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I dropped this series because of Chapter 9.

Think about it this way as if you were the MC:
One day three girls appear in your life. You don't remember meeting any of them, but each declare themselves as your future wife. You tell them over the course of days, weeks, months, that you are not interested in any of them. They don't listen. They force you into dates, force you onto bed, and greet you every morning by lining up in a row and displaying their underwear.
"Look at our panties! Which is your favorite?"

But guess what? There's still a girl you can talk to normally. ... And why not? You grew up with her, you shared memories, she listens to you. She's not someone who appeared overnight.

Then comes Chapter 9. You wake up and see the usual line-up: the same three girls posing with their skirts lifted for you to see.
But that's not all.

There she is, dressed the same as the three girls. There's your childhood friend, saying,

"I've joined the pact," waving that stupid membership ring on her finger that the three girls have.

She's part of the group now. She resisted at first, but they talked/threatened/physically coerced her into it till she faltered. Now they are all going to fight against each other to have you as their future husband.

She's confused, that's normal for an adolescent so for the love of all that's good, MC, snap her out of it! Let her know that she's more than that! She's a dear friend, not some molesting stranger!

Maybe the story changes later. Maybe he will tell her how much she matters as a part of his life.

But I can't read anymore of this. This hurts me as much, or even more, than some of the worst NTR. This is someone close to you being influenced by peer pressure and desperation because you didn't talk things out, nor have the guts or good sense to notice that she's gradually losing who she is because she loves you.

Urgh. If you read this, thanks for reading. The art is great, I enjoyed it before reaching chapter 9. But that's it. Someone drop me a message if either the MC or his friend Tomo realise what's happening. That would be such a salve for my insignificant, wounded feelings.

You will be presented a mystery.
You will see images, meant to disturb and intrigue you.
The story will develop, but not the characters. The sad remain sad. and the helpless remain helpless.
As a result, you might not care much for the characters at all.
You just want a happy end so you can get on with your life with a sense of closure on this story.
You don't get it.
The mystery will be explained. Poorly.
The (entity?) that carried the plot will not be laid to rest.
The cycle goes on.
Why? Who knows?
...
In a nutshell, if you like satisfying conclusions and well-explained mysteries, stay away from this manga for it will provide you with neither.

Story: Despite it's title, this series has it's fair amount of heartache. It started off good with dating tips and fooling around in school. Gradually, the school environment fades as characters are exposed to different surroundings. However, the plot takes a sudden turn near to the end. I will not elaborate on how I found this development, but it was acceptable.


Art: Al I can say is that the expressions are drawn beautifully. Especially Yuki's smile.


Character: Nearly all characters were engaging and held my interest, although it is vital to remember that the character’s reactions are occasionally highly unrealistic. Please remember this is fiction. Real life ... people may not react like this or rather, forgive this easily. Thank you.
That aside, the MC isn't a lifeless, dense puppet. He has emotion and I did care about him throughout most of the series. He also tries to foresee and attend to as many problems before they occur. However, he made a total of two horrible mistakes, one that was settled in such a way that I couldn't believe he got away with it.


Enjoyment:
Do you dislike...characters who run away when things get tough?
-Let it be known that half the time this happens, they will eventually be chased down and confronted

Do you dislike...protagonists who confess at the very end of the story?
-GE: Good Ending focuses equally on the pains of getting into a relationship and the effort in maintaining one. In other words, there are no moments where someone is about to confess and some stupid event happens and they chicken out. (Or at least none that actually annoyed me)

Do you dislike...main characters who freak out in every ecchi/sexy situation?
-This story also discusses the importance of sex in relationships. Though the story is not averse to situations where sexual tensions run high, the way characters handle them are entertaining. Although one might think: Really? They're still in friggin' school!


Overall:
After finishing it (in 4 days) I was happy yet disappointed for the blissful lack of realism. I dislike seeing characters in pain but throughout the series, the theme seems to repeat itself; in romance, there will be winners, there will losers, while some find joy, others will burn in their despair.
Thus, I found the ending too convenient. But then again, it's fiction.

It may be biased when a horror/thriller enthusiast reviews a slice of life/drama anime. However, who is to say that there isn't another horror/thriller enthusiast who wants to try watching Nagi no Asukara?

Now before I begin, allow me to describe what I enjoy in a story. I like it when death lurks just around the corner for as many characters as possible. It’s just one false step away from the snatching the life from them and they know it. I want to see characters tortured and bleeding, mentally-wise, and still persevere to the end.

Don’t get me wrong, I love and adore good endings and ... detest bad endings where all die or feelings are left unrequited. That’s why I dislike slice of life or drama anime that kill characters in the sweetest way possible in the end. NO I’M NOT HAPPY FOR THEM THEY’RE FRIGGIN’ GONE.

