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I was watching this series years ago and then I got busy with life. I stopped having time to watch much of anything and eventually I had forgot all about this series. I just recently stumbled across it on a streaming site and picked it back up and finished it by binging it all in about 4 days. Ironic, given the premise of this series.

I felt the need to put this review on the first season because it has a considerably lower score than the second season. I want people who might be interested in picking up this series to know that the two seasons ... are very much one fluid story and inseparable. While this season seems to have a somewhat lower score, I'm assigning my scores based on the entirety of both seasons of the anime since I figure most people will start this with the intent to watch it all the way through. As you might guess by my score relative to the average, I think the story taken together is better than the sum of its parts. Another thing to keep in mind is most of the people who scored this watched the 1st season when it aired. The 1st season ends in the middle of the story, so it's easy to understand why people would be off put by a lack of an ending. New viewers that will be watching both seasons will not be effected by this and I think you'll find that the series is much better than the 1st season's average score implies.

For those of you that like to read the source material, the manga is very similar, but not 100% identical in terms of dialogue or the way certain scenes play out. However, the plot is the same even if some minor details are changed. I prefer the anime. It feels like they refined the original story.

Usually when I sit down to write one of these it's because I don't personally know anyone who has seen the series and I just need to express my thoughts. It's always because the series has impacted me emotionally. Real Girl is no different in that regard.

It's very tempting to dismiss this series as cliché, but I like to always take a healthy dose of "there is nothing new under the sun." The writing is well executed; the art is competent in every regard but will not do anything you haven't seen before; the voice acting, music, and general sound work is professional; and the characters are an interesting mix of things you've seen before along with a couple of twists in character archetypes that maybe you haven't. In short, the series is very entertaining as long as you do not try to treat it like haute culture.

If you take the story at face value and try to empathize with the characters, you will find a story that is extremely heartwarming. It's easy to be overly negative and pessimistic in modern times, but stories like Real Girl can really put life in a different perspective and make you feel like there is still a possibility to make positive changes in yourself and others.

Real Girl manages to hit all of the emotional notes I wanted out of the romance genre. It's fulfilling with a satisfying conclusion (which is sadly rare in manga/anime). I would strongly recommend it to anyone that enjoys a good romance story.

I watched the ReLIFE anime and then read the manga approximately 3 years ago. I just finished going through the story a second time tonight.

I tend to be affected a lot by powerful romance stories and/or stories about being lost in adulthood. I think they're topics that resonate with a lot of us because we all struggle with them from time to time. Even if you don't struggle with these problems very much perhaps you know someone close to you who does. It's easy to empathize with those having the kinds of difficulties portrayed in ReLIFE. It wasn't surprising at all that ReLIFE was a ... powerful cocktail of emotions for me. Even just reading the synopsis three years ago I knew it would be something that would hit home. However, I did not originally expect it to be as masterfully crafted as it was. I never foresaw how the entire story, characters, illustrations, etc. would be so finely crafted. Ultimately, I couldn't help falling in love with all of it. Even though ReLIFE doesn't have any revolutionary or unique ideas, the way it executes the concepts it presents provides an experience for the reader/viewer that is far more powerful. It is very much a "whole is greater than the sum of its parts"-level of art.

I find myself wondering if I would have the same experience as Hishiro or Kaizaki if I had participated in the experiment. Part of me thinks that I'm a well-adjusted adult with a steady job and decent social skills, but another part is anxious that at any moment the house of cards could fall and I could be in Hishiro or Kaizaki's place. On both readings I was struck by the powerful message that human lives are fragile things that can be upended very easily and not so easily put back together. ReLIFE's other equally powerful message is that one of the unique qualities of human beings is our ability to wrest control of our life from Fate and become better, stronger people. Combine that with a tear-jerking romance plot and there's no way I won't be enthralled.

I hope everyone enjoyed it as much as I did. I highly recommend ReLIFE and get all my friends to watch it. I've never had anyone be disappointed yet. ReLIFE is one of those stories that contains basic human experiences for which any adult will feel affinity. I think many people could even learn a few life lessons from ReLIFE. Speaking only for myself, both times that I've read ReLIFE it has provided me three distinct ideas that I think are very helpful to be continually reminded of:
1) We have the power to change our lives and the lives of those around us for the better. Life will never be perfect, but all we can do is put forth the effort and try.
2) Your life doesn't end when you hit some sort of setback. There is always a path forward even if it isn't one you originally imagined yourself on.
3) There are many good people in the world. Building meaningful relationships with good people is healthy, beneficial, and will generally lead you to a better life than if you did not have them.

