From the synopsis, I thought the anime would be shallow, and that it would revolve completely around Sawako's attempt at proving she was nothing like the character from The Ring, and that she would use Kazehaya expressly for that purpose.
I have never been so wrong!
The story was sweet and innocent and cute, and very heart-warming. I found Sawako's character very unique - she's not headstrong and assertive like most other anime leads, and I think that's why I liked her so much. Yes, the story is based on how she is feared by her classmates, but I found that that fact merely added tot he story instead of completely swallowing it. It's because of this fear that Sawako grows, and that she can grow closer to Kazehaya.
Story: 9
Like I said above, the story was sweet and innocent. The pacing was really slow, but I kind of enjoyed it - it felt more realistic. Seriously, let's be honest - how often do romances bloom in the space of a couple days?? It can happen, but rarely. Although I enjoyed the sweetness, I admit that sometimes the problems that arose frustrated me. Nine times out of ten, the problems that surfaced were from some sort of misunderstanding, and sometimes I found myself thinking "seriously?? Just say what you meant!" However, it was a minor annoyance, because the problems do add to the anime. Also, the ending was satisfactory - I finished this anime with a smile on my face, not a frown.
Art: 9
I loved the art!! It was so airy and romantic and beautiful. I think this anime has one of the best artwork I've seen. However, I feel like the characters weren't as well drawn as the backgrounds. Sometimes their artwork was superb, like during really pivotal points, but most of the time it was just okay. The comedic artwork was perfect though - some of the portrayals of Sawako's face get me every time.
Soundtrack: 9
The opening theme for season one was my favourite! I always watched through it, because I loved it - it matched the anime perfectly. I didn't really like the opening theme for the second season though. They should have kept the one from the first season.
Character: 10
The character development in this anime was fantastic. It was paced like the anime - slow but believable. And it wasn't super noticeable development either. You'd stop and realize that so-and-so really grew from the beginning, or something similar. And the way the characters revolved around each other was awesome as well - everyone was unique and likeable. I even liked the "bad" character!
Enjoyment/ Overall: 10
I love love love love this anime. Like, with all my heart. It had everything I liked! And the romance that developed in this anime was so beautiful. I found myself looking forward to the next episode every time I finished an episode.
