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It’s not the age gap that’s problematic about this story, but the grooming. The author must have thought putting those scenes about baby Isaku in are cute, but damn, it was just adding to the disgusting feeling. If they have met at high school, oh well, she at least has a conscious by then, but no, this guy decided that that little girl is his alone the day they met, and made sure she never had a chance to get to know anyone else.
But this was never put into a problem in this story. No other characters were present, this story was all made ... up by Isaku’s thoughts. Everything is about her cheap teenager problems regarding Keiya. I watched it till the end to see if the moral aspect would be even a little bit questioned but no. So yeah, this is a very cheap love story and nothing more.
The art is also bad in my opinion, but if you like this style maybe not.

I don’t think I have ever encountered an anime movie that has better spacing than this. It built up to the fight with heartwarming character development while still managed to show off what the other side’s fighting for. The balance of the jokes and the sadness was just as good as it was throughout the series. The senpais got the screentime which they didn’t get during the anime so that’s also great as all three of them are wonderful people (and panda).
I really enjoyed the glimpses of Satoru and Suguru, it didn’t get emotional over them at all so you can put your emotions ... to it if you want to, it’s up the watcher.
The big fight hit it up with new characters too, which makes you wait for the next series, good move.

And then there was Okkotsu. That’s a character to love and want to protect at all cost. The drop in the end was also nice even if you kinda expect it. (Giving him to Ogatasan to voice was a great choice too.)

I’m not a fan of King Gnu but both the op and ed were great giving it a beating start with a beating ending. I liked that it didn’t end with a ballad even though it had a heartwarming ending.

I don’t need to say much about the animation right? I mean it IS mappa after all.

[I don't think I understand how you write reviews without spoilers so beware]

Let me start with thanking the creators, please. Because they deserve awards for this anime, they deserve praising and recognition. To be honest the only Shaft anime I loved before was Soremachi, and the art there wasn't really a reason. I found the art in Nisekoi and Mekakucity confusing sometimes, super creative, though, but none of those really clicked with me. This time? This time I was awed from first second to the last. If for nothing else, I would recommend Sangatsu no lion to be watched for the art and creativity ... of the staff. They did such a wonderful job, that I couldn't stop feeling like this is why anime exists. To suck you into a world of wonders, and that is what Sangatsu no lion was for me, a world of wonders.

I'm reading the manga, so I was really glad it got an adaptation, but I was never this hyped about it before the anime. The anime pulled up this manga for me so much that I'm not even sure how to express it, because I'd like to just scream about how mindblowingly amazing it was every week.

About the story. I saw people saying this story is boring, and I saw them dropping it after a few episodes. Maybe if you never had depression, or never had to deal with someone with depression, you can't really appreciate this story. Because it is mainly about a boy who suffers from severe depression. I saw people saying Rei annoyed them with his tone of voice which was dark, or they could do nothing else but pity him. As someone who had depression, it kind of pains me, to be honest, but what can you do? We can be annoying.

However, if you are curious about what it feels like to have depression, or how to try to help your friends with it, give this story a try with open mind, please. It's really good. The art helps you understand how it feels SO WELL. All those scenes when Rei was suffocating under water? All those dark, monotone colors? All the coldness? Ohmygoodness, so well done, so expressing, so easily sucks you into the story.

And the part about how to deal with someone who has it? Look at Rei's teacher. Look at how he never pushed him over his limits, but never gave up being a positive influence either. Look at Shimadasan who waited till Rei was able to make the first step, then held this boy's hand tighter than anyone before him. Look at Nikaido who kept coming back, who never was discouraged by Rei's rejection (and also, please try to understand why Rei rejected him, because people like Nikaido, so so full of drive, they are too much when you are under all the weight of the shadows of your mind) And last, but not least, look at the Girls look at them, and maybe try to understand even if you are the kindest, the most shining person to be around, then you are the goal, you are the dream that needs to be quietly, peacefully be around and always holding your hand out for us, so when we are ready, we can go and grab it - but never rush us.

The stages of Rei's recovery are pictured perfectly. He was a fighter before he met the girls, ohmy, never underestimate the power it means to not kill yourself, to wake up in the morning, to decide you'll go back to school - the teacher in the last episode with telling Rei that he won't ask him to do his best, because he is already doing it!!! -, he clung to shougi with all his might to not give up on life, but he was on the verge of losing. Without meeting the girls, without getting that new ray of sunshine to thrive
toward, he would have never been able to let the teacher, Shimadasan or Nikaido help him.