ReLIFE is a 10/10, masterpiece. I wish I could have more, but at the same time it ended so perfectly I would hate to ruin it. It's like eating a really good desert. You want to have another serving, but at some point you'll get sick, so it's better to savor what you have.

If you need something heartwarming, charming, and comfy, this is your one-stop shop. Wrap up in your blanket, grab something warm to drink, and enjoy this serene look at small city living in Japan.

Don't expect crazy mahou shoujo super powers or power-up battles. The "witch" elements are quite tame and are mostly designed as a way to generate the plot or dialogue of each episode. Makoto and her sister are inspired by classic European witch mythology with an interesting fusion of Japanese culture. Surprisingly, this all blends seamlessly with the rural-ish setting of the series.

The show is competently executed in all aspects. I have ... no complaints other than perhaps it simply followed a tried and true path and didn't push any artistic boundaries or attempt anything particularly stunning. Given the point of the show, I really don't hold that against it.

This is an episodic show, so if you have a requirement for your anime to have a overarching story arc you won't find it here. I generally prefer series that have a story, but I would encourage people like me to give this show a try if you're looking for something lighthearted and relaxing.

Overall: 8/10. Solid execution in every way. This gets an extra point purely on how cozy it is. It was an excellent stress reliever.

(Side note: I'm a beginner closing on intermediate level Japanese learner. I found this show very useful for practicing my Japanese because it fills one of the more uncommon niches in anime--a slice of life focused on the interactions of a family unit. Mother, father, sister, brother, and cousins are all represented and you can get a good amount of listening practice and hear some more typical and less "anime" dialogue.)

Have you ever watched a movie so intense that you felt the irresistible urge to tell someone, anyone, about it because how it made you feel? Has a piece of media ever resonated with you so strongly that you were left speechless and felt empty? When was the last time that a work of art made you more closely examine the world around you? I ask these questions because these are the sorts of emotions and thoughts that ran through my head as the credits rolled on episode 12 of Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magica.

Many anime are tearjerkers, many anime make you feel empowered, and many ... anime deliver satisfaction through feelgood stories. Madoka could be considered all of those things, but more than any of those other feelings I just felt awestruck. I couldn't believe what I had just witnessed or how a show whose main characters are middle school magical girls had just forced me to stop and consider serious philosophical questions.

The above is all I can tell you about the content of the story. Even the slightest bit more specific would be massive spoilers. All I can say is you MUST give this show a few episodes. Don't judge it based on the first episode or two alone.

Along with the story, the characters are perfectly written. No character is unnecessary. No character feels flat. All major characters have some sort of arc that is intricately and purposefully woven into the plot for a specific purpose. Empathizing with all of our magical heroes was very easy for me.

As far as execution, this is studio SHAFT to a T: striking visuals, surrealist styling, and an amazing use of imagery to convey tone, theme, and emotion. In the TV version some early art feels a bit rushed or lacking a budget, but SHAFT always cleans up the art for the BD release, so if you're watching that you shouldn't notice any of those problems. It feels like the art only gets better as the show goes on too.

As for sound, I watched the Japanese dub with English subtitles and the voice acting is strong and all of the characters feel unique and well acted. I didn't notice any errors, so there were none so egregious as to pull me out of the story.

The music is composed by Kajiura Yuki and it is simply amazing. The BGM is so hauntingly beautiful it stayed in my mind for hours after I had finished the series. Her ability to create exactly the right tone to convey the message of every scene left me breathless. In particular the track titled "Credens Justidiam" is so amazing that I can't stop listening to it.

In summary:

Enjoyment: 10/10.
Overall: 10/10.

There's too much to say about this show in a review. The themes explored, the powerful nature of the work, and the brilliant execution deserve much, much more analysis and praise than I could possibly express here. My only goal in writing this is to convince you that you MUST go watch it. I hope I have succeeded.

WATAMOTE is fundamentally a story about social anxiety and loneliness. For some viewers, this will be a frustrating show with almost no relatable elements. However, others will find this show resonates with their life experience and for a select few it might even be a revelatory insight into their own lives. The category that you fall into will determine how you feel about this show. People in the latter group will almost assuredly derive some pleasure (if only schadenfreude) from the show, but those in the former group may be put off by the frustration of what they are watching (some might find comedic value ... in the show though).

