chance and give it a second season.

Teenage angst, love triangles, and melodrama are all really tacky aspects for a series to handle, but if there’s one series that does a near impeccable job handling these aspects, it’s Aku no Hana.

The pacing is slow. It’s really, really, really slow, but it works. It works brilliantly. It was a little jarring at first with how slow events were taking place, but then it became clear that this show just would have never worked if it paced itself faster. Aku no Hana takes its time building up the atmosphere, beautifully fleshing out the characters and bringing them to life. Aku no Hana doesn’t like ... to make scenes snappy, instead it takes as much time as it wants drawing them out.

While watching Aku no Hana, I didn’t feel like I was watching ordinary anime anymore, but real life events unfolding right in front of my eyes. I felt like I was actually a passerby standing right in the scene, observing everything that was going on. I wasn’t in my room anymore, I was there. That’s how immersed I was with the whole experience.

And an ugly experience it was. A beautifully ugly experience.

Aku no Hana never once showcases the beauty of human nature, society or the world we live in. It doesn’t even end on a hopeful note. Aku no Hana throws you out of your comfort zone and blatantly tells you how cruel and cynical our world can really be at times, that sometimes there really is no hope.

Aku no Hana achieves this bleak theme with the main cast who no longer feel merely as characters, but as actual human beings. They’re fantastically well-acted and far from likeable in a believable way. Kasuga isn’t a terrible person, but he makes rash decisions and digs himself deeper and deeper into a hole by running away from his problems. Nakamura is so insecure and broken down inside, that she instills this narrow mindset where people are either deviants or not. Saeki is foolish and completely driven by her infatuation for Kasuga.

By the end, all three characters wore me down so much that I was yelling at their naivety and ultimately putting my face in the palms of my hands, but not because the decisions they made were poorly written and delivered, but quite the opposite. Every character mirrors reality perfectly, so much that’s it’s almost terrifying.

Aku no Hana screwed with my perspective on life the same brilliant way Aoi Bungaku and Welcome to the NHK did as I watched it. But alas, there are just a few flaws with the series. Yes, it was a little uneventful at first, the series ends on a major cliffhanger, but more importantly the series just became so abrasively dark that I eventually grimaced through the final episodes.

Do I recommend?: Aku no Hana is a rare anime that captures the atrocious side of life perfectly, but it’s hard for me to recommend a series like this. The fact that the show is so downright cynical will turn people away as well as the incredibly slow pacing. If you like dark psychological drama, give this one a chance and see for yourself.

Either the worst eyesore you have ever witnessed in your entire life, or your salvation from a miserable existence without ever having witnessed this gracious account of a teenage boy's descent into evil. In the "Reviews" section of this fairly revolutionary-wise visual presentation, those are the only two kinds of reviews you will ever find. In the "Ratings" section, however, you will find a wide range of different people, who have either enjoyed, endured, or dropped this newly classic saga of adolescence. Those traitors! How could they have rated Aku no Hana as anything BUT a 9.0 or higher?! How could they have not savored ... the decadent scenes of Kasuga-kun walking through grass for basically half of one entire episode?! How could they have not delighted in the cliffhanger at the end of the series?! All of these little nuisances serve only to truly please the true fans of Aku no Hana. Yes, I am referring to masochists such as myself, who were taken aback by the god-tier skill and passion that was put forth into making each episode painful, and were constantly asking for more by the end of each episode. Let us unite and spread the good word amongst the deviants!

Anyways, on to the review. Please note that the actual novel, Baudelaire's Les Fleurs du Mal, does not play as big a role as you might have thought. Sorry for the disappointment, folks.