In the last episode Rei says he hasn't really changed. I don't think that's true. No, his personality did not change, he will be the introvert, determined kid that he is from now on too. But he did change how he accepts life. He changed the way he looks at other people. Rei in the first half of the season wouldn't have been able to look at the other people around him as companions, but he is now. And that is change. There are relapsing times, there will be from now on too, but he is getting there. And it's maybe just me, but it gave me so much hope. It's so nice to see a character with depression GETTING THERE.

It's strange, I wanted to write a review from like the 11th ep? - the one where Rei gets angry for the first time at that old guy for blaming him for his losing, because that was the first real moment to show his shadows are getting thinner, also the first moment when I was awed by Rei's seiyuu's performance - but until this point I thought my main take on the story would be about the people who made Rei like this. But that last episode, the positivity of it, makes me unable to do that. I REALLY liked his step family's problems, you know. They are so contradictory, so flawed, and I could probably hate them if they weren't so human. Everybody is just so human in this story, nobody is black/white, everybody is gray, so you can see them at their worst and best.

So yeah, the art, the characters, the story, all of those are just 10/10 for me. And let me tell you the sound is perfect, too. The first part's op and ed? THE FACT THAT BUMP OF CHICKEN GAVE THEIR NAME TO BOTH??? Omg, Bump's music is the equivalent of Sangatsu's story. And the soundtrack is great, too. Emphasizes the coldness of the first part at first, then in the last ep that huge turning point to the happier music? Gawd, I was crying. (Lowkey here for all the seiyuu, too. THIS CAST éaksélaksdékaséka)

With that in mind, what else could the enjoyment be than 10? The overall should be 1000, though. I'm sorry, but I'd fight anyone on the importance and perfection of this story. Mental health is important, and it is amazing to have such a well done anime with it in the center. It's not action, it's not sport, it is slice of life, and one of the bests ever done in that genre.

Cannot wait for the second season, and more Souya and more of the Girls. And most importantly more of Rei's recovery <3

[SPOILERS - sorry]
I didn't write a review of the first season, because that was fairly fine. I had my problems with it (every cringe worthy moment with child Ren geez), but it didn't go deep enough into the story to actually get mad over it. Well, that changed with this season.

The story tries to concentrate on the problem between Haru and Ren, why they aren't going forward even though living together, mostly sleeping in the same bed, etc. And with that, the poor writing just comes to the surface, because the storyteller obviously has no idea what is the problem, so they are just hitting ... around the bush over and over again.

When the problem is so CLEAR. It is Haru. This fucked up, dumb, self centered douchebag. You can argue with me, that his trauma made him this way, but I do not care. Nobody is making him realize that he is acting out, nobody is stopping him from lashing out on Ren. And with the 8th ep, fucking Aki even told Ren that go easy on him, because it's a hard time for him. FUCK THAT. I live for every moment when Ren tries to call Haru out on his bullshit, but the writers are so bad at what they are doing that it just gets pushed back to the corner everytime and never really discussed.

What Haru is doing is disgusting. I am not okay with the idea that a 24yo going at it with a minor, but well, that could be handled well. It is not in this story. Haru keeps bouncing between looking at Haru as his baby brother, and a potential body that he can use for sexual attempts whenever he feels like it. And that is one of the key points with him, only when HE feels like it. He keeps pushing Ren to the limit, the poor kid wants him so bad, but Haru just backtracks everytime. And then calls Ren practically a slut when he goes and tries to get experience elsewhere, because he heard 100times that he is an inexperienced baby. Haru is an utterly self centered man, who can't be considerate while pretends that he cares for everybody. And yet, the story favors him over Ren who is actually doing his freaking best here.

I always thought that in yaoi the uke is the absolutely annoying one, but this story proved me wrong, there is nothing worse than a seme who can't make up his fucking mind. And you know, after all this - especially the 8th ep because he even went as far as telling Ren, a kid who was abandoned, that he doesn't need to come home if he sleeps with Natsuo, that's just so low that I needed to wait two days to go back and continue the ep - he doesn't deserve Ren. This story should end up with Ren walking away. And it won't, and that makes it horrendous.

And I don't know, I might want too much from anime, but if you make stories about two men in love, can't you just avoid shit like shaming trans people? I know that it's normal in Japan, I watch enough tv shows to see how they treat real life trans women, but I hate that even stories like this just use them as a joke. Even though one of them is a really important character in Haru's life.

