This is my first review, so please bear with me.
I also would like to just keep this nice and simple.
Story: 8
There is about 3 arcs in this series. After all, it is a coming-of-age story. (child-teen-adult) Each arc does an amazing job on portraying such vivid details and very intriguing plot lines and "plot twists."
I really like how the plot could make you question what kind of society we live in and connect it back to the series. (light spoiler) For example, one party contains this superior power over another party and the party that is inferior try their best to find their voice and fight back. (light spoiler end). I also like how this series captivates the audience into such suspense scenes and intense scenarios that will make you want to click onto the next episode. I would think that this series gets its praise on how many of the plot lines get explained at the end(kind of?) Also the themes of corrupted government, controlled society and oppressed vs privileged really deserve an applause because many animes today would not dare to touch upon such theme.
But, there are plenty of flaws that take the story that make it less enjoyable for more attentive audiences. For example, when the series would transition from one arc to another arc, it felt really rocky. Transitioning from the child arc toward the teenager arc was really awkward. Many of unnecessary scenes that could have been avoided because it had nothing to with the plot. The teenager arc seemed really rushed to me because of how the queerats was the main conflict in the child arc.(Spoiler) . . .Suddenly, they want to focus on Shun and later Mamoru which end up being completely ignored in the last arc. (Spoiler end) The story itself was really well presented with such a complex theme and portrayed a very serious tone. But, the main problem was pacing with the story and weird time skips. (side note)(spoiler) Saki's narration really destroyed the whole mystery thing because it was in first person and that automatically tells us that she lives to tell the story. Meaning that the outcome with the "fiend" was very predictable. )
I feel like the Karma Demon and Fiends were not as important because the producers just brushed it off for the queerrat plot. (Spoiler) Technically, Shun was not a Karma Demon because he still kept his humanity under control and constantly using his Cantus on the floating balls. Because the Karma Demon that was explained in episode 2 he lost his humanity and destroyed everything that he interacted with. You can say Shun was an enlightened Karma Demon because he knew how to avoid that becoming a Karma Demon. I think that Akki was obviously not a fiend because of the difference in Tomiko's story and the current "fiend" just did not match and the symptoms of a fiend just was not present in Akki.
Character: 2
The main reason why I gave this series a very low score. With such an amazing plot, very well developed characters should be a given. But not with this anime. The producer felt that giving Shun, Maria and Mamoru their own episodes of development is an excuse for character development. The child arc did a pretty okay job on explaining how each other characters interact with one and the other. (Spoiler) But when the children went to the summer camp, I personally felt Shun, Maria and Mamoru were not important because of how the producers did not show what Shun, Maria and Mamoru did to survive their journey to regroup with Saki and Satoru. (Spoiler end) Honestly, that bothered me the most about the characters is that they did not have any impact on me whatsoever. (spoiler) When Shun, Maria and Mamoru die, it was just eh. I felt like their deaths were just brushed off for the sake of the plot. They weren't forgotten, but every time they were brought up, it just was not meaningful in my opinion. Saki and Satoru felt very bland to me because of how they interact with their conflicts is offsetting. Everyone they interacted with only made the MC's look good because they are the MC's. And the amount of plot armor Saki has is just beyond ridiculous that I really wanted Saki to struggle in the series but did not. The narration really just took the whole mystery aspect of the series out and obviously told the audience that whatever happens Saki is going to be alive.
Art/Sound: 9
Art was good for its time, and the producers did not get lazy with their animations. Props to them.
The music was very appealing to the story and tone/theme of the series.
Enjoyment: 5
It was a nice break from your average animes. But after watching 16 episodes, the captivating aspect of the series start to disappear and just did not appeal to me as much as it did in the child arc. At episode 20, I just forced myself to watch it because I just wanted to finish it and see what happens. But the climax of each arc really makes you think on how beautifully the series tackles philosophical and corrupted society/government themes.
Overall: 6
Tl;dr. Watch if you like philosophical themes and a more mature anime.
Don't watch if you really love character development and believe that characters make an impact in the plot.
