I watched the first season (each episode is 3 minutes long, the second season episodes are 12 minutes a piece) and was impressed by the art, but that was about all. The characters are all typical fare and easily forgettable. The sound is completely average. The story has a strange pace. But the artwork is great.
This anime is a very realistic look at the climb, to the point that you can tell much of it was taken straight from photos. That was exciting for me, because it looks so similar that it was like being there again. The animation even gets the authentic cane brands and the bells. It even takes a look at the restroom options on the mountain (you have to pay 200 yen per use, and, realistically, it shows the girls depositing the money after they've used the restroom).
This anime is like a guide to climbing Mt. Fuji. It even tackles issues like altitude sickness and annoying tourists (represented, of course, by loud Americans who do everything wrong, including running down the mountain and talking all night at the hut). All the joy is represented here well, too: the sunrise, the wind, the stars, and the sun beating down on you. I found it to be a great story and very realistic, a good representation of the actual climb. However, when I first started watching, I assumed it would be all about the girls tackling Mt. Fuji. Instead, they climb several mountains. It's also quite a bit about preparation, which is great! But it was a bit like tuning into an action anime that spends 20 of the 25 minutes watching the characters talk, then getting a few scant minutes of a fight scene. I felt that not nearly enough time was spent on the struggle of the actual climb. The girls zip between stations way too quickly. These climbs take HOURS, but they seem to fly through it. Granted, the episodes are short, but the Mt. Fuji climb should have been drawn out more.
