I can understand why this isn't a top anime, it has its many, many flaws but the characters is not one of them. From the main character who is introduced as a young boy with the inability to hold social interactions and develop relationships, to his sick grandmother who supports him and provides the young boy with comfort and a honey coated tongue. All the characters are well thought out and have a great sense of depth as seen throughout the summer in which they are seen; we able able to see them grow and develop. These characters surprise us in more ways we can count, they are not predictable nor are they exactly alike other characters we have previously seen in similar genres.
The way the characters interact with one another is entertaining and sometimes very realistic. They can be relatable in a way that you can link your own experiences to them and form a special type of bond as you can imagine yourself in their shoes, going through the same situations. Obviously with the supernatural themes it was harder to relate at some points, however the overcasting theme of the importance of friendship and good relationships was prevalent in many of these scenes which was another of its strong points as you could still understand where the characters where coming from.
However the actual story line was where the quality of the anime dropped considerably. Though it was well paced at most times, there were certain points where it really lacked in the art of story telling. Additionally, all the themes mixed together lead to a childish plot near the ending, one in which the viewer was unable to take the story seriously as it lacked depth. Despite this, there were some very high points where the story would bring tears to my eyes and warmth to my heart, though it was simplistic at times but this did not stop the message from coming across.
The art was extremely appealing and was another factor that I was initially drawn to. It was simplistic in a way that was visually pleasing and is recognisable due to the unique techniques used. The main setting was the sea and the way it was portrayed in this anime definitely didn't disappoint, everything from the fish to the reflection of the sun across the water made the visuals a great success for this anime, it was memorable and well done. It did a great job of adding to the story rather than taking away from it or being a distracting turn-off.
I particularly liked the opening and ending theme songs for this anime, they added very well to the story and they represented it very well with the opening being more upbeat and catchy and the ending more relaxing and soothing. The background music fit the situations well as they were not overly distracting, however they did not stand out well enough to be particularly noteworthy. The voices fit the characters well and was another strong point for the anime. They were each distinctive and portrayed the characters in their unique ways that gave them another layer of depth and realistic attributes.
Overall this story of overcoming hardships and anxiety, creating friends and having an adventure whilst fishing was a highly pleasing one that I would definitely recommend. It is a truly underrated anime that should be given more credit for its characters and development. It lingers on its main themes in a way that is intuitive and forces the viewers to reflect. This is an anime that would be enjoyed by most that gave it a chance.
