If you ask me for one of the main reasons I watch anime or why I regard certain anime as a masterpiece (i.e. Higurashi no Naku Koro Ni) I will often give the answer that, unlike western television series, anime doesn't really hold back. The purpose of many shows is to tell a story, to present an idea and theme and either take you on the journey, or beat you senseless and drag you along the path. Some of my favourite shows hold a special place for me because it's clear that the creators didn't give much thought to how you as the viewer stomached it.
Clannad - got it's point across and it's purpose while emotionally crippling anyone in it's wake.
Higurashi - told it's story while luring in then disturbing and confusing anyone it touched.
And School Days did exactly that.
When I initially finished this show, I'll admit, I was honestly very disturbed and felt a gaping void had been left. Not so much in the same sense that Clannad would leave, but more that things hadn't gone how I would've wanted them to. I was very sore and sorry after completing it and would have been quick to tell anyone not to watch it. Honestly, I still wouldn't recommend this anime highly especially if you had just finished a particular series that's left you emotionally scared. I'd say steer clear at all costs because this anime will leave you with a lot to be desired.
So why am I being so liberal with my ratings?
Because this show was a very provocative piece of artwork. One that you need to REALLY step back from to see it for what it is and exactly how it is a masterpiece in it's own right.
School Days would mislead you to believe in all manners that it's a lighthearted boy-meets-girl anime with the hint of a love triangle. And for some time that seems to be the case.
We are presented with our hopelessly awkward protagonist, Makoto, who we root for to get the girl and blindly ignoring the signs of his true intentions. We want so badly for the love interest to be happy because of how tragic the rest of her life is, and we put faith in Makoto's personal cupid Sekai as we look to her for comic relief and a voice of reason.
The set up for these characters is so good that you'll be in a state of denial and no matter what anyone says you'll blindly hope for the best.
School Days is a tragedy. And a fantastic example of one at that. The issue with it is, is that it's a tragedy right down to the bone marrow and in our modern standard of viewing, we just aren't used to or prepared for it. Somehow, in some way, no matter who dies or what goes wrong, by the end of any given movie or series we always get some sort of win. We can always walk away saying "well at least they died together" or "at least it wasn't in vain", etc. to make an excuse and to leave us fulfilled. School Days does not give you that consolation prize.
As previously stated, School Days gave no regard to how much it angered you. That was the entire point all along. It sets you up with characters who all-to-easily trust and enjoy, then all of a sudden you see your protagonist turn into the antagonist and you are in several minds about who to really stand behind. Who's in the wrong? Who's actually doing what they should instead of burying their head in the sand?
It touches deep nerves about fatal floors in a Shakespearean manner you just don't see every day. In some scary and hard-to-admit way, you know you can relate to even one of those circumstances or at the very least empathise and therein lies one of the hardest things to swallow. The bottom line is, this is a terrible anime ONLY in the sense that it holds the Mirror of Truth up and forces you to look into it, which humanity in all it's history has never liked. I honestly don't think I've empathised with a character more than I empathised with certain characters in School Days, and I found it almost too real to stomach. But once again, that's exactly how it is a masterpiece.
It sets things up perfectly, it perfectly betrays you and hits her nerves and makes you beg for Karma to deliver itself upon the antagonist. But just when you think you're about to have that desire fulfilled, you're still left with the empty realisation that it wasn't enough. You'll finish this series in a bad mood, no doubt. But that's the whole point.
In all in, the reason I regard this anime so highly is because I have respect for creators who say 'no holds barred' and don't give a thought to 'will this please the masses'. This anime presents a very clear intention from the get-go regardless of whether or not wish you to see it. It's intention is to get you mad, tug on your nerves and push you out of your comfort zone beyond belief and it will do so whether you like it or not and no matter how much you think you're prepared.
Overall, the artwork was wonderful and the anime did exactly what it intended to do. The characters upheld their purpose and the story was told at the correct pacing to reel you in and then kick you to the curb. Personal feelings aside, there's not many shows that can pull off such a successful emotional manipulation and even fewer can master the art of a true tragedy. I recommend this anime for the emotionally prepared and open-minded, especially if you want a taste of something a little bit different ...
