"I haven't love so much a girl until I met you" - Luca/Ruka Nōgi
"I don't like that ugly face, so smile" - Hotaru Imai
This manga was the reason I started with anime & related stuff.
I stopped reading it because in Spain they only released until the volume 20 :(
And now, being nostalgic, I finished the anime and right after, reading it.
I'll try not to make spoilers ~
Story: 9/10
It starts really simple, Mikan (the main character) only wants to follow her best friend (Hotaru) that leaves from her town to go to an elite academy and discovers that if she wants to assist the same school as Hotaru she needs to have an "alice" (special power) like her.
However, there's much more behind this. The teachers, the students and even the academy itself has a big secret and darkness inside.
Between the arcs they are very much plot points that'll make you surprise, sad or any other emotion. And Mikan's past/ future story (well, all character in general) has an emotive development until the end. I'm sure that if you aren't a non-sensitive person, you will feel one with the story.
What I kind of dislike a bit is that it's an open plot, the end makes you feel that there is more, but it isn't.
Art: 8.5/10
The art is simple, too. I've seen very bad drawings in other anime/manga, but this one is quite nice. I must admit that the facial expressions and actions in general are perfectly drawn, you really get to know how the characters are feeling. And like they said before, every detail in the background is well drawn (for examples in the Christmas event or sport festival), too.
... Sorry but the character design are not my taste in general --- okay, when I discovered it for the first time I found it awesome~ how obvious was that I never saw other drawings :D
Character and development: 10/10
And this one is very obvious. The four main characters (Mikan, Hotaru, Natsume and Luca-pyon), each of them has their own story. Not only these four, every single character that appears has a function there. They're people who at first you will hate but, at the final arc, you will love them.
I don't wanna say so much about this because spoilers, I can only say that Tachibana did a great job with the development of every character.
Enjoyment: 9/10
I laughed, cried, was angry when things doesn't go well.
This anime starts with a lot of comedy, although when the story goes on, comedy is less, but it's still there. The more I continued reading, the most I wanted to read more, I've finished it in three days I think, lol.
Still, I enjoyed it so much, every arc was interesting and a clue to the final arc.
General: 9/10
If it wouldn't be because of the art and the final, I'm sure it'd be a masterpiece.
I really recommend to read this, the anime is too short compared how much deeper it is.
Note: This is my first review, I hope I've done it clear and well ;-;