I don’t want to invest time to get depressed. What I like is when characters work and struggle for that happiness at the end. For that, I would watch.

*WARNING MAY CONTAIN SMALL SPOILERS*

Story: 7/10
*Before episode 13*
‘Yeah, yeah. Happy, happy. Oh, you love this boy, and he loves this girl and such determination wow.’
In other words, I was bored out of my skull, so much so I dropped the anime at the 12th episode. It was weeks later when I continued to
*Episode 13*
‘Yes, same substance as before, I’m sure you’ll miss each other but I don’t care. You haven’t managed to-WHAT A TURN OF EVENTS! What are you going to do now, huh? What are you going to do?’
*50 hours and 13 episodes later*
‘Hoorah! One of my ships hit the port!’ Although the later episodes touch on some darker themes, the tone remains relatively sunny. BUT THAT BIT OF DARKNESS IS DELICIOUS.
The conclusion is satisfying enough. That’s all I can say.

Art: 9/10
I’m not one to care much for art, but I suppose the background and scenery was well done, since I would consider using it as my wallpaper.

Sound: ?/10
I watch anime with low volume, in case the weird sounds the female characters make when talking cause my parents to think I’m watching porn.

Characters: 8/10
Hikari: The ‘active’ character. Keeps the story flowing but can be a dick at times.

Kaname: The ‘nice guy’ (no, he really is) whose character is presented vaguely to the audience but gets more and more solid as the story progresses. Plastic smile for at least 10 episodes until his true feelings start to seep through.

Manaka: The character who seems to exist in every slice of life anime. Curious, innocent and I skipped over bits of her monologue. (Sorry, not interested in saints like you)

Chisaki: Most conflicted character, in my opinion. Often described as composed but becomes turbulent quite a few times.

Tsumugu: The ‘stoic’ character who prefers not to drape his issues on other people’s shoulders (like Kaname, hence these two share quite some personality). My personal favorite. Bold and competent for most of the time. I’m a guy and I can say that he’s hot.

Enjoyment: 7/10
Well, it got me shipping so that's pretty good already.

Overall: 7/10
Boring first half, exciting second half.

+Pro
*Scene containing a more realistic reaction from surprise hugging your girl friend (notice the spacing) In other words, you might want to ask first :D
*No “I want to confess but then someone butts in and interrupts” scenes. The characters get it done, loud and clear.
*The final couples remain a mystery for most of the story. Really, it’s not easy to tell from episode 1 like many anime.

-Cons
*Characters running away when things get tough (Annoying, but not too bad)
*Characters occasionally making foolish, life threatening decisions

I never liked the Chuunibyou series. I tried watching the first season but dropped it in 4 episodes out of sheer boredom. I will never watch another full episode of Chuunibyou but for this exception, I grant it a solid 9/10.

One of the reasons I didn't enjoy Chuunibyou was because I couldn't sit through the 'fantasy action' scenes and I still skipped over the one in this episode. However, the story, cliched as it may seem to some, turns out sweet with good pacing and somewhat enticing dialogue. I don't even know why I enjoyed the dialogue, but it was whimsical and erratic enough to ... keep me entertained. That goes for their actions too especially between Rikka/Yuuta. (Oh, the things this couple does)

In a nutshell, being only one episode long, it is ideal for a quick, satisfying watch with a cast of rambunctious personalities to bring the simple plot to life.

This review is more personal than critical on the artistic value and such, because that was how it affected me the most.

From the moment I got started with Rokka no Yuusha, I surprised myself by burning through the episodes in less than 24 hours. Why, was because for a long time, I had become emotionally sterile to stories depicted in anime and movies alike. The most reaction any episode would elicit from me would be an occasional chuckle or cringing at how cheesy the events were. I stopped caring about most of the characters and just wanted a truck to plow through some of ... them.

That was not the case with RnY. For once, I actually gave a damn about what happened to the characters. Finally, I could watch the development of relationships between characters without shielding my eyes from the screen to avoid seeing all the oozing mushiness. Now, I don't hate mushiness. It appeals to my imagination that others make it where I failed. However, it should only be injected into story after the characters have gone through much hardship and difficulty to get where they wanted to.

After finishing the 12 episodes, I searched for the continuation (6 novels and counting) and read the remaining story up to where the author has left it. I must say, I've never felt that much for personalities in a story in a long while. It was the same feeling I had when I used to write stories and think about the challenges I would put my characters through and the joy of overcoming each harrowing event. It reminded me of that feeling, and being reminded, I will pick up the pen again, even though the people who used to compliment my work are no longer close by. Because I will always want to feel that again, when your heart wants to melt and your senses overflow with happiness that you feel for the characters.

It saddened me that the animated series didn't sell very well, and I promise to purchase an original copy if I catch it on sale. Lastly, I apologize if this is a most improper format for a review.

*I got an original DVD :D