Having just finished this series, (Which btw took me 2-3 years of on and off viewing) I finally finished... the first part of Fairy Tail. Considering the show is still ongoing, and there are already 277 new episodes in Fairy Tail (2014-2016).
Story: 9
Fairy Tail's setting itself has a lot of lore and atmosphere to it. Every nook and cranny of the universe has theories and background to why they're there, and how things work. It feels almost Lord of the Rings-ish how much backstory and lore is in this show (Although not as much because Lord of the Rings is HUGE).
Like many other shounen out there (Naruto, Bleach, Dragonball), Fairy Tail consists of many different arcs sewn together with the development of the characters. The story mainly uses these arcs to investigate the background of a certain main character, develop new insight into the goals of each character, or complete the plot device that drives a them. As each arc draws to a close, you begin to realize that they usually follow the same formula, where the suffering of the group caused by the antagonist motivates them to fight even more. The protagonists (usually Natsu) is struck down and all hope is lost. Then the overpowered characters develop a new technique or use their sheer willpower to overcome these challenges.
While this type of resolution for story arcs is common in a lot of anime. None make the audience feel as passionate or as powerful as Fairy Tail. This is because despite the general formula that each arc follows, the pain is consistently different. Especially as you develop a love for these characters, to see them suffer fuels not only the protagonist, but the viewer as well.
In many anime, this feeling of suspense and building of passion is caused by the charging of an attack (Spirit Bomb), the elongated battle sequences that never seem to end (Sakura vs. Sasori), or simply the amount of time getting to the fight (Literally the first arc of Bleach). But in Fairy Tail, each arc is moved along with the backstory of each of the antagonist through mini-fights, where one protagonist and one antagonist fight while story is told. This allows the viewer to feel sympathy for the enemy, rather than just seeing them as a new target. As a result, whenever the arcs draw to a close, the weaknesses and flaws of the antagonist that are addressed by Natsu and the rest make the final fight feel even more powerful.
Art: 9
There's not much to say about the art. The character design is different from normal anime, but it pairs well with the fast paced action and quick comedic-relief scenes. The design of the abilities and skills bring a lot of color to the already intricately designed setting. Each character is carefully designed to match their personality. That's why I give art a 9, since the artwork does not exactly stand out on its own, but pairs well with the show.
Sound: 10
Like art, the sound works to enhance the rest of the show. Unlike art however, the music of this show can sometimes drive the emotions of scenes all by itself. Some scenes for instance, are just frame frame of still images of emotional scenes, but the intensity of the music makes the character's feelings really come out. It's funny how one melody (The main theme) played differently can cause so many different emotions to arise. Whether fast paced or slow paced, the music of this anime are amazing.
Character: 9
Now character development is very important in this series, because it's what drives the story arcs. Of course, what's interesting is the main character Natsu, doesn't seem to undergo any character development at all. His rowdy behavior is the same at the beginning of episode 1 as the end of episode 175. The critical development however, are the people around him. Whether it be his comrades, his mentors, and especially his antagonists.
Each antagonist in the show has his/her own reason to fight. There are nearly no enemies in this series that fight the protagonists for the sake of destroying the world or whatever. As the arcs progress, you see the exactly what tragedy occurred in the characters life, and why they want to fight. This results in a passionate final battle at the end of each story arc, because the suffering of the antagonist and the goals that he/she wanted to pursue are justified.
Enjoyment: 9
Man, I enjoyed this anime very much. The reason I dropped it a couple of times is because of how long each story arc felt. While each antagonist is very full of information and reason, trying to digest the entire background of all the characters is exhausting. So take a break every now and then. Besides that, the show is very enjoyable and you'll find yourself laughing, crying, and most of all cheering at the right moments.
Overall: 9
With Fairy Tail being my first review, it's with good reason. It's one of the only shounen anime that I've stuck with over the years (having dropped a lot) and the emotions it stirred just added to the overall enjoyment of the series.
