Memories has two separate stories. It focuses on the development of characters’ relationships while delivering the fantasy/supernatural aspects (e.g. Chihiro’s memory loss). The characters’ meetings are distinct and unexpected, and it becomes valuable throughout the anime. They all create both good and bad memories together to only become attached and inseparable. The story presents everything from all of the characters’ point of views to show how much they care for the other or the struggles of their daily lives. Each character has a dream and works to fulfill it as their significant other shows support. My only beef with Memories is that it is unbearably dramatic in some cases where it appears as a Shakespeare play than an anime with the characters’ excessive body movement during confrontations.
The best part about this anime is the characters’ bluntness. There’s no beating around the bush or annoying hesitancy from their speech. It keeps the drama moving with no unnecessary pauses of anxiety from the characters. Their honesty and monologue throughout the series reveal their hidden emotions and vast personalities. Supporting characters contribute to their relationships and offer advice or even a shoulder during tough times. It also adds to the comedy, seriousness, and uniqueness of the cast.
The Japanese seiyuu suited the characters’ personalities and emotions at appropriate times. The voices are so strong and compatible with the characters that you can grasp and feel the character's emotions. The music and sound effects are remarkable. Violin music and the rest of the background music fit the atmosphere and situations perfectly. Sound effects support the drama with echoes and repetition, such as a phone’s busy tone.
The art itself places Memories separately from other shows. The anime moves back and forth with the different color contrasts, transparency, floating words, illumination of the characters’ outline, silhouettes, all sorts of angles on the characters’ faces, etc. within a few seconds. It goes back and forth, and nothing is stable. It can either be so distracting or just appealing. The character design was good and distinguished the characters. The backgrounds are beautifully drawn. The animation had its moments where it was like an on-and-off switch. For example, one moment you can see movement in the ocean ripples, and the next moment it’s still. Regardless, the artwork and animation fits the characters’ artistic vision and reflects on the emotions presented in Memories.
Ef: A Tale of Memories is a must-watch for anyone who is into romance and tired of the cliché show with indecisive characters, which is why it is one of my favorites. It’s full of surprises and it does not annoyingly include naïve characters that show down the progression of a relationship. The art and animation is unique and fit the anime perfectly. It's indeed a very heartwarming and charming anime.