STORY l 10 l
In this particular anime, we start off by being introduced to Kasuga-kun, our beloved protagonist for this series, and the dull setting that he is immersed in. Basically, he lives in a tranquil, quiet town, where nothing commercial/big has reached. The buildings are soft and crumbling, and the shrubbery and trees softly melt into the clear, distant sky, setting the perfect mood for absolute chaos to bloom. Kasuga-kun is a junior high student, and is walking to school, when suddenly, BAM! nothing out of the ordinary happens at all. Anyways, in his class, Kasuga-kun is almost a complete loner, save for the geeks that he has attracted. Most of his classmates view him as weirdo, who is obsessed with books (Baudelaire's Les Fleurs du Mal, in particular); and it turns out that he is. It turns out that we get to listen in on almost every single thought that enters his mind, narrated in the voice of Morgan Free- Ueda, Shinichirou, I mean. Anyways, he's obsessed about this one girl named Saeki, Nanako, who just so happens to be one of his classmates. He literally acknowledges her as his reason to live, and seriously worships her accordingly. Despite this, he hesitates to check her out during P.E., as the other guys do (Good Guy Kasuga-kun). Too bad Saeki quite literally does not acknowledge him at all. Another important character to take note of here is Nakamura, Sawa. Alright; now, the actual story is set in motion when Kasuga forgets his copy of Les Fleurs du Mal at school. When he comes back to retrieve it, he is greeted by Saeki's bag of goodies (her bag of gym clothes), and upon an impulse, he grabs it, and runs like hell, the bag in one hand and his book in the other. Little does our Kasuga-kun know, though, that a certain girl (Nakamura) was loitering afterschool, and caught a glimpse of a certain someone stealing another certain someone's clothes. Oh, boy.

ART l 9 l
Now, despite how everyone was complaining about "rotoscoping", a technique of animation which they probably picked up from this anime page's forums, have no idea about the ethics of it, and have been tossing it around like monkeys with their own feces, I'd like to state otherwise. Although it's verily painful at first glimpse, it's simply beautiful once you get used to it, and it'll grow on you. Anyways, onto the concept of rotoscoping, and its ethics in being used in anime. Rotoscoping is basically an ancient form of art, with evidence of its use in any type of animation being as early as 1915. It is quite literally, the art of drawing over recorded material; just drawing anything at all is incredibly hard, so you should get off the animators' backs when you criticize any type of animation. Also, for those who have claimed that rotoscoping was used in this instance because there wasn't enough funding, let me tell you why that is bull feces. Instead of simply animating out of scratch and having voice actors create their magic, so much more was financed in renting a place to film, having a film crew, also having animators, and paying extra for actors who would fit the role, and work twice as hard as simple voice actors. If this was too long, and you didn't read it, then it can be summed up with: Anyone who criticizes animation should just go do it themselves.

SOUND l 9 l
Aku no Hana has one of the most beautiful original soundtracks my ears have ever been witness too; and I've even listened to Yoko Kanno's works. You have Uchujin's already well-established works with different vocalists doing the opening songs, and ASA-CHANG & JUNRAY's simply genius song, "Hana -a last flower-", fit one of the anime's most important themes about evil blooming like flowers. Aside from the OST, the background sounds to several settings within the anime are done masterfully, effectively simulating the exact same feel as though it were a picture. That is, assuming they didn't just use the clean-cut background sounds from the footage that they had recorded. If so, then anyone may correct me on that point. Also, the actors had done a wonderful job of voicing who they were meant to act as.

CHARACTER l 8 l
Character. The lowest point of 8 in my rating. I might be mistaken in judging these characters, but what the hell. Alright, first, we have our first main character, Kasuga-kun. At first, we are shown that he is a vigilant bookworm, with a passionate love/desire for Saeki. With time, his character quite literally withers into an emo teenager who actually does repeat "I'm empty!" several times in a certain episode. By the end, though, you become witness to the beautiful emergence of Kasuga-kun out of a symbolic cocoon; anything more would spoil the entire anime for you guys. Next up, we have Nakamura-san, who is, instead of Saeki, the next most important character in this anime. All throughout the anime, basically, you can sum up Nakamura-san as an absolute bad-ass angel of chaos, who seeks nothing but a companion for the end of the world (symbolically); or, if you're a normal person, then a crazy, red-haired demon. Also, by the end, you are shown more of what had motivated her to do the things that she had done. Next, is Saeki-san, the next important character within this story. She is basically an angel from heaven, a blessing for her friends and family, and a sight for sore eyes if you're an abstinent male. Kasuga-kun has completely fallen for her, and with this honest emotion, she can't help but feel it mutual. It's a relatively short relationship, though, so celebrate Kasuga-kun's luck with brevity! Anyways, later on, Kasuga-kun is put between a rock and a hard place, when he absolutely must decide between two of the lovely ladies. You must watch it in order to find out what happens next!

