*REWRITTEN REVIEW*
Within broader anime culture it's usually pretty cut-and-dried what shows are the standouts and which are the stinkers. Though there are always exceptions, any given show is pretty quickly labeled worth your time or a waste of it by general consensus. However in recent years we've seen a rising trend of shows that are much more polarizing in their nature--not universally accepted as good or bad, but most frequently panned by the vocal half (minority or majority is hard to say) while the often-drowned-out, supportive half scratches their heads and wonders what the naysayers don't get about the show they enjoy so much. I would say Guilty Crown is one of these shows, but in actuality the situation is a bit more unique than that. In the wake of its more popular contemporaries and the shadow of Code Geass (an anime from a few years earlier that featured similar themes), Guilty Crown is all but forgotten. And that is a real shame, because beneath an ineffective flow of key plot information lies a diamond in the rough that deserves far more affection than it receives.
Art & Sound: 10/10
First off, Guilty Crown looks and sounds amazing, as even the staunchest of critics will usually admit. Indeed, this may be the primary attraction for the show--while the story is good, as we'll get to in a minute, it is the vivid imagery and rousing soundtrack that truly sell it as something more than average. For every memorable scenario, there is a locale and audio track that are twice as memorable. The show's vision of near-future Japan is a simply delightful mix of realism and science fiction, crafting an atmosphere that is both unique and appropriately familiar. Characters were designed by Japanese artist 'Redjuice', bringing a stylistic flair that is rare even among anime, a genre of entertainment well-known for its style. Hiroyuki Sawano also shows up to grace Guilty Crown with one of his greatest soundtracks ever--if not the very best--accompanied by popular J-pop band Supercell and a new spinoff act of the group, Egoist (named after a fictional band within Guilty Crown). From every angle, Guilty Crown represents a sort of dream team of artistry, and it shows in every second of audio and animation.
As a side note, it's worth mentioning that Guilty Crown received an English dub following its original Japanese release, and not only are the English voices bearable, but in some cases they seem to represent their characters better than the originals. Dub fans rejoice, but it's hard to go wrong either way.
Story & Character: 8.5/10
On a single watch through the season it would be very easy to deduct a few marks on Guilty Crown's story and characters and call it a day, but this would be a disservice to both the show and its viewers. The simple fact of the matter is, it's practically impossible to pick up on every nuance of Guilty Crown's intricate and ridiculously complicated plot without prior knowledge of the story. When approached with an open mind it's still plenty enjoyable the first time around, but you will probably be left with more than a few unanswered questions, both large and small. The answers are out there, and most of them are even present in the anime alone, not to venture into the tie-in visual novel prequel and spinoff light novel. The problem here is how the anime prioritizes saving up big reveal moments over making sense. The first eight episodes--easily the highlight of the show--are fairly straightforward and may almost come off as entirely too simplistic, not preparing viewers for the depth that will suddenly come upon them out of nowhere starting thereafter and continuing until the show takes an awkward twist for a few episodes before finally coming back around to the same refreshing caliber it began with. If that sounds like a bit of a rollercoaster, that's because it is, and as such embracing the ride will be a bit of a struggle for some people. This challenge is made all the more difficult by seemingly unpredictable characters that not everyone will identify with. Most prominent personalities in the show are modeled after classic introverts, and just like in the real world, those who think along different patterns may find themselves frustrated, failing to grasp the inner conflicts Guilty Crown's author attempted to depict in the story's characters. The rest of the characters are mostly based on staple personalities of other dispositions, but despite the lack of originality all but a few are fun and interesting and manage to avoid falling flat.
So where does the 8.5 come out of all this? Easy: multiple viewings. Despite the poor job Guilty Crown does at informing its audience of the world it portrays, it's not for a lack of information or even for conflicting information. While certain story elements do need to be taken and simply accepted at face value, this is far more often the exception than the rule, and they are there for pure spectacle and enjoyment value. When things get serious there is actually a pretty terrific urban fantasy/sci-fi/dystopian narrative going on. Put differently, Guilty Crown's primary story flaws are not in content, but presentation. The story is there and it is a unique, fantastical experience made the more interesting by a believably realistic backdrop, but you will probably have to dig a little to find it. The kicker: it's worth digging for. Chances are you won't see Guilty Crown as it was meant to be seen until the second or third time through, and while it's a shame it takes so long to get there, there's certainly plenty to keep the experience enjoyable in the meantime. Guilty Crown aims to be many things, and in general it succeeds at them. Highschool? Check. Mechas? Check. Mysterious, intentionally mind-blowing super powers? Check. Quiet, cute, and deadly love interest? Double check. Ordinary guy thrust into extraordinary circumstances? Check. Amnesia? Check. Super virus dystopia? Check. Secret rebel organization versus evil government? Check. Guilty Crown manages to tie it all together in a pretty satisfying way, so in theory there should be something here for everyone. The question is simply whether Guilty Crown's mix of everything will resonate with you or not. As far as quality itself goes, Guilty Crown easily stands on at least an equal plane to the likes of more popular shows such as Sword Art Online or Attack on Titan. It just doesn't explain itself quite as plainly.
Overall: 9/10
Guilty Crown is a stylish and atmospheric take on many different, familiar anime themes all rolled into one. Though not without its missteps, the broader narrative operates on fascinating and engaging concepts that are simply buried beneath a layer of poor information delivery. Though a bit of criticism is due for this one central flaw, it does not ruin the experience of the anime as a whole. Early on each episode is a delightful showcase of imagination, and while the transition to the deeper plot is jarring for first-time viewers the show doesn't fail to come back around well before the season's end, and definitely offers something to repeat customers during the same time frame. Guilty Crown is an anime best approached with an open mind and a love of great art. The story may take a disproportionate amount of time to get a grasp on but it is a story well capable of getting yourself wrapped up in should you take the time to do so. Meanwhile the fantastic character and location designs and the memorable, deeply moving soundtrack will carry you along from beginning to end. Guilty Crown is not the sort of show that will resonate with everyone, but those that 'get it' will really, really get it.
