Ef- A Tale of Melodies is more of a continuation than a sequel to A Tale of Memories. It tells the tale of the older generation (Kuze, Yuko, and Himura) that seemed to show up randomly but at key moments in the first series to give the young couples words of advice. This series greatly deepens the meaning of the relationships in Memories and puts the whole "two cities" and other ideas in perspective. The story very nicely generalizes to the main story behind Himura-Yuuko and Kuze-Mizuki while still maintaining cameo appearances by the cast in the original Memories.
This series, unlike many other recent watches, attempts to carry a message to the viewer rather than just serving as a means of entertainment. On the note of entertainment, this series is very dark; I would not recommend this series for those under 14. However, the entire point behind the combined series (Memories and Melodies) is the theme of perseverance and hope.
Melodies did an outstanding job of uniting the stories of both series as well as bringing a satisfying sense of completion to the franchise. The ending is very well planned and executed (a sharp contrast with DCIISS) and left me very impressed. I had high expectations for this series after Memories and it did not disappoint.
Animation:
The animation quality is very high, making use of many colors giving the series a feeling of warmth or coldness when appropriate. Characters are well drawn and emotions are very apparent at times, basically expect what you saw from Melodies.
There are many stylistic points that are unique to the Ef series (Minori really) including halos around characters in dark environments and simple yet potent artistic animation sequences.
Many may disagree with me on the animation score due to the fact that many of the animation sequences seem cheap, such as the characters being drawn in monochrome or other easily-animated "short-cuts". However, I feel that this is an artistic decision and successfully contributes to the underlying theme of incompleteness. If you pay attention to the OPs/EDs (as in Memories), the final episode is different as now the story is complete and the characters have now been fully exposed (and thus no longer opaque!).
As I believe the animation decisions were key to the presentation and feel of the series, I felt the drawing style complemented the story and themes perfectly. As close to a masterpiece as I had seen at the time.
Sound:
The OP is done by ELISA just as in Melodies. Though the song is not as vibrant as in the previous series, it still has the same general feel to it. It is in somewhat broken English but those watching this are probably already used to it from Melodies. There are multiple EDs as in Memories and those are fair in quality, comparable to Melodies. The BGM is very reminiscent of the first series. It carries a calm yet not quite friendly feel and compliments the atmosphere created by the artistic style and animation. There is a repeated theme that is played throughout the series. It starts as a fragment of a memory and develops slowly into a complete song by the end of the series, again a great execution decision that adds to the climax.
The VA cast is the same as in Memories though the main VAs have shifted. Those that had a supporting role in Memories are now the main VAs. Yuko has a particularly difficult role and the VA did an awesome job. If I had anything against the series it would be Himura's voice. He doesn't seem to have the enthusiasm that most of the other characters show, even more so given his character portrayal.
Story:
Yu Himura, Yuko Amamiya, Kuze, and Mizuki were all supporting character in Memories. Now they take center stage as their past and present are told in an intricate tale that also links to relationships in the original Melodies series.
As in the original story, the story takes place in two cities, one in Japan and one in Australia. The two mirror cities is a theme that will be exploited greatly and finally explained in completion by the end of the series.
The two main stories are the history of Yu Himura and Yuko Amamiya and the present development between Kuze and Mizuki. Both stories are told concurrently in a similar fashion to Melodies, the difference being that Yuko's story is in the past. There aren't episodic cliffhangers, as the entire series as a whole is a cliffhanger in that each episode serves as a teaser to whet the viewer's appetite. Many of the characters have had a very dark past and/or present and these are explained in excruciating detail, giving the viewer a sense of the character's pain. As mentioned previously, some of these are quite graphic and may not be appropriate for younger audiences. However, the series then puts everything into perspective and finally leaves the watcher with a very philosophical and hopeful message at the end. The conclusion explains many of the happenings in both Memories and Melodies and gives a very satisfying sense of conclusion.
Overall, the stories are intricate and well planned. Expect some surprises along the way that deepen the meaning of both series.
Character:
The development of the main characters takes the majority of the series as the viewer listens in to the character thoughts. It is very difficult to say much here without spoiling parts of the story but suffice to say all the characters have had significant difficulties in their past that they are trying to overcome. The exposition of each character is wonderful (yet painful) and the main characters from the previous series also return to explain how their roles are actually related to the main stories in the present.
Value:
Melodies is a wonderful, yet painful, experience that explains many of the confusing aspects that were in Memories. It is show full of details and buried themes that the philosophical-minded viewer will enjoy. As many of the subtle points are buried behind animation sequences and hints, a re-watch will definitely reward the viewer. This series truly breathes life into a genre that I hadn't watched in a while. And it still resonates years after its release. Pick this up if you've watched Memories and liked the artistic qualities and get ready for quite an adventure.
