Story: 3/10
Guilty Crown has a very interesting setting, where in the future, an apocalyptic virus has caused the entire country of Japan to be quarantined. Imagine trying to live in a country where you could at anytime become infected with this virus, and essentially your life would be doomed. Yet, an organization responsible for researching, quarantining, and eradicating this virus is more of a totalitarian government enforcing an iron grip on the populace. However, despite all of this, you have a supposed terrorist group trying to liberate Japan from the clutches of this overbearing organization. Needless to say, the setting is absolutely amazing. However, it only lasts for the first half of the series. Also, I think there was just too much going on in this show. For example, you have everything from mecha, romance, superpowers, singing, slice of life, and a deadly virus that crystallizes your skin. I am not sure what Guilty Crown is trying to accomplish, but I think all of this bogs down the story. Then we have the second half, which replaces the amazing setting with a high school hierarchy where the main character rules as a king. Essentially eliminating the best part of the show and using something that is sub par in comparison. The ending was a bit confusing and failed to answer some questions. I felt like the overall inconsistencies led to its eventual downfall as a compelling and complete story. However, there is an actual ending that isn't completely satisfying, but there is one.
Character: 5/10
I initially was very interested in the shows characters, especially in the first episode. However, I think the character development was off considerably with the protagonist, Shu. He often displayed inconsistent behavior, and is often forced into acting out his role for story sake alone. This includes a drastic shift in personality during the second half of the series, which raises the question, who the hell is Shu? Then there is Inori, who is probably the least development character in the show. She pretty much remains the same from the first episode to the last, which is disappointing given her role. You can't help but simply be indifferent toward Inori because of this. While other characters were far more interesting, like Gai and several members of funeral parlor, the supposed terrorist group. I would even say some of the villains had much better character development than the main characters, including Segai, who is an eccentric douchebag. However, he was developed in the proper sense of the word, where Shu was just confusing. Guilty Crown sports a diverse array of well-rounded characters, but little character development or too much in some regards.
Art and Sound: 10/10
The art and sound are undeniably the best part of the entire series, which includes music from Supercell and Chelly, and its own original soundtrack. Hiroyuki Sawano did a wonderful job at rolling out the music that set the stage for awesomeness. Many would say that the visuals were the best part of the entire series, but I found the soundtrack to be the best part. However, the visuals were as stunning and vibrant as possible, offering an array of different environments and elements that breathed life into this series. The action sequences were definitely on the cinematic level with crisp, clean, and smooth action throughout the series with music that played perfectly with the action.
Overall: 6/10
Guilty Crown definitely has lack luster points that makes the show less than average, plot wise. The characters are an offering of diverse and well-rounded individuals, but no one person is truly a dynamic character. As mentioned before, the art and sound are undeniably the reason to watch this show. I would recommend this show as long as you walked into it not expecting a stellar story with amazing characters. Yet, like I said, once you start watching your compelled to keep watching.