WATAMOTE's biggest weakness for me was the plot/story. It takes until the very end of the final episode for Tomoko to come to any substantial revelation about herself. Maybe I had unrealistic expectations based on previous anime tropes and stories. I won't say more for fear of spoilers, but if you expect or need significant character and/or story arcs this won't be the show for you.

What WATAMOTE does right is the art and sound, which both perfectly fit the emotions and tone of the show. Both the art and sound help to reinforce Tomoko's personality and mood and add some much needed variety to each episode. Because explaining further would actually be spoilers to some of the best parts of the show, I'll leave it at that. Needless to say, you should enjoy the art and sound, I found them very polished as you would expect from a major studio.

Overall, I gave this a 7/10 because the story was weak (and the show left me wanting), but the rest was very well executed. I enjoyed the series and was able to relate to Tomoko, but I really wanted to see something significant happen to her. If I had been thrown a bone and Tomoko had actually changed in some significant way, this show would easily have been an 8 or 9. Even so, I still recommend this show to fans of slice of life series. It's still an enjoyable ride.

Does life have you down? Do you want something that will simultaneously lift your spirits and restore your faith in humanity? Boy, did you find the right anime.

Usagi Drop is a non-stop train to feel good town. The show starts off on a minor down note in order to set up all the characters and make you empathize with them, but even by the end of episode 1 the cute and fluffy starts. By the time you hit the last episode you'll be riding high on a wave of happy.

You will be moved by the selflessness and genuine kindness in this series, and even though ... the story is not a particularly unique one, it is a timeless and heartfelt story that should resonant with any but the blackest of hearts.

Overall: 9/10. A great anime. The only reason I don't give this full marks is because: 1) I wish there was more (I even watched the X.5 episodes and wished I could've seen more), 2) Nothing about the art/sound/characters was particularly revolutionary or mindblowing.

I tend to save the almighty 10/10 for those shows that are truly breathtaking. However, this show is as good as a show can get without being breathtaking. It is flawlessly executed and masterfully written. Well worth your time and money.

(Something of note: there is a stigma in Japan against single parenthood, more so than in the West. It is also extremely uncommon for men to be the single parent as well. Japan has far fewer safety nets for single parents than a lot of western countries, so it is much more difficult to raise a child by yourself. Keep this in mind as you watch this series, I found this knowledge made the first few episodes much more pointed and meaningful.)

I almost didn't watch White Album 2. I was under the presumption that White Album 2 would be a continuation of the original White Album series. I was very put off by White Album 1, so I was hesitant to jump into this show. However, once I learned that White Album 2 was in no way related to White Album 1 (different characters, separate plots, etc.) I decided to give it a try. Boy, am I glad that I did.

This was the most emotionally impactful show I've watched in the past year. That is a really bold statement when you include shows like Golden ... Time and 5 cm/s (and others of their ilk) in the list of things I've seen in the past year. If I rated this show on it's emotional impact alone, I would give it a 10/10. This show had me thinking about it for days after I finished watching it.

The story and characters seem to be somewhat typical for an anime of this genre on the surface, but as the show progresses the depth of the story and characters becomes very apparent. This isn't a show that spoon feeds you plot points through dialogue though. You are expected to pay attention and take note of the characters' non-verbal cues as well in order to understand the depth of what is happening. I actually had to re-watch a couple episodes because I took a break mid-way through the series and forgot a few important details (that were very quick in terms of the screen time) that really impacted the end of the story.

Art/Sound are well produced and typical of a major anime studio. Nothing particularly special stands out about the art. It is very average for this genre. However, many people will mention the music--and the songs are well sung and somewhat catchy--but this isn't an anime about music. Music is more of plot device that brings the characters together and helps to drive their initial interactions.

That said, I felt the music choices were appropriate and helped amp up the emotions to 11. One quick note I have to sneak in is I really enjoyed that the sound director knew when SILENCE was actually the most effective tool. It was extremely powerful every time the music cut. I was happy to see a sound director who didn't create an overly dramatic scene with maudlin music and instead let the actions and atmospheric sounds create their own drama.

I have minor complaints regarding the characters and the plot, but I don't feel they are significant enough that they should discourage or encourage someone to watch the show. Ultimately, this is a story of consummate love and the strife that often follows it. Many things that the characters do will be loved by some and hated by others. I try to analyze the characters from their point of view and decide for myself what I felt was appropriate or not, so I'll allow any potential viewers to do the same.

