Aug 6, 2014
This is one of those anime that makes you ponder "what is the right thing to do?" Not for the faint-hearted. However, for those who enjoy deep, intriguing stories that deal with large-scale problems - problems of a society, not just a group of people - this anime can certianly ensure great enjoyment.
STORY: 9.5
(+) Overall, the story is generally what you might call dark and depressing as it describes a society in which peace is maintained in a way that does not consider humans' will and emotions, and thus, some scenes can be very heart-wrenching. I mark this point a *major* plus because to be
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able to inflict such feelings in the audience, the story must be well-developed, and indeed it is.
Characteristic of Urobuchi Gen, if you are familiar with the name.
(+/-) Pacing might seem slow at first when setting up the context and characters; but the more the anime progresses, the more smooth and addicting it becomes. One note to new viewers though, in later episodes especially from the middle of the series onwards, you might feel impelled to marathon through the rest, but I think it is better to keep a stable pace and let the story sink in.
(-) There is a part where the main problem is unveiled in the midst of the chaos, but the story deliberately refuses to address it and instead goes back to the "chaos" without offering a clear explanation. Although it goes well with the main plot, it still gave me a little uneasy feeling.
ART: 8.5
(+) Does not look weird anywhere, realistic, smooth animation and background, detailed designs in the important parts such as machines and some maps. In short, I find it totally acceptable and have no significant complaints, although it is not the most artistic.
(-) Some people with high standards might say: "This sunset doesn't look as good as KyoAni's!"
SOUND: 9
(+) This series has the best BGM that I have ever found in anime! While watching, the BGM works so well with the scenes being played that I immediately made a note to get the CDs afterwards. It is background-ish enough to not disturb the flow of the story while boosting the emotion in the scene smoothly.
They sound like professional Hollywood movie music. Some tracks remind me of Hans Zimmer.
(+/-) OP/ED sound insignificant in the first few episodes, but after a while when the story gets serious (and some songs changed) they can be great introduction/closure to the episode.
(-) Not all tracks sound nice when listened separately (I'm talking about the OSTs not just vocal OP/ED,) but that's not a problem at all.
CHARACTERS: 7
(+) Well-developed, especially the main female lead (I can only say this much without spoiling, but you won't be disappointed.) Most others are all provided with sufficient backgrounds to establish their personalities.
(-) I give this score because from the way they are described, no character seems special enough in general to be adored/idolized/celebrated (for both protagonists and antagonists.)
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All in all, this is a wonderful series that gave me a lot of new sensation and profound thoughts. For example, a despair that I had never experienced before when the foundation of your world crumbles. If you are not against watching such things, this anime is an absolute recommendation.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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