For starters, if you dont enjoy yuri at all, it wont reccomend you to try this one out.
The main focus is yuri fanservice after all. There is a story with romance, BUT, the way it is executed is poorly most of the times. So again dont like yuri?! SKIP THIS!
Now, I said it was a yuri fanservice, so what can you expect, if you do enjoy yuri like myself??
Every episode is divided by 2 mini episodes, most of the times, each has a different kind of mini arc story going on.
And for the most part, in each of these mini episodes, you can expect some hot yuri scene, there is no mature content here. but the anime doesnt really need it to show its yuri colours, and if you enjoy those, you gonna love when those happen, be flustered even. Honestly some may think of it, like a hentai anime or something to satisfy your "needs", whatever yours are.
But with time, I came to realize it was actually heartwarming for the most part.
The animation is simply, yet enjoyable, and great on the yuri scenes and the sound fits the atmosphere, parts of the OP and ED were very catchy, thought most of the times I only heard the intros for each, then skipped the rest...
Art 9 & Sound 8.
So where did this yuri anime, which seems to have potential by what I wrote failed??
Lets start with the characters, there is not much complexity to each, not really cliche, but still, while the MCs became more decent with time, everything just feels like, "oh, it is another all school girls Slice of Life". Most of the stuff are pretty silly, so the characters had potential to more, but failed to reach it, they stand to support the "story" and the yuri romantic scenes, and for the most part, while the cast is decent for a yuri anime... that is it.
And where comes the big downer for the anime. The story!
I m sure the anime follows faithfully the nature of the origin source, the manga. But by doing so, due to its nature of storytelling, there is almost no sense off progression overall! I dont hate episodic anime, but for a romantic story, it feels kinda lackluster, each episode has its story happening, that for most part seem not to be connected, with some exceptions like the last 2 episodes.
I kinda enjoyed the first episode, and was expecting to get that feeling of progression, that makes you want to see the next episode, to continue the story!
Generally what happened to me was, "gotta progress on Sakura Trick, meh, there is no plot, besides Yuri that I dont feel in the mood for now, what is compelling me to go at it?? Then seeing it, cute yuri!! YESS!... It is over, lets see what is next on my list." That kinda of thing, not memorable at all, a good story makes you want to keep reading it, keeps you wishing to see what will the plot next infold into.
And so... it kills alot of the potential the anime could have, has a proper story, it really does. Okay, most yuri suck, but I have seen some with better stories than this one! And when well explored, the romantic yuri scenes, with proper drama, character and story development, those can became very addicting, a compelling and enjoyable experience, that will make all its yuri fanbase, experiencing lots and lots of doki doki moments!
So, while the story had its moments, it was for the most part mediocre, which if viewed mostly for people that dont enjoy yuri, as trash.
Story 5!
With that left behind, I m a yuri lover after all, so while the story sucked, and probably one of the worst story developments I have seen in an anime yet in these recent years (lucky me, there are worst...), the yuri yuri doki doki scenes, the lighthearted aspect and Yuu and Haruka relationship that while nonsensical at parts, was enjoyable and cute to watch.... all in all, it shined for me at certain moments, and I kinda got surprise that there is lots of yuri every since the beggining, while at most yuri content, you gotta get over alot of progression to start seeing the good stuff. This one, says "Like yuri yuri?? Here take it! Make sure you get your hunger for cute yuri filled, we will not mercilessly make you beat around the bush for longer, enjoy!". Despite the faults, I did enjoyed the anime.
Enjoyment 8
Overall, it will came to be a very polarised experience, it firstly depends of the basis of you enjoying yuri romance, or not.
And then even if you do enjoy, being honest, it could had been so much more.
If only the main aspect, what supports the overall progression you will have with Sakura Trick, the story, didnt fell flat on its face, and the overall cast together had more complexity... I could only imagine, but it would be a really great interesting yuri for sure!
I know it, probably is just the format of the manga, but has I have not yet read it, I dont know if it works there.
If it did, that doesnt means it would surely work with the anime adaptation. So maybe they could had changed, and added more stuff to the adaptation?!
An adaptation doesnt need to be 100% original to its story, IF what is changed/added is for an overall better experience with the adaptation versus the original work...
I m glad yuri seems to be taking more prominience nowadays, but I hope others learn from Sakura's mistakes, and its virtues, and someday make story that fully fleshs out and explores the genre's potential.
