Back to lord_ivy's Profile lord_ivy's Profile

It became compelling to write my first review on this show.

There may be mild spoilers, discussing the story at a high level.

Sakura-sou no Pet na Kanojo is about a group of high school deemed-delinquents who are exiled to a run-down dormitory called Sakura-sou (Sakura Hall). The hall is run-down, however, as a means for use as a literary device through which something beautiful buds. In this case, seemingly dysfunctional kids in a setting shunned by onlookers bond in a powerful way and ultimately grow into something truly delightful.

Art: 10/10
The art is gorgeous. The color palette is especially cohesive, and used effectively to convey mood. It ... is used well with relation to other subject matters, resulting in animation that is not jarring to look at. There is a firm focus on warm tones, something you could argue contributes to a sense of "home" and "familiarity". The artists paid special attention to minute details such as the way rainwater flows off hair, and how characters' hair has a layer of transparency over the face, as if the hair were not just a solid slab of color. It was an immersive experience and the main reason I continued watching in the first few episodes.

Story: 7/10
The story is not that interesting. And it is certainly dragged out longer than it needed to be. It will be a deal breaker for those who are looking for a gripping premise which keeps them glued to the chair. That's not what this show is. But at the same time, the scriptwriters did a good job of "tying up" the "loose ends" towards the end. The graduation speech was a perfect encapsulation of the journey the Sakura Hall students went through, and was a fitting climax for the story.

Overall impressions aside, Sakura-sou no Pet na Kanojo tells a story of how students who work extremely hard towards their own dreams will not always achieve them, and that the prize is not necessarily the direct fruit of hard-work. This idea is driven home through the students repeatedly failing at trials towards their desired profession, and then being juxtaposed with the seemingly perfectly-talented and successful Shiina Mashiro. The jarring difference in outcome between talented and untalented individuals is showcased, up until the final episodes. Through Shiina, the audience is taught that even the perfect image of talent and success does not always line up with personal desires. So as her dorm-mates struggle and fail at their occupational pursuits, Shiina is also struggling with her own relationships with the people she loves.

The graduation climax could even have us argue that the real gift of struggle is the friends we make along the journey, and to treasure the time we spend with loved ones.

Overall: 9/10
It was a really good mood, and the setting is great. Although the story is not gripping, there are good lessons to observe.
Recommended for a happy-ending (perhaps tear-jerking) friendship-oriented anime.