While the art isn't my cup of tea the story and characters make up for it considerably. I found the Art/Sound to not be necessary in this story at all and therefore didn't weight them into my Overall rating.
The pacing can be slow for a lot of younger folks who are bombarded with visual stimulation at rates exceeding what's needed. In today's "want it now" society I can see why some viewers are unhappy with the pacing. For me it was near perfect. There are reasons behind the slow spots and if you're willing to indulge your own imagination during these times you will be greatly rewarded.
I loved this anime enough that I went right out and re-read the entire manga. I can count on one hand the number of times I've done that in 20+ years.
That alone was an indicator, to me, that this anime was special.
If you don't like slow pacing then this probably won't be a good anime for you.
If you enjoy great stories and characters then this is definitely worth watching.
Overall 9 out of 10.