ENJOYMENT l 10 l
Every Saturday/Sunday/Monday (whenever it was available to me from ggsubs), I would sit dutifully in my chair and watch Aku no Hana in perfect silence, absorbing all that I could from it. I honestly enjoyed this anime a lot, because again, I am quite the masochist. This anime will fulfill anyone looking for chaotically pristine drama, and will destroy anyone who isn't looking for salvation within this anime. I very much recommend this anime to anyone who is looking for something to marathon when you have nothing else to do, because there literally is no other way to watch it but in a marathon (unless you were stuck in purgatory, waiting each week for the newest episode to be subbed, like I, and many of my brothers in the Spring of 2013 anime season). I might have enjoyed it quite a bit due to the fact that it sort-of mirrors my adolescence a bit. Oh well, whatever.

OVERALL l 9 l
Alright, I'm not gonna be a tyrant here and absolutely make everyone who bore through my review watch it, but just watch it, if you have even the slightest interest in it.

Aku no Hana is the sort of anime that makes you feel nasty inside, but you still feel like you have to know what happens next - like looking at gore for the first time, it's real and it scares you, but you're so curious as to how it looks, that you keep exposing yourself to it.

Now, Aku no Hana's plot thus far can be noted as impressive. The continuity of themes and information is all there. If you start watching this anime sometime after the 1st episode, I guarantee you won't know what's going on. It is also well paced, making sure that the ... events in the episode are substantial enough to deviate from the "filler" label, and leave the viewer wanting to see the next episode. Aku no Hana does this in a unique way as well, usually ending episodes with a scene that could qualify as the episode's true climax.

Art was dope, nuff' said. Aku no Hana uses realistic, truly humanoid depictions of characters without seeming pretentious. Mannerisms and speech are very richly pronounced. The scenery is awesome, not too particle-based Heaven's Lost Property cartoony awesomeness, but detailed, almost freehand landscapes and features. When you see the way they show the water in a river, you'll know.

The soundtrack for Aku no Hana isn't anything too amazing, but for the series and its intended purpose of scaring the shi-- I mean establishing a rather darker mood, the music works. Aku no Hana opens up with not necessarily brighter, but more up-tempo and instrumental music pieces with very well written lyrics. The episodes tend to contain moon-setters as opposed to signature themes with replay value. Monotone humming for scenes with great tension, that type of deal. At the close of every episode, they transition into the abstract ending song by playing the vocal part by itself behind dialogue, then letting the instrumentation drop in. It's a great fit for the ending scenes especially, and if you watch, you'll get it.

The characters were well developed across the board. I think Kasuga, our protagonist's purpose was made very clear. Typical conflicted teenager met with stimulus he's not built to sustain yet making poor decisions and later having to face them. Though, his monologues are usually rich with foreshadowing and poetic allusions, making them twice as intense. And of course, Nakamura, the backwards red-headed antagonist of the story, as well as maiden Saeki, are developed quite well.

I gave Enjoyment a low rating, cuz frankly I don't really "enjoy" the anime, but I can appreciate it. Like a good horror/psychological piece, I don't particularly enjoy watching it as it frightens me/disturbs me, but I can give it ups and downs towards its production. It will definitely stick with you on a negative note, but you'll keep coming back simply because it's as interesting as a believable ghost story.

Overall, Aku no Hana is a well made series thus far and frankly I encourage those who haven't started it yet and like a little bit of strange, eerie tension to compliment their dark nights alone at home, to watch it.