Ultimately, those small flaws and the average art bring the series down to an 9/10 for me. Even so, I can't express how much I enjoyed this series. It is insanely close to being a 10/10, but I simply don't believe the animation quality and the other minor flaws allow me to give it full marks.

This is a must watch for any fan of anime.

To enjoy Golden Time you need to look past a few things. First, you need to look past some typical school rom com tropes (although I didn't feel that they were too egregious compared to some school drama anime I've seen). Second, you need to be able to work your way through a couple of dragging plot points in the middle of the series. Third, you need to be more interested in a good story and characters than in the spectacle (particularly art and sound) of the show. If you can look past these things, you will have a hell of a good time with ... Golden Time.

This show is a roller coaster ride of emotions (in a good way). The plot centers around a college student, Banri, who previously suffered an accident and has amnesia as a result. This affects all of his interactions with his fellow students because there is an intricate web of emotions and memories that Banri has to navigate as he tries to be the best friend (and boyfriend) to the various characters.

Ultimately, the amnesia becomes a major plot point and really the driving force of the show. To me, the writers actually put quite a lot of thought into how amnesia might affect someone's personal relationships beyond what we tend to immediately think about when we imagine living with amnesia. Sometimes the various characters' actions get frustrating, but ultimately everything is in character and understandable. The amnesia isn't used as a plot device as much as a central topic that is explored through the narrative.

Sadly, the mystical elements of this show force it to play a little fast and loose with the real life medical understanding of amnesia, but I think that the spiritual elements are something that others might find more resonant than myself. If you can look past this and focus on the character relationships and the way they are affected by Banri's amnesia, you'll enjoy the show a lot more.

Overall, this show got an 8/10 from me (Very Good). I hesitate to bump Golden Time's rating up to a 9 because of some of the lackluster art and sound (both musically and VA), the dragging plot at certain points, and the cliches that serve as filler in a variety of places. That said, I didn't just think the show was a 7/10 (Good), I purposefully give this an 8 as I thoroughly enjoyed it and would recommend it to anyone who is even mildly interested in the genre.

This show has so many ups and downs for me that's it's hard to write about without sounding overly praising or overly damning. The basic premise isn't particularly mind-blowing, but the execution is so solid that I couldn't help but fall in love with the series and its quirky characters.

The anime has two basic plots: the romance plot between the two main characters and then a subplot about the philosophy of music, how the music industry works, and how musicians see their art. The subplot isn't as high brow as I'm making it sound, but it is sufficiently deep to provoke thought about deeper subjects ... even if the series itself isn't bold enough to dive quite that deep.

The main appeal of this series for me is the music. As a musician who has played the trumpet and piano for the past 20 years, the story and characters really resonated with what I've experienced in my life. The pieces of music presented in the series are some of the most well known and oft-played pieces by aspiring musicians (and orchestras). They are competently played and wonderful to listen to. The link between the music and plot is usually significant and adds weight to the performances that appear in most episodes. Characters playing music takes up a significant percentage of any particular episode's screen time, so if you totally off-put by classical music this would be a series to pass on.

Rather than write separate reviews for the other series, I'd just like to elaborate on the the Paris and Finale sequels that follow, so someone who wants to watch the show to completion will know what to expect. I felt like the plot got more full of filler as the series went on, which is why I only gave the show an 8/10. If the show had been 24-26 episodes (in total including the sequels) and resolved the plot in that time, I probably would've enjoyed it more, but it drags its feet too much in the middle for my taste and does the time-honored anime trope of causing silly misunderstandings between the romantic characters that then gets resolved an episode or two later. If three or four of those plot elements had been removed the series would've been 10 episodes shorter and much less annoying in the middle. Many of these "misunderstandings" seem to have been built to show how insecure Nodame was, but I think the point was sufficiently clear after the first 1 or 2.

Overall, I still thoroughly enjoyed the show and would recommend it to fans of romance, comedy, and/or music.

So many reviews have already said what I wanted to say, so I'll just add that as a musician who plays the piano and trumpet (and has done so for close to 20 years) I found this series to be some of the best television I've ever watched. The idea of music connecting people, the romance plot, the bromance plot, and so much else resonated with me on a very deep level that made my cry tears of joy and sadness.

Yoko Kanno (of Cowboy Bebop fame) wrote and arranged the music for this and it is as spectacular as you could imagine. If you ... are a fan of jazz (or have an inkling that you could enjoy jazz) this will be a real treat for you.

Overall, this is one of the best series I've seen in a quite awhile and I recommend it to everyone wholeheartedly.