Why?
While it may say that I have completed this show, that's a lie. By the end of episode 4, I dropped it. So why does it have the best rating I have ever given anything? Well, to put it simply,
This show was so good that I stopped watching it because I couldn't stand to see it end.
I didn't want closure to the story. I didn't want to see these people continue on their journey, because in another 80 minutes it would be over. I wanted the show to live on in my memory and only there. I will never re-watch it. I very rarely think about it, but so much of what I do, the stories I write, the themes I discuss, what draws me to a show in the first place, was brought about largely through this show.
So why do I like this show so much?
Characters. This is the only anime I have ever watched that made me legitimately care about it's characters. Mostly because it's the only anime I've ever watched that actually wanted me to care about the characters. Now, I know, I could watch any slice-of-life show and see a show about characters, but those are people. They're just people. They don't do anything I couldn't do. they don't provide anything more for me then just a black hole into "entertainment" (I'm not huge on slice-of-life, could you tell?). I have a similar attitude towards Bebop and shows like that too, but they follow the action anime philosophy rather then the SoL philosophy. They care about showing you something with characters in it to tie you to the situation, but not about the characters themselves.
This show cares about it's characters.
Many people find something, be it a book, movie, video game, or show, that they feel was built for them and them alone. This is that for me. Yes, it's slow and visceral and has an absolutely nasty tone, but it is the only truly character driven anime I have ever seen, and it does it so well I actually cried multiple times.
It really is a show that everyone should watch before they die. Even if you don't like it, I hope you can appreciate it for what it is.