LunoA96, signing out.

Aku no Hana is an attack on our comfort zone, everyday life at its most mechanical dullness. The anime quests to find something new, something different that can set us apart from the oppression of the mundane life. The dread of seeing time pass without offering any excitement is a familiar feeling for everyone. Therefore this is an anime we can all relate at some point in our lives.

The main character Takao Kasuga starts with a desire to be different. He reads books not because he finds them interesting, but to fantasize that he is someone others cannot understand. He is pathetic. He also ... has a crush on his classmate Nanako Saeki. He embarrassingly calls her his muse, his angel, his goddess. If the anime just ended with the first episode, he would forever stay a whiny, delusional idiot beyond salvation. However, thanks to his relation to Saeki and Sawa Nakamura, the third main character, he discovers a thing or two about himself.

Sawa Nakamura is the avatar of change. She flouts basic conventions and values of society. She has the role of a catalyst. Without her, wimpy Kasuga would never dare to stand for what he believes or even openly voice his thoughts. Nanako Saeki, the last main character, has her enigmatic side as well. Together these three undergo an experience they wouldn’t do if they were alone.

The art style is not beautiful. It adds realistic features to character designs which naturally make them uglier. But more facial details enrich the characters’ emotional reactions. The background is also more detailed. Realistic details, such as cracks, and other imperfections of the real world emphasize the desire to break free from everyday life.

I watched Aku no Hana because a friend said it was deep. Actually, there’s nothing deep about it. What moved me in the end was how it honestly tries to face the dissatisfaction with our everyday life. It tries to find a way out, something better. But it does not find any meaningful solution. Avoiding ordinary everyday life doesn’t necessarily translate into a better life experience. Characters struggle to reach beyond the mundane but beyond does not promise a tangible alternative. Nevertheless Aku no Hana offers a great perspective to reflect on our everyday lives. That is why rather than enjoyment I felt uneasiness when watching. The anime was constantly attacking individuals’ beliefs that they are unique. At the same time, it was not sure what its answer to the problem was.

(THIS IS ONLY A PRELIMINARY REVIEW. THIS WILL BE MORE DETAILED ONCE THE SERIES HAS FINISHED)

Flowers of Evil (Aku no Hana) may very well be one of the most controversial, polarizing anime in a while, mainly due to its unnatural animation. The use of rotoscoping, if you will. From the first episode alone, it was met here with most users either dropping it immediately, rating it at 1/10, wrote first episode reviews claiming it to be the worst anime ever, or all of the above. My question is does the rotoscoping really make this the worst anime in existence? Then again, take a look at ... Sword Art Online's mean score, so that'll pretty much say some things about MAL's credibility.

This 13-episode ZEXCS adapation of Shuuzou Oshimi's manga follows Takao Kasuga, a literature enthusiast high school student. One day, he forgets his book at school and goes back to retrieve it. He also sees the gym clothes of his crush, Nanako Saeki, and impulsively steals them. However, he is caught by a friendless, pottymothed girl named Sawa Nakamura, who decides to blackmail Kasuga for her own evil desires.

Now let's get to what mostly everyone have been on about: The animation itself: Yes, the rotoscoping isn't the greatest. People here are acting like rotoscoping is the bane of anime, even though you've seen it before. For example, a number of scenes from Kids on the Slope (Sakamichi no Apollon) were done using rotoscoping. Why is it now people are bitching about it? I think it's because in this day and age, most anime-watchers are used to watching plotless, bland moe anime with the girls' eyes taking up about third of their faces. The movements do look janky and the designs themselves look half-done (I'm hoping that they improve on this for the BD/DVD release), but is it really that big of a deal? Does the animation actually tell the story in any way?

Honestly, I think the odd animation helps set up the atmosphere, because there are some moments that probably wouldn't have produced the same disturbing effect if it was done in the traditional animation we're used to. Like in one moment, Nakamura forcibly puts Saeki's clothes onto Kasuga. Also, keep in mind I haven't read the manga as of this review's posting, so I can't say if it provokes the same effect.

