Story: (8)
The story starts off with soft, pleasant music coupled along with a tour around Kawagoe, the place the story revolves around. As the students of school look excitedly for their classes, both the main characters - Azumi and Akane are given a slight appearance. Luckily, they end up in the same class, and the heartwarming story begins. While they might have yet to notice, signals of love have already started to bloom between the two.
This story is nothing like the average school life romcom.
Tsuki ga Kirei fully utilizes the innocence of middle-schoolers who have yet to yearn for love, and delivers the story by showcasing bit by bit on showcasing how the main characters develop their blooming relationship.
Art: (8)
"feel." this time takes a different approach to how the art is handled in Tsuki ga Kirei. Unlike their previous hits like Oregairu S2 or Outbreak Company, all the characters have rather flushed out looks. While they may look bland to someone, I personally think that this further enhances the simplicity and the theme Tsuki ga Kirei has to bring out.
How the specially designed characters blend in with the background is also one of Tsuki ga Kirei's features. Usually, the backgrounds are not anything flashy, since Kawagoe isn't a big city. Many buildings and such have a "old" touch to it. Therefore, more flashier and livelier art present in Oregairu S2 or Outbreak Company wouldn't have fit the deal. If feel decided to use that art style in Tsuki ga Kirei, it certainly would not deliver the same effect.
Sound: (9)
Every single song, no matter openings, endings or insert songs are all sang by Touyama Nao. Already a big plus there. But, that's not it. Along with the really-good songs also goes with really-good background music. In Tsuki ga Kirei, every scene has its respective BGM. The whole effects feels grand, but you'd have to experience it yourself first hand to understand how well the sound is handled in this anime.
Also, when they insert songs covered by Touyama Nao, it always manages to take the spotlight. Not only does it fit the scene all the time, but how you can feel the feeling overflowing from both the anime and the singer just shows how well the sound is handled. Again, you'd have to watch the anime to understand how well it's handled.
Characters: (8) ******(There are minor spoilers here)******
Azumi Kotarou is one of the main characters in Tsuki ga Kirei. He's rather fascinated with literature, and every episode he quotes a quote from (usually Dazai Osamu, but there's a time where he also quotes Natsume Souseki), which just reinforces the fact that he loves literature so much. Until he met Akane, he wasn't really interested in love.
Mizuno Akane is the other main character in Tsuki ga Kirei. She gets nervous really easy, and really fast - shown by her multiple interactions with her mini-plushie (I'm not sure what to call this). She's also a fast runner, but without her mini-plushie, she usually performs badly. She wasn't that interested in love either, until she *SPOILER HERE* got asked out by Azumi.
To be honest, those are the only characters that you should pay attention to. But, there are also Chinatsu and Hira, who serves as people adoring for their one-sided love to become true. Others are not well developed but do not have to be, since the show is basically entirely focused on Azumi and Akane.
That's all for the stuff. Here's my opinion about the anime below.
Enjoyment: (10)
Tsuki ga Kirei is a romance that I've been looking forward to, ever since I've heard that it was the same director that was responsible for Angel Beats. At first, I had doubts about the art when I saw the PV. It seemed to me that, everything seemed so bland, and that nothing would stand out. I checked out feel's other works, and I believe they've never used such a form of art style in any of their anime.
Well, I'm glad that I decided to stay, 'cause what the show gave me was a pleasant surprise. This slow-paced romance that showcases the budding relationship between the innocent middle-schoolers are one of the reasons that attracted me. It gave me flashbacks on my school life as well. Unlike the many romances that usually has interference one way or the other, Tsuki ga Kirei just goes straight in, focuses and develops their relationship. Slowly, bit by bit, I get more and more attached to this anime. For as long as I've been watching romance anime, i have yet to see one that promotes such a theme. And it surely did it right. It's how they each take their own time to steadily develop their relationship that truly shook me. Step by step, their bond becomes stronger.
I believe that this show would be one of the hiddem gems of the season. This is an anime about how pure and innocent love can be at a young age.
If you were annoyed by the slow pacing of this anime, then I do suggest you to give it another try; how slow-paced it is truly showcases how their relationship develops.
Overall: (10)
