The story line itself is pretty simple, it's about time travelling in a sense, yes, but it doesn't dwell on it or does anything unnecessary with it (like Steins Gate and many other "time traveling" anime do). But, this anime isn't really about that. This is one of those stories were the conflict isn't always the purpose of the story. Now, that is not to say that the plot gets pushed aside, it doesn't in any way. But, this anime likes to take a pause every once in a while and focus in on some simpler matters. It does this so that the audience pays close attention. And, it works. In no way is this anime slow or boring. Slow is a relative word anyways as is boring. When the anime is "slow" it is with reason.
The characters are the best part of this anime. There isn't an overwhelming cast; and that's why it is perfect. This isn't like those animes where everyone gets a center episode or everyone gets tragic backstories. No, consider this like a slice of life, but much more minute. Like I said before, this anime is about the characters interactions with the character Kakeru. It is about five friend's sacrifice for their friend. The exception for their platonic love for one another is beautiful. And, even the romance between the main characters Kakeru and Naho is one of the cutest, purest, and best developed relationship's in a shojo anime. A lot of people say that the characters choices are stupid, but they are not really; each character makes a good choice for the situation they are in. And in a scenario where characters are fighting between two versions of their decisions that's a hard choice to make.
And, here is the other thing, this anime does a wonderful job in diving into deeper issues than is normally explored in anime. Depression, suicide, guilt; all to a different extent to. Yes, some choices by the characters are frustrating, but when someone has depression there are certain things that happen. Orange does a fantastic job at treading lightly-while still showing the effect of these issues.
Now, where I think the anime falls a bit short, has to be the animation. But, that is because of one thing: it's different. The style of Orange, is unique, maybe in a good way, but to some bad. I particularly wasn't fond of it, but it grew on me over time. Especially the smiles, the smiles are such an important part of the anime, and at firs they look weird-even disproportional. Overtime, it grows on you though and gives you a warm feeling. Fortunately, the animation makes up for it in it's music, maybe the actually scores themselves are not masterpieces but the opening and ending is spectacular. Especially the ending, because it is what you hear after every episode, and it pulls on the hearts strings (look at the lyrics and you'll know what I mean.)
Overall, I think a lot of people missed the point of Orange. Yes, the plot could have been fleshes out a bit more. The "letters" aspect was all over the place at some parts of the story. But, the importance of the letters still stood, it created the base of the story, it led the characters to each other and really found itself by the end. I think that Orange is one of the best shojo animes I have ever watched. And, it is because it was both powerful and emotional enough to have me care. I was hooked on Orange since episode one and it is an anime that I will forever look back on.