Believe me when I say this: This show is dark and twisted. Kasuga knows what he did was low and appalling and he despises himself for it. Nakamura knows it as well, and plans to make his life more hell than it already is. In one instance, Kasuga finally gets the cojones to ask Saeko out, but during the date, Nakamura makes him wear her gym clothes underneath his clothes.

And speaking of Nakamura: This chick I can't even begin to describe. As the series progresses, it becomes clear that Nakamura isn't just blackmailing Kasuga for her own amusement. She seems to want to show that the world is full of perverted shitheads and Kasuga's just her guinea pig.

I really don't understand why Flowers of Evil was rated so low here, other than idiots whining about the character designs and the rotoscoping. Personally, I love it. The rotoscoping actually makes it more believable. If you think otherwise, then I apologize that it just wasn't moe enough for you.

A large amount of anime fans seem to complain a whole lot about how every single anime has moe in it. So what happens when the most anti-moe anime ever comes up? People complain about it. Sigh.

Aku no Hana tells the tale of an ordinary high school student named Kasuga, who likes to read this book by some French poet called the Flowers of Evil. (Aku no Hana means the Flowers of Evil, by the way) He has a crush on his fellow student, Saeki. One day, while going to his school after class to pick up something he forgot, he sees Saeki's gym ... clothes and decides to take them home. The next day at school, everyone is gossiping about how a pervert stole Saeki's gym clothes. No one should know it's Kasuga, however, a girl called Nakamura happened to see it. Nakamura happens to be a very twisted girl, and decides to blackmail Kasuga and torturing him mentally in several ways.

Let's begin with the most infamous part of Aku no Hana- The animation. You see, Aku no Hana used this technique called rotoscopping, which means that you film real actors and just draw over them. Apparently, rotoscopping is cheap. That might be true, but it looks freakin' awesome. Everyone, for once, looks Japanese. The characters are in near constant movement, something not even some other anime with great animation can claim. The unique look greatly adds to the disturbing nature of the show. Also, the style allows them to do some rather neat camera angels that give the anime it's own unique style. And even if you claim the animation style is so called ugly, you cannot deny how realistic the backgrounds look.

Now, the story. One thing that always confuses me about the complaints this show gets is that people say that it's slow-paced. Even the people who like it say that it's slow-paced. It's true that there's no action scene every episode or something, but this show is far from slow-paced! It might be one of the best paced anime that I've seen. It uses every scene to increase the amount of tension in the show and add to the disturbing feel of it. And that is what Aku no Hana does best, disturb you. It's not a horror and has no horror elements to it, but just the way it plays with the characters' emotions. You never know exactly what is going on in any of the characters' minds during it. You just can't look away while watching it.

The characters of Aku no Hana are another strong point. While they do have a habit of acting like idiots sometimes, especially near the ending of the show, they're just so fleshed out, and you find yourself sympathizing with even the insane Nakamura. Kasuga is perhaps one of the best characters made for the sole purpose of getting the audience to so called “connect” with them. While it's true that he doesn't have that much of a personality (which kind of comes into play in later episodes) he actually reacts realistically to the situations around him. He's not overwhelming dull like a lot of other male protagonists like him due to the situations he is placed in. Nakamura is the other main character, who can best be called an insane perverted freak. She blackmails Kasuga more or less just because she's bored with the world around her, and just wants some fun. She's really fleshed out throughout the show, and despite the terrible things she does to Kasuga, she's still a rather sympathetic character. I was never sure whether to like her or hate her during the show. She's certaintly interesting.

Aku no Hana also has perhaps one of the best anime soundtracks ever. It's a very haunting soundtrack, and there's many moments of silence in the show where it plays, giving it a chance to really stand out. And the ending theme, oh my god do I love the ending them of this. It's probably my favorite anime ending theme. It has this really unique sound to it (it more or less has the same idea as Vocaloid, expect it's much more scarier and actually sounds good) and has a habit of starting about 30 seconds before the actual episode, where the most disturbing event tends to happen, and it just sends chills down your spine whenever the song starts. The openings are also interesting too. The main characters take turns singing it, and while they cannot sing at all, the lyrics do give you insight on their personalities.

