I saw this anime a while back, and caught myself thinking about it long after I finished it years ago. This is a generally good sign and I'm glad I can say that George is one of the most memorable characters in anime. The story itself is about Yukari, and while I like how the plot brings out her insecurities and develop her confidence, I was captivated by George. He's a brilliant creation: bold, straight-forward, unyielding, decisive, and cool. These are traits many anime writers want to imbue into their male leads, but while some succeed, many do fail - yet what makes George such a great success it that not only is he masculine in having these traits, he is a bisexual clothing designer. His character holds both feminine and masculine details that blur the lines between gender identity. And even better, he is not some gay caricature. This is a person you want leading your team.
The supporting cast is also nothing to scoff at. Since this story focuses on individuality with an emphasis on Japanese counter-culture, the supporting cast are self sustained and believable people. Yukari, being the center of the story, undergoes a coming of age. It is to be expected that she will be annoying at times because she is so insecure about her life and decisions, but overall, her vulnerability contrasts well with George's strength. It also does well to show George's role as the fairy-god mother figure. He is cruel and curt at times, but for a spineless girl like Yukari, George is coldness proved to be the necessary push in the right direction.
Art and Sound:
Loved the art and loved the music. The Intro is some upbeat Japanese pop song that really sets the mood. The ED is a Franz Ferdinand song so I appreciated that. The art is above and beyond. Wonderful bright colors that are used to define the character's personalities. Artistic freedom with some some of the street scenes. It's not an action anime so I didn't expect amazing fluidity, but I liked that the characters weren't too stiff and had dynamic positioning.
Overall Enjoyment:
It's a very good anime. Good for those turbulent teenage years and I'm hesitant to say it, but George had a bit of an impact on me. The plot isn't too out-of-this-world complex. It's about young people finding the determination to take the first big, bold step towards their dreams. Yet, it is sensitive while maintaining a no-nonsense perspective into dealing with all those nice feelings teenagers develop. It excites a little bit of rebellion into the hearts of its viewers. In the end, what I found most memorable was George tinge of cruelty. He has a light bitter taste to him that makes him more enigmatic than his amazing style and carefree sex life.