So there are many parts in this story that just makes you cringe if you aren't used to yaoi, or just you know, actually have some respect for the LGBT community. Yes, I know, I shouldn't watch shit like this if I want that... but come at me with something else that has representation? I'm gonna sprint to watch it...

To mention some positive things about the characters... I really like Aki and Shima, and the school nurse guy is funny. Story-wise they are doing a pretty poor job, though. Nobody is telling shit to Haru, and the nurse just avoids helping Ren with his sexual questions, which is a pretty shitty thing to do when you are supposed to be an aid for kids. But they are the good kind of comical relief, so I like their comments. Especially the twins tsukkomi moments at their stupid brother. I just really wish they actually had a part in the story.

The art is nice, the sound- well, I have no idea, so it can't be too good, I don't remember any bgm.

I'll wait for the end of the season to actually give it a rate, but it won't be better than 5. This is not how you should picture gay people. Or I don't know, is Ren demisexual??? Is Haru bisexual? Ah, I really wan't too much from anime x"DD

So that's that. It does not deserve the almost 8 points. Only watch this if you are a hardcore fan of yaoi, otherwise gonna get mad A LOT.

(istg I'm not watching yaoi anymore.)

Review, cause I'm mad, and not even at the show but this fandom for being so thirsty that they scream groundbreaking even for a pointless mess. That's what yoi is, a pointless mess, a terribly failed attempt at best, that is on the level of "I dont even think you tried at all".

You call it groundbreaking, I can't even call it sport anime, so I kind of wish they would erase it from the genres here, because new people might think this is what sport anime is.

But to what to put there instead? I DO NOT KNOW. Because this show is just a ... mess. The comedy probably stands if you like this kind, it just made me hate everything even more. Sport anime? Shounen ai? NONE OF THESE HAPPENS. There is some figure skating with awful art and repetitive themes that will bore you to hell after half of the show, and then there is a flamboyant probably bisexual - as I dont really believe he was ever with a man before - who forces himself on one of his admirers.

I can't tell you how creeped out I was with Victor after like three episodes when it became clear, the show runners suck at writing, and they won't ever tell you about their(especially HIS) real feelings. Because without discussing their real feelings for each other, Victor was a bored millionaire who came to play with this poor japanese boy OUT OF BOREDOM OF HIS OWN LIFE. He took a break from figure skating to go and fool around, pretending to be cheerful - he was so fake ohmygod - and outgoing. Like wow, ok man, there is so much to love about you.

And then there is Yuuri. I wish I could have a 2hours long video of that five seconds when he shouts ITS NOT LIKE THAT for the people around the table after they got their NOT-engagement rings. That is his character. I am only here to repeat It's not like I'm gay. His whole struggle to be a better skaters from episode one is gone with Victor showing up and starting to fool around with him. Everything is just Victor Victor Victor/It's not like that It's not like that. And that is not what sport anime stands for! But also not what a supposed groundbreaker anime with gay line should be. It shouldn't be VAGUE if it's groundbreaker. There shouldn't be room for doubt for anyone, but that can't be right? Because Japan is too conservative. Oh please, then what's the point of doing an anime with EXAGGERATED AND WITH THAT ANNOYING gay in it, if you will just back out at every last second? This is not how you change people's opinion about gay people. Not with making them flamboyant and fake without actually talking about their feelings so people could see love between two men can be just as sweet as any other.

This story was a mess. You can't take it seriously for the sport or the love, but not even for the comedy which sucked. And no, I won't talk about the other characters as they did not matter for the show. Poor Yuri was supposed to be a main, and he was just mostly ignored because they added unnecessary showing off scenes for Victor instead of cutting some extra minutes to make his character deeper. But still, he was the only sport anime like character.

And there is also no point of talking about a story, as there is hardly one. The show and with that you all who liked it, only care for the gay so what's the point? People'll watch it for the gay that everybody shouts about, then if they know not much about anime/sport anime they'll scream it's great, the others who saw way too many queerbaiting already will probably be creeped out like me - because just how could the makers go so overboard and still be freaking chickens, I do not understand.

Plus, listen to people who say the art sucks. It is like the whole show. At first glance you see it's something shiny and good, but then you go deeper and it's ugly and undetailed. Also the repetitiveness will bore you to death. There was more creativity to SWIMMING in Free than to the skating here. And I was so hyped for the skating, so I just want to shout into the makers face for not even satisfying me with that.

And just please. PLEASE. Stop comparing it to No6, you are utterly disrespectful to everything that story stands for everytime you say they are on the same level.