Sakursao starts by shoving panties in our face, which to me was very troubling, but thankfully this series is so much more than fan-service and old tired themes. Sakursao is a breath of fresh air due to its fantastic unique characters and the bonds that they form throughout the show as they work together and try to help each other accomplish their goals. The story really clicks when it shows the struggles of the layman trying to succeed against the elite, who seem to have to be to accomplish anything they set their minds too. This is a central theme of the anime as it shows its characters at their lowest points, and its fascinating to see their reactions and even to wonder how they will be able to bounce back from yet another failure. Romance is heavily ingrained in the plot, and their are several relationships that could possibly blossom before graduation are all fun to watch.
The relationships of the supporting cast are an interesting spectacle to watch unfold due to the zany antics of one and the actions of another which come full circle with some of my previous points later in the story. The main character Sorata finds himself in a harem of sorts, but its hard to call it that when its pretty easy to predict and see what the writers had planned for this relationship. The pacing of the story is pretty fast as the some of the episodes seem to fly by as you learn more about the main cast, who all have some doubts about themselves but are pretty damn unique and fun to watch. The plot is mostly driven by the characters, but there are some major goals that work towards the ends of both halves. The later half of the series really goes for the feels, and turns on the water works, but its beautiful to watch.
The lead up to the ending and graduation was honestly one of the most inspiring and emotional moments captured onscreen that I've watched in recent memory, but the actual ending itself leaves much to be desired.
A fair warning like other anime based off of a light novel of manga, it just kind of ends without a real ending, which is quite unfortunate as I wanted to see more of the characters or at least seem them off with a real conclusion. The art of the series is really nice, and is bright colorful and crisp. Overall its a wild ride from start to finish that turns on the feels and has given me some genuine chuckles from start to finish. It's a must watch for fans of romance or the school genre, as it characters go through some substantial development as we see them at their highs and lows.