Aku no Hana is a deconstruction of the romance genre. It takes apart the tropes in this drama and subtly tears them apart. While I wouldn't call it realistic, it is a breath of fresh air. Unique in every way possible, while it's not perfect (it doesn't really have an ending, and while it wasn't the worst selling show of the season it was airing in, I do think we can all agree that the same day this gets a season 2 is the same day where the third Puella movie only sells 500 copies), it is still awesome, and a must-watch. I give it 9 stars.

The Aku no Hana anime is an acquired taste. It doesn't get enough recognition even though it could easily be called a masterpiece. It's definitely not an anime for all audiences, if you're a happy-go-lucky person who has never really experienced mental illness or turmoil, I can almost guarantee you will not understand it. But if you have struggled with depression, insecurities, dysphoria, etc. chances are you will relate heavily to the main character and perhaps the other characters in the anime.

Aku no Hana is one of those anime I can confidently say changed the way I see the world. It was an emotional roller ... coaster and I could identify with many of the characters. Basically, it's is a slice of life anime, if you will, but with a psychological twist. Manipulation, depression, insecurity, and deception are major themes in Aku no Hana. I found myself feeling pretty down in the dumps while watching it, but for me that was a sign of how incredibly immersive and realistic it was. Many scenes in Aku no Hana are moving and the type that you will probably remember vividly in 20 years.

The animation was, to me, beautiful in a million ways. The animators used rotoscoping techniques, which means they hired actors to portray the main characters and filmed them, then traced over the live action film to make the anime. Many people disagree with this choice and the fact that they chose to make the characters so simplistic, but I personally enjoyed every second of it. I think the fact that the characters were so simplistic yet conveyed so much emotion is amazing. One of the main characters, Nakamura, was especially animated and every facial expression and action from her is a visual treat. I also have to give a shout to the director/storyboard artist/camera man? because the choice in camera angles is spectacular.

This review is already much longer than I planned, but I guess that's a sign that I have a lot of good things to say about the series.

TL;DR In my opinion, Aku no Hana is, in the most literal sense, an outstanding anime. If you're into fast-paced action sequences this...is definitely not the anime for you. But if you're into surreal, unsettling fiction, and unique animation, I highly recommend it.

Aku no Hana is by far the most controversial Anime of the Spring Season 2013, receiving by far the most hate and still having quite a big fanbase that does like it. Which one of the two sides arguing against each other is right?

Story: The story of Aku no Hana takes place in Japan and revolves around Kasuga Takao, a quite normal boy, who goes to school, loves books (especially Baudelaire's "Aku no Hana") and has a crush on what is supposed to be the beauty of the class. One day he finds her sport clothes as he wants to get the book he accidentally ... forgot in the classroom. He takes them out and hears a sound. In the hurry he just takes them and leaves quickly. Later on the psycho child of the class, being Nakamura Sawa tells him she saw him stealing the clothes. From then on she makes him do things that...well are kind of awkward.
The whole story is really well executed and as far as I know follows the Manga quite well (didn't read it). It is really enjoyable to watch and it keeps unfolding in directions that the viewer doesn't expect to go to. It was a good story, but no masterpiece!
8/10

