[Story: 6/10]
Sakurasou is not a story untold before, but it is interesting and unique enough in its own right to be followed through. The show is set up from the beginning as a slapstick comedy that is all crazy and fun but with a serious plot. There are some romantic elements sprinkled here and there, and even more concentrated on the last half, but ultimately it is still not exactly a romantic comedy because the main plot is not about the romance. The story does try to be tearjerking at times, utilizing realistic character feelings that the majority can relate to. There is also a great amount of fan service which may be distracting or putting off for many, but luckily it is not enough to condemn the viewing experience for serious viewers. There is also quite a fair amount of cliche-ridden moments which may be frustrating for some but ultimately they are still acceptable. The comedy is really great here, with many laugh-out-loud moments.
Sakurasou should have been a good anime to be hailed as one of the better ones of that season, but it suffers from a few distracting problems. The major problem with Sakurasou is melodrama. There are many scenes that are either quite intense or tearjerking, but when they start to become melodramatic, they become extremely unbelievable and the suspense of disbelief is gone. The logic in the scenes become absent and the outcome is either satisfying or not. In fact, the melodrama is completely unnecessary. Intensity does not have to be exaggerated for maximum effect. In fact, it does the contrary. There are also many plot conveniences where the main character has to react or reply in a certain way so as to help the scene progress the way it wants to for either a tearjerking or depressing effect. Despite all these negativity, the show does a great job in portraying its themes consistently, with a realistic plot progression that reminds the audience of the moral of the story. In spite of the problems mentioned, the ending does not disappoint. It closes the story nicely and leaves room for a possible sequel.
[Art: 8/10]
The art here is great. It is not the Matoko Shinkai or Studio Ghibli great, but it is definitely not minimalistic. The art does not leap out from the screen, which is a good thing because the story does not require extremely strong visuals. If its visuals were any stronger like that in No Game No Life, it would have been distracting. That being said, the art still impresses as a whole. The background paintings, tree leaves, cherry blossoms, are all prettily detailed and are all pleasing to watch. The cinematography is also good, utilizing lighting to create mood and atmosphere effectively. The colour palette used is extensive, making every cheerful scene colourful and every sad/depressing scene dull. The colours are also slightly desaturated, so the pinks or yellows would not pop out from the screen. The character designs are simple and does not feature anything new, but they are distinct enough to be identified as characters uniquely from Sakurasou.
[Sound: 7/10]
The sound design is sufficient for a show like that. Driven by dialogue, there really isn't anything to stand out. No sound effects are absent, and dialogue is prioritized cleanly all the time.
The voice work in this show is great, every voice actor/actress portrayed their roles well and made their characters believable, except for one. This is just my personal opinion, but I think the main character is miscast. The main character is voiced by Yoshitsugu Matsuoka, the voice actor of Kirito from SAO, Sora from No Game No Life, Bell from DanMachi, you get the idea. He has that sharp and distinct voice that I do not think is suited for an ordinary high school boy who is humble and extremely compassionate. Instead, I think the voice actor is more suited for action hero characters or characters who speak with an air of coolness. The main character of Sakurasou is just not that kind of character. But it may be just me who feels that way, so it should not be a factor to really consider.
The soundtrack is not bad. There are some recurring themes that are identifiable, but that's about it. It is a forgettable soundtrack for me, but it is an effective soundtrack that helps accentuate the feels when needed and thus enhancing the scenes.
[Character: 7/10]
The characters are well layered, with strengths and flaws that would eventually come to play in the story. The characters do grow as the plot progresses and the character arcs are good and meaningful. All the important characters are developed well, with extended emphasis on the main character and the main supporting characters. Character motivations are clear right from the start and are consistent throughout without much derivation. However, the other supporting characters that are still important to the story are quite underplayed at times. It would have been much better if more time were spent on these characters.
The main character can be frustrating to watch at times, with his insecurities overplayed at times and occasionally cliche reactions/replies. He is likable at times and unlikable at times. I do not know if the creators meant for him to be unlikable at times, but it is apparent that the audience is supposed to relate to him regardless.
Whether these characters would be memorable or not depend entirely on how many anime series' the viewer has seen that has similar characters. For me, I have seen many different breeds of the same kind of characters and thus I see the characters of Sakurasou as being cut from the same cloth. That being said, I have seen better portrayed characters of the same kind. Nonetheless, the main female character Shiina should stick around in memory for awhile due to her unusual yet likable characteristics.
[Enjoyment: 7/10]
I enjoyed Sakurasou, with some frustrations and sighs here and there. I laughed a lot in this series, but as of this moment I do not remember anything that I laughed at because the more resonant scenes of this series tend to be the sad/depressing ones. I probably would not be watching this again, not for a very long, long time. I certainly would not mind owning this series on blu-ray though, as it does have some re-watch value. I wouldn't say I liked Sakurasou, but I did not dislike it.
[Overall: 7/10]
Sakurasou works for many reasons. It has a great story that shows the hard truths of society and the world. Characters are mostly relatable one way or another and the obstacles they face are realistic. The comedy is really great and overall it is a fun and bittersweet experience. The flaws lie in its frequently unrealistic scenes that make the story partially illogical, plot conveniences, and the unneeded melodrama. As a film student, I should give Sakurasou a 6/10. However, as this show is still a comedy at its core, it does its job well and it does not try to be what it isn't for the most part. Overall, it is a flawed but enjoyable anime that has more to like than to dislike.
