This romantic drama introduces quite a few interesting features that I hadn't seen before to that point, including telling the stories of three couples at the same time. Though the story is a bit difficult to pick up at first, it all becomes evidently clear later on. The one thing that really stands out in this series is the studio's unique use of visuals that make the experience literally something worth remembering.
Animation:
In general, the scenery is vivid and almost Air TV -like in quality. The director seemed to be experimenting with artistic touches, such as showing two screens at once and such. Though some of the effects make this seem almost more of an art than an anime, at certain moments it truly works to the anime's advantage and heightens the tension. The characters are all well drawn (though I seriously think one of the main protagonist's hair makes him look too feminine). At the time, I thought there was "suggestive" adult material- but in the context of works today this is pretty benign.
Sound:
The sound was well above average, and is used in combination with the unique animation style to create a powerful atmosphere that will be felt by the watcher. Elisa's OP is a high pitched, melodic piece that I dare you to try at Karaoke and still maintain your voice. Each of the heroines have their own OP, many of which are also very good. The BGM is, for once, a pivotal reason why the sound here is so good. The OST is definitely worth collecting and is full of strong emotions and (wait for it...) memories.
Though the VA cast wasn't particularly that famous, the performance was still great nonetheless. All the characters had a great deal of passion. I personally felt that Hiroko Taguchi did a great job for Miyako.
Story:
As mentioned above, there are really three stories here. One about a boy who meets a girl whose memory lasts only thirteen hours, one about a high school manga artist who meets a mysterious and carefree girl, and one about a third boy searching to catch a "sparkle" in his films. Strangely enough, all three stories are loosely connected as one will find out. All the three stories have to deal with the theme of memories and not wanting to be forgotten. The actual anime focuses on the first two relationships with the third being a related side relationship.
The plot sequence is slightly predictable though there are moments of intense drama coupled with an amazing animation scheme. All I'll say about the ending is not to expect "nice boats". It is a very satisfying conclusion and ends the story very well.
Character:
Certain characters are given a lot more emphasis than others. Only the three girls' pasts are completely explained and one of the boy's past (since his past is directly related with one of the girls). Side characters are introduced but contribute minimally to the story (perhaps to be explicated more in a sequel). The developments between the characters are well done and I didn't end up disliking any of them.
Value:
This has great re-watch value as knowing the ending gives a different perspective on how the characters behaved earlier. This value increases further once you get the meta-level understanding that the sequel adds on top. This is a classic that I highly recommend checking out.
