I'll say I don't particularly like giving out good scores. If I find an issue with a series characters, story, progression, animation, themes, etc. I try my hardest to think critically and explore why such issues exist--and ways an anime could've done better.
STORY- (9/10) GREAT
I know, my opening sentence may contradict that first review score, but the thing is the story is handled exceptionally well. If there was one issue I could note is that at the beginning of the story the main character has some sort of condition that seemed to have been caused by some childhood psychological issues, and its quickly resolved by
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time he meets one of the other main cast members (which there are three) and not mentioned or brought up again throughout the rest of the story. I dislike that. If you're going to introduce an aspect about a character during the first episode, that defines who they are--don't simply disregard that because it would drive focus away from introducing other characters and plot elements.
With that being said, that was the only noticeable aspect. This is included in the story portion because had the main character been affected by his "condition" for longer than five minutes, the story's progression and direction would look drastically different than what was done instead.
This anime does include jazz as a backdrop to the other leads, but unlike Your Lie in April, it is not the main focus. It is simply a means for the characters to come together. A catalyst for building their relationships if you will. The progression and pacing is adequate enough to get the viewer invested in the different arcs, and they all make logical sense. That's actually the part I like the most. These characters behave like teenagers. They encounter problems that in retrospect seem petty and easily solved, are impressionable about the opposite sex, and attempt to grow in personality. the arcs play out well and are realistic to the point where I could see this being based off similar events.
ART (7/10) GOOD
The designs for the characters are tasteful and not overdone. None of the characters have outrageous hair designs, facial structures, or body compositions. The animation hits its high notes during the moments the characters are playing instruments, or there is a dramatic scene. Otherwise it is pretty standard across the board. This is an element I dislike. If they had animated the entire series the way they do when the characters are playing instruments, then the animation would've been more cohesive and consistent. To have exemplary animation in one scene, and return to standard animation in the next distances the viewer from the experience as a whole. It makes certain moments seem extra special while everything else is ordinary. Overall, since the standard animation was actually decent, the designs were consistent, backgrounds were interesting and fairly believable I would have to say the art is good but nothing special.
SOUND (8/10) VERY GOOD
I'll say this: I do not listen to jazz in my everyday experience. So I do not know what "Great jazz" sounds like. I've never been into the genre because I simply can't follow the instruments that weave in and out of melodies, the tones, and the direction of the music, but I digress. When these characters play instruments, it is well done. The score they have chosen for instances outside of musical performances is tasteful and doesn't detract from the scene. Things are silent when they need to be, background score volume is increased or played subtlety according to the direction of the scene, and most importantly, the music choice is very simple. The thing about the jazz pieces in this anime was that they weren't complicated to where it would take years of practice to play efficiently, but intermediate pieces that someone whose hobby was playing instruments would be able to learn and get better at.
Another aspect I found interesting is how the music actually played a part in developing the characters and story progression. For instance, the main character writes a song to play for the girl he has a crush on, later on in the story that same girl is startled when someone finds her humming that very song and uses that to initiate conversation. Very subtle techniques that make the score play apart of the story instead of being an afterthought.
CHARACTERS (9/10) GREAT
The main character has his shortcomings, as he is meant to represent the average smart teenager who moves into an unfamiliar place, but this is where the other two lead characters shine. The characters play well off one another and have actual conversations with one another that develop the story. The other characters play their part, and stay in it. They were driving forces for their particular arc, and after its conclusion they move on. The same characters don't tag along for the rest of the story, and so this helps the pacing. The characters all also have their own distinct personality that isn't simply based off of some weird trope. They do not change from one personality type to the other, but simply adapt in minor ways according to the plot progression.
ENJOYMENT (10/10) OUTSTANDING
I watched this series in the span of three days, and so I may not have noticed some weird cutting off points between episodes but each episode served its purpose. There weren't any episodes devoted to filler, or an inconsequential event that had nothing to do with the over-arching story. Each event had its beginning, climax, and conclusion. The character progression was satisfying to watch unfold, and their behavior, reactions, and thoughts seemed very realistic. Some mistakes were made out of rash behavior, there were misunderstandings, but as the characters begin to learn more about each other and develop close relationships, these issues are resolved and the story doesn't backtrack. The pacing was done rather well, and the ending wasn't a "and they all lived happily ever after!" and not all of their problems are solved.
OVERALL (9/10) GREAT
This was a very good romance show. It is one of the instances where the high school isn't the most important location for the story, but more of a natural place. The story progressed very well, and the sound played a factor in its pacing. The characters were likable and not over the top and so I ended up invested in the events of the series. Definitely worth a rewatch in my case, and in the case of a new viewer: definitely something worth checking out.
Jul 25, 2016
Sakamichi no Apollon
(Anime)
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I'll say I don't particularly like giving out good scores. If I find an issue with a series characters, story, progression, animation, themes, etc. I try my hardest to think critically and explore why such issues exist--and ways an anime could've done better.
STORY- (9/10) GREAT I know, my opening sentence may contradict that first review score, but the thing is the story is handled exceptionally well. If there was one issue I could note is that at the beginning of the story the main character has some sort of condition that seemed to have been caused by some childhood psychological issues, and its quickly resolved by ... Jun 17, 2016
This will be my first review for a series on this site. Despite having seen a fair share of anime, and in many different styles; I've been very hesitant to write a review because I've been afraid of being biased and simply giving out a score because I enjoyed something. Enjoyment is a very subjective term, as I may have personally found something interesting, while others may have loathed it. But today, I set that all aside: and announce that I will attempt to approach all reviews from an objective standpoint. Noting on a few things a title did well, as well as areas where
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