ef: A Tale of Memories. - Prologue

"Can anime be considered art?"

Well if you have ever seen the "ef" series before, then you already know the answer, as the anime has been well known for it's artistic style and drama, not seen often in a romance series. As the name of this title says, this version of the series is simply a 4 minute prologue to the first season (ef - a tale of memories). It gives little samples of what is expected to come in the actual anime. From Miyako and Kei's rivalry, to the growing friendship between Hiro and Chihiro! There really is little to anything new with this ... addiction, basically it show scenes from the actual series, but differs somewhat between them. For example, one character who was not in a certain scene during the series, has been added briefly to it. Or it may show a similar looking scene but shown from another angle. So yeah, other than a few tweaks here and there it remains pretty much the same. It gives a great taste of things to come, which is rightfully so since this prologue was released on DVD in Japan a few months before the actual anime aired. It overall does a good job of showing off the "artistic ways" of the series to come. Still, since this is only a 4 minute video which contains clips from the anime, it won't be anything in the way of special when compared to the actual series.

The art style is the same crisp and well detailed version from the anime, with great character design, smooth looking overviews, and well detailed backgrounds and environments.

The one thing I really enjoyed from this prologue, was where Yuu played the instrumental version of "Yuukyuu no Tsubasa" on the violin, truly a wonderful piece of music. Plus you get some great samples of the character voices through each scene! It really shows off what a moving soundtrack awaits!

They pretty much show every staple character from the series, from Miyako to Kyosuke, they are all here and accounted for. Now since this is only 4 minutes running time, it is split in half between character dialog and music scenes.

"ef - a tale of memories prologue" is a great taste of things to come, if you have never seen the actual anime series before, then this version is a great way to get an over view of what it's like. It must be said however that the series contains many extended medifore scenes, and won't be for everyone. But if you are looking for a different style of viewing an anime romance title, then this is a great starter!

This review is attributed to the prologue ONLY.

I watched the prologue after the whole series (1st season). And I am glad I did not do it any earlier. The prologue (besides offering a good music video) is not required for understanding the anime. All "mysteries" about the characters will unwind as the series progresses.
The prologue is presented as a brief quarrel between the two female main characters over the person they both like - a main conflict of one of the two stories in the series. However, it is, in my opinion, much more interesting to watch the series without the conflict already revealed. After ... all, the series is created such that viewers have to resonate and grasp the emotional turmoil of the characters and so gradually appreciate the conflicts.

Conclusion: DO NOT WATCH this prologue before viewing the actual anime!

(The rating scores are intended towards the actual series.)

Rate a 4
English Subbed

Story
Food for thought passage was a nice way of starting. Allows viewers to question one's own adventures and reflect. What proceeded shortly after was a bit confusing. From the little i know from the show and that is only information provided from this prologue, it is about memories. Although it was clear how the subject was going to be presented. For example, is plot going to be an amnesiac gathering lost memories? An elderly person reflecting on memories of good and bad as they pop in mind? As for conclusion it seemed to be on a different note than the introduction.

Sound
Musical song ... was a lovely idea to express moods and scenery possibly presented in the upcoming show.

Character
Backgrounds like one's personality or origin aren't clear for any character.