Characters: The characters are the shining point of the show. Even though the only ones that get any focus at all are the three main characters that everything revolves around, they are that good developed that that is no problem at all!
Kasuga Takao seems to be one of the most normal students we've seen in a while in Anime. He likes books, has a crush on a girl and doesn't have any powers or things he is really good in. That is until he gets seen by Nakamura stealing the clothes and his life gets more and more messed up, just as his mind.
Nakamura Sawa is a psycho. That's what everyone agrees upon. But it is a kind of psycho, that seems more pleasant than the "I'll kill you all" type, and rather is someone that is claims himself to be a deviant and searches for people that are the same as she is.
Saeki Nanako is the girl Kasuga has a crush on. She is a kind and good looking girl. I am not gonna talk a lot about her since I'd just end up spoiling.
One must be said: The characters aren't likeable at all! It is hard to really like them, but that is the point the series wants you to be in. It's a point were you can look down on the show from a spot a lot higher, which makes every single character a lot more human and makes their built up incredibly well done.
10/10

Art: Well....the first thing that comes to your mind while watching Aku no Hana is the character design, which looks to say it in a polite way different. It is not a bad thing to make them look this way, since it is just another point that makes you feel more distant to the characters. The point were the art fails is the animation itself. The characters suffer from either to much movement at the same time and you just can't seem to concentrate because the characters look as if they would tremble without a reason or they don't move at all. The amount of still screens in this show is incredibly high and makes the show feel as if it was something based on an incredibly low budget, which it probably is. Later on the Animation gets a lot better but still not good enough to make up for what they did within the first episodes, which makes the enjoyment go down by far and the hate level rise in the same way.
4/10

Sound: The Soundtrack of Aku no Hana is incredibly simple. It mostly consists of tones getting louder and louder which creates a suspense that really fits the show as something dark and awkward. Aku no Hana has one of the most memorable endings ever created. A song only sung by a computer voice singing about the flowers of evil definitely is really creepy and fits the whole show really well. Just as the 4 Openings do. Every single one of them is weird in it's own way but still it fits the show so well that by now I really enjoy hearing them on their own. The voiceacting is nothing that really stands out. While it definitely is not horrible, it is nothing I do love.
8/10

Enjoyment: I have no idea how to score this...honestly! This show is nothing you will enjoy! However it is something that makes you want to shut down your browser and never open it again. At parts I couldn't watch an episode in a single sitting, but had to constantly pause it to calm down a bit, since my nerves were blank, but this is what makes this show so good!
9/10

Aku no Hana is not a show everyone will enjoy, that is for sure. It is hard to watch and if you aren't into thrillers or that kind of stuff you really should stay away from this, but if you like them or if it even interests you a little, go watch this and make your own picture of it.

Overall: 8/10

It is sad (if unsurprising) that this little gem is getting mixed reviews.

Ultimately, I find this show beautiful, exhilarating, funny and tragic at the same time. So I'm finding it difficult to answer the amorphous mass of misguided criticism that this is receiving.

I wrote in my first review that this is a show about puberty. As such I found it furiously amusing. It is also a show about existentialism. Existentialism, however, needn't be philosophy. It could be…

(spoilers, any?)

...a red haired girl with glasses, screaming, howling, devoured by an insatiable urge to project her fantasies onto the dull frame of a quiet, provincial town.

Now, if you ... don't see how this connects with existentialism, or why, or think that 'being a deviant' is a shallow, relative concept (relative to what? as if social norms weren't choke-full with universals), suit yourself.

On the whole, anime is a very codified genre. It is subculture, not anarchy: so, if you haven't got it yet, I'll spell it out for you: Aku no Hana is atypical.

Some label this 'psychological horror'. Well, yes and no. It does have more than a fair share of cringe moments but not the kind of psychological horror found in Lovecraft or Poe. The emphatic, heavy, atmospheric effects of Aku no Hana partake more of psychological tragi-comedy than psychological horror.
The witty, original soundtrack provides good support for this.

The plot follows like a music score. Full of understatements maybe, but nothing illogical.

One reviewer wrote "I apologize this wasn't moe enough for you". So much for rotoscoping. The effect is jarring at first, but I'll still encourage you to give it another try. I found that it grew on me as the show progressed, as it manages to capture emotions in a creative, uniquely original way.

I'll have a hard time convincing a purist anime audience that this is a masterpiece. So I'll just say this: if the screenshots don't put you off watch the first 5 minutes of ep 1. Thanks.