Story; 10. I can tell you now that I enjoy seeing realism in anime, to a certain extent. Wild shows can be fun too, but we simply don't get to see enough anime that has a realistic and relatable plotline and cast. That said, Rumbling Hearts is a show that had realistically shows a group of friends struggles through growing up. The script is really what sells it, and I am happy to say that it's written masterfully. I really was caught off guard by the quality of the writing, because as good as some shows are, you can really feel the cheese in the dialogue; This was not an issue here, and there were character monologues that carried the characters above simple representations of human suffering for me on many occasions. I can't stress enough how well written this is. The script alone would make a good novel.
Art; 9. It's a small bit aged by now, but the art is still good. The color palette is nice, the girls are cute too, and not in a Yoko way where I can tell they are simply TOO hot to ever exist. It was a nice change (though I do love me some Yoko. She can save my earth any day, even though I know she never will cause she's a cartoon ;__;) All in all, good art. Oh, and the DVD boxart inside is very very nice!
Sound; 8. This was iffy. On few, but existant occasions, the sound caught my ear and all I could think was "wow. bad music." However, most background BGM isn't intended to be FREAKING GREAT MAN, and this was far from the worst. So, I only docked it two points.
Character; 10. Takayuki, as stated before, is pretty much me. I was so infuriated at his struggle, and only moreso when I really thought about how I would have made the same mistakes as him myself. He's relatable to anyone who avoids things, is indecisive and feels responsibility, and loyalty to everyone around, but doesn't know who to be most loyal to. And if this describes you, like myself, you're going to really get a kick in the gut from Rumbling Hearts. This characters power is enhanced a tenfold by a supporting cast that I am sure other fans will relate with. They were all o well done, and I really applaud the script for allowing this amazing characterization to take place.
Enjoyment/Overall; 9. This show is nothing new, but is so well done that it may as well be. Much like Welcome To The NHK, the stunning realism that applied to me personally really got to me, and this is a show I know I'll never watch again but will also never forget. It's powerful stuff, so drama fans should not turn up this glistening jewel.
