And here I thought that Jazz was dead. Huh, figures.
Sakamichi no Apollon or Kids on the Slope, whichever you prefer, has music from Yoko Kanno (the same composer of the widely acclaimed Cowboy Bebop, I might add) and I think that gives a sufficient foothold to realize how good this anime is going to be.
Story:
7/10
Let's start with the show's weakest point (although not a mediocre one) the story. The story starts like this: Bill Evans, is your usual hard working, rich, academician and pianist protege, that has recently moved to the islands where he plans to attend a new school. Bill Evans, a freshman in highschool meets Sentarou, which introduces him to the world of Jaaaaaaazzzzz, in which Bill Evans get's accustomed to. Apollon has a very linear way of storytelling. Nothing complex or compelling, but it's definitely heartwarming and travels at an enticing pace to leave you wanting more. Keep in mind, I watched the series in one seating, so that's pretty good evidence on how good the pacing was. Unfortunately, the story was a bit cliche' and dried out due to the heavy romance that got nowhere in the end. The setting is also very unique. Not a lot of animes take place in the 40's.
Art:
8/10
I haven't seen a lot of music animes, but goddamn. Apollon's animation during the musical scenes are stupendously accurate! Seriously, I have no idea who was in charge with the main animation of Apollon, but damn is it good. The rest of the anime has standard animation, but the show's art really shines during the music scenes.
Sound:
10/10
ART BLAKEY!? BILL EVANS!? YOKO KANNO REMAKING THESE SONGS?
Seriously dude, what can I say about the music? It's free jazz, the best genre of music you'll find. Music is top notch, I just wished more of the show focused on the music, you know, considering it IS a music anime.
Characters:
9/10
Apollon's strongest suit (besides the music) was the characters. The 3 main characters: Ritsuko, Sentarou, and Bill Evans, are amazing. Like I said, Bill is your standard smart dude, that meets a guy which then introduces him to the world of Jazz. By far, my favorite character was Sentarou. Sentarou is like that intimidating guy you meet on the first day of high school, but then you get to know him and he ends up being a cool dude. Over the series, Bill and Sen develop a very friendly and likable relationship, they also have their ordeals... Ritsuko, the love interest, was a very sweet girl, she was very caring and supportive for the two. The best part of this series is the way it makes the main character grow into such a different person by the end, but I'll let you see that.
Enjoyment/Overall:
8/10
In conclusion, I was expecting a show heavy on music, whilst sacrificing plot and characters and instead got the best of three worlds. You can tell I enjoyed the series (considering I watched in one inning) so if you liked some of Yoko Kanno's previous works, then I can guarantee that you'll enjoy it.
TL;DR:
Yoko Kanno, man. Watch the show.